Protect the nearest deadline first
A TAS request does not stop another filing period. Send the required return, protest, hearing request, refund claim, or court petition to the correct destination on time.
1. Confirm a TAS assistance signal
- Federal tax problem identified.
- Financial harm, threatened adverse action, major cost, or long-term impact described.
- IRS delay beyond normal processing time recorded.
- Promised IRS response date and missed response recorded.
- IRS system or procedure failure explained.
- Ordinary IRS contacts and attempted resolution listed.
2. Protect every separate deadline
- All IRS and court notices collected.
- Tax periods and notice numbers matched.
- Return, response, appeal, CDP, refund-claim, payment, and court dates listed separately.
- Required filings sent to the office or court named in each notice.
- Proof of timely filing retained.
- Professional help considered for jurisdictional or high-risk deadlines.
3. Obtain the current official form
- English Form 911 or official Spanish Formulario 911 downloaded from IRS.gov.
- Revision checked immediately before filing; June 2026 was current when this page was reviewed.
- Submission address, fax number, and email checked on the current form.
- No saved third-party copy used as the source of filing instructions.
4. Complete identity and contact information safely
- Name and taxpayer identification number entered only on the official form.
- Current mailing address and reliable daytime contact provided.
- Preferred update method selected.
- Voicemail-consent box considered based on who can access the phone.
- Language or interpreter need identified.
- Sensitive information kept out of WhatDoIFile and unrelated documents.
5. Write a concise issue summary
- Federal tax form number and tax year or period stated.
- IRS action or inaction described in chronological order.
- First contact date and later contacts recorded.
- Promised response or resolution date included.
- Immediate financial, procedural, or rights-related harm explained.
- Exact relief or assistance requested in line 12b.
6. Attach only useful supporting copies
- Relevant IRS notice or letter.
- Proof of filing, payment, mailing, fax, or online submission.
- Correspondence and call records showing attempted resolution.
- Documents supporting eviction, utility cutoff, medical need, lost income, business harm, or another claimed hardship.
- Account or case records needed to understand the error.
- Attachments labeled by tax period and form line.
7. Choose a safe submission method
- Email selected only after understanding that Form 911 submissions and attachments are not encrypted.
- Mail or fax considered for sensitive material.
- Overseas fax instructions checked when applicable.
- Every page included and readable.
- Transmission or delivery proof saved.
8. Sign and document representation
- Taxpayer signature and date completed.
- Both spouses signed when requesting joint assistance.
- Authorized entity officer signed and included a title when applicable.
- Representative completed the third-party section.
- Form 2848, Form 8821, or other authority attached when required.
9. Follow up without creating duplicates
- Complete submitted copy retained.
- Preferred contact channels monitored.
- New notices and deadlines handled separately.
- If no response arrives within 30 days, one email sent with “No Response” in the subject line as directed by the current form.
- Duplicate Forms 911 for the same issue avoided.
Official sources
- IRS — Form 911, revision June 2026
- IRS — official Spanish Formulario 911
- TAS — submission instructions
- TAS — assistance criteria and qualifier