Guide

Qualify before you quote

The fastest way to lose margin isn’t competition — it’s pricing a case before you know what the IRS has posted.

The workflow

  • Obtain account transcripts for all open years (client pull from IRS Online Account is often enough to start).
  • Run structured decoding — not a skim — so levies, liens, audits, and passport flags surface before fee talk.
  • Pair transcript facts with financial intake when you’re ready to discuss OIC, PPIA, CNC, or full-pay plans.
  • Deliver a co-branded written summary clients can reconcile with what you said on the phone.

Why this saves deals

Prospects expect certainty. When your quote implicitly assumes facts that transcripts contradict, you buy conflict. When you sequence discovery → alignment → engagement, you buy trust — and cleaner accounts receivable.

Where RESO fits

RESO automates the mechanical decode and produces a strategy-oriented PDF your firm brands. You still set fees, scope, and representation — but you do it with a shared artifact in the file.

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