This article is part of our series on the 12 Myths About the IRS That Taxpayers Need To Know. I talk to taxpayers, clients, and prospective clients either on the … Read more
Important Tips to Keep From Getting Your Client in MORE Hot Water
Representing citizens with IRS problems is a challenge. The IRS has little sympathy for delinquent individuals and businesses. Fortunately, citizens have rights and, through their legal representative, they can successfully negotiate a resolution that allows them to move on with their lives. To effectively represent their clients, tax practitioners must know the law, the rules and IRS policy.
The IRS has rules that they must follow. There is the Internal Revenue Code. That is the law and whether they like it or not, they must follow it.
They also have the Internal Revenue Manual which they follow 100% of the time as long as they like what it says. When they do not like what it says, they follow it 0% of the time. The Manual contains their rules and guidelines, but it is this not the law, meaning taxpayers are not bound by it.
It is my job as a Tax Attorney to hold their feet to the fire and make sure that they comply with the law and follow their own procedures.
I was recently contacted by an organization that offers Continuing Legal Education credits to attorney. They want me to teach a two hour course to attorneys on IRS Problem Resolution. … Read more
You may remember my article last year, “IRS Tries Private Debt Collectors … Again“, where I predicted three times would not be a charm. Yes, the idea has failed not once, not twice, but thrice.
They’re baaaack. After 4 1/2 months of no activity, the IRS will be back in Florida on February 1. None of the Revenue Officers (who are the collectors) or the Revenue Agents (who are the auditors) physically left the state, but they have been quiet.
One of my favorite tax problem solutions is to have the IRS declare my client Currently Not Collectible (CNC). This is for citizens who cannot make even the smallest payments on their outstanding debts. Maybe they are out of work, short or long term, or maybe they just do not make enough income to pay all of their expenses. If this is the case, CNC status is often the answer.
It is April and your tax return is done. On the bottom of the second page it says that you owe money. The amount is more than you can pay so you decide not to file it. Bad move.
When you owe the IRS money, the first letter you get requests full payment. Every additional letter, telephone call, and personal meeting begins with the same demand. Sometimes taxpayers can write the check, but more times than not, there is no ability to pay the debt immediately.
It is April and your tax return is done. On the bottom of the second page it says that you owe money. The amount is more than you can pay so you decide not to file it. Bad move.
“Before I get help for my IRS problem, I’m going to go speak personally to the IRS officer or agent. Once they hear what I have to say, I am sure they will understand.” Some people who receive a notice from the IRS think that this is a great strategy because after all, what could go wrong? The answer is EVERYTHING.
Earlier this year I was asked by the American Society of Tax Problem Solvers to teach two day IRS Tax Resolution Boot Camps around the country. The attendees are attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents. Some of them have experience in this field, but the majority have never handled an IRS Collections case.
When I obtain transcripts from the IRS for my clients I always look for the day the tax was assessed because the IRS only has 10 years to collect the debt. However, there are some events that can occur over that period of time that stops the Statute of Limitations temporarily. They include offers in compromise, collection due process hearings, requests for installment agreements, and bankruptcies.
The short answer is “probably not.” Less than 1% of tax returns are audited. Generally, there is a reason for the ones that get chosen. When the IRS receives a tax return, they score it. This identifies the tax returns where the numbers are outside the average from someone whose work is similar to the taxpayer.
In the real world, people and businesses settle for less all the time. So when they come to me with a tax problem, they want to know if they can make a deal with the IRS.
If you receive notice from the IRS about income tax issues, it will likely be for one of the following 10 litigated IRS tax issues. Learn what each of these really means and how a tax attorney can protect you:
Tax-related identity theft has impacted more than 1 million federal taxpayers to date, according to a recent USA Today article. While the same article writes that incidents of identity theft related to fraudulent tax returns has decreased in the past year, IRS Commissioner John Koskinen recently testified that the nature of tax identity theft has shifted: Once committed by individuals, he says tax identity theft now involves sophisticated crime syndicates who hack internal online systems to gain personal taxpayer information.
Learning that you have tax debt can be unwelcome financial news, especially if you didn’t account for additional tax payments in your budget.
Though you’re legally obligated to settle back taxes that are legitimately owed, there are cost-effective payment methods you can use to settle IRS tax debt. Here are some of the most popular payment options to consider for tax debt relief, and the pros and cons of each.