Radio Interview (February 1, 2024)

Host 00:00
And you start ninety six nine one oh two five the talk of the keys eight twenty six now and as mentioned it is a mild sixty two degrees throughout the keys from Key West to South Miami -Dade this is the one voice of the keys keys talk ninety six nine one oh two five the talk of the keys and we have the pleasure of revisiting with it is Steven Klitzner the IRS problem resolution attorney we spoke a number of months ago and we certainly wanted to get an update from attorney Klitzner, how are you sir

Steve Klitzner 00:30
Well great Michael it’s great to be back talking to you.

Host 00:33
Yes thank you for being here so even though we haven’t visited for a while I’m sure that there are some people who didn’t hear some of our previous conversations and also a lot of people who continue to have IRS problems and that is what you are here to help solve and let’s recap just a little bit people can certainly reach out to you let’s give the phone number first off where they can start the process of solving their IRS problems.

Steve Klitzner 01:00
Yeah it’s 305-682-1118 and the consultation is always free and you know I used to always meet people in person but since COVID the majority of the new folks that call me we speak on the phone .

Host 01:17
Yeah okay well a number of people think they can maybe solve the IRS tax problems they might get a notice in the mail they might just ignore it but time really is of the essence isn’t it it really is imperative that they get professional help to solve this problem because it’s just gonna get worse.

Steve Klitzner 01:35
Yeah and you know the letters that you get many of the letters especially the certified letters give you certain rights and those rights will expire and once they do now you’re playing catch-up now you’re playing defense if you exercise your rights you as a taxpayer can be more on the offense nothing can happen until you the case and that’s really important because if you do nothing ultimately the IRS is going to take action that could be taking away your passport or not renewing your passport it could be filing a federal tax lien it could be taking your bank account and your and your wages so you have to be very careful not to ignore and a lot of people do and I get it it’s very overwhelming but you have to be proactive

Host 02:28
Well they’ve been called the most effective and aggressive collection firm in the world that is the IRS and you really can’t go it alone it’s not an issue that’s going to go away whether it’s payroll taxes personal taxes or the like it’s just going to get worse and the IRS is not really interested in letting you off the hook or even giving you a drastic reduction on your own are they?

Steve Klitzner 02:49
Only if you can show them that This is all the money you can pay.

Steve Klitzner 02:56
Everyone hears about the offer and compromise. Everyone wants to do it. And it applies to people who, when push comes to shove, there’s no way they can pay the debt. They don’t have, they have limited amount of assets, limited amount of no property.

Steve Klitzner 03:12
They don’t make a whole lot of money. Yes, they can settle for less. Other people that have the ability to pay, they are gonna pay every single penny of it. Everybody’s got a different case.

Host 03:22
Yeah, Steven Klitzner, IRS problem resolution attorney right here in South Florida with floridataxsolvers.com. Phone number to reach out for a free consultation, 305-682-1118. So Steven, not everybody is really equipped to deal with the IRS. Not even every IRS, well, so -called IRS attorney is equipped. You’ll hear some of those nationwide type ads where you’re supposed to call the number and you get somebody far away.

Host 03:52
You are uniquely positioned and well -trained, as well as you have the relationships necessary to deal with the IRS on behalf of a defendant.

Steve Klitzner 04:02
I think that’s really important. Most of those companies you hear, they’re not attorneys. They give you a case worker that may not even be a CPA or enrolled agent. And they’re really good at taking your money. They’re not so good at resolving your case. And when you have a local revenue officer, especially, and you’ve got somebody across the country representing you or supposedly representing you, the IRS is going to take advantage.

Steve Klitzner 04:31
It’s really important that you have someone locally with the relationships who deals with the same people all the time who can get your best possible deal and is looking out for your best interest.

Host 04:45
Really?

Steve Klitzner 04:45
I was going to say, I joke about the fact that you have one of these national companies and joke about it. working on the case and you call the next week it’s like where’s Joe? Joe went to work at the mall we just we just had Mary now was in the mailroom she’s now working on your case and that’s what it is over there yeah a little bit different when she’s filling with an attorney in South Florida.

Host 05:11
Well indeed and you’ve practiced exclusively in IRS tax problem resolution for a number of years a 1979 graduate from University of Miami School of Law and you do have the relationships here with IRS agents that are necessary to negotiate on the behalf of a defendant and when we say negotiated can come in a variety of ways but as you said if you’re able to pay it you’re going to end up paying it but there are a number of ways to help resolve this issue so that the individual doesn’t have to deal with it alone and the individual is certainly very ill equipped again 305-682-1118 is the phone number floridataxsolvers.com so the IRS is certainly not taking this lying down either in fact they have become even more aggressive as of late ramping up collections and audits we’ve all heard about how the current administration has sought to add all kinds of additional resources and personnel to the IRS well lo and behold it does appear the collections and audits are ramping up pretty rapidly

Steve Klitzner 05:51
Yeah we’re seeing more and more they’re starting to again send out letters that they haven’t sent out in several years these are the collection letters that people get from automated collections which is the IRS people at the 800 number they’re starting to take action for a couple of years many of my clients were under the radar it’s not happening anymore here they come

Host 05:51
Indeed something else I did notice to as far as your qualifications Steven three -year term with the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council not only do you know the IRS agents you actually were sought out as an advisor to them at one point

Steve Klitzner 05:51
Yeah I just finished my three -year term and I’m like going through withdrawal symptoms now I miss it because I went to Washington five times a year and met with people at the IRS I was the chair of the small business self -employed subgroup of the Ursac the Internal Revenue Service Advisory Council and I got to meet a lot of people I really understood where the IRS is coming from now when you talk to the people at the top they generally have some pretty good ideas how things should be done unfortunately like the old game of telephone when it trickles down to the field the message kind of gets lost and that’s unfortunate but they do have you know they’re developing some new ways for taxpayers to work out their problems they’re gonna be better on the telephone and be better online you know they’re sending letters with QR codes now so they’re getting they’re getting sort of caught up but a lot of times it’s necessary that somebody help you you know if you owe a few thousand dollars you need a little time to pay it you don’t really need me you can do it but we owe a lot of money and the IRS says listen we want you to sell your house or we want you to refinance this or we want you to take your IRA, we want you to close your business, you need somebody to protect you because in my mind, those generally aren’t the options the taxpayer wants to do.

Host 08:30
Again, it’s attorney Steven N. Klitzner. He is IRS problem resolution attorney at Florida. Talk, make that floridataxsolvers .com 305-682-1118. And here’s an interesting point. Some people may think that the IRS will look negatively upon them or even sanction them if they hire an attorney, but that’s really not the case, is it?

Steve Klitzner 08:56
No, they’re actually sometimes thrilled among the case because they’re not getting any cooperation. They’re forced to start levying because they’re not getting what they need from the taxpayer. And the important thing is, once I represent somebody, they never talk to the IRS unless, in a few occasions, I think it’s a good idea, but the general answer is no. They’re not talking to the IRS. And the revenue officers who handle the collection, the revenue agents who handle audits, they would rather deal with me because we can cut to the chase and resolve the case.

Steve Klitzner 09:33
And that’s really what they’re looking to do, resolve the case. And I have to resolve it and not set my client up for failure. If the IRS wants them to pay $2 ,000 a month in an installment agreement and they can only pay $500 a month, I’ve got to make a deal and my clients can afford and not default on in two months.

Steve Klitzner 09:52
So it’s not as easy as just calling them and saying, here’s what we’ll do. Everything, for the most part, requires financial information. They look at every little thing. And then the whole thing is they don’t want to send a message, the IRS doesn’t, that if you don’t pay your taxes, just call us and we’ll make you a quick deal.

Steve Klitzner 10:14
They want to send the message that you need to pay your taxes on time. And that’s why there’s- so difficult for the layperson to deal with. Well, and I’ve heard you say it before, Steve, that it is important to get your taxes on track.

Host 10:29
And one of the things that the IRS will look for is that you at least start paying your taxes and then you can help, you know, that’s the going forward portion of it, but you can help with the back do, et cetera, et cetera.

Host 10:42
But really, it’s important to get things on track going forward as well.

Steve Klitzner 10:46
Well, there’s no question, they’ll always work with you if you’re filing your returns, whether you’re a business filing your 941s, your 1120s, 940s, individual filing their 1040s, they’ll work with you on the past stuff, as long as you’re going to be good from here forward.

Steve Klitzner 11:06
If you’re not going to be, then they don’t care what they do to you. And probably about 75, 80% of the people come to me have at least one unfiled return. Some people haven’t even filed this century.

Host 11:18
Oh, boy.

Steve Klitzner 11:19
What they do the big first big mistake is they follow all their returns. Well the IRS only cares about the last six years. I can’t tell you how many people come to me and say I just filed the last 10 years I owe hundreds of thousands of dollars and it wasn’t necessary they only have to file the last six years and we have some plans and we have some ways we work that which is less invasive for the taxpayer but you know we have to have a plan and generally like any other problem once you get started once you start doing it it doesn’t hurt as much as you thought it would and you actually feel better.

Host 11:57
So people are certainly better off in the long run hiring an attorney such as yourself getting it taken care of and as you said even the initial consultation is free then you really have a better idea of where you’re headed and what can happen.

Steve Klitzner 12:13
Oh there’s no question you know sometimes people say I don’t know this I don’t know that and okay here’s what I’m going to do I’m going to get your transcripts and I charge an initial fee for that and then I can give you some answers maybe there’ll be more of a fee maybe less but my ultimate fee is always a flat fee covers everything I do start to finish because I don’t want people to think well he doesn’t you know what if that doesn’t work and you have to appeal it do I have to pay you more and what if that doesn’t work what if the IRS comes back in two years and wants more information everything is included in my fee which is good because that’s the you know that’s the worst it’s like divorce lawyers you know they send you a fee a bill because they worked an hour and you call them you say why didn’t you send me a bill and they explain it to you and then they send you a bill for calling them I don’t do that it’s a flat fee covers everything I work with people I’m paying me and that way they know that I’m all in in my and I have a real interest in resolving their case

Host 13:18
Yeah Steven Klitzner, floridataxsolvers.com, the IRS Problem Resolution Attorney, 305-682-1118.

Host 13:28
And again, time is of the essence. Get started early in the process. If you’re starting to get letters, even if it’s later on in the process, you can take the IRS off your back and put it clearly in Steven Klitzner’s plate and get some resolution started in your favor.

Host 13:45
So Steven, a lot of people also have heard about the IRS liens and levies. That is one step that may be down the road for some people. But a lot of people are not aware of the fact that your passport can get taken away or revoked.

Host 14:02
Let’s talk about that for a minute. That’s another penalty that is in the toolbox of the IRS.

Steve Klitzner 14:07
Yeah, that’s a big thing. And this is the law that’s been around for several years and they were starting to really push it.

Steve Klitzner 14:14
And then COVID came and they backed off. Now they’re pushing it again. And the amount changes every year. Right now it’s $62 ,000. If you owe the IRS more than $62 ,000 and you ignore certain letters, they can now certify your passport to the State Department.

Steve Klitzner 14:35
So when you try to get a new passport, you try to renew your existing passport, the State Department just keeps it. Now you have none. In some circumstances, if you don’t cooperate, they’ll actually have your passport revoked.

Steve Klitzner 14:50
And this is not good news for taxpayers. You can’t leave the country. If you’re out of the country and they happen to revoke it while you’re out of the country, you’re able to come back in. I always thought that they should have made the law that you’re allowed to leave, but they won’t let you back.

Steve Klitzner 15:07
But it’s the opposite of that. They won’t let you leave the country if they take away your passport. And as you mentioned, it is a very valuable tool to the IRS. The good news is it’s a relatively simple solution.

Steve Klitzner 15:24
It takes a little while, but we can get that certification reverse for people and get their passport back. Y

Host 15:32
eah. Well, just because people have IRS problems, whether it’s leading to a passport revocation or something of the like, it doesn’t mean that they’re a bad person. Just in a lot of cases you mentioned early on, it just kind of got out of hand. They maybe ignored it, thought it would go away, et cetera. But it doesn’t mean, and there’s no embarrassment really involved with being, you know, in the sights of the IRS. You’re there to help make the situation better no matter what the circumstances were that got them there.

Steve Klitzner 16:02
Most of my clients would never dream of breaking the law in any regard. But when it comes to the IRS, this is very often their only really big problem.

Steve Klitzner 16:12
They just are so overwhelmed by it. And it is snowball. to the fact, to the point where they’re losing sleep over it and they don’t know how to start. They almost want the IRS to take action to force them to do something.

Steve Klitzner 16:30
And the important thing is, is once they’re proactive and once I have my power of attorney in and I get the letters they get and the phone calls they get, they can sleep at night. We have a plan to resolve it.

Steve Klitzner 16:45
But certainly the stigma that people think they have, I always tell them they’re not alone. There’s so, there’s millions of people, most of my think are in South Florida, who have IRS issues and are still really good, upstanding, intelligent, responsible.

Steve Klitzner 17:08
Sometimes they’re very financially well off people who just can’t get this one problem. out of their mind and out of their life.

Host 17:19
Steve and I have one more question for you and then anything else you’d like to mention we certainly will bring to the fore here, but a lot of people, especially in business, they may have an accountant, they’ve never had a need necessarily for a tax attorney.

Host 17:33
It’s not really accurate to think that your accountant is equipped to handle your IRS problems, is that correct?

Steve Klitzner 17:41
Most accountants aren’t. They sometimes try to help their people. I do a lot of presentations and seminars and I teach around the country practitioners how to do this. And a couple of years ago I was doing a seminar here in Florida for a group of CPAs and the next day one of the CPAs came to my office, I didn’t know he was coming, and welcomed him in. He came into my conference room, he put two files on my conference room desk and said let me know when he left because they’re not really equipped to do this.

Steve Klitzner 18:15
Their practice is different than having to go toe to toe with the IRS every day. So many of my cases come from referrals from CPAs and enrolled agents and tax professionals who really don’t handle this niche.

Host 18:31
Yes, indeed. It is Steven Klitzner, IRS problem resolution attorney at floridataxsolvers.com, available for a free consultation. You’ll speak directly with Steve at 305-682-1118. He is immensely qualified to handle any tax problem that occurs.

Host 18:50
And believe me, don’t let it go long. Get on top of it early on. You have the best opportunity to solve this problem and get it behind you if you call Steven Klitzner as soon as possible, 305-682-1118.

Host 19:08
The IRS, as we mentioned earlier, is just ramping up collections as well, so they’re not going to… get any easier on you as time goes on either. Not at all.

Steve Klitzner 19:18
No, they are not. And that keeps me very busy.

Host 19:21
Yes.

Steve Klitzner 19:21
That’s why this is all I do. I don’t have time to do anything else other than handle people who and businesses who owe the IRS are getting audited or haven’t filed their returns.

Host 19:33
Yes. Indeed. Well, is there anything else you’d like to bring up at this time?

Host 19:37
I think we hopefully educated people who were unfamiliar and gave them a reason to seek you out if they find themselves in that position.

Steve Klitzner 19:45
No, I appreciate it. I appreciate the time you spend with me. You know, it’s funny. Sometimes people I’ll talk to someone and they’ll retain me and they say, well, I feel great. I feel so much better. Sometimes I’d say, wait, hold on. It’s not done yet. I know you feel better, but now we’ve got some work to do.

Steve Klitzner 20:02
I need some information. So the initial feeling is usually pretty good. But my goal is to protect people so that. they can go on and live their life going forward and take care of the problem in the past so they’re not always looking over their shoulder.

Steve Klitzner 20:21
Well you know most people have a fear of the unknown but by retaining you it’s certainly a knowledge is power and they all of a sudden have knowledge and have some assurance that that knowledge is going to benefit them.

Host 20:33
So I think that that alone creates peace of mind when dealing with the IRS. Steven Klitzner IRS problem resolution attorney floridataxsolvers.com online and locally at 305-682-1118. Thank you very much Steven for being here this morning on Good Morning Keys we hope to speak again soon.

Steve Klitzner 20:53
My pleasure thank you Michael.

Host 20:55
Yes sir have a very good day again Steven Klitzner IRS problem resolution attorney floridataxsolvers.com 305-682-1118. Good morning to you this is Good Morning Keys 62 chilly degrees on our way to 70.

Host 21:10
We’ll be back with Keys Talk 9691025 the talk of the keys.