Radio Interview (March 21, 2025)

Listen to this interview – MP3

Host 00:00
Keys, KeysTalk, 969-125, the talk of the Keys, again checking traffic, no major incidents to report up and down to US1, but when you get to the 18-mile stretch, as we’ve been saying, those brush fires will definitely affect traffic, slow downs at the least, complete stoppages at the most, and those occurred even yesterday, a couple of times on the 18-mile stretch, could occur again today. The Monroe County Emergency Management and with partners in Florida Keys, South Miami-Dade are all monitoring that situation, 24,000 acres have burned thus far, and 30% of the fire is contained at present. That number has remained static over the past couple of days, but no drones in the area, please, that will stop the aerial firefighting missions and certainly use common sense, but expect delays going up and down US1 between the mainland and the Florida Keys.

We now say good morning to Steve Klitzner, FloridaTaxsolvers.com, and good morning to you, Steven.

Steven 01:04
Well, good morning, Michael. Hi.

Host 01:05
Hi there. So, yes, I would not advise you trying to get to your offices in the Florida Keys over the next couple of days.

There is a significant backups due to a huge brush fire. I know it’s affecting Miami-Dade as well, though.

Steven 01:19
Yeah, it is. Yeah, I actually I went outside and I could actually kind of smell it a bit, you know. So it’s bad. Hopefully they’ll get it under control.

Host 01:30
Yeah, indeed. Well, hopefully so.

Well, let’s talk about taxes. April 15 is coming up. And some people are hearing about doge and all of the layoffs and cutbacks, etc. It looks like maybe even the Department of Education is going to completely go away. But the IRS has not been immune from cutbacks and layoffs. So some people may start to get a little complacent or comfortable thinking that they as a taxpayer or someone with delinquent taxes or unfiled returns may not be pursued. Is that going to be the case?

Steven 02:03
Well, that’s what folks are thinking, but it’s not going to happen. The IRS isn’t going away.

I have talked to a manager who manages revenue officers. Those are the collection officers in her group. She had 10 people who were transferred for were let go because they were new. So now they’ve got four people at 110 percent capacity in the audit division. I got a call from a manager of auditors. She said to me, you know, the audit you have tomorrow, we got to postpone it. That auditors been let go. She went from nine people to three and she’s trying to handle the work of the other six. Now, when you hear that, you think in a business, maybe in a business, they just move things along quickly, go from one to the next and just keep going. The IRS is different.

I think what the IRS is going to do is let it back up. But continue to work cases hard, not give people a break. Just go as business as usual. So you can’t just feel if you don’t do anything, nothing’s ever going to happen to you because ultimately it will.

Host 03:18
And those who remain at the IRS may feel compelled to Perform even more and get more enforcement etc to justify their own existence too. So that could yeah

Steven 03:29
Morale is down and they are scared, every one of them. But, you know, for the most part, they say we’re just putting our heads down and doing the work.

Now, you know, some folks might say, well, if I don’t file, I’m gonna be okay. They’ll never come after me. Or if I file and don’t pay, they’ll never come after me. But remember, the IRS has 10 years. And five years from now, with penalty and interest, if you owe $10,000 today, it could be $20,000 in five years. So ultimately, they’re gonna catch up to you. It’s best not to fall behind.

Host 04:09
Okay. Indeed.

Floridataxsolvers.com. Steven Klitzer, the law office of Steven Klitzer tax attorney talking with us on good morning keys. How about refunds then? Are they, uh, I assume they’re still going to be issuing refunds. Will those be slowed?

Steven 04:24
Yeah, everyone, that’s how everyone feels. I will tell you this. My son did his return already. He got his refund in 10 days, you know, went right to his bank account.

Now that may not be true for everyone. And the more you get, maybe the longer it takes. But at least so far, I haven’t heard much in the way of delays of refunds. Good reason, get your return filed sooner rather than later. So you will get your refund back.

Host 04:51
Okay, so how about some of those more severe penalties like seizures, wage garnishments, etc. Will those continue at the pace they’ve been?

Steven 05:02
Well, the people at the 800 number, automated collections, they’re still sending out the collection letters, and those go out by computer, too. Just like the correspondence audits go out by computer, but when the case comes to a revenue officer in the field, they’re going to work it. And let me tell you, if you could owe $20,000, they’re going to treat it like a million bucks. They want that money when it gets assigned to somebody.

The biggest problem or the biggest thing to worry about are payroll taxes. If you’re a business owner, do not fall behind on payroll taxes. That is something that is inevitable that they’re coming after you, and it can be quite a lot of money with the penalty and interest.

Host 05:50
Yeah, and the business owners themselves can be liable for that. Is that right? Because it’s is it considered theft, basically?

Steven 05:57
Well, the trust fund portion is the portion they withhold from employees. That comes to about 60 to 65 percent.

The money withheld from employees, Social Security, Medicare and withholding. The way the IRS looks at that is, yes, the business owes all the money, but that money withheld from employees, somebody stole it. And we’re coming after one or more people at the business to get that money directly from them if the business doesn’t pay it.

Host 06:24
And you’ve talked about this before, even if you have past problems, non filing or overdue taxes, payroll, whatever it might be, it’s very important to get current and work on the current amounts. At least they see the effort going forward.

Steven 06:39
Yeah, that’s the most important thing. Once we get going on a case or once you want to get this under control, the key is stop it going forward. The IRS will always work with you on the past as long as you’re not a problem going forward. If you continue to owe every year and continue not to pay your taxes or file from their standpoint, they may as well just start taking your things. They’ve given up on you.

So the first thing we always do after we get the transcripts is get our clients in compliance. Now, the way the IRS is working today, we may not take action right away, affirmative action. Our job may be get the transcripts, get ourselves current, monitor this, and do things that are in our best interest rather than wake the sleeping giant. But it is important that even if you’re under the radar, that you get help so that you’re proactive and not going to have an immediate problem once the case gets assigned.

Host 07:49
Okay, and so that might involve some estimates of taxes coming due, that kind of thing.

Steven 07:56
Yeah, you have to just just get it under control. You know, I was talking to a client of mine, a new case, and every year he owes a few thousand dollars and he doesn’t make enough money to pay his taxes. Well, no one makes enough money to pay their taxes no matter how much you make. But I kept explaining to him and he didn’t quite get it that he’s got to get it under control going forward.

He’s got to file and pay this year. He said, I don’t have the money for this year. I said, all right, look, file this year, 2024’s return, April 15th, and at least in 2025, start paying it in. If you do that, they’ll work with me on the pass that they see you’re paying in for the current year going forward.

Host 08:47
Again, Stephen Klitzner, law office of Stephen Klitzner, PA, tax attorney. Steve, give us the local phone number for us in the Florida Keys.

Steven 08:55
It’s 305-682-1118. I remember when we used an 800 number, but now nobody’s worried about long distance.

No, they’re not. It’s 305-682-1118. I think it’s cool too that when people move, they only have their cell phones. They’re from California, they still have their LA area code. Nobody even changes their area code anymore. I think it’s cool too. I think it’s cool too. I think it’s cool too.

Host 09:25
Yeah. Oh, I know. I remember watching the clock when I was making long distance calls because you’re, it’s kind of like the IRS. It just mounts over time. That’s like somebody

Steven 09:35
somebody came to your door, somebody have to go outside. No, no, no, can’t talk now. He’s on long distance.

Host 09:41
That’s right. It’s a huge deal.

Yeah. FloridaTaxSolvers.com. Speaking with Steven Klitzner, I saw on your website too, of course, all of your qualifications just goes without saying that you have well, exemplary expertise to deal with the IRS. You have been dealing with the IRS for many, many years. The local field officers, et cetera, even with the IRS commissioner. Now here it was Danny. We’re filled, I believe.

Steven 10:08
Yeah, any workful. Yeah now is he

Host 10:11
He’s still at the head of the IRS, or has he been replaced?

Steven 10:15
He stepped down. Now they had an acting commissioner. He stepped down. Now they have another acting commissioner until the new commissioner is confirmed.

Host 10:26
Okay, and is that also an appointment from the Trump administration or?

Steven 10:30
Yes. Yes. And generally, I think they have is that I think it’s a four year term. And generally, they stay on with the new administration.

But we’re a full step down because, you know, Trump’s going in a different direction with the IRS. The guy that he appointed actually did a lot of ERC credits. He had companies that took care of employee retention credits and he’s coming in and, you know, he’s going to try to revamp things to make them more efficient.

Host 11:03
Okay, well again, Stephen Klissner, Law Office of Stephen Klissner, P.A., tax attorney, FloridaTaxAlvers.com, 305-682-1118. Now, I know your consultation initially, there’s not a cost for that, correct? Right. Okay.

Steven 11:19
The consultation is always free.

Host 11:21
And that’s important, and you will give an honest assessment as to whether even your services are needed or possibly what you can do for them. You had mentioned, Stephen, earlier about a client who said they can’t pay their taxes year after year. So what about the person who says, well, if I can’t afford to pay my taxes, how can I afford to pay an attorney?

There really are benefits, you know, and you can save money by going to the professionals, such as yourself, it can cost you a lot more if you don’t do that.

Steven 11:52
Yeah. And that’s true. It’s got it’s kind of an investment for me to help you out in the long run. You’ll come out better.

You’ll save aggravation time and money. And as a matter of fact, when we fill out the financial forms for the IRS, some people pay me every month. They can’t afford my fee and they’ll pay me every month. We actually put that as an expense and the IRS allows the payment to me. So technically you’re paying me and not the IRS and they allow that.

Host 12:25
Yeah, well, and time is of the essence. If you’re starting to get some letters, you’ve been afraid to open them or just don’t know what to do, where to turn, because this can turn into an avalanche. If you don’t do something about it, liens and levies on your bank accounts and homes, they can even hold up your passport, et cetera, not trying to use scare tactics, but it does get worse over time and it does not go away, that being IRS tax problems.

So call the office of Stephen Klissner, tax attorney, 305-682-1118, online Florida tax solvers.com. So, Stephen, we will certainly talk again soon. April 15th is marching towards us pretty quickly.

Steven 13:09
Yeah, yeah, it certainly is. And the thing to do is if you’ve been behind in the past, make this the year you catch up and get it under control.

And if you’ve stayed good over the years, don’t change what you’re doing. Keep on doing it. The IRS nightmare is not something that you want to keep you up at night.

Host 13:30
No, definitely not. Well, and you really don’t want to deal with the IRS directly, either. They’re not on your side.

They’re not going to tell you what your rights are. But those rights are fully known by Stephen Klitzer and floridattacksolvers.com. 305-682-1118. Anything else we should highlight at this time, Stephen?

Steven 13:51
I think the only other thing we’ve got to do is have a great day and a great weekend.

Host 13:55
Absolutely. Yes, let’s all do that. Thank you, Steven, for being here. We’ll talk again soon.

Steven 14:00
Thanks, Michael. Take care.

Host 14:02
care by. It is floridattacksolvers.com. Stephen Klitzner at the Law Office of Stephen Klitzner, 305-682-1118. Well, again, we’ll continue to monitor the brush fire and the 18-mile stretch and the effects on the 18-mile stretch in your travel. We’ll keep you completely updated on that.

Breaking news as soon as it happens. Local state national news. Every half hour, weather around the clock. Getting set for Glenn back next on Keys Talk, 969-125, The Talk of the Keys.