Faq
The short answer is yes, any taxpayer can contact and negotiate with the IRS directly. When you first learn of any potential back taxes the first thing you should do is contact the IRS. However, it is highly advisable to engage an experienced tax attorney to help you with these matters. The IRS oftentimes will take advantage of a taxpayer’s lack of knowledge of IRS rules and procedures which may result in a resolution that is not in your best interest or no resolution at all. IRS Collections is not something that should be taken lightly and a taxpayer should proactively attack this problem with as much help as possible. As a tax attorney I specialize in only tax resolution. In 10 years I have assisted thousands of clients successfully resolve their back taxes. In every case I believe the presence of competent IRS representation was highly beneficial to the ultimate outcome.
A majority of tax resolutions firms will provide unlicensed representatives to handle your case with the IRS. This only leads to disappointing results as their authority with the IRS and ability to negotiate is limited. Some tax resolution firms will provide an Enrolled Agent as your representative. This option is better but not the best representation you can have. An Enrolled Agent does not have the same level of education and experience as a licensed tax attorney. With most tax resolution firms you will not have a choice as to who will represent you, they will just assign your account to a representative before you ever have a chance to speak with them. At Tabb & Associates, you will speak directly with Will Tabb, Esq. during the initial free consultation. After engaging Tabb & Associates, Will Tabb will be your representative throughout the entire process. Your case will never be “passed off” to an assistant.
The simple answer is no. In fact, IRS Revenue Officers are often happy to work with an experienced attorney who can explain and guide taxpayer’s through complex IRS rules and regulations. The job of an IRS Revenue Officer to collect money and to get a delinquent taxpayer back on track. They understand that an attorney will aide in this endeavor. Our job at Tabb & Associates is to first protect our clients
A lien is commonly the first step the IRS will take in an attempt to collect a debt from a taxpayer. A Federal Tax Lien is usually filed with the County Clerk and is public record. It serves to secure the IRS’ interest in a taxpayer’s property. A lien does not actually seize any property from a taxpayer. A Notice of Levy however is the government’s seizure of a taxpayer’s property. The IRS can issue a Levy up to the amount of the Lien and seize funds from a bank account, individual wages, Social Security or in the case of businesses, from their customers. A Notice of Levy is a serious matter and should be addressed by the taxpayer through their attorney immediately.
The best course of action always is to pay your IRS debt in full. If you are unable to do so there are options. The first step should be to contact the IRS immediately by either responding to the IRS notice you have received or contacting your local IRS Revenue Officer. You want to ensure that your assets are protected from seizure and work out an IRS approved resolution such as an installment agreement, Offer in Compromise or other settlement.
Yes, we upon submitting our authorization to represent you to the IRS, Tabb & Associates can secure your IRS Account Transcripts as well as speak to an IRS Agent the same day. This is important for a variety of reasons. We can determine how much you, specific tax types and tax periods as well as calculate penalty and interest. Second, we can immediately determine if your account is assigned to an IRS Revenue Officer and if there are any important deadlines. Missed deadlines is the number one reason the IRS will issue a Notice of Levy. It is crucial that we determine your deadlines and status of account as quickly as possible in order to be proactive with the IRS rather than reactive.
While the IRS does have programs such as the Offer in Compromise program where you can settle your IRS debt for less than you owe, the reality is that very few people qualify for these programs. The IRS will request and review your complete financial statement to determine your ability to pay. At Tabb & Associates we work with our clients to complete accurate and professional financial statements in order to provide you with the greatest chance of qualifying for an IRS Offer in Compromise settlement. If you qualify, we will handle all paperwork and negotiations on your behalf from start to finish.
There are numerous methods available that may reduce or eliminate your IRS penalties and/or interest. At Tabb & Associates we specialize in identifying which methods will be most successful based upon the individual facts or your case. IRS Penalty Abatements can be difficult to secure so it is in your best interest to have an experienced professional negotiating on your behalf. We have experienced handling thousands of penalty abatement requests using numerous different methods to ensure our clients success.
If you have not filed your business or personal tax returns in many years the IRS can and will create substitute tax returns for you. These can be for business payroll or personal income and the IRS will create these tax returns using the highest tax rate possible. If you have substitute returns or simply have unfiled returns that have not yet been substituted, Tabb & Associates can help. First, we will secure an extension on your IRS account long enough to prepare the missing tax returns. Second, we have a network of CPAs that we work with to have tax returns prepared on behalf of our clients. The IRS will not negotiate until a taxpayer’s account is in good standing and this requires all necessary tax returns to be on file and up to date.
Different tax resolution firms calculate their fees in different ways. There can be a fee schedule flat fee, contingency fee and hourly fees. Hourly fees are calculated by multiplying the number of hours worked on your case by an hourly rate. Fees can vary wildly so it is important that you talk with an attorney or CPA about their fee structure before engaging their services. At Tabb & Associates the fees associated with our representation will be discussed in detail upfront to ensure that there are no surprises down the road. The fee schedule will be provided to all clients in writing prior to any engagement of services so that there are no hidden fees.
