by Louis Meeks on December 15, 2014 in Blog
WHY AN IRS TAX ATTORNEY SHOULD BE YOUR FIRST CALL FOR ANY FEDERAL TAX MATTER
When you receive a notice from the Internal Revenue Service for taxes owed, they prominently display that the amount owed is “due immediately.” Most likely, the amount asserted by the IRS is more than something that you can pay outright. Upon further review of the notice, you find that they do provide a telephone number for contact. You then wonder, should I go ahead and contact them immediately, even if I plan on talking to an IRS tax attorney regarding this debt?
If you cannot fully pay and/or have some questions about the source and/or amount of the liability asserted in the notice, STOP – don’t dial that IRS contact number. Although the notice may indicate that “immediate action” is necessary, the truth is, in many circumstances, that any sort of collection action such as garnishment or tax liens may not actually be scheduled to occur for months later – especially if this is your first notice.
If you choose to contact the IRS yourself, without any knowledge or idea of the basis for your debt or what types of payment programs you could potentially qualify for, you could unknowingly provide information to the IRS that could be used against you later in the matter. Similar to the “Miranda warnings” given in potential criminal cases, “anything you say can be used against you” when you talk to the IRS – the only difference is, the IRS doesn’t have to give you this warning before you speak to them!
Also, be advised that, when you contact the IRS regarding that tax bill, they will push you to begin payment on that balance. Unless you have a thorough knowledge of your income and allowable living expenses at the time of your call, it is very likely you could be placed in an inappropriate repayment program that could cost you hundreds or even thousands of dollars more than you needed to pay. You could even be put into a program that creates an unnecessary hardship in your life.
For these reasons, as well as many more, contact with an IRS tax attorney should be your first move in any kind of a tax situation that is going to require a determination of liability, determination of the amount of debt owed, and/or negotiation of a payment plan on the tax balance. An IRS tax attorney knows the best way to go about determining the exact nature of your tax debt, and whether there are any arguments for a reduction or elimination of that debt. The IRS tax attorney will further be familiar with the programs available in your living situation, and can expertly guide your case into the optimum program for your needs. Finally, the IRS tax attorney provides that much-needed “buffer” between you and the IRS, which saves you from the stress and aggravation of direct contact with the aggressive collection efforts of the IRS agents.
At Victory Tax Solutions, we have experienced tax attorneys on staff, ready to assist you with your tax matter. With your first call, you will receive the kind of attention and professionalism that will give you the assurance and peace of mind that is important when dealing with such a stressful issue. Please call us right away!
©2014VictoryTaxSolutions.com
Publishing Rights: You may republish this article in your web site, newsletter, or ebook, on the condition that you agree to leave the article, author’s signature, and all links completely intact.
