SKIP TO CONTENT
If the IRS has begun taking steps to collect your unpaid taxes, you need an attorney. Even more important is finding the right attorney with the right education, right experience and the negotiation skills to help during these trying times.
At Dayes Law Firm, our attorneys have experience helping individuals with the IRS and we have an attorney with an LL.M. in Taxation from one of the highest ranked schools in the country. An LL.M. requires additional schooling in a specific field beyond what it takes to earn a law degree. This specialized education in Taxation helps our attorneys understand how the IRS is thinking when handling your specific case.
An IRS debt collection lawyer from our firm is ready to help protect your assets and develop a plan to pay your debt that works for you. In some cases, we may be able to reduce your debt or have the IRS eliminate some of your tax penalties.
Set up your free consultation today to learn how a lawyer from our firm may be able to help.
Dayes Law Firm. We are here to help. Call 1-800-503-2000
What Steps Can I Take to Deal with IRS Debt?
One potential solution is an offer in compromise, which allows you to settle your debt for less than what you owe. People are often able to do this if they can prove the amount of the settlement is what the IRS would have collected if they tried to take the money.
You may have heard of the “Fresh Start Initiative.” This is an example of how the IRS has changed the way it looks at an offer. Having an experienced attorney will help you navigate the different programs the IRS offers.
There are other ways to resolve your IRS debt, such as:
- Penalty abatement – This occurs when tax penalties are either fully or partially removed.
- IRS payment plans – This is the most common way to resolve tax debt and prevent or stop levies or wage garnishments.
- Innocent spouse relief – You and your spouse could be held liable for tax debt, even if the debt did not originate with you. Fortunately, if the debt is not yours your lawyer may be able to help you get relief. Accountants and other tax professionals may not know this is an option.
- IRS bankruptcy – Accountants are unlikely to consider this because bankruptcy is not something they are all that familiar with. It is also very complicated to get your tax debts discharged through bankruptcy.
- Statute of Limitations – The IRS has a limited amount of time to collect the debt from unpaid taxes. The IRS typically has 10 years to collect the debt from the date of assessment. This might sound easy but there are many rules and exceptions that can extend the timeframe. This is another area where an experienced attorney will help navigate the murky waters that the IRS has created.
Ways a Lawyer May Help with IRS Debt
Contact Dayes Law Firm to learn how we may be able to assist you. An initial consultation with a licensed attorney is free. At this consultation we will discuss the amount of taxes owed, the years owed for and whether tax returns need to be filed. This is the easy part of the process and once we have this information a plan can be formed on how to best help your situation.
There are many things an attorney can help you with that an accountant or other tax professional most likely cannot, such as:
Tax Court
We can get you ready and represent you in tax court. We will be focused on what is best for you, unlike the IRS that just wants its money.
Criminal Investigation
You probably will not know you are being criminally investigated until you are charged with a crime. The IRS has a very high success rate with prosecution of tax crimes.
If you are being investigated or think you might be, you need a licensed attorney’s help. This is a serious situation – criminal investigators receive training from the IRS and FBI and carry a weapon.
Tax Levies
There is nothing worse than owing the IRS money. Their broad authority for collection makes it easy for them to get “their” money from you, unlike traditional debt collectors. They can not only go after your bank account, but other assets like cars and real estate.
Fortunately, an experienced attorney from Dayes Law Firm may be able to help limit the damage from a tax levy. We understand that you owe the IRS money, but you should be able to pay it down in a way that is sustainable for you.
Tax Penalties
Our IRS debt collection lawyers may be able to waive your tax penalties or reduce them significantly.
Tax Fraud
Those who committed fraud can discuss this confidentially with their attorney because of attorney-client privilege. Examples of fraud include using false deductions, failing to declare income or using false credits.
Advantages of Legal Representation
There are many reasons why it benefits you to hire an experienced attorney to help manage IRS debt.
Confidentiality
Conversations with your attorney are private and cannot be shared, with rare exceptions. You should feel free to discuss everything with your attorney because you have attorney-client privilege.
If you work with an accountant, you do not have this privilege.
Wide-Ranging Knowledge
An accountant is not going to suggest bankruptcy because he or she probably does not know how to go about doing this.
The wide range of knowledge that our attorneys have can help you navigate the intersection of tax law with such areas as Personal Injury or Accident Claims, Social Security Disability and other areas of law. A tax professional simply cannot provide these additional services or understand the complexity of how these areas of law intersect.
Representation
Your lawyer can attend legal proceedings, including court appearances and meetings with IRS officials. A lawyer can also respond to IRS correspondence on your behalf. This should give you some peace of mind during this difficult time.
Negotiation
This is a situation where you need an experienced negotiator who will keep your best interests as his or her number one goal. It might be possible to negotiate away some of your debt, so you do not need to pay the full amount of what you owe. This is something tax professionals probably cannot do.
Call Our IRS Debt Collection Lawyers
Do you owe the IRS money and need help resolving the situation? Have they already started garnishing your wages?
An experienced attorney from Dayes Law Firm is ready to help you. The sooner you call, the sooner your problems with the IRS may be resolved.
Free Consultation. No obligations. Call today: 1-800-503-2000