Many taxpayers have found themselves behind on their taxes because they did not hire a tax debt settlement attorney to work on their case, said an IRS audit lawyer in New Jersey. Unfortunately, an audit is a very scary situation for any taxpayer. In fact, it’s even more frightening for someone that hasn’t even been charged with a criminal offense! When tax season comes around, everyone is probably very anxious to start settling their tax debt so they can move on with their lives.
It’s never easy to negotiate with the IRS but if you take advantage of a tax debt expert you may be able to get a better deal than you could on your own. A tax attorney resolves complex and technical issues with the IRS which only a tax attorney can understand. Tax attorneys are also excellent at: Communicating with the IRS. Helping individuals take advantage of tax breaks. But these are all things that a tax debt expert can do for far less money than you would ever pay a private tax accountant!
Taxpayers that elect to file their taxes on their own often discover that their tax issues are not fully understood until they actually get audited by the IRS. In this case, taxpayers are often lucky enough to have a tax debt settlement attorney to guide them through the process of successfully submitting a compromise offer. This offer is a formal written proposal to the IRS in which the taxpayer requests that the balance of their taxes be reduced. In exchange for the settlement of the tax balance the IRS will issue a warrant of garnishment which is a court order that the tax payer’s wages are garnished.
The IRS is required to issue these warrants when a taxpayer does not meet the criteria needed to determine that the taxpayer is exempt from paying their taxes. If a warrant of garnishment has been issued against a taxpayer they are legally obligated to pay their taxes owed within a certain time period. This time period varies, but in many cases it is simply five years from the date of the original tax liability.
The IRS insists that there is only a slim chance that a compromise will not result in the issuance of a warrant of garnishment. The IRS calls this a “contingency basis” meaning that the IRS reserves the right to pursue collection on a tax debt if a reasonable collection potential can be made. To satisfy the reasonable collection potential the IRS must be able to demonstrate a very low level of future financial loss. If a taxpayer files a compromise and the IRS still obtains an order for garnishment, the taxpayer may be subject to criminal prosecution.
Even though this process can be stressful and expensive it is very beneficial to taxpayers when it comes to resolving their federal tax debts. The tax payer has the option to resolve their federal tax issues by entering into a compromise agreement with the IRS or by paying the balance in full. If a taxpayer files a compromise and the IRS obtains an order for garnishment it will be shown as a judgment against the taxpayer. To avoid this severe action and the possibility of criminal prosecution, taxpayers are strongly recommended to seek the advice of a tax professional who can assist them in resolving their tax problems.