No one wants to get on the wrong side of the IRS, yet that is where millions of taxpayers find themselves each and every year. As enforcement efforts ramp up at the IRS, the number of letters and communications landing in mailboxes is continuing to increase and one of them could land in your mailbox.
If you do receive a notice from the IRS, it is important to act fast, especially if you cannot afford to pay what the IRS says you owe. You may be tempted to do nothing or ignore the situation, but every day you wait will just make an already bad situation that much worse.
The good news is you may not have to pay what the IRS says you owe! There are a number of programs designed to give taxpayers relief, in many cases allowing them to settle their tax debts for much less. You also may be able to contest the amount it claims you owe. But before you can enjoy financial relief, you need to find the right partner, and here are some key things you should consider.
The Right Tax Relief and IRS Negotiation Experience.
When you hire a tax relief law firm, you will be hiring a team that focuses on tax relief. It is important that the person who works on your case will be up to the task. It is important to look for specific areas of knowledge and experience. There are all kinds of lawyers. There are also CPAs and Enrolled Agents. They must not just be a lawyer, CPA, or Enrolled agent, they need to be someone who deals with these types of problems all day long. A generalist is not who you need. How much of their typical workday do they work only on these types of problems – tax relief?
The best tax relief law firms are not necessarily huge firms; some of the best are small firms with extensive experience. But no matter what the size of the firm, the tax resolution focus of the person working on your case is what matters the most. We don’t do divorces, auto accidents, or most everything else. We focus on tax resolution. Whoever you hire should, too.
Compassion and Understanding
Dealing with the IRS is not just a financial problem; it is an emotional one as well. Getting a letter from the IRS is bound to be an upsetting and unsettling experience, and working with a compassionate and caring tax law firm can help a lot.
You should not, of course, sacrifice knowledge and capability for compassion, but there is no reason you cannot have the best of both worlds. Look for someone who cares about you and your situation as you interview lawyers and tax relief firms and choose the one you feel best about working with.
Recent IRS Success Stories
The IRS is a huge agency, and the tax code is endlessly complex. That enormous complexity and ever-growing structure means that past experience may no longer be relevant, so look for recent experience of people who know the firm. A good place to look is at the Google Reviews of the firm.
Chances are if the people who wrote the review had a good experience, the professionals in that firm know what they’re doing which increases the possibility of a favorable outcome. Working with these lawyers can give you peace of mind and make it easier for you to resolve your tax problem.
Getting a letter from the IRS can be a scary experience, but it does not have to be the end of the world. You do not have to suffer financial devastation or go bankrupt to settle the debt you owe. Now that you know how to find a great tax relief partner, you no longer have to live in fear of your next trip to the mailbox.