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Tax Attorney Basics
When to Hire a Tax Attorney: 7 Signs You Need Professional Help
Not every tax issue requires an attorney. But when the IRS starts sending certified mail, you need to know where the line is.
Tax Attorney vs CPA vs Enrolled Agent: Who Do You Actually Need?
Three different professionals handle tax problems. Each has different powers, different training, and different limitations.
How Much Does a Tax Attorney Cost? Real Numbers, No Fluff
Tax attorney fees range from $2,500 to $25,000 or more depending on the case. Here is what drives the price and how to budget for it.
Hiring a Tax Attorney for Back Taxes: A Step-by-Step Guide
You owe back taxes and you need help. Here is exactly how to find, evaluate, and hire the right tax attorney.
Finding a Tax Attorney Near You: What Location Means and Does Not Mean
You searched for a tax attorney near me. Here is why location matters less than you think for IRS cases.
Tax Resolution Scams: How to Spot Them Before You Get Burned
The tax resolution industry has a fraud problem. Here is how to identify the scammers before you hand them your money.
IRS Power of Attorney: What Form 2848 Does and Why It Matters
Form 2848 lets your tax attorney talk to the IRS on your behalf. Here is what you need to know about it.
Your First Tax Attorney Consultation: What to Expect
Nervous about calling a tax attorney? Here is exactly what happens during the first consultation.
IRS Collections
IRS Wage Garnishment: How a Tax Attorney Stops It
The IRS can take up to 70 percent of your paycheck. A tax attorney can stop it, often within days.
IRS Levied Your Bank Account? Here Is What to Do Next
The IRS just froze your bank account. You have 21 days before the money is gone. Here is how to fight back.
IRS Tax Liens: What They Are and How to Remove Them
A federal tax lien wrecks your credit and clouds your property titles. Here is how to get rid of it.
An IRS Revenue Officer Showed Up: Now What?
Revenue officers are field agents who come to your home and business. They have broad enforcement powers. Here is how to handle it.
Tax Resolution
Offer in Compromise: The Complete Guide from a Tax Attorney
The IRS accepted about 15,000 offers in compromise last year. Here is how to be one of them.
IRS Installment Agreements: Every Option Explained
The IRS offers five different payment plan options. Most taxpayers qualify for at least one of them.
Innocent Spouse Relief: When Your Spouse's Tax Mess Is Not Yours
You signed a joint return. Your spouse cheated on the taxes. Now the IRS wants you to pay. You have options.
Currently Not Collectible Status: When You Truly Cannot Pay
If your income barely covers living expenses, the IRS can put your account on hold. The collection clock keeps ticking.
IRS Penalty Abatement: Three Strategies That Work
IRS penalties add 25 to 50 percent to your tax bill. These three strategies can eliminate them entirely.
The IRS Appeals Process: Your Right to a Second Opinion
Disagree with the IRS? The Office of Appeals is an independent division that can overrule the examiner or collector.
IRS Collection Statute: Your Tax Debt Has an Expiration Date
The IRS has 10 years to collect a tax debt. After that, the debt disappears. But the clock can be paused.
Can You Discharge Tax Debt in Bankruptcy? Yes, Sometimes
Certain tax debts can be eliminated in bankruptcy. The rules are specific and the timing matters.
The IRS Fresh Start Program: What It Actually Offers
The Fresh Start Program expanded payment options and lien thresholds. But it is not the magic solution advertisers claim.
State vs Federal Tax Debt: Different Rules, Different Strategies
State tax agencies play by different rules than the IRS. Some are more aggressive. Here is what you need to know.
IRS Hardship Programs: Options When You Cannot Pay
Lost your job? Medical crisis? The IRS has programs for genuine financial hardship. Here is how to access them.
Collection Due Process Hearings: Your Right to Challenge the IRS
Before the IRS can levy or file a lien, you have the right to a hearing. Most people waste this right. Do not be one of them.
How Long Does the IRS Have to Collect? The 10-Year Rule
The IRS collection clock is ticking. Understanding when your tax debt expires can change your entire strategy.
Tax Compliance
Unfiled Tax Returns: What Happens and How to Fix It
Not filing your tax returns does not make the IRS go away. It makes everything worse. Here is how to get current.
Estimated Tax Penalties: How to Avoid Them
The estimated tax penalty catches millions of taxpayers every year. Here is how to calculate and avoid it.
Tax Audits
IRS Audit Representation: Why You Need a Tax Attorney
The IRS auditor is not your friend. They are trained to find money. You need someone trained to protect yours.
IRS Statute of Limitations on Assessment: How Long Can They Audit You?
The IRS generally has three years to audit your return. But there are exceptions that extend it to six years or forever.
IRS Audit Red Flags: 10 Things That Trigger an Audit
The IRS audits less than 1 percent of returns. But certain items on your return dramatically increase your odds.
Business Tax Issues
Payroll Tax Problems: The Biggest Threat to Business Owners
The IRS treats unpaid payroll taxes differently than income taxes. The trust fund recovery penalty makes it personal.
Small Business Tax Problems: The 5 Most Common Issues
Small business owners face unique tax problems. Here are the five I see most often in my practice.
Self-Employed Tax Issues: What Every Freelancer Needs to Know
Self-employment comes with tax obligations that catch most people off guard. Here is the reality.
Tax Consequences
How Tax Debt Affects Your Credit Score
Tax liens used to destroy your credit. The rules changed in 2018, but tax debt still impacts your financial life.
Your Tax Preparer Committed Fraud: What Happens to You
Your tax preparer inflated your refund with fake deductions. You got the refund. Now the IRS wants it back. Plus penalties.
IRS Can Revoke Your Passport: Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt
Owe more than $62,000 to the IRS? They can tell the State Department to revoke or deny your passport.
Tax Problems After Divorce: Joint Returns Come Back to Haunt You
Your divorce is final but the IRS does not care about your divorce decree. Here is how to protect yourself.