Navigating Tax Debt: Why Hiring a Tax Debt Attorney is Crucial for Finding Relief

Are you struggling with tax debt and feeling overwhelmed by the complexities of the tax system? You're not alone. Many individuals and businesses find themselves in this situation and may not know where to turn for help. That's where a tax debt attorney comes in. Hiring an experienced attorney who specializes in tax debt relief can be crucial in navigating the complicated world of tax law and finding relief from your debt.

In this article, we'll explore why it's important to hire a tax debt attorney, how they can help you find relief, and what to look for when selecting an attorney to represent you. Whether you're dealing with IRS notices, wage garnishments, or liens on your property, a tax debt attorney can provide the guidance and expertise you need to get your finances back on track. So, let's dive in and explore why hiring a tax debt attorney is crucial for finding relief.

Understanding tax debt and the consequences of not addressing it

Tax debt can be a significant burden for individuals and businesses alike. It can arise from a variety of sources, including failure to file tax returns, underreporting income, or claiming incorrect deductions. If left unaddressed, tax debt can quickly spiral out of control, leading to serious consequences such as wage garnishments, property liens, and even legal action. It's essential to understand the scope of your tax debt and the potential consequences of not addressing it. The first step in resolving tax debt is to determine how much you owe. This can be a daunting task, especially if you've fallen behind on multiple years of tax returns. However, it's essential to take a comprehensive approach and gather all necessary documentation to accurately assess your tax liability. Once you have a clear understanding of your debt, you can begin to explore your options for relief.

What is a tax debt attorney and how can they help?

A tax debt attorney is a legal professional who specializes in helping individuals and businesses resolve tax debt issues. They have in-depth knowledge of tax law and can provide guidance and representation throughout the debt relief process. A tax debt attorney can help you navigate the complicated world of tax law, communicate with the IRS on your behalf, and develop a customized plan to address your specific tax debt issues. One of the primary benefits of hiring a tax debt attorney is their ability to provide legal representation in the event of legal action by the IRS or other tax agencies. They can negotiate with the IRS to reduce your tax liability, remove penalties and interest, and develop an affordable payment plan. Additionally, a tax debt attorney can help you navigate complex tax codes, identify potential deductions, and minimize your tax liability.

The benefits of hiring a tax debt attorney

Hiring a tax debt attorney offers numerous benefits for individuals and businesses struggling with tax debt. Here are a few of the most significant advantages:

Legal representation

Tax debt can quickly escalate to legal action by the IRS or other tax agencies. Hiring a tax debt attorney offers the peace of mind of knowing that you have legal representation if legal action becomes necessary.

Expertise and guidance

Tax debt attorneys have in-depth knowledge of tax law and can provide guidance and advice throughout the debt relief process. They can help you understand your options for relief and develop a customized plan to address your specific tax debt issues.

Communication with the IRS

Dealing with the IRS can be intimidating and overwhelming. A tax debt attorney can communicate with the IRS on your behalf and ensure that your rights are protected throughout the process.

Reduced tax liability

One of the primary goals of a tax debt attorney is to reduce your tax liability. They can negotiate with the IRS to reduce penalties and interest and develop an affordable payment plan that meets your needs.

Minimized risk

Working with a tax debt attorney minimizes the risk of making mistakes that could lead to further tax debt issues. They can help you navigate complex tax codes and identify potential deductions, minimizing your tax liability and reducing the risk of future tax debt.

How to find the right tax debt attorney for your needs

Finding the right tax debt attorney is essential to ensuring that you receive the guidance and representation you need to address your tax debt issues. Here are a few tips for finding the right attorney for your needs:

Look for experience

Tax debt issues can be complex and require in-depth knowledge of tax law. Look for an attorney with experience in tax debt relief and a track record of success in helping clients resolve tax debt issues.

Check credentials

Make sure that the attorney you choose is licensed to practice law in your state and has the necessary credentials and certifications to represent you in tax debt relief cases.

Read reviews

Check online reviews and testimonials from previous clients to get a sense of the attorney's reputation and success rate in resolving tax debt issues.

Schedule a consultation

Schedule a consultation with potential attorneys to discuss your tax debt issues and get a sense of their approach and expertise.

The process of working with a tax debt attorney

Working with a tax debt attorney typically involves several steps, including:

Assessment

The attorney will assess your tax debt issues and determine the best course of action for resolving them.

Communication with the IRS

The attorney will communicate with the IRS on your behalf and negotiate a resolution to your tax debt issues.

Customized plan

The attorney will develop a customized plan to address your specific tax debt issues, including negotiating a reduced tax liability and developing an affordable payment plan.

Legal representation

If legal action becomes necessary, the attorney will provide legal representation and ensure that your rights are protected throughout the process.

Common tax debt relief options and how a tax debt attorney can help you navigate them

There are several common tax debt relief options that a tax debt attorney can help you navigate, including:

Offer in compromise

An offer in compromise is a settlement agreement with the IRS to pay less than the full amount of tax debt owed. A tax debt attorney can negotiate with the IRS on your behalf to develop an offer in compromise that meets your needs.

Installment agreement

An installment agreement allows you to pay off your tax debt in monthly installments over an extended period. A tax debt attorney can negotiate an installment agreement that is affordable and meets your needs.

Currently not collectible

If you are unable to pay your tax debt due to financial hardship, a tax debt attorney can negotiate with the IRS to temporarily suspend collection efforts.

Bankruptcy

In some cases, bankruptcy may be an option for resolving tax debt issues. A tax debt attorney can provide guidance and representation throughout the bankruptcy process.

What to expect during the tax debt relief process

The tax debt relief process can be lengthy and complex, but working with a tax debt attorney can help streamline the process and ensure a successful outcome. Here's what to expect during the tax debt relief process:

Assessment

The attorney will assess your tax debt issues and determine the best course of action for resolving them.

Communication with the IRS

The attorney will communicate with the IRS on your behalf and negotiate a resolution to your tax debt issues.

Customized plan

The attorney will develop a customized plan to address your specific tax debt issues, including negotiating a reduced tax liability and developing an affordable payment plan.

Implementation

Once a plan has been developed, the attorney will work with you to implement it, ensuring that all necessary paperwork is filed and deadlines are met.

Ongoing support

A tax debt attorney can provide ongoing support throughout the tax debt relief process, ensuring that your rights are protected and that you are on track to achieving a successful outcome.

Tips for avoiding tax debt in the future

While working with a tax debt attorney can help resolve existing tax debt issues, it's essential to take steps to avoid tax debt in the future. Here are a few tips for avoiding tax debt:

Stay organized

Keeping accurate records of your income and expenses can help you stay on top of your tax obligations and avoid tax debt.

File on time

Filing your tax returns on time can help you avoid penalties and interest that can quickly escalate your tax debt.

Seek professional help

Working with a tax professional, such as an accountant or tax preparer, can help ensure that you are meeting your tax obligations and avoiding tax debt.

Conclusion: Why hiring a tax debt attorney is crucial for finding relief and taking control of your financial future.

Tax debt can be a significant burden for individuals and businesses, but working with a tax debt attorney can provide the guidance and expertise you need to find relief and take control of your financial future. From negotiating a reduced tax liability to developing an affordable payment plan, a tax debt attorney can help you navigate the complicated world of tax law and achieve a successful outcome. So if you're struggling with tax debt, don't wait – contact a tax debt attorney today to start finding relief.

At Finishline Tax Solutions, our team of debt relief attorneys have helps thousands of individuals find relief and take control of their financial future. Contact us today for a consultation

How to Find Out How Much You Owe in Taxes to the IRS

Dealing With Tax Debt: How to Set Things Right With the IRS
When you owe taxes to the IRS, it is essential to clear them to avoid debt accumulation. Taking this precaution also prevents the consequences of unpaid taxes like federal liens and financial audits. Unfortunately, it may be challenging to calculate your debt since the fines and penalties accumulate with time. Here, we discuss four methods to find out the amount you owe the IRS. We'll also highlight the steps to follow when using each and discuss why it is advisable to work with tax resolution experts when determining your tax debt.

1. Call the IRS

One ideal way to determine the taxes you owe is by contacting the IRS via phone between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm. This method is suitable if you do not know how to use the online tool or prefer to talk to a representative for clarification. Since the IRS receives many calls, you may have to wait for about thirty minutes to connect with their staff. The best strategy to avoid staying on hold for an extended period is to call as early as possible. If you want to contact the IRS to determine the amount of personal taxes you owe, you can use 1-800-829-1040.  On the other hand, if you are calling on behalf of a business, use 1-800-829-4933. Once you get connected with a representative, they will request various details to confirm your identity. Some of the information they may need is your social security number, date of birth, and filing status. They will then use this data to check your profile and inform you how much you owe.

2. Using the IRS Online System

The IRS provides you with a tool to view your tax status and payment history. While the system can help you determine the amount you owe, it is not available all the time. The periods you can log in are Monday-Saturday, 6 am-9 pm, and 10 am-12 am on Sundays. When using the portal to check your tax balance, you need to confirm your identity. The system will require you to provide various details like:
  • Social security number
  • Date of birth
  • Email address
  • Mobile phone number
  • Filing status
  • A bank account number
Once you log in to your account, you can confirm the balance you owe. Still, it is crucial to note that the system takes about 24 hours to update. Hence, you may not view the most recent penalties and fines.

3. Mailing the IRS

Another way to determine the taxes you owe is by mailing the IRS. Once they receive your request, they will send you a transcript of your account. This document includes one-year taxes, excluding the penalties and fines. While mailing the IRS may help you determine the taxes owed, it has some drawbacks. For example, the transcript will not provide an accurate tax debt quotation. Besides, you will need to wait for some time to get feedback, which means that the penalties will continue to accumulate.

4. Consulting Tax Relief Professionals

The best way to determine your tax debt is by consulting liability experts. Such include tax attorneys, CPAs, and enrolled agents. When working with these experts, all you need is to provide them with various identifying details. After that, they will determine the exact amount you owe, including penalties. The main benefit of working with tax liability experts is that you will have an accurate figure of your debt. Besides, they can guide you in selecting a repayment program that is suitable for your financial status.

Contact Tax Industry to Find Out How Much You Owe

Working with a tax liability professional is the simplest way to determine your total debt. At Tax Industry, we have a team of experts specialized in tax resolution. With their services, you can avoid lengthy processes of contacting the IRS. Further, they can help you negotiate favorable installment repayment terms and forgiveness programs. Contact us now to consult with a tax liability expert.

Wage Garnishment: How It Works and What You Can Do

Wage Garnishment: How It Works and What You Can Do - FLTS

Wage garnishment is a court-ordered process that mandates your employer or bank to withhold a portion of your earnings/funds in your account and remit directly to a creditor. This happens until the debt is paid or you have resolved other obligations/conditions set by the court. Wage garnishment is quite common – one study revealed that over 7 percent of 13 million employees assessed had had their wages garnished. Common reasons included consumer debt, student loans, tax penalties/levies, and child support. Even when subjected to wage garnishment, you have certain rights and limits to be observed, and there are steps to follow to reduce the effect of wage garnishment. Learn more in this article.


How Wage Garnishment Works


In most cases, the creditor must sue you for nonpayment in court to receive a court order to institute wage garnishment. However, if you have tax debt, outstanding federal student loans, or child support, the creditor can send a notice to force garnishment even without the court order. Once the notice is served, garnishment begins within 5-30 days according to the details of the notice. In some cases, you may have to pay interest on the debt and court fees. Wage garnishment happen in two ways:

  • Wage garnishment – this happens to people in formal employment. The creditors legally require your employer to remit a portion of your earnings for debt repayment
  • Nonwage garnishment – this happens to people in non-formal employment. The creditors legally require a bank to remit funds in your account as a bank levy for debt repayment


Caps on Wage Garnishment


There are federal limits to the amounts that a creditor can request during wage garnishment. This is done on disposable income, which is the amount left after statutory deductions. It happens as follows:

  • Debt Cap on Garnishment
  • Common consumer debts (credit card, medical bills, unsecured loans, etc.)
  • The lower of 25% or the amount above (30 x federal minimum wage). Garnishment is not allowed if weekly earnings are below (minimum wage x 30)
  • Alimony and child support
  • 50% if you support another spouse/child; otherwise, 60%. A further 5% may be imposed if payments are delayed beyond 12 weeks
  • Tax levies/debt Up to 15% as determined by the IRS
  • Federal student loans 15%

States also impose state exemptions and limits on wage garnishment. Non-wage garnishment is less restricted and regulated, but it is less common.


What Can You Do?


Even though you have legal rights in wage garnishments, most states require that you are aware of them, and the onus to exercise them is on you. Some common rights include:

  • You must be legally notified of the garnishment
  • You can dispute inaccurate information or wrongful debts
  • Certain incomes cannot be subjected to garnishment, e.g. veteran’s benefits, disability, or social security. However, they could still be seized from your bank account
  • You can’t be fired for one garnishment, but this protection ceases for multiple garnishments

If you believe a garnishment judgement was issued erroneously, it is possible to challenge the notice. Read the notice carefully to ensure the information is accurate. Next, consider the amount to be deducted and how it affects your finances. It may be helpful to consult an attorney, tax relief professionals (if the debt is tax-related), or your local legal aid. With a professional’s help, you may challenge the judgement, negotiate a different settlement with the creditor, or accept the garnishment. You can also repay the debt in lump-sum to ease/prevent the garnishment. It is also helpful to also be honest with your employer about the circumstances behind the garnishment. This prevents your employer from drawing a worse conclusion and penalizing you for it.


Conclusion


Creating a budget and staying on top of your financial obligations is the best way to prevent wage garnishment. However, if you find yourself in this situation, a professional can help you to navigate it so that you are not affected too adversely. Do you need help to challenge or deal with wage garnishment? Contact us today to take advantage of our tax relief services and map your journey to better financial health.


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File Back Taxes and COVID-19 Tax Deadline

On 20th March 2020, the Treasury Department made an announcement stating the guidelines for the COVID-19 tax deadline. Certain businesses and taxpayers now have a 90-day extension for filing and paying their tax liability for 2019. The deadline for tax filing is 15th July 2020. If you are unable to file back taxes on time, you can still request a 3-month extension and file back taxes by 15th October 2020. The deadline for paying the taxes has also been extended to 15th July 2020. If you are able to pay your taxes before this deadline, you won't have to pay any additional penalties or interest.

Coronavirus pandemic has affected the world in a way that it’ll take us years to get back to normal. Every country has been trying its best to make it a little less stressful for its citizens. In this direction, the United States has also granted an extension to help its taxpayers with back taxes filing. Now, the taxpayers can enjoy a 90-day payment extension to file back taxes. This has brought a sigh of relief for many. Here is all that you need to know about the extension.

How To File Back Taxes After The COVID-19 Extension

The Corona Virus that originated in the Wuhan district of China has infected about 2.6 million people worldwide. Government and private organizations across the globe are counting costs because of this pandemic. In the United States, unemployment reached a record high and ended a decade of expansion efforts. But, the government is trying its best to make sure that the citizens are able to financially survive this pandemic. For this, the tax day has now shifted from 15th April 2020 to 15th July 2020. This change is applicable to the deadline to file back taxes. However, the IRS is still accepting returns and processing all the refunds. 

Here are the most common questions asked about the changes in the deadline made because of the Coronavirus:

Which taxpayers are eligible for the tax payment and filing deferral?

The following filers are eligible for the coronavirus tax extension:

  • Corporations who file Form 1120
  • Individuals for file Form 1040
  • States and trusts that file Form 1041
  • Fiscal year associations, companies, and partnerships who had 15th April 2020 as their due date

What must be done to delay the tax filing and payment?

The process to file back taxes or an extension is normal as before. Only the deadline has extended to 15th July. When you file the return, the special coronavirus extension for 90-days will be applied automatically. This means that all the penalties and interest are waived for 90 days. The same is applicable for paying the taxes as well. For all the qualifying businesses and taxpayers, no interest or penalties will accrue if they make the payment by 15th July.

What can I do if I can’t file back taxes by the new deadline?

If you are unable to file back taxes by 15th July 2020, you can request an extension by filing Form 4868. This way, you will have a 3-month extension and would have to file back taxes by 15th October 2020. However, the extension is not applicable to paying the taxes. The deadline for the payment is 15th July 2020.

How does this extension apply to refunds?

The extension won’t have any effect on the refund. According to the Treasury Department, all the taxpayers will be receiving their refunds in the normal time period. For example, in the case of electronic filing, 9/10 people will get their refunds in less than 21 days.

What payments are covered by this deferral?

The coronavirus tax deadline covers all the income tax payments along with the penalties and interest associated with it like failure-to-file or failure-to-pay penalty. Also, all the estimated tax payments and included tax payments on self-employment income that were due on 15th April 2020 are covered as well.

  1. Is there a limit on the amount of payment that can be deferred?

No, there is no limit on the tax payment amount that can be deferred.

Is the deferral applicable to the estimated tax payments of 2020 including the estimated taxes on self-employment income?

It is dependent on the date of the payment. For the estimated tax payment of first-quarter 2020, the deferral is applicable. This means that you can make the tax payment by 15th July 2020. For the estimated tax payment of second-quarter 2020, the deferral is not applicable. Also, there will be no waiver or deferral for the failure-to-pay penalty for estimated tax payments.

Is the deferral applicable to the state tax returns as well?

All the states have been issuing their own guidelines and deadlines to file back taxes. In some cases, it is the same as that of the federal guidelines while in others, it is different. You should check your state guidelines to ensure that you are eligible for the deferral.

Does this deferral mean that we don’t owe any taxes or need not file back taxes for the year 2019?

No. This deferral is only extending the deadline for the tax liability. Starting from 16th July 2020, all the penalties and interest will start to accrue on the outstanding tax payments. 

You can take the help of a tax resolution service to help you with the COVID-19 tax extension. A right tax resolution service will help you file back taxes and get the maximum possible refund by making legitimate claims and deductions. For some tax resolution firms, all you have to do is bring the documents to their offices. You won’t have to wait at all and a tax expert will do all your work for you. After they have completed the return, they will send a completed return electronically that you can review and approve.

Back taxes filing isn’t easy. However, the experts in the field can make it easy for you. Take the help of tax professionals while preparing your returns. They know how to file back taxes and will help eliminate errors. With tax experts by your side, you can rest assured that your tax returns are prepared correctly. Contact the best tax relief firm to hire a tax attorney today!