Death and taxes are the two inevitable events in life, and no one wants to die but for many this may be preferable to dealing with the IRS or trying to resolve a tax dispute. That is a sad commentary on this government agency when death is more popular than the IRS.
No one volunteers to be part of a tax controversy with the IRS, and no sane person would want to be caught up in this type of situation. There is reason for optimism if you find that the IRS has a tax dispute with you though, and there are options available for taxpayers who are informed and who know their rights. Listed below are three reasons for optimism when dealing with the IRS over a tax dispute. Remember that you must take action though, this problem will not just disappear or go away without any effort on your part. You should contact a qualified IRS lawyer as soon as you realize there is a tax dispute.
3 big reasons for optimism if you are facing a tax dispute or IRS scrutiny include:
1) A experienced IRS attorney will help you deal with this agency, and they can face the IRS in your place so that your life is less stressful. As soon as the IRS determines that there is a tax dispute he harassment and stress starts. You will start to receive threatening letters, nasty phone calls, and even visits from IRS agents at your home and place of employment. Who wouldn’t feel intimidated in this situation? For most people these measures alone may be enough to get payment, just to stop the stress and the constant contact. When you have an experienced lawyer on your side then this legal representative can negotiate with the IRS on your behalf. Your attorney can negotiate so that the agency stops contacting you, giving you some relief from the stress.
2) If you have a tax dispute with the IRS then a qualified attorney can make the IRS follow all of the rules and regulations, and this can make the agency back off and give you some breathing room. A common tactic used by IRS agents is to try and pressure the taxpayer into coughing up what the agency says is owed, even if this means stepping over the line and breaking the rules in the process. With a tax attorney you can force the IRS to play by the rules and put an end to the pressure. Make the agency stay within their legal authority, and call the IRS on it when the rules and regulations are not followed closely by having a lawyer who understands the tax code and the laws.
3) In many cases it is possible to settle a tax debt for less than the full amount that the IRS claims you owe. There are programs available but the IRS does not widely publicize these options to taxpayers, so most people do not even realize that paying less than the full amount may be possible. The agency does not advertise these programs because the hope is that bullying and intimidation will get the desired results. When you have the legal advice of an experienced IRS attorney this is a possibility though. The IRS makes a settlement difficult but your attorney will be able to negotiate this option and you may be able to reduce your tax debt and will show you how to avoid future tax issues in the first place.
