If you have not filed your federal income tax return for one or more years, what should you do?  The answer is a simple one: file all of your past due returns.  Whatever your reason for not filing your prior returns, it is wise to file all delinquent returns as soon as you can for several reasons:

• It is the right thing to do. If you are a citizen or resident of the United States, it is your duty to pay your fair share of taxes to help support our nation.  Filing a federal income tax return is how you pay this money.
• It minimizes the taxes due. When you do not file a federal income tax return, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) often files a substitute return on your behalf.  When filing a substitute return, the IRS may complete the return in a manner that increases your tax liability.  For example, even though you may qualify to file with a status of Married Filing Jointly, the IRS may have filed the substitute return as an Individual return.  Or if you have exemptions or other deductions you can take on your return, the IRS may be unaware of these exemptions and deductions and have filed a substitute return that does not account for them.  Filing a return will make the tax amount that you do owe the actual amount that you should owe.
• It minimizes the penalty. When filing delinquent returns, you may be subject to a penalty and interest charges.  The sooner you bring your tax return filings current, the sooner you will have peace of mind in knowing that you are minimizing the penalties and fines and are taking the steps necessary to put the situation behind you.
• You may be due a refund. If you have not even calculated your federal income taxes for a given year, you may be surprised to find that you are due a refund.  If you do not file the return, you cannot collect the refund.

You may be wondering if you will go to jail because you have not filed your returns.  Except in extremely rare instances, the answer is no as long as you voluntarily file you federal tax return.  But the IRS does consider delinquent tax returns a serious matter, and they may file a lawsuit to obtain a judgment for delinquent taxes due.  This can result in garnishment of your wages or a lien being placed on your home.

If you have not filed one or more past federal tax returns, should you hire a tax attorney?
At a minimum, you should have a tax attorney review your situation to get advice more specific to your circumstances.  A tax attorney understands federal tax laws and can answer your questions about past due federal tax returns and advise you of your rights.

Complete the short evaluation form below and a tax lawyer will review your situation free of charge.  The review is 100% confidential and there is no obligation.  If you owe delinquent tax, with the help of a tax attorney, it is not unusual to negotiate a settlement plan in which you pay less than the full amount owed.  So please seek help today.

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If you receive a notice by letter or phone call from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that they are auditing your taxes, what do you do?  You can address the audit in an appropriate and timely manner by follow these six steps:

1. Do not panic. The first thing to remember is not to panic.  You are not alone.  The IRS audits between approximately 1% and 1.5% of taxpayers each year.  That is over one million audits annually!  Many IRS audits are of returns with an unusually large number or type of deductions that may in fact be legitimate.  Remember that just because the IRS is auditing you does not necessarily mean that you have done anything wrong.
2. Respond to the IRS tax notice. Do not ignore the tax notice.  The IRS generally expects a response within 60 days.  In an IRS tax audit, the IRS considers you guilty until proven innocent.  If you do not respond, the IRS will take action that is generally to their benefit.  This action could include increasing the amount of tax you owe so that you must pay additional money to the IRS.  The additional money could include penalties if your IRS tax payment is late.
3. Read the IRS tax notice to understand what the IRS wants. The audit notice should indicate the reason for the IRS tax audit, the timeframe for providing a response, and whether the audit is one you must respond to by mail or in person.  If the IRS tax notice indicates a balance is due because the IRS is questioning a calculation on your federal tax return, the IRS tax notice will indicate the amount as well.
4. Consult with a tax advisor or tax lawyer. A tax advisor can be the Certified Public Accountant (CPA) or other preparer who prepared your return or a tax lawyer.  This individual should be someone who knows the tax laws and your rights as a taxpayer.  They should be able to advise you on how to respond to the specific item raised by the IRS in the audit notice to limit or eliminate your exposure to additional tax liability.
5. Provide an organized response. Prepare a written response to the IRS or have your tax advisor prepare one.  The response should address only the issue raised in the IRS audit notice.  Supplying additional information could raise other questions with the auditor.  Also provide copies of any documents that support your response.  Do not supply the original documents, as you may need the original documents again in the future.
6. Be prepared to follow up with the IRS. The initial response you provide to the IRS may not answer all of their questions.  The IRS will follow up with another letter or phone call to you if they require additional information or explanation.  If this happens, repeat the above steps until the matter is resolved.

Do I need to hire a tax attorney?

If you have additional questions or need help from a tax attorney, complete the short evaluation form below and a tax lawyer will review your situation free of charge.  The review is 100% confidential and there is no obligation.  Tax attorneys understand federal tax laws and can answer your IRS tax questions.  You have everything to gain by obtaining professional advice!  So get help winning your IRS audit today!

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If the Internal Revenue Service contacted you about a Federal Tax Lien, your Norfolk property could be in jeopardy. The Internal Revenue Service threatens overdue taxpayers with these powerful Liens. Whether you feel helpless, frustrated or irate, your next moves could change your and your family’s future. Continue reading to learn about the components and dangers of Federal Tax Liens and how a Norfolk Tax Law Attorney can help you.

After the Internal Revenue Service attaches a Federal Tax Lien to your property, you will receive written notice of:

• The property address against which the Federal Tax Lien is filed;
• The Lien amount;
• The county in which the Lien is recorded; and
• Contact information for the Internal Revenue Service.

What You Should Know

After filing your Federal Tax Lien, the Internal Revenue Service waits ever so patiently for you to sell your property. Whether it takes months or years, they will be poised to swoop in at closing and take the full Lien amount from your proceeds, before you (and your mortgage company, if any) can take anything. They also take from you your right to determine how you spend your sale proceeds.

Perils to Consider

The risks of Federal Tax Liens are a mystery to most Virginians. Consider your:

• Career Choices: If you seek a higher salary position to pay-down your Federal Tax Lien, beware of positions requiring you to relocate. Should you sell your home, before you can apply your profits to a down payment on your next home, the Internal Revenue Service will apply those profits toward your Lien. Even moving expenses or an apartment deposit could prove beyond your reach. Your Federal Tax Lien can limit your career choices.

• Golden Years: If you dream of a comfortable retirement, partially funded by downsizing your current home and living on your equity, remember the Internal Revenue Service does not share your dream. They have first rights to your equity at closing to clear your Lien. You may need to work longer or live less comfortably. Your Federal Tax Lien can change your golden years.

• Home’s Worth: If your home’s value has declined lately, selling it may not be enough to clear your Federal Tax Lien. Your may not yield enough profit to pay-off your Lien and your mortgage, if any. How then will you fund your down payment on your next home? Your Federal Tax Lien can turn your biggest asset—your home—into your biggest nightmare.
• Credit Worthiness: If you work diligently to improve your credit score, you may see it worsen when news of your Federal Tax Lien reaches Experian, Equifax and TransUnion. Get ready for several possibilities: more expensive credit and possibly even the withdrawal of offers of credit, insurance and employment. Your Federal Tax Lien can impact every area of your life.

How Do I Clear This Federal Tax Lien?

Your best first step is to contact a Norfolk Tax Law Attorney. If you want to attempt clearing the Lien yourself, consider:

• Your Past Performance: Since you could not prevent the Lien from being filed, how can you expect to remove it yourself?

• Your Insider Knowledge: The Internal Revenue Service routinely credits partial payments as “payment in full” on Federal Tax Liens, if such an arrangement has been agreed to in advance. However, they frequently do not share information like this with taxpayers, as they want the highest collections possible. What else do you not know that may hurt you?

• Your Proficiency: How conversant are you in Internal Revenue Service regulations and procedures? How many Federal Tax Liens have you personally cleared?

The Internal Revenue Service looks after its own interests: collecting as much money as possible. Who will safeguard your interests?

Even past skirmishes with antagonistic creditors or belligerent litigants may not prepare you to contest a Federal Tax Lien. Taking on the Internal Revenue Service means taking on the United States Federal Government. Doing it alone is naïve at best, treacherous at worst.

Start today making better decisions. Contact a Norfolk Tax Law attorney. Find someone to help safeguard your interests.

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Until recently, you may never have heard of a Federal Tax Lien. But once you began receiving harassing phone calls and letters from the Internal Revenue Service trying to collect your Federal Tax Debt, you probably hear about Federal Tax Liens much more than you care to. On a positive note, you are not alone. In this weakened economy, more and more Bostonians are having trouble keeping up with their Federal Tax Debt. On a negative note, though, this Federal Tax Lien can make your life very difficult. Consider getting help from a Boston area attorney licensed in Tax Law right away.

You might think you do not need help from an attorney with your Federal Tax Lien. You may have fought off aggressive creditors before or have experience with a prior lawsuit. No matter what financial or legal difficulties you have survived thus far, know that fighting the Internal Revenue Service and a Federal Tax Lien are unlike anything you have ever done before. You are not battling a bank or someone in a courtroom. When you fight the Internal Revenue Service, you are fighting the United States Federal Government. This is serious, perhaps more serious than you may realize.

How Does a Federal Tax Lien Work?

In layman’s terms, a Federal Tax Lien gives the Internal Revenue Service the legal right to receive money from the sale of your home before you do. And the Lien does not expire, so it stays in effect until you sell your home, whether that happens in one year or forty years. As soon as you sell your home, the Internal Revenue Service will step in and collect the full amount of your Federal Tax Lien from your home sale proceeds before you ever receive a dime.

Once the Internal Revenue Service levies a Federal Tax Lien against your property, you will receive written confirmation of:

• The property address against which the Federal Tax Lien is filed;
• The Federal Tax Lien amount;
• The county in which the lien is recorded; and
• Contact information for the Internal Revenue Service.

The Internal Revenue Service uses Federal Tax Liens because they are incredibly effective. They know that if you cannot pay your Federal Tax Debt, more often than not you cannot pay other debts, too. Perhaps you need to adjust your standard of living by moving into a more affordable home. You may plan to sell your current home, using some of the profit to make multiple payments on several debts as well as making a down payment on a more affordable home. Your Federal Tax Lien will prohibit you from doing so; that home sale profit you are counting on to pay down debts and make a down payment on a more affordable home will now go to Internal Revenue Service. You have very little power on your own to stop them.

You may not yet have realized other ways that your Federal Tax Lien can change your financial plans:

• Paying-Off Your Federal Tax Debt: Most Bostonians would be shocked to learn that your Federal Tax Lien can actually make it harder for you to pay-off your Federal Tax Debt. In the best situation, you would find a higher paying job that would allow you to quickly pay-off your Federal Tax Debt. But if that dream job is a distance away, you may need to sell your current home and relocate, using some of your home sale profits as a down payment on a new home near this dream job. Everything changes with your Federal Tax Lien. Your home sale profits go to the Internal Revenue Service until your Federal Tax Lien is satisfied. You may not have enough money leftover for a down payment on that home near your dream job. In this scenario, you may be unable to take the very job that would allow you to pay-off your Federal Tax Lien, all because of your Federal Tax Lien.

• Your Credit Score: The Federal Tax Lien could damage your credit score with Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, the major credit-reporting agencies. Unfortunately this could cost you more in higher interest rates on future credit, as well as prevent you from getting future credit at all or even cause you to lose out on insurance or employment opportunities.

• Retirement or Other Large Financial Decisions: If you have planned your whole life to sell your home at some point and use your equity to fund retirement or college, your plan may need revisiting. Your Federal Tax Lien keeps you from using your equity the way you desire, since the Internal Revenue Service will be first in line to use it against your Federal Tax Lien.

Are you beginning to see that Federal Tax Liens can damage your family’s future?

But it can get even worse. Should you decide you have had enough hassles with the Internal Revenue Service and you just want to sell your home to get rid of the Federal Tax Lien, you still may not be rid of the Internal Revenue Service. Particularly in areas of Boston where housing prices artificially low, your home sale profit may not cover what you owe the Internal Revenue Service. Should that happen, the Internal Revenue Service will still be after you, and you will be without a home or a down payment to get another one.

Even worse than that, after the Internal Revenue service takes what they can as payment against your Lien, you might not have enough left to pay-off your mortgage. So you could be without a home, unable to make a down payment on another home, possibly still in debt to the Internal Revenue Service AND still owing on your former home that someone else now owns.

So How Can I Hope to Survive This?

Before doing anything else, contact a Boston area attorney licensed in Tax Law. Stop thinking that you can fight the Internal Revenue Service and win on your own. Were you able to resolve the problem before they started threatening you with a Federal Tax Lien? Remember, the Internal Revenue Service is not your average adversary. They have the full authority and resources of the United States Federal Government behind them, and they are good at getting money out of people who really do not want to pay.

Here is one last point to consider. Frequently the Internal Revenue Service will accept a small percentage of what you owe as payment in full of your Federal Tax Debt. You have probably yet to hear them offer you that option. But reaching a deal on a lower payment takes prior experience, expertise, and knowledge that most people simply do not have. In all likelihood, all of your conversations and correspondence with the Internal Revenue Service thus far probably have not improved your situation at all. Stop wasting your time and risking your family’s security. Make a smart decision. Find an advocate in the Boston area who can help you with your tax problems today.

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Excerpts from a news article posted by Robert Snell of the Detroit News on Monday, May 20, 2010 at 12:32 pm, read: “Golf star John Daly may have slimmed down, but he’s got a big, fat tax debt. The chain-smoking, beer-swilling Hooters patron and reality-show star owes more than $1 million in delinquent federal income taxes, according to public records. Daly, 44, won the 1991 PGA Championship and 1995 British Open but his career has been plagued by personal problems.

Though Daly has earned more than $9 million during his career, he made only $248,501 on tour in 2007 and $56,017 in 2008. The IRS filed a $1,050,733 lien against Daly on Monday with the Shelby County (Tenn.) Register of Deeds. According to they lien, he owes income taxes from 2007 and 2008. The address on the lien is his home in Memphis, Tenn. It is for sale for $698,000. A Daly spokesman could not be reached immediately for comment.”

Many of you who live in or around Memphis, Tennessee, may have recognized this article, but even famous sports stars like John Daly can have trouble with their taxes. Taxation within the United States is a complex system and includes a wide array of taxation entities. There are a variety of governments that can tax you. They include: taxation from local governments possibly including one or more of municipal, township, district, and county entities; regional entities such as school, utility, and transit districts; state governments; and the federal government. Each of these government entities have their sets of complex laws, so, it is very hard for the average citizen to go through life without having some type of taxation problem. Being famous may even make you a tax target.

To complicate matters even further, within each government entity, there can be a variety of different sources used to tax you. You can pay tariffs, sales tax, income tax, recessive taxes, social security taxes, property taxes, progressive taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, corporate taxes, excise taxes, estate taxes, transfer taxes, gift taxes, and this list is not conclusive . Is there any wonder that a legion of bookkeepers are hired by the private and public sectors just to keep up with the various taxes in order to help alleviate the problems? Also, with so many different sources of taxation and entities you must annually satisfy, is there any wonder that mistakes are made? Are these complications made by our lawmakers for a reason?

For the most part, most of these government entities will try to help you alleviate the mistakes by providing you with educational material through free publications, websites, and call help centers. Most will help you figure the math on what you owe and will work with you in wide variety of ways. In the event you do have problems, you still have legal rights. The Taxpayers Bill of Rights III was enacted July 22, 1998 for the purpose of protecting your rights as a taxpayer under federal law. One of the most important rights you have as a taxpayer is the right to representation before any taxing entity. With all the complications and different laws for each individual taxing entity and sources, do you think it would be wise to have help in facing tough taxing issues? I bet if you asked sports star John Daly that question, he would say yes without any hesitation.

So, it doesn’t matter whether or not you are famous sports star or an average person, you have to pay taxes, but you do not have to get ripped by the taxing entities in doing so. The real question should be then, what is your fair share of taxes within each taxing entity? Each individual taxpayer will have to answer that question for his or herself. If you live in or around the area of Memphis, Tennessee, stop allowing the taxing authorities to rip you on what is too complicated for you to understand. Contact us today and we will get you in touch with a tax professional in your area who will be able to help you answer all the questions you may have about tax law.

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The Texas War for Independence against Mexico concluded with the surrender of the Mexican President and General Antonio Lopez de Santa Anna at the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836. The Republic of Texas was the result. Prior to Texas independence, Mexico, only fifteen years earlier gained its independence from Spain in 1821 with the signing of the Treaty of Cordoba. On October 4, 1824, Mexico adopted a new constitution which defined the country as a federal republic with nineteen states and four territories. The former province of Spanish Texas became part of a newly created state, Coahuila y Tejas, whose capital was at Saltillo, hundreds of miles from the former Texas capital, San Antonio de Bexar, now known today as San Antonio, Texas

The new Mexican country emerged from their war for independence bankrupt, and with little money for the military, Mexico encouraged immigration from the United States to Tejas for protection against hostile Indian tribes. The immigrants were promised no property taxes for ten years to immigrate. As the drove of immigrants came to take advantage of the low taxes and living expenses, it was not long before the Mexican-born settlers in Tejas were vastly outnumbered. By 1834, it was estimated that over 30,000 Anglos lived in Coahuila y Tejas, compared to only 7,800 Mexican-born citizens. By 1836, there were approximately 5,000 slaves brought into Tejas by the mostly southern immigrants. To address this situation, President Anastasio Bustamante implemented several measures on April 6, 1830. Chief among these was a prohibition against further immigration to Tejas from the United States, although American citizens would be allowed to settle in other parts of Mexico. Furthermore, the property tax law, intended to exempt immigrants from paying taxes for ten years, was rescinded, and tariffs were increased on goods shipped from the United States. Bustamante also ordered all Tejas settlers to comply with the federal prohibition against slavery or face military intervention. For the most part, the Texians ignored the new laws. The rest of the story is history.

It might be amazing to know how many Texans today realize that one of the major disputes that spawned our state was a dispute over taxes. Taxation without representation is what spawned the United States of America. As a result, our Constitution guarantees us that we as citizens will not be taxed without representation. Today, it is the law for you to be represented before any taxing authority. Our federal government spells out your right to be represented on their Internal Revenue Service (IRS) website. The site lists your Taxpayer Bill of Rights, and states you, as a US taxpayer, have the right to:

• be treated professionally, fairly, promptly, and courteously by IRS employees and Private Collection Agencies contacting you on behalf of the IRS;
• disagree with your tax bill;
• meet with an IRS manager if you disagree with the IRS employee who handled your tax case;
• appeal most IRS collection actions;
• have your case transferred to a different IRS office if you have a valid reason;
• be represented by someone when dealing with IRS matters;
• and receive a receipt for any payments you make.

I suppose there is nothing that will make a free-minded person more angry than to feel you have not been represented fairly when it comes to being forced to pay taxes. These feelings are so strong that they have even caused wars, so, is there any wonder about the emotions that can occur between a taxpayer and a taxing entity responsible for the collection of the taxes?

To make matters worse, our tax laws are complicated. It doesn’t matter whether or not the taxing entity is federal, state, or local, they all seem to be complicated. It doesn’t matter what nationality you are because the complication of these laws seems to be in all countries. The complication of tax law within our American system is why most people need a representative, to even out the playing field, to make it fair. In Texas today, these representatives are called tax attorneys. If you live in or around the metropolitan area of San Antonio, and you have been faced with a taxing dilemma, contact us today and we will get you in touch with a tax professional in your area who will be able to help you answer all the questions you may have about tax law.

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The phrase “No Taxation Without Representation!” was coined by Reverend Jonathan Mayhew in a sermon give in Boston, Massachusetts in 1750. By 1765, the term “no taxation without representation” was in use in Boston, but no one is sure who first used it. Boston politician James Otis was most famously associated with the phrase, “taxation without representation is tyranny.” The phrase eventually became a rallying cry for the British colonists who eventually rebelled against the British Crown to gain independence during the American Revolutionary War. As Americans today, we owe the justice minded spirit of the Bostonians great homage for their willingness to speak freely their minds. Certainly taxation without representation was not for the Bostonians back then, and certainly it is not for the Bostonians today. Therefore, it does not surprise me that they have protected their right to representation throughout the years.

Being the most populous city in Massachusetts, Boston surely influenced the state legislature when it wrote the Massachusetts Taxpayer Bill of Rights. One of the tenets within the Taxpayer Bill of Rights publicly displayed on the Massachusetts Department of Revenue website plainly states, “you may obtain representation at any point in your dealings with the Department.” To some, this statement may seem insignificant or automatically taken for granted, but there are many places around the world that do not enjoy that type of freedom, let alone right. Please notice that in the statement it says you may obtain representation “at any point.” I do a lot of legal research, have been researching all the state’s Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights, and Massachusetts is the only one I remember that includes the phrase. Many states leave out your right to representation, say only that you have the right to be represented, remind you of your right to represent yourself, but only Massachusetts thought it important enough to remind the taxpayer you have a right to be represented “at any point.”

There are many states that do not have a Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Thank goodness our federal government hasn’t forgotten our history so fast. They passed their own Taxpayer Bill of Rights and is posted on the Internal Revenue Service website. It states you, as a United States taxpayer, have the right to:

• be treated professionally, fairly, promptly, and courteously by IRS employees and Private Collection Agencies contacting you on behalf of the IRS;
• disagree with your tax bill;
• meet with an IRS manager if you disagree with the IRS employee who handled your tax case;
• appeal most IRS collection actions;
• have your case transferred to a different IRS office if you have a valid reason;
• be represented by someone when dealing with IRS matters;
• and receive a receipt for any payments you make.

Yes, you have a right to be represented by someone when dealing with IRS matters. By the way, it is also your Constitutional right. It is covered under the Sixth Amendment to the Constitution and is a part of your Constitutional Bill of Rights. Of course, the right to counsel in the Sixth Amendment is talking about criminal cases, but sometimes dealing with tax matters has led to these type cases.

I do personally believe with all my heart that taxation without representation is tyranny. The good news is that you have the right to representation. The bad news is at any point, not all things will go right for every taxpayer. You can be facing an audit, levy, seizure, foreclosure, or incarceration, and if this is so, it is a good idea that you exercise your right to have representation by getting in touch with a tax attorney. If you live in or around the metropolitan areas of Springfield, Worcester, or Boston in Massachusetts, and you have been faced with a taxing dilemma, contact us today. We will get you in touch with a tax professional in your area who will be able to help you answer all the questions you may have about tax law.

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Dawn Wells was born in Reno, Nevada in 1938. She later went on to become Miss Nevada and then became even more famous as an actress playing Mary Ann Summers on TV’s Gilligan’s Island during its run from 1964 through 1967. She ultimately starred in many TV series and a few lesser known movies.

Today, after a successful career, Wells finds herself owing the state of California more than $80,000 in delinquent taxes. The tax problem surfaced last year after the 71 year old actress filed a chapter 7 bankruptcy in California. After declaring in bankruptcy court $1.5 million in liabilities with only $1.38 million in assets, the state of California filed an $80,520 lien against Wells on March 24 with the Los Angeles County Recorder of Deeds. That means the former Miss Nevada and actress is in a lot of tax trouble.

You don’t have to be famous, an actress, or a Miss anything to be in tax trouble. If you live in or around the areas of Reno or Las Vegas in the state of Nevada, you are not alone when it comes to having tax problems of one sort or the other because there is more than one type of tax problem.

Taxation within the United States is a complex system and includes a wide array of taxation entities. There are a variety of governments that can tax you. They include: taxation from local governments possibly including one or more of municipal, township, district, and county entities; regional entities such as school, utility, and transit districts; state governments; and the federal government. Each of these government entities have their sets of complex laws, so, it is very hard for the average citizen to go through life without having some type of taxation problem. To complicate matters even further, within each government entity, there can be a variety of different sources to tax you. You can pay tariffs, sales tax, income tax, recessive taxes, social security taxes, property taxes, progressive taxes, unemployment insurance taxes, corporate taxes, excise taxes, estate taxes, transfer taxes, gift taxes, and this list is not conclusive .

For the most part, most of these government entities will try to help you alleviate the mistakes by providing you with educational material through free publications, websites, and call help centers. Most will help you figure the math on what you owe and will work with you in wide variety of ways.

In the event you do have problems, you still have legal rights. The Taxpayers Bill of Rights III was enacted July 22, 1998 for the purpose of protecting your rights as a taxpayer under federal law. Most states also have their own bill of rights when it comes to tax questions, but Nevada is one state that has not passed one as to date. Nevertheless, the federal government has posted its Taxpayer Bill of Rights on its IRS internet website. It states you, as a United States taxpayer, have the right to:

• be treated professionally, fairly, promptly, and courteously by IRS employees and Private Collection Agencies contacting you on behalf of the IRS;
• disagree with your tax bill;
• meet with an IRS manager if you disagree with the IRS employee who handled your tax case;
• appeal most IRS collection actions;
• have your case transferred to a different IRS office if you have a valid reason;
• be represented by someone when dealing with IRS matters; and

receive a receipt for any payments you make.

If you live in or around the areas of Reno or Las Vegas in the state of Nevada, and you are having problems resolving tax issues with any of the previously mentioned government entities, you have the right to be represented by a tax attorney. It is the law, so contact us today, and we will get you in touch with a tax lawyer in your area who will be able to help you answer all the questions you may have about tax law.

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If you live in or around the area of Chicago, Illinois, there is a special program to help you with tax problems that cannot be resolved through normal IRS channels. (This information can be found at www.irs.gov on publication 594). “The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels, or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should. You may be eligible for assistance if you:

• are experiencing economic harm or significant costs which would also include fees for professional representation;
• have experienced a delay of more than 30 days to resolve your tax issue; or
• have not received a response or resolution to the problem by the date promised by the IRS.

According the IRS website, this service is free, confidential, tailored to meet your needs, and available for businesses as well as individuals. There is at least one local taxpayer advocate in each state, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Because advocates are part of the IRS, they know the tax system and how to navigate it. If you qualify, you will receive personalized service from a knowledgeable advocate who will:

• listen to your problem;
• help you understand what needs to be done to resolve it; and
• stay with you every step of the way until your problem is resolved.

You may contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service by:

• calling their toll-free case intake line at 1-877-777-4778 or TTY/TTD 1-800-829-4059;
• writing or calling your local taxpayer advocate whose address and phone number are listed in the government listings in your local telephone directory and in Publication 1546, The Taxpayer Advocate Service of the IRS – How to Get Help With Unresolved Tax Problems;
• filing Form 911, Application for Taxpayer Assistance Order, with the Taxpayer Advocate Service; or
• asking an IRS employee to complete Form 911 on your behalf.”

Obviously, the IRS is making an attempt to overcome the complexities of our tax system. The old days of harsh dealings with most tax payers has been replaced with this modern version of compassionate understanding and education. Contrary to some held views, many of the IRS employees do care about their work and their clients-you. They demonstrate how much they care by donating their time to help you resolve some difficult issues at no additional costs. The service is real and works for many.

Unfortunately, there are some that do not qualify for the program or that the program fails to help. You should try this program before seeking out legal alternatives. In the event you still need legal counseling, you will need to consult with a tax attorney. If you live in or around Chicago, Illinois,  contact us today at and we will get you in touch with a tax lawyer in your area who will be able to help you answer all the questions you may have about tax law.

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According to news articles posted on the internet in May 2010, agents from the U.S. Postal Inspector and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) raided the offices and home of a prominent Twin Cities real estate developer May 18. The federal agents issued search warrants at Ned Abdul’s offices at Butler North and his home in Deephaven, Minnesota. Abdul’s Minneapolis holdings include the Lumber Exchange building, the Whitney Hotel, and two nightclubs. TV crews on the scene claimed to have seen the federal agents carrying out boxes of files from Abdul’s Swervo Development Corporation in downtown Minneapolis.
Most of you who live in or around the Minneapolis areas of Minnesota probably recognize this story.

What is interesting about this story is the fact the IRS was involved with the investigation of this local company. Typically, the U.S. Postal Service and the IRS investigate such things as financial fraud and tax issues, but nevertheless, of such notoriety is what makes all the horror stories about the IRS jump to life.

In our modern society, the IRS has come a long way to help bridge the gap between the old IRS horror stories that use to dominate local tax stories to a more gentle approach of education. Our government, along with the rest of us, has recognized how complicated our system of tax collection really is. The new approach is helping but not necessarily alleviating all the problems. Probably the most important rights you have is being able to be represented when the need arises. Even though the IRS has come a long way in trying to work with the common tax payer, they still have unparalleled authority when it comes to implementing the law. Paying your income taxes is the law despite what many believe or have said. The Sixteenth Amendment to the Constitution was ratified in 1913 giving Congress the power to “lay and collect taxes on incomes, from whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States, and without regard to any census or enumeration.”

With current stories like this one in Minneapolis still hitting the news upon occasion, the IRS still has a long way to go in alleviating its negative images. We do not know all the details to this particular incident in Minneapolis that was reported in the news, but we do know you have protected rights by law that are recognized and posted on the IRS website. You, as a United States taxpayer, have the right to:

• be treated professionally, fairly, promptly, and courteously by IRS employees and Private Collection Agencies contacting you on behalf of the IRS;
• disagree with your tax bill;
• meet with an IRS manager if you disagree with the IRS employee who handled your tax case;
• appeal most IRS collection actions;
• have your case transferred to a different IRS office if you have a valid reason;
• be represented by someone when dealing with IRS matters; and
• receive a receipt for any payments you make.

Even though our government is trying to bridge the gap between taxpayers and itself, scenes like these in Minneapolis will hopefully be the exception to the rule. For what ever reasons, some of you will still have problems and misunderstandings with the IRS that seem to be unsolvable. When this happens, you are going to need legal counsel from a tax attorney. If you believe you have unresolvable problems with the IRS, it is your right by law to be represented. So, if you live in or around the areas of Minneapolis, Minnesota, contact us today at and we will get you in touch with a tax lawyer in your area who will be able to help you answer all the questions you may have about tax law.

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