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DO YOU OWE TAXES?

John E. Pytte May 10, 2017

CalculatorEnd your IRS nightmare by hiring a tax attorney

If personal taxes or business taxes are leaving you stressed about your financial future, it may be time to consider hiring a tax attorney who has the legal knowledge to get involved on your behalf and solve your tax debt problems.

As everyone knows, America's tax code is extremely complicated. An individual who is responsible for paying taxes on everything from his personal income to the property he owns and / or a business owner, who must pay not only income tax, but estimated taxes, a self-employment tax and employment tax, and an excise tax can easily run into trouble with the Internal Revenue Service.

Even though it may seem insurmountable, there are also ways to solve your tax debt problems and that's where a tax attorney can help. Whether you are an individual or a business owner, a tax attorney can develop a plan of action that addresses your unique needs and help you avoid penalties, interest and even criminal charges. In addition, there are numerous programs that can help with your personal taxes or business taxes. A personal and business tax attorney has the knowledge to help you pick the best option for your needs and to get you qualified for that program.

Among the most popular of those programs is the Fresh Start Initiative, which is available to both individuals and business owners through a direct debit installment agreement. If you owe $50,000 or less, you can stretch out payments over a 72 month period. A tax attorney can help you navigate the rules of the program and get you qualified.

You may also find that an attorney can be especially helpful if you've been attempting to solve your tax debt troubles with the IRS on your own. An attorney can draft an eye-catching letter to the IRS and many even have their own personal contacts within the agency that they can call or write to on your behalf. And, don't worry. If your case does go to court, your tax attorney can not be compelled to testify against you.

Many personal or business tax disputes with the IRS also involve an audit. Your tax attorney will communicate with the agency on your behalf, help negotiate a settlement or represent you in court if necessary.

Many tax debt settlements with the IRS involve what is known as an offer in compromise (OIC), which is an agreement between the taxpayer and the IRS which settles the tax debt for less than the amount that is owed. The IRS will accept an OIC if it is convinced that a taxpayer can't pay the debt either in a lump sum or over a period of time through a payment agreement; if there is doubt about the amount of the debt; or if paying the debt would leave you in extreme economic hardship.

While filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy does not wipe out your tax debt, it does allow you to repay the IRS over the life of your Chapter 13 repayment plan, which can stretch from either three to five years. How much of the debt you must repay depends on if it classified as a non priority or priority claim. Priority claims must be paid in full through your Chapter 13 plan while only a portion of the non priority claims are required to be paid through the filing.

As everyone knows, taxes are complicated and hiring a tax attorney can help you solve your IRS worries once and for all. Attorney John Pytte and Georgia Debt Relief of Savannah is here to help. Call us with your questions today