A Trusted Attorney For Complex Tax Issues
Conflicts with the IRS are stressful. Although you can attempt to work through the difficult financial and legal problems on your own, working with a tax attorney can lead to accurate and timely results with far less hassle. Linda Bal & Associates, when hired, will take the lead to relieve you from all further IRS conversations.
The IRS is usually rigid when it comes to falling behind on taxes, often using aggressive tactics to collect payments. Linda Bal & Associates will counter these tactics directly. We will take the time to assess your unique situation and your options to find a path forward. We start every case fresh with a customized solution.
Some of the specialized services and tools available to help our clients include the following:
Offers In Compromise
The IRS supports a program that gives debtors the chance to pay tax debt according to what they can afford instead of the total amount they owe. This program, an offer in compromise, is often compared to bankruptcy in which the IRS is the sole creditor. However, it is not the same as filing for bankruptcy. If you pay according to what you can afford, the IRS will erase the rest of your tax debt and its interest.
Payment Plans
You might not be able to pay a lump sum to the IRS, but you might be able to pay tax debt over time. In this case, an installment agreement may be an option. This payment plan could allow you to make payments monthly until you fully catch up.
Our lawyer is an experienced negotiator. We can work with the IRS to develop an installment agreement that may allow you to pay monthly up to six years. When the IRS accepts a payment plan, collection actions will stop. This includes an end to wage garnishment, property liens, and more. However, you must meet the terms of the payment plan and stay current on your taxes.
Penalty Abatement
The principal amount of tax debt is not the only debt that you may have. Unpaid tax interest and penalties increase debt on a daily basis. This means that a short period of being unable to pay your taxes can lead to a significant mountain of debt.
We can often seek a partial or full reduction of these penalties and interest by demonstrating a reasonable cause. Another option is to combine the penalty and interest abatement with an installment agreement.
Statutes Of Limitations
There is a time limit imposed on the IRS on back tax collection efforts. It only has so long to collect the tax it claims you owe. As part of our basic service, we will review the IRS claims and the applicable statutes to check on the expiration dates.
IRS Transcript Requests
You have the legal right to see, and the IRS must disclose how it calculated the back taxes and penalties that it claims you owe.
Through a power of attorney that you grant to us, we can secure your IRS files. The IRS files, known as transcripts, will then be reviewed and interpreted for you. The transcripts will reveal your history with the IRS and if any mistakes were made by the IRS. Yes, even the IRS makes mistakes!
We have often found that mistakes in the tax returns or forms/schedules submitted by the taxpayers were the reasons for the back taxes owed. Many times, the tax problem can be abated simply by filing an amended tax return!
Delinquent Tax Returns
Not filing a tax return can lead to serious consequences, including possible jail time and criminal penalties. The IRS will file a return for you if you fail to do so. However, the tax will be determined by the income information it has on file. This will not include credit for allowable exemptions and/or deductions. The amount of taxes the IRS computes can be great than the amount that would be owed taking these items into account.
You are able to file your original tax return, regardless of how late it is filed. We can help you file the past-due returns to decrease how much you owe and preventing serious consequences.
The IRS will not consider any kind of payment plan, offer in compromise or tax settlement until your taxes are current and up to date.
Audit Representation
Going before the IRS without expert representation would be like going to court without a lawyer. We are experts in representing taxpayers under audit. We understand the process, know the terminology and are aware of the “red flags” that may not be apparent to a taxpayer. We can close audits quickly and, most importantly, avoid expansion of the audit into other areas of your tax return. We close audits quickly by doing a test audit in our office to make sure we have all needed documentation that the IRS will require.
Bankruptcy To Deal With Past-Due Income Taxes
One of the common misconceptions that has emerged due to changes in bankruptcy law is taxes cannot be discharged in bankruptcy. While this assertion may be true some of the time, it is by no means true all of the time. Payroll taxes are not able to be discharged in a personal bankruptcy, but income taxes can be eliminated under certain conditions.
We Can Help Resolve Your Tax Issues
To work with a legal professional who knows how to resolve IRS tax problems, contact Linda Bal & Associates today to arrange your free initial consultation. Call 630-912-5970 or send us an email.
We offer reasonable flat-rate fees with no hidden costs, as well as weekend and evening hours, with appointment flexibility. All of our work is performed personally and directly with you, by an experienced attorney. We maintain prompt, professional service you can count on.