Real example: When can my taxes be discharged in bankruptcy?

I do alot of IRS and bankruptcy work for my clients, and receive many questions about  it works.  Bankruptcy is a valuable tool to eliminate IRS liabilities.
To help in understanding taxes and bankruptcy, I thought it would be helpful to provide real life examples, starting here with a “bankruptcy timing” question I recieved from an enrolled agent [...]

IRS auditor giving you trouble? Where else can you turn?

It is common to feel like you are not getting a fair shake from an IRS auditor.   Frustration mounts with perceptions that the auditor is unreasonable.  No matter what you do, the auditor cannot be satisfied.  You are told you owe money to the IRS, and you know you don’t.
There is good news – [...]

Face to face with IRS agents: Who’s who?

If you find yourself in an IRS pickle, there are three IRS employees you are most likely to come face to face with.  Those are Revenue Officers, Revenue Agents and Special Agents.  Here is what to expect from each:
An IRS Revenue Officer is in collection enforcement. Often, the first contact you will receive from a [...]

When does a Federal tax lien expire and become unenforceable?

IRS tax liens are not forever.  They do expire – here is an overview of when:
For starters, the IRS has 10 years to pursue you for the unpaid taxes that caused the lien to be filed.  The 10 years starts on the date you began owing the IRS money.
After the 10 year collection timeframe expires, [...]

Non-filers with mortgages: The IRS might be watching

I received a call from a Wall Street Journal reporter on a story he was writing on an IRS announcement that they might use mortgage interest payments to identify non-filers.
It goes like this:  You have not filed tax returns.  You are self-employed and your income is not reported to the IRS.  But you own a [...]