Defaulted on your IRS installment agreement? Where do you turn now?

You promised the IRS a monthly payment that your budget could no longer bear.  Or you tried so hard to repay your back taxes that you fall behind on this year’s return.  Your intentions are good, but this has caused your IRS installment agreement to default.  Where do you turn next?
First, it is important to know that the IRS must send you a notice of [...]

5 Things You Should Know About the IRS

As a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, it was exciting to see my article about solutions to today’s IRS collection problems as the cover story in March’s monthly bar journal.   
Here is a brief overview of the article - 5 Things You Should Know About the IRS:
(1)     The offer in compromise program is not as advertised on television.
(2)     IRS seizures of houses, personal [...]

IRS problems and have credit card debt? Tips for handling both

I received a call today from an enrolled agent for my help with a client who was having problems not only with the IRS, but credit cards as well.  As usual, my enrolled agent friend got it right – bankruptcy was likely on the horizon for us to take care of both problems simultaneously.
Two basic rules on owing the [...]

What’s the difference between an IRS tax lien and a tax levy?

The IRS has two ways to collect back taxes:  a Federal tax lien and tax levy.  A tax lien is different from an IRS levy – the lien does not result in the IRS taking your property from you.  That is done by levy.
You have rights to defend the filing of a lien, and prevent the issuance of a levy.  To be able to [...]

Will the IRS take my house? Seize my car?

One of the most common concerns about owing the IRS back taxes is that they will show up one day and take your house or car from you.
No matter what the IRS may tell you or what you may have heard, it is very unlikely the IRS will levy on your house, car or furniture.  The assets [...]

Can the IRS take my property without telling me first?

In most every case, the IRS cannot take your property until they send you a letter stating their intentions.  This letter – called a “Final Notice of Intent to Levy” - is the government’s last attempt to reach you before they start levying your wages, bank accounts or other property.
The Final Notice of Intent to Levy gives you very important rights [...]

Self-employed? All IRS levies are not created equal

IRS levies on those who are self-employed are serious, but it may not always be as bad as it seems. 
If you are self-employed, and if your right to a payment is dependent on the performance of future services – meaning the “job” has not yet been completed – an IRS levy reaches nothing. Your right [...]

IRS collection priorities and trends for 2010

What to expect from the IRS collection division in 2010:
1.     More aggressive IRS tax lien filing practices.
IRS Revenue Officers have been instructed to make decisions on the filing of Federal tax liens within 10 days of case assignment.   The IRS hit an all-time low for lien filings in 1999 of 167,000.  That has rebounded [...]

Get ready – 2,000 new IRS collection Revenue Officers are coming

In an unprecedented hiring move, the IRS is bringing on board almost 2.000 new Revenue Officers, starting this fall (2009).  This is a 35% increase in high level IRS collection enforcement staffing.
The ramp up will entail over 1,000 new Revenue Officers in the fall, with another 350 coming on board in 2010 and then 500 [...]

The first step to ending IRS collection problems: Finding the money for estimated taxes

If you have had trouble paying taxes to the IRS in the past and would like to settle up, the first step is to ensure that you are paying your taxes now.  The IRS will not negotiate unless it sees that you are current on your taxes. And any solution that is negotiated will quickly [...]

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