You pick up the phone, and call the IRS Automated Collection Service, maybe with some questions, or just to try to resolve your account. Or you have a meeting with an IRS Revenue Officer, who has contacted you to investigate your finances and gather any unfiled tax returns. During the conversations, statements will be made to you about how the IRS collects taxes, and what they can do to you, and what your rights are. The good news is few IRS agents will lead you astray, are familiar with the tax laws that regulate the IRS's collection power, and will give it to you straight. But ... Read More

A common fear is that an IRS agent may show up one day at your door, take your house, your wages, and your property. But if the IRS wants to get your attention on a tax debt, chances are you can expect to find an aggressive collection letter in your mailbox rather than find them at your front door. The IRS only has a few local collection agents, with most enforcement staffing located at several call centers, known as the IRS Automated Collection System. As the IRS has more computer resources than local agents (known as Revenue Officers), they assign most cases to call centers.  Only ... Read More