Miami Tax Lawyer Standing Up for the Rights of Clients With Tax Problems in Florida

Going through tough times financially and falling behind on your taxes is something that anyone may end up facing at any point in their lives. While mistakes and rough financial patches happen, doing nothing to resolve your tax problems with the IRS only makes matters worse. If you are facing tax troubles, working with a tax attorney may be the best way to fix your situation and stop the IRS from coming after you.

What Should I Do if I Have Not Filed My Taxes in a Few Years?

Picture this: you went through a difficult year, and your finances took a hit, and for personal or financial reasons, you ended up not filing a tax return. The next year, you do not file your tax return again because now you are afraid of the consequences of not having filed the year before. This happens more often than you may think, but it is nevertheless a costly mistake because the laws regard willful failure to file your tax return as a federal crime.

It is a myth to think that you are not required to file a tax return because you won’t have any taxes due – if you’ve had enough gross income, you still need to file, regardless of whether you are getting a tax bill or a tax refund! You should also know that not filing your tax returns for one or more years only creates a snowball of penalties and interest that makes your tax balance continue to grow every month it goes unpaid.

On a more positive note, you can largely avoid any serious consequences – namely criminal charges – by coming forward and voluntarily telling the IRS you want to fix your situation. You can file your past-due tax returns before the IRS can send you a notice, avoiding any potential criminal charges and taking steps in the right direction to clear up your tax problems.

If you have unfiled tax returns, the best course of action is to get the help of a professional who can help you prepare and file your past-due tax returns as soon as possible. Our firm can help you with past-due tax returns and can also handle the process of negotiating your tax debt with the IRS.

Can a Tax Attorney Help Me Reduce My Tax Balance?

Working with a seasoned tax attorney can really make or break your case, as your attorney has the skills and the tax law knowledge to negotiate with the IRS and potentially reduce your tax debt. If you have unpaid taxes, the IRS will continue assessing interest on your unpaid balance for as long as it remains unpaid. Interest cannot usually be abated, so it may be best to try and do what you can to pay off as much of your balance as possible.

In contrast, penalties assessed for unpaid and/or unfiled taxes can be negotiated and potentially reduced or completely eliminated, and this is something a skilled tax attorney may be able to accomplish on your behalf. If our legal team determines you may be eligible for penalty abatement, you could potentially save a lot of money and be able to pay off your tax balance in less time. The Law Office of Ray Haselman can investigate your particular situation and provide advice on whether seeking penalty abatement is the right choice for you.

What If I Can’t Afford to Pay My Taxes?

Quite frequently, the total amount of your tax balance with added interest and penalties becomes too overwhelming for some clients, and they may fear they cannot ever have enough money to pay off their tax debt. This does not mean you have reached the end of the road – and our firm can help you find a settlement option that would help you resolve your tax debt. Those options include applying for Currently Non-Collectible Status, which temporarily stops the IRS from trying to collect from you if you can show that your monthly income is far less than your monthly expenses.

Another alternative is the possibility of an installment plan in which you can gradually pay off your tax balance through monthly payments spread out over the course of several months or even a few years. In some instances, clients may even be able to settle with the IRS for much less than they owe if they qualify for the Offer In Compromise program. Our firm will work with you to determine which option may be more suitable to resolve your situation.

Should I Handle My IRS Problem on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?

Hiring a tax attorney is not mandatory, and you do have the right to represent yourself before the IRS, but unless you have extensive tax law knowledge and are thoroughly familiar with the IRS rules and complicated procedures, you may want to strongly consider getting a professional to help you instead. The IRS is not always easy or quick to deal with, and the task often proves overwhelming for the average person.

Choosing to work with an experienced Miami tax attorney is not only your right as a taxpayer, but it can also make the entire process a lot easier and reduce your stress and overwhelm. After sending a notice to the IRS that you have chosen to be represented by a tax attorney such as Ray Haselman, the IRS must direct all calls and letters to your attorney, and you can be relieved of the constant harassment by the IRS and leave it all in the hands of a seasoned professional.

The Law Office of Ray Haselman provides representation for clients in Miami, FL, Fort Lauderdale, and surrounding areas. Do you have a tax problem? Contact our office by calling 786-522-0410 to request an initial consultation.