First of all, do not panic. The IRS is just trying to resolve an open issue. Most IRS letters come with a time frame of ten to thirty days to respond to the notification. You should respond within the time period specified or the IRS will follow up and eventually use enforcement action. If you do not respond to the IRS’s attempts to reach you they will hit you with a Federal Tax Lien, a Wage Levy on your paycheck or a Tax Lien on your bank account. Contact Fresh Start Tax and our professionals will handle the IRS for you and resolve your problem.
When IRS contacts you by certified mail it is time to be serious about the next step. The IRS has tried to contact you before to resolve the issue and has been unsuccessful. Certified letters from the IRS usually means they are ready to take enforcement action. Unless you reach them within the prescribed period of time the IRS will probably levy your wages or bank account and file a Federal Tax Lien. It is time to call your Fresh Start Tax Professional. In most cases, within a thirty day period of time, the IRS will send a wage levy to your employer, and or a bank levy to your bank accounts. Whether you sign for the IRS certified mail or not, the 30 day period starts on the date of the IRS letter. Before you make any contact with the IRS you want to know your rights so you don’t make the situation worse than it already is. This requires a plan of action. Contact Fresh Start Tax as soon as possible and we will contact the IRS immediately to stop any collection activity.
Many people are unaware that IRS has sent notices and has been trying to contact them over a period of time. The first time they become aware of this process is when a Federal Tax Levy or a Federal Tax Lien has hit their bank account or their employer has received a wage levy notification. When you are at this step in the process it is time to retain a professional to resolve your case. You should not contact the IRS by yourself because the IRS will use any information to try and collect money.
When the IRS contacts you by regular mail they are usually trying to advise you of an issue and would like to have it resolved. It is best to respond to the IRS, advising them whether or not you agree with what they say in the letter. If you agree and can pay the back taxes with the interest and penalties assessed than you should do so as soon as possible. If you agree and cannot pay the back taxes with interest and penalties call Fresh Start Tax and we can negotiate with the IRS on you behalf to resolve this matter. If you disagree, be prepared to send the IRS the proper documentation to support your case. Fresh Start Tax can also help you settle a dispute with the IRS if you believe you are correct.
Contact by telephone sounds scary but these can be the easiest issues to resolve. Unless this is a complicated issue you can usually take care of this process by yourself. However, if you owe back taxes, be careful when speaking with the IRS. Remember, the IRS is the most powerful collection agency in the world. If the call relates to back taxes owed from income or payroll taxes, contact your Fresh Start Tax Professional to handle this type of problem.
If IRS filed a substitute tax return for you, we can help!