Owe Federal Payroll Taxes, How IRS Will Handle You Tax Debt + Former IRS Agent + Ft. Lauderdale, Miami, Boca Raton, Palm Beaches

October 23, 2018
Written by: Fresh Start Tax
Fresh Start Tax

 

Michael Sullivan Fresh Start Tax Expert, Former IRS Agent, Expert in Federal Payroll Tax Debt.

 

We have over 65 years of working directly for the Internal Revenue Service in the local, district, and regional tax offices of the South Florida Internal Revenue Service.

Our office has over 200 years of total IRS work experience and we are true experts and how to settle your federal payroll tax debt with Internal Revenue Service.

IRS experts in this matter.

We are available for free initial tax consultation. We are the fast friendly and affordable tax firm.

I am a former IRS Agent and teaching instructor of the Offer Program when formerly employed at the IRS.

We know all the systems, settlement formulas and all the methodology to get you affordable IRS tax debt relief including trust fund debt problem.

We should be able to make sure we can reach a reasonable settlement on your payroll tax liability and you can continue to operate your business without fear and worry from the Internal Revenue Service.

Please keep in mind the Internal Revenue Service will conduct a full compliance check to make sure not only your business, company or corporation is current but also your individual taxes are up-to-date.

IRS does not want to seize your business for back taxes due on payroll taxes, however 941 payroll taxes are a big concern for the IRS.

You my ask why payroll tax that is a big concern for IRS, it simply because those are trust fund taxes that is money held in trust and is not an imposition to collect taxes from a company, it’s simply returning to IRS what you have withheld from employees and matched their Social Security.

IRS has an FTD program which is called the federal tax deposit alert which warns local offices of companies that are failing to file federal tax deposits. As a former IRS agent I worked this program. just be advised that IRS does keep a task force available on large companies that are making federal tax deposits.

The Process of receiving a Payroll Tax Debt Settlement

The Internal Revenue Service will want to fully review your company or corporation before you can obtain in IRS payroll tax settlement.

You will need to provide IRS with the current financial statement along with proof that all payroll tax deposits and 941 tax forms have been filed.

Many times IRS will want a personal or individual financial statement for more responsible persons. For most company’s of the IRS payroll tax settlement may come in three forms.

After IRS reviews your current financial statement the Internal Revenue Service may determine that you are a hardship candidate, monthly payment agreement candidate or an offer in compromise candidate and IRS payroll settlement.

Why have Fresh Start Tax contact the IRS:

You never have to talk with the Internal Revenue Service on these tax matters;
Fresh Start Tax knows what the IRS is looking for;
Fresh Start Tax knows the exact packaging required;
Fresh Start Tax knows the next steps the IRS will take;
You know your case will be handled and resolved as fast as possible.

Other Factors To Consider

IRS has the right to sell your complete inventory at public auction;
IRS can seize all your accounts receivables;
IRS can hold you personally responsible for this tax;
IRS has the right to lock the doors of your business.

Steps to take to work out an affordable payment plan with the Internal Revenue Service:

Immediately stay current on all payroll tax deposits to show the IRS good faith;
Be prepared to give the IRS a current financial statement;
Make sure your personal tax liabilities are filed and paid;
Have all documentation on the financial statement prepared for the IRS.

If you do not pay your Payroll Taxes IRS can collect them from you individually
To encourage prompt payment of withheld income and employment taxes, including social security taxes, railroad retirement taxes, or collected excise taxes, Congress passed a law that provides for the TFRP.( trust fund recovery penalty )

These payroll taxes are called trust fund taxes because you actually hold the employee’s money in trust until you make a federal tax deposit in that amount.

The TFRP may apply to you if these unpaid trust fund taxes cannot be immediately collected from the business.

The business does not have to have stopped operating in order for the TFRP to be assessed

BE CAREFUL Who can be Responsible for the TFRP

The TFRP may be assessed against any person who:

Is responsible for collecting or paying withheld income and employment taxes, or for paying collected excise taxes, and

Willfully fails to collect or pay them.

A responsible person is a person or group of people who has the duty to perform and the power to direct the collecting, accounting, and paying of trust fund taxes. This person may be:

An officer or an employee of a corporation,

A member or employee of a partnership,

A corporate director or shareholder,

A member of a board of trustees of a nonprofit organization,

Another person with authority and control over funds to direct their disbursement,

Another corporation or third-party payer,

Payroll Service Providers (PSP) ore responsible parties within a PSP

Professional Employer Organizations (PEO) or responsible parties within a PEO, or

Responsible parties within the common law employer (client of PSP/PEO).

For wilfulness to exist, the responsible person:

Must have been, or should have been, aware of the outstanding taxes and either intentionally disregarded the law or was plainly indifferent to its requirements (no evil intent or bad motive is required).

Using available funds to pay other creditors when the business is unable to pay the employment taxes is an indication of willfulness. You will be asked to complete an interview in order to determine the full scope of your duties and responsibilities.

Responsibility is based on whether an individual exercised independent judgment with respect to the financial affairs of the business.

An employee is not a responsible person if the employee’s function was solely to pay the bills as directed by a superior, rather than to determine which creditors would or would not be paid.

Figuring the Trust Fund Amount

The amount of the penalty is equal to the unpaid balance of the trust fund tax. The penalty is computed based on:

The unpaid income taxes withheld, plus

The employee’s portion of the withheld FICA taxes. For collected taxes, the penalty is based on the unpaid amount of collected excise taxes.

Assessing the TFRP. If the IRS determines that you are a responsible person, we will provide you a letter stating that we plan to assess the TFRP against you. You have 60 days (75 days if this letter is addressed to you outside the United States) from the date of this letter to appeal our proposal.

The letter will explain your appeal rights. Refer to Publication 5, Your Appeal Rights and How to Prepare a Protest if You Don’t Agree (PDF), for a clear outline of the appeals process. If you do not respond to our letter, we will assess the penalty against you and send you a Notice and Demand for Payment.

Once we assert the penalty, the IRS can take collection action against your personal assets. For instance, we can file a federal tax lien or take levy or seizure action.

 

Owe Federal Payroll Taxes, How IRS Will Handle You Tax Debt + Former IRS Agent

Filed Under: Tax Help

FREE

Consultation

No Obligation
We are here to help!

  • Should be Empty:
“Thanks to Fresh Start, I am feeling more and more confident about finally getting caught up after all these years.”
M. Johnson

“I will certainly refer anyone I come across who needs your services for sure.”
Jody and Don

“I cannot thank you enough for handling my IRS issues. After dealing with another office who did nothing, you guys did everything that you promised. Thanks again, especially Steve Jacob for guiding me every step of the way.”
Jerry H.