Obtaining Help for IRS Problems
Whether you are simply facing an audit by the IRS or have unpaid or unfilled taxes, it is important to enlist the best IRS help you can afford. The important thing to think about is whether you need someone to represent you in court or just someone to sit down with you and go over things before you meet with an IRS representative. If you are just facing having to meet with a representative of the IRS, you need someone who has the expertise in tax laws to present your financial records on your behalf; the most likely candidates to choose are either an accountant or someone from the company you hired to file your taxes. You will learn that most companies that provide income tax filing services offer to represent you before the IRS in case of any problems or a routine audit. This service is part of the service they provide when you pay that company to file prepare your income tax return.
There are severe questions you need to ask yourself before you choose the right person to provide you with IRS help.
• How likely are you to need to appear in tax court?
• Does your case involve penalties and interest?
• Do you have reason to doubt the legality of the IRS claims?
• Are you in need of someone who can negotiate for you?
• How much money does the IRS claim involve?
• How likely are your chances of winning without third party representation?
You weigh want to think of it this way: if there is any possibility at all of your case coming into tax court, you should seriously consider hiring a tax lawyer rather than relying on your tax preparer to resolve your issue with the IRS. Of course, this is under normal circumstances; if the error involves the way the company prepared your taxes, they are more than likely to have their own lawyers to negotiate on your behalf. If this is not the case you must weigh your options and choose the one that can best meet your needs and individual circumstances.
The least expensive option is working directly with the IRS, but this may not always be the best option for an individual taxpayer. If the IRS is attempting to bring charges against you for tax evasion because you have not filed your taxes in several years, you may need to seek representation from a tax lawyer. While this type of claim is difficult to prove if you have taxes deducted from your paycheck, it is another story completely if you work as a subcontractor and receive a 1099 or own your own business and have failed to make quarterly income tax payments, it certainly appears you are trying to avoid paying taxes.
Don’t make any kind of decision before you think about your own individual circumstances. The main question you need to ask yourself is whether you need IRS help from a lawyer of it an accountant can provide the information the IRS requires. Don’t make a quick decision but choose wisely and research any third party you hire before you allow that person to help you negotiate with the IRS.