BEST TAX RELIEF ATTORNEY

Most business people or professionals break out into a cold sweat when they get a letter from the IRS regarding the returns filed by them. The IRS or Internal Revenue Service is entrusted by the U.S.Government to collect taxes from citizens.

When you file your tax returns to the IRS, they process the information. You will normally, be intimated by the IRS when they feel that you have submitted incomplete or fraudulent information, or if the tax figures you have calculated do not match with theirs, while filing your returns. They will then send you a letter specifying the information which is required by them and the date when either you or your tax attorney have to meet them to sort out the problem.

In case you personally visit the IRS Office, then there are certain rights, which you can exercise. Whatever talks and issues you settle with the IRS remain confidential. You also have a right to know why you have been called, and the use of information you provide to them has to be explained to you. The IRS employees also have to treat you professionally and with respect. You have the right to complain or write to the employee’s supervisor or the IRS director, if you feel that you are not being treated well.

You can visit the IRS Office in person or you can have your certified public accountant, your attorney or your enrolled agent represent you by intimating the IRS in writing. You can also be accompanied by them during an interview. If you intimate them 10 days in advance, then you can also make a sound recording of your meeting or appeal or examination. As per the law, you have to pay the right amount of taxes and if you are unable to do so when it is due, then you can also pay your taxes in monthly installments. If you are unable to solve your problem with the IRS, then you also have a right to contact the local Taxpayer Advocate Service.

They can help you in solving your problem. In case you do not agree with the IRS decision regarding the amount to be paid or any other clause, then you have the right to get your case reviewed by the Appeals Office. You can also go to court regarding that matter. If the case is decided in your favor, you could also recover some of the administrative or litigation costs. You can also get relief from certain penalties if you can convince the IRS that you had acted in good faith or had relied on the incorrect advice or information of an IRS employee. The interest can also be waived off if they are responsible for any mistakes or delays. If you are entitled to a refund, then the IRS has to pay you interest on that refund, if they delay it by more than 45 days of your claim being passed.

So, when dealing with the IRS, it is better to be well informed rather than ill informed. Knowing what to do and what not to do can make the difference to the case!

By: Kris Koonar

geeluv asked:

This info is for a freind whom has consulted w/ an atty. and stated that the only option is a settlement. This party does not have the money for a settlement nor enough assets to sell off to erase the tax liability. All wages garnished and personal asset(s) i.e. car has lien attached. Bankruptcy won’t work due to this is non-dischargeable debt. This person understands the need to pay and has a good job-salary, but the IRS has left her/him with $333 to live on ea. month. Bascially poverty-stricken. No doubt the gov’t has legal basis to due this, but, but, I believe it’s unfair/ unjust to propel a person into dire straits with collection efforts. If the garnishment was not at the present level e.g. leaving this person with say $1000 to live on monthly, it would be affordable. I don’t think the IRS… tax system, was setup to render a preson homeless or otherwise. Thank you for any assistance.

If you are looking for Ohio tax attorneys, you might have a lot of work ahead of you. First of all, you should realize the fact that a truly great service is worth searching for. Second, you should realize that there are people out there who would take advantage of you. Sure, trusting your fellow men is all good and well but you should always be wary.

Here are some things to watch out for in your search for Ohio tax attorneys:

1) Frauds- Yes, there are people who have gall enough to pose as actual lawyers. They can offer you fancy words in order to pay them a retainer’s fee. After a while, however, you will realize that the Ohio tax attorney that you hired isn’t actually an attorney! Instead of helping you with your problems, frauds will only add to them.

Before making a deal or paying any money, make sure that you know enough about an Ohio tax attorney. You should have information gotten from other sources. You should be able to verify the authenticity of an Ohio tax attorney before hiring him or her.

2) High Chargers- Some attorneys are authentic. However, there is always the potential of charging you too high for a certain service. There are a lot of sharks out there and you would do well to stay away from them. Some attorneys like to exaggerate the services that they perform. They could turn your simple problem into a complicated one that would make them a lot of money at your expense.

Before looking for an Ohio tax attorney, try to make sure that you know enough about your problem. Ask around if there are people with similar cases and ask them how much they are paying for the services of their lawyers. You should be able to discern which charges are genuine and which are fake. By knowing this type of information, you won’t be fooled by lawyers who want to get rich instead of helping you.

3) Inexperienced- There are attorneys who would try to pass themselves off as experienced only to get more clients. You should know that Ohio tax attorneys require quite a bit of experience in order to properly help you with tax laws.

In order to avoid getting inexperienced Ohio tax attorneys, you should try to consult with other people. Most of the time, those people around you can direct you to an excellent Ohio tax attorney who has provided services to them.

4) Hackers- This pitfall can be found if you are searching for Ohio tax attorneys on the internet. Many people will want to take advantage of your system and implant it with various programs so that they can benefit. Some hackers may present you with links to various websites that claim to contain the information about Ohio tax attorneys you want. By entering these sites, you often make yourself vulnerable to hacker attacks.

In order to avoid this pitfall, you should always be prepared and you should always have the right tools. You should try to screen different search results in order to find the information on Ohio tax attorneys you need without any problems. Remember that in your search for Ohio tax attorneys, you should always be in control. By avoiding these pitfalls, you can make sure that your search for Ohio tax attorneys will yield the results that you want.



By: Jake J Saab

Term life insurance provides insurance for a specific amount of time. Like, for one year. You can usually renew annually, and this is called “Annual Renewal Term”. This works until about age 80. Level Term offers you a level premium for a fixed amount of years. You lock in a rate for 20 years. Then you have to get a new rate or new policy.

Permanent Insurance is also called whole life, universal life, etc. This form of life insurance also has a built in savings plan. You get a death benefit with a cash value savings plan attached. Of course, this plan is more expensive, but allows for some financial latitude.

You may be wondering why you would need insurance and what could you do with the proceeds if your spouse or loved one died. Here are some ideas that would help with the financial loss.

Income. Even if your spouse works, loosing one salary could be devastating.

Housing. The money could be used for rent or payoff the mortgage. Your spouse may not want to stay in the house, but it will give some options for them.

Debt. Reducing debt due to the loss can help the surviving spouse continue to be financially solvent. This will help your spouse survive on one income.

Pay Expenses. Funeral and hospital bills can be tremendous. The average funeral is $6,000.

Social Security. Its there, but it takes a while for it to kick in so to speak. Better cover yourself until that first check arrives.

Education. Think about the high costs of education and the burden that would be with only one income. Account for an educational nest egg to give your kids a head start.

Charity. If you don’t have anyone, this would be a good option. Also, you can get a tax deduction for the rest of your estate if you give some money away. In other words, give a chunk away and you might be able to keep some assets to give to your family.

Taxes. Two things certain. Death and Taxes. You may have to pay taxes on your 401k and other assets even though you are dead. If you don’t get these assets before you die, then the person receiving the benefit must pay the tax.

These last two items are a bit tricky and would require expert assistance from a tax attorney or estate attorney.Think about your family and decide what type of life insurance would protect them the best. Let me know if you can think of other helpful information on what to do with life insurance proceeds.



By: John Tahan

Freedom of speech has been a cherished right in our country ever since the Constitution was ratified more than 200 years ago. This essential component of the First Amendment has protected those who have publicly criticized our government, expressed opinions that may be deemed offensive by some, or wear clothing that symbolizes a particular view point. Or, as a recent case here in Texas has proven, freedom of speech can be used as a defense by some hard-working professionals who choose to wear no clothes at all. A Travis County district judge (here in Austin) recently ruled that the state of Texas could no longer charge a $5.00 per patron tax on the owners of nude dancing establishments, as this tax targets a protected form of expression, and the Texas House jumped into action this week to determine an appropriate alternative.

House Bill 982, which is sponsored by Rep. Senfronia Thompson (D-Houston), would require a ten percent tax on admission fee to all sexually oriented businesses. This legislation would include not only topless dancing clubs, but also adult video and book stores. This tax will raise anywhere between four and eight million dollars for the Texas state coffers, with three-quarters of the funds going to sexual assault programs and the rest promised to public schools. Isn’t it good to know the source of the money for Johnny’s new science book?

Critics of the proposed bill believe it is too much of a compromise to the adult entertainment industry, as most video stores do not even charge an admission fee and strip clubs can choose to lower their cover charges to reduce the taxes they would owe. The state has not given up on the $5.00 per person tax option, as the case is currently pending appeal in Austin’s 3rd Court of Appeals. Estimates show that this current law, passed in 2007, raises three times as much money for the state as would be gathered under the bill offered by Rep. Thompson.

Be advised that this law firm does not condone (let alone advocate for) strip clubs in any way.  But we do believe in free enterprise and the legal right to run and operate a legitimate business.  If you own a business in Texas that is being incorrectly taxed by the state or if the restructuring of tax laws is requiring a change in your business plan, the business lawyers in Austin, San Antonio, and Houston at Bertolino LLP can help. We have business litigation attorneys ready to help. Please contact our Austin, Houston, or San Antonio office today. http://www.belolaw.com

By: Tony R. Bertolino

Having past due taxes should be stricken off your to do list.  This is a problem that can cause a lot of headaches for you.  However, no matter how diligent you are on paying your taxes there will be times when paying your taxes on time can be very difficult thus resulting to back taxes owed to the IRS.  You need not worry too much though because there are several solutions to this problem.  For one, you can hire a tax attorney to handle your case. You can also try the following steps before you hire a tax attorney.   

The first thing that you can do is to review IRS regulations and laws and find out if you are eligible for tax discharge.  It is possible for your past due taxes to be discharged completely so you will not pay anything at all.  However, there are certain requirements that you have to meet before you can apply for tax discharge.  First, your past due taxes should be at least three years overdue.  Second, you have to show that the delinquency is not due to fraudulent reasons or tax evasion.  This means you have to show proof that you really can not pay your taxes anymore because of economic troubles and that your prior tax returns are not fraudulent.   Discharge of past due taxes are specifically created for those who really can not pay owed taxes.  

Another way to settle your past due taxes is to negotiate with the IRS and see if you can set up a payment plan.  In most cases, this option is the best route that you can take in settling your issues with the IRS.  The tax service is very much willing to help you in setting up a tax due payment plan.  If you show that you really want to settle your account with the IRS, then you can get favorable payment terms.  If you are going to take this option, it would be best to consult a tax attorney or get free advice from tax support services.  In most cases though, the IRS will be able to provide assistance for you in setting up a payment plan.  

If your tax problems are really serious, then it is probably time to contemplate getting the full service of a tax attorney.   There are cases when simple negotiations will not work anymore.  In cases like these, a competent tax attorney can help you to fix things up pretty quickly.  You will also need legal advice if you are contemplating filing for bankruptcy so you can discharge your past due taxes in one swift stroke.  This should be your last option because filing for bankruptcy can be very complicated sometime.  As mandated by law, once you file for bankruptcy, the IRS will be compelled to withhold collecting past due taxes from you.  

Paying your taxes diligently is the best way to avoid getting into trouble with tax laws.  But if you are still unable to pay your taxes on time resulting to several back taxes owed to the IRS, then you have to take active steps to solve your tax problems by seeking professional tax advice or hiring a tax attorney.

By: Jhoana Cooper

You can get help with IRS tax problems no matter what kind of problem you’re experiencing. The Internal Revenue Service has very heavy-handed tax collection procedures, but that doesn’t mean you have no recourse. It just means you need help dealing with the Internal Revenue Service, because they are a government agency with the power of levy, lien and seizure.

Repeat Business

If you’ve ever talked to someone who’s been through an audit, chances are it isn’t the first one they’ve experienced. Sometimes it seems like the Internal Revenue Service has a “hit list”, and once you make it to the list, it’s hard to get off. The new laws addressed this issue, because the process had turned into a form of taxpayer harassment.

The point is that there are many different reasons why someone may need help with IRS tax problems. You can’t assume that tax collections and notices are always right and true. You may legitimately owe back taxes, but if the Internal Revenue Service is left to their own devices, those taxes can increase far beyond what’s reasonable or fair.

The Internal Revenue Service is not a nice agency even though they make noises about being friendlier and more customer service oriented. But the harsh reality is that the Internal Revenue Service is a giant collection agency, and like any collection agency, their sole purpose is to squeeze as much out of an account as possible.

The Internal Revenue Service is very good at squeezing too. In fact, they are probably the only known agency on the face of the earth that really can get blood out of a turnip. They add penalties and interest on top of taxes you already know you can’t pay.

That’s when the squeezing starts in the form of levies, liens, seizures, collection notices, phone calls and so on. You pay and pay and pay and never seem to make a dent in the balance due. You should really get help with IRS tax problems long before this point, but many people wait until they’re desperate or the Internal Revenue Service squeezing begins to threaten their house or business.

Making Lemonade

When you find yourself in a position where you need help with accrued debt, the next step is to retain professional representation. When you have a skilled tax attorney negotiating with the Internal Revenue Service for a settlement in your favor, the squeezing starts.

There’s an old but upbeat expression about turning lemons into lemonade. When you have a tax negotiator working for you to obtain either a reduced amount you can afford to pay or a payment plan, or both, it’s like turning the lemons of money collection into the lemonade of relief. Relief is possible for anybody no matter how tough or grim the situation may appear.

The key is to get help with IRS tax problems today and not wait for tomorrow.

By: William McConnaughy

Want to manage your accounts and financial information effectively and efficiently!

There is nothing like a small business accounting software to manage all your accounts and financial affairs. However, many small business organizations hesitate to use them to save money over accounting software and accounting professionals.

Is there any way to reduce the overall accounting cost!

You must remember that small business accounting software will not only reduce the time of accounting, it may also reduce overall accounting expenditure. How?

Effective use of small business accounting software can make it possible for you to review all the data relevant to accounts payable, accounts receivable, invoices, and inventories easily. You can also use these software with other popular software such as Microsoft Office for better results.

Proper execution of the whole accounting process will not only reduce the number of accounting staff, it will also reduce recurring expenses along with manual accounting mistakes and time.

Outsourcing Accounting Jobs to Offshore Service Provider

Outsourcing accounting and financial related tasks to an offshore service provider can reduce accounting costs significantly. Small business owners can avoid hiring full-time or part-time accounting professionals; instead, they can use an offshore accounting services provider for all their accounting tasks.

Many small businesses houses have reported savings of thousands of dollars by outsourcing to a reliable and competent service provider capable of providing accounting services like bookkeeping, business taxes, accounts payable, accounts receivables, and account settlement.

One such example is of a real estate company in St. Paul, MN that benefited from the expertise and experience of Cybelink, an offshore service provider. Cybelink translated the company’s accounts, which were mainly in Excel files and converted them into QuickBooks. This change in accounting allowed the client to review easily the weekly, monthly and yearly reports of financial transactions of the business. The accounting system set up by Cybelink allowed the client to communicate easily with their CPA and helped the real estate company to make informed business decisions.

Accounting Processes Standardization

Small business owners should see their entire accounting processes and standardize them within their company. The standardization should occur within their accounting processes and in their technology. For example, if two different employees engaged for accounts receivable and accounts payable and say if they use the customer list stored in two different computers, it is a problem. As a small business owner you should ask following questions:

* Can these two different processes be combined?

* Why the customer list stored in different computers?

If you look around the company you may see several inefficiencies in your accounting processes and how it is carried out. Fixing them will save you time and money.

Financial Controls

Financial controls are used to ensure that financial transactions are recorded accurately and the financial management system is not tampered with intentionally or unintentionally. Mere generation of accounting information is not enough, it is also important to make use of it for the growth of the business. All business owners should understand basic accounting and they should be able to read financial statements like balance sheet, profit and loss statement, and cash flow statement.

Indirect Expenses Related to Accounting

By creating a systematic and efficient accounting setup a small business can also lower the costs it would bear for tax return preparation or the fees to pay to the tax professionals. All the required information and data is easily found and well presented. For example, say you use QuickBooks for all your accounting and financial transactions, then with a click of a button you can export all the data to sent to you CPA for year-end tax purposes. If you are keeping your financial data in different software like Microsoft Excel and Microsoft Word it is difficult to consolidate the data, it will be a time-consuming and error prone process for the staff to prepare the data to send to CPA.

By: Mani Malarvannan

stt143 asked:

i live in texas and the taxes on this land have not been paid for over 7 yrs but the tax office says it has to get to a certain $ before they auction it off. well someone told us that we could pay the owed taxes and keep paying them for five yrs and take pictures of the land before and after we cleaned it up then put a fence around it saying no trespassing and leave it like this for 5 yrs while we continue to pay the taxes and then go to a land attorney or whatever they are called and file something and the land will become ours if the owner still never shows up is this true has anyone of yall ever done this??
the man has not been able to be contacted for over 7 yrs the tax office said they get the mail sent back to them every time and they can’t find him. we found out who owned the land and tried to contact them aswell but they said they had never heard of him we even wrote a letter which was returned to sender. he owes 800.oo on the land it is very cheap taxes only 34.oo a yr per lot so i would think he would pay that small amount or even move a trailor on it or something.

April 19, 2009

http://www.propertytaxfunding.com/

Property Tax Payment

Taxing units usually mail their tax bills in October. The date of delinquency is normally February 1st.  If you have not received your tax bill by January 1st, you should contact your tax assessor to determine the amount owed. 

Property tax bills often include more than one taxing jurisdiction because some taxing jurisdictions combine their collection operations.  Likewise, certain properties will be subject to multiple taxing jurisdictions collected by different assessors.  Contact the central appraisal district for your respective county to determine the taxing jurisdictions which apply to your property.  Many county central appraisal districts now post their property tax data online. 

If you escrow taxes and insurance, then your mortgage company will pay the property taxes on your home.  You should receive a receipt from the tax assessor indicating payment has been made.  The receipt is important to retain, as many homeowners deduct property taxes for federal income tax purposes.

When Is the Deadline for Payment?

In most cases, the deadline for paying your property taxes is January 31. Taxes that remain unpaid on February 1 are considered delinquent. Penalty and interest charges are added to the original amount.

Taxes are due in one lump sum.  Some tax collection offices provide payment options, such as:

 Payment by credit card, typically with additional fees of 3% to 5%  Deferment or installment plans for taxes on homestead properties for disabled property owners or property owners over 65 years of age  Discounts for early payment  Partial payment of your taxes

 

If you are qualified for the over-65 or disabled homestead exemptions, you may pay your current taxes on your home in four installments. You must pay at least one-fourth of your taxes before the February 1 delinquency date. The remaining payments are due before April 1, June 1 and August 1, without any penalty or interest. If you miss an installment payment, you will face a penalty and also pay interest at 1 percent for each month of delinquency. You must indicate on your first payment that you are paying your home taxes in installments. Installment payments apply to all taxing units on the tax bill.

Homeowners whose residences are damaged in a disaster and are located in a designated disaster area also may pay their taxes in four installments, in the same months as over-65 or disabled homeowners.

What If my Taxes are Delinquent?

The longer you allow your delinquent property taxes to go unpaid, the more expensive and risky it becomes for you.

Penalty and interest charges will be added to your taxes.

Penalty charges and interest charges will be added to your tax balance.  Private attorneys hired by taxing units to collect delinquent accounts can charge an additional penalty to cover their fees.  The following table details the potential penalties, interest, and attorney charges imposed on a delinquent property tax account.



Month Penalties & Interest

February        7%

March            9%

April              11%

May              13%

June             15%

July               32% to 37%*

*Collection Attorney Fees Vary by County, but are typically 15% to 20%.

Accounts not paid in full by June 30th of the year in which they become delinquent are normally referred to the delinquent tax attorneys for collection and incur an additional penalty equal to 15% – 20% of the total taxes, penalties and interest due.  Generally, any payment on the quarterly payment plan that is not paid before the delinquency date of the installment accrues a full penalty of 6% immediately, and begins to accrue interest at the rate of 1% per month until paid.

You will receive delinquent tax notices.

The tax collector will send you at least one notice that your taxes are delinquent. They often send multiple notices and warnings. You may have the option to set up an installment plan.

Some tax collectors will allow you to pay delinquent taxes in installments for up to 36 months. They are not required to offer this option. You may be sued.

The tax collector can take a delinquent taxpayer to court. All court costs will be added to the delinquent tax bill. Your property may be foreclosed upon.  You could lose your property! 

Each taxing unit holds a tax lien on each item of taxable property. A tax lien automatically attaches to property on January 1 each year to secure payment of all taxes. This tax lien gives the courts the power to foreclose on the lien and seize the property. The property then will be auctioned and the proceeds used to pay the taxes.

 

 Are there other options available to pay property taxes?

 Yes, specialized lenders exist who focus solely on property tax lending.  These lenders provide an alternative to the lump sum payment of your property taxes.  A property tax loan will immediately stop the added penalties, interest, attorney fees, and pending lawsuits for the county.  Most lenders offer flexible loan terms with repayment schedules up to 10 years.  Loans are available for almost any type of real estate as long as the borrower is not in bankruptcy, there is no IRS lien on the property, and the property is reasonably maintained. This includes residential, commercial, investment properties, and vacant land. 

 To learn more about property tax loans and the lending programs available visit Property Tax Funding, http://www.propertytaxfunding.com/, or call a loan officer at 877-776-7391.



By: Jason Keller