Have you been visited by a revenue officer at work or at home? We can stop them now.
Are you struggling with paying back taxes or facing an audit? Chances are that the IRS is about to start pursuing the money you owe them much more forcefully. One of the major ways they do that is by assigning a revenue officer to your case, who will personally come to visit you at your home, business or anywhere else you call home to try and get payment.
Yes, this is basically legal harassment by creditors, but the government has full legal ability to send people after you.
What Is a Revenue Officer?
There are thousands of IRS Revenue Officers assigned to various tax issues such as:
- Delinquent tax returns
- Financial audits
- Tax investigations
- Overdue Tax Debt
Revenue Officers can be employed at a federal, state or local level and work solely for the benefit of the government. They are responsible for:
- Reporting tax issues to the government affecting your tax liability
- Verifying facts regarding income tax claims seeking refunds
- Interviewing you to question the accuracy of your tax return
- Notifying taxpayers and business owners of underpayment of taxes
The Risk Of Owing Back Taxes
The collection process begins when a revenue officer sends a notice, letter or report to you. If no resolution to pay your back tax debt is achieved, your tax liability is placed into the collection process. You may become subject to:
How to Handle IRS Revenue Officer Visits
Revenue Officers are adept at developing creative tax collection practices and are trained to pursue any avenue necessary to force payment in full. The game plan varies often depending on the latest law changes.
Responsibilities and Restrictions
These agents perform tax collection duties on a daily basis. It is not their job to take a taxpayer’s situation into account, nor are they required to help you find a way out. They are trained to collect the full amount of your back tax liability as quickly as possible. They are not swayed by excuses and will continue to harass you until you promise to do whatever it takes to pay your back taxes, including all interest, penalties and fines. They are skilled in aggressive tactics that can force you into accepting an agreement you cannot financially manage.
They basically receive blank-check approval from the government to enforce tax collection actions, and are experts in intimidation and aggression. They are not even legally required to explain or make you aware of your tax debt settlement options.
Delayed Action is Costly
Fear and the inability to pay your back tax debt can cause you to delay facing these agents. Tax problems do not go away – they compound. Now is the time to take steps before your tax liability is doubled or tripled with added penalties and fines. They can and will find you and begin IRS tax collection proceedings such as:
- Investigation of your business and personal financial information
- Showing up at your front door
- Garnishing your wages
- Levying your bank accounts
- Seizing your property and assets
How quickly you address your back tax debt determines the financial outcome. Waiting brings unneeded stress, but even worse, it puts your financial future at risk. It is imperative to have a tax specialist on your side to remove the confusion and intimidation of negotiating IRS tax collection proceedings.
Having a Tax Specialist on Your Side
Dealing with collection proceedings does not need to ruin your life. When facing the government, you need the knowledge and assistance of an experienced tax lawyer at your side. We are skilled in negotiations with the IRS and are aware of all current tax debt settlement options. We will help you determine if you qualify for tax debt relief and work as your liaison with the government, stopping the harassment and bullying. Some of our most popular services include:
Don’t Let the Collections Process Take Over Your Life
Taxpayers who owe back taxes will eventually receive notices from the IRS Collections office. These notices mean the beginning of a series of high-powered collection action backed by the government. There is a current movement within the unit to escalate the recovery of back taxes.
What is Involved within the Collections Process?
The IRS is the largest and most powerful collection agency in the world. They have several thousand agents who make up the law enforcement arm of the IRS. These agents are responsible for:
- Collection of all debts
- Enforcing tax codes
- Investigating tax fraud,
- Arresting violators
- Garnishing wages, filing bank levies, and seizing property
New Procedural Standards
A new set of standards became effective on March 1, 2008. These procedures were designed to allow the taxpayer to make allotments for family and personal living expenses related to health and welfare.
If you are facing IRS collections action, you must be prepared to provide exhaustive information, and possibly meet face-to-face with an agent for an interview. You will be responsible for answering questions, filling out forms, providing detailed documentation and receipts as required. Lack of knowledge could cause you to miss your best opportunity. It is crucial to consult with a tax specialist to determine your rights in settling your tax problems.
Negotiating with the Officer is Tougher Than It Sounds
When you are required to enter into negotiations with a revenue officer, you must have the skills and tax knowledge that will protect you from making costly mistakes.
Our team of experts are here for you, and are ready to make sure you don’t get bullied around by whomever is chasing you. Let our expertise be your best ally in the fight against the government.
How to Negotiate with a Revenue Officer
Now that collection process is becoming more and more prevalent, it is imperative that you become proactive in handling your tax debt problems. A revenue officer is fully authorized and backed by the government to proceed with tax collection action in an aggressive and intimidating manner. They have been given authorization beyond the average collection agency and take tax debt collection very seriously.
They are focused on quick recovery of your full tax debt amount, and are trained to:
- Not be swayed by excuses (legitimate or not)
- Not consider a taxpayer’s ability to pay
- Assess wage garnishments
- Levy bank accounts
- Seize property
- Bring criminal charges if necessary
Having an experienced tax attorney represent you can make the arm-wrestling negotiation process more advantageous to obtaining an acceptable settlement agreement.
There Are Options
Taxpayers facing the inability to pay for their debts for any number of reasons can qualify for certain tax debt settlement options. However, you must know what to do in order to get those options. An experienced tax attorney can help you determine if you qualify.
Often a taxpayer may qualify for an Offer in Compromise. A financial hardship may qualify you for this type of relief based upon dire monetary need.
Your tax specialist can also negotiate manageable payments, known as an installment plan, that can allow you to still have a decent quality of life while repaying your tax liability.
Deciding on Your Own Fate
Being under the burden of a back tax liability does not mean unconditional surrender to the government. There are many tax debt settlement options available. Even though the IRS collection procedures might seem threatening, it is important to begin dealing with your problems immediately, before they get worse.
Types of Collections
There are two classifications of collections within the IRS procedures – Audits and Tax Collection:
1) Audits
Audits require face-to-face meetings with agents, who will examine previous tax records, check bank accounts and investments, and investigate any personal matter pertinent to your financial status.
2) Tax Collections
Tax Collection deals with the recovery of past due tax debt, and can involve:
Facing the Government
The government has established an Automated Collection System (ACS) to help them locate and collect from delinquent taxpayers. Agents working for ACS will often visit your home or business, and are aggressive and intimidating, fully backed by the government. They will do whatever is necessary to obtain information and assets to settle you back tax debt.
Their goal is to collect the full amount owed as quickly as possible. It is not their job to spend time with you working out a payment plan that will suit your financial condition. Only an experienced tax specialist will be dedicated to negotiating the most favorable tax debt resolution for you.
Avoiding the Officers
Ignoring tax notices or avoiding agents only compounds your tax debt problem. They are relentless in pursuing the collection of back tax debt as quickly as possible.
Alone and at Risk
Facing tax collection proceedings alone is one mistake you cannot afford to make. You have a legal right to retain the services of an expert to represent you. Going up against an intimidating agent can cause many taxpayers to divulge unnecessary or inaccurate information. Taxpayers are often pressed into agreeing to pay a higher amount than necessary.
An agent pressing you and investigating your personal and financial affairs can be very unnerving. When you owe back taxes to the IRS, nothing is off limits. The agent is allowed by law to collect information and is not limited by rules governing how they can go about it. To prevent or stop an IRS investigation, it is imperative that you give us a call to discuss what options you will have.
Notices with Intent to File
If you are receiving tax notices of “Intent to File” penalties or legal action against you, the agent who has been assigned to your case must be contacted. Although you are responsible for paying your tax debt, you have certain rights in the face of legal action or fines. It is not the responsibility of the IRS to make arrangements for you.
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