Tips And Tricks To Know When Dealing With The IRS
The law requires you to pay your taxes on time and without fail. Today, there are still a significant number of people struggling with paying their taxes and the processes involved. If your tax bill is so high, you might feel like you are being crushed emotionally and financially. Today we are going to talk about ways of dealing with the IRS.
Depending on the amount you owe in taxes, you may be forced to deal with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or hire a professional to represent you. Regardless of the situation, it is imperative to understand that having a tax bill is not the end of your life. Below I will explain to you three tips and tricks you need to master when dealing with the IRS.
Accept And Face Your Problem
Do not run away from your tax bill because the IRS will eventually catch up with you. Instead, even if you do not have money to clear what you owe, ensure that you file for your returns on time. Alternatively, you can file for an extension.
On-time filing for your returns or an extension will prevent your debt from increasing rapidly due to underpayment and late filing penalties. The other steps you can take if you cannot pay your debt are to apply for a monthly payment plan or an offer in compromise. A Taxpayer Assistance Order is an essential document, too.
It will help you if you have financial hardships, and you need the IRS’s help in removing bank and wage levies. However, an offer in compliance is only given to people who are facing real-time financial hardships. For instance, you may qualify if you have lost your job and aren’t anticipating any income-generating avenue in the future.
Know When To Hire An Attorney
How much is your debt? In most cases, you can deal with the IRS personally if your debt is $10,000 and below. You can go online and fill Form 9465, which allows you to pay the debt in 36months, including penalties and interest. This automated service will only be available if your debt is $10,000 and below.
If your tax bill has accumulated to more than $10,000, then it’s time to hire an attorney to deal with the IRS. The attorney’s services come at a fee, but they will help you secure better terms. Additionally, an attorney can help you avoid getting a tax lien that would otherwise negatively affect your credit.
However, it would be best if you were very careful about the attorney that you hire to avoid being a victim of lies and fraud. Some professionals, such as the Enterprise Consultants Group, can be trusted to handle your issues with the IRS. Such experienced professionals will work with you conveniently over the phone, in person, and online.
Understand Your Rights
As a taxpayer, you are entitled to several rights you need to know when dealing with the IRS. Some of the most significant rights include the right to:
- Be Informed – you should get clear information on what you need to do to comply with the tax laws.
- Pay The Correct Tax Amount – you should only pay the right tax arrears, including penalties and interest.
- Appeal Any IRS Decision – you can get a fair and just appeal of an IRS decision, such as many penalties. This implies that you can file a case in a court of law.
- Retain A Representative – it is your decision on who you want to represent you when dealing with the IRS.
- Confidentiality – any information you relay to the IRS should not be disclosed unless you (taxpayer) or the law authorizes it.
Understand Insurance
Insurance is a contract between a buyer and a seller, whereby the buyer makes periodic payments, also known as premiums, to the seller in return for the guarantee that the seller will cover certain costs. The insurance could be an asset, like a building or a car. An insurer pays to replace the insured item, usually at the time of its loss, with something of similar quality. Insurance could be a liability, like a lawsuit or medical expenses. Insurance is usually regulated by law. There are types of auto and home insurance that you can use as a write-off on your taxes, check with a professional to see what you can qualify for.
Business insurance plays a key role in business finance. In certain industries, especially those that rely on large, long-term capital like banking and finance, insurance plays as a crucial resource in ensuring profits and minimizing losses. Insurance ensures that capital stays invested in projects and does not fall into the wrong hands. Finance is made much easier through insurance since the insured party can get money transferred quickly to finance the projects upon the policy expiry or when it becomes physically unfit for use.
In order to make sure that their products and services are available to a wider market and to protect themselves from risks and uncertainties, finance and insurance companies have come up with surety bonds. Surety bonds are legally binding documents that declare that an insurer has complied with the stipulations laid down by the regulations. A variety of surety bonds exist in the finance and insurance industry. Most common surety bonds are between the lenders and the insured. The most common type is the first party surety bond, which is used by banks and credit unions, and the mortgage marketplaces.
As a taxpayer, you must comprehend that tax audits are a normal thing. Tax returns are a sensitive matter because they carry financial information that must be scrutinized to ensure accuracy. The above three things should be at your fingertips as you deal with the IRS.
If you feel that you cannot pay your tax dues, do not run away from it. It is possible to talk it through with the IRS to see how you can be assisted.