A DC Tax Attorney With An Attention to Detail

Joe Smith, P.C. | DC Tax Attorney

Joe Smith, P.C. is a DC Tax Attorney that is a smart and a financially savvy.  His legal team is here to help you with your tax issues.  We will attempt to inform you about your options, so that you can make better decisions to resolve your tax problems.  Some are things that you could do today to begin the process of straightening out your tax issues.

As a DC tax attorney our he understands that the whole taxation process is a major headache.  But it is a necessary evil.  It is a fact of life living in the US and any other country for that matter.

We have to pay taxes as wage earners and business people.  When we are filing our taxes year after year, there is a certain amount of neglect or misrepresentations in our tax filings from time to time. But those forgotten filings can come to haunt you.

And as you know the IRS is a relentless force.  They might not find your mistakes or misrepresentations immediately, but they are the “Train that Can”.  They will eventually discover details that you thought have been long forgotten.  And now it is a reality that you have to deal with.

We know as an experienced DC tax attorney, that you need a tax professional to help you make sense of the whole mess and rid you of those tax problems.

So, read some of the information that we have provided that you could begin on your own today.  There is a possibility that you won’t need a tax attorney to resolve your problems.

Take a look and see if we can answer some of your questions.

DC Tax Attorney: The Pros and Cons of Late Filings:

One of the most dreaded times of the year for many Americans rolls around on April 15, 2009 with the deadline for filing income tax returns. The prospects for filing this year may be even more dim for many due to the current economic downturn and worsening financial and employment conditions.

From tax questions before you file this year’s return, to legal issues that can arise if you haven’t filed your taxes in some time, if you have a legal concern related to taxes and would like to learn more about your rights and your options, one of the first steps you should take is to contact an experienced Tax Attorney in your area.

There are few legal topics more complex than tax law, and many potential tax-related problems — including tax penalties, audits, and tax fraud charges — can be intimidating and can bring serious financial consequences. Whatever your tax-related legal issue, having an experienced attorney on your side can help ensure that your personal and financial interests are protected to the fullest extent possible.

DC Tax Attorney: Things You Should Know if You Don’t Pay Your Taxes

People fail to file tax returns for a variety of reasons – personal or business problems, feelings of hopelessness or fear due to an extended period of non-filing, anti-government sentiments, or beliefs that the penalty will not outweigh the expense and trouble of filing.

Because the United States tax system is based on taxpayers willingly honoring their obligations, the IRS does what it can to encourage non-filers to voluntarily come forward after a period of not paying taxes.

Part of this strategy includes taking a voluntary disclosure into consideration when determining whether to criminally prosecute, negotiating payment installment plans, and reducing tax liability for certain needy individuals.

Whatever your reason for not filing, you may want to consider the following information:

• Knowingly failure to file a return can be a criminal violation of the law.
• It is not the policy of the IRS to prosecute ordinary people who make simple mistakes or whose returns were lost in the mail.
• The IRS, although it reserves the right to do so, will probably not recommend prosecution for failing to pay your taxes so long as you voluntarily come forward before they contact you and arrange to pay what you owe.

If you cooperate by communicating with the IRS, you are less likely to be prosecuted.

DC Tax Attorney: What are Your Legal Rights?

The IRS believe it or not has an appeals system for people who do not agree with the results of an examination of their tax returns or with other adjustments to their tax liability.

If your examination or other adjustment was conducted through a personal interview with an IRS employee, the employee will explain your appeal rights to you. If you disagree with the findings, you may request a meeting with the interviewer’s supervisor.

If you still do not reach an agreement, or if the examination or other adjustment was conducted through correspondence, the IRS will send you a report and/or letter that explains the proposed adjustments.

The letter also tells you of your right to request a conference with an Appeals officer, as well as how to make your request for a conference. If you request an Appeals conference, be prepared to support your position.

In addition to examinations, many other things can be appealed. Among them are certain penalties, including the trust fund recovery penalty, offers-in-compromise, employment tax adjustments, liens, levies, seizures, denials or terminations of installment agreements, collection due process notices, denials of abatement of interest and other claims.

Appeals conferences are informal meetings. Your conference may be face-to-face, or by telephone, or by correspondence. You may represent yourself at an Appeals conference; or, if you want, you may have an attorney, a certified public accountant, or an individual enrolled to practice before the IRS represent you.

If you do not reach agreement with the Appeals or Settlement Officer, or you do not wish to appeal within the IRS, you may appeal certain actions through the courts.

The First Tax Bill:

The first bill you receive will explain the reason for your tax balance is due and that the IRS requires payment in full. It will include the tax due plus penalties and interest that are added to your unpaid balance from the date your taxes were due. You can pay this bill by sending the IRS a check or money order payable to United States Treasury with your notice.

Contacting the IRS:

When you contact the IRS, you should be prepared to discuss your basic income and expense information. To prepare, gather together all of your information about your income, assets and necessary living expenses, such as your most recent pay stubs, rent or mortgage payment amounts, transportation expenses, etc. This will allow the IRS to assist you most effectively.

It is important to contact IRS and make arrangements to pay the tax due voluntarily. If you do not take some action to pay your tax bill or contact the IRS to make arrangements to settle the account, the IRS may take enforced collection actions to secure payment.

Some of the actions the IRS may take to collect taxes include:

• Filing a Notice of Federal Tax Lien,
• Serving a Notice of Levy; or
• Offset of a refund.

By filing a Notice of Federal Tax Lien, the government establishes its interest in your property as a creditor. The lien is a claim against your property, including property that you acquire after a lien is filed. The lien is required by law to establish priority as a creditor in competition with other creditors in certain situations, such as bankruptcy proceedings or sales of real estate.

DC Tax Attorney: How a Tax Attorney Can Help

At your first meeting, your attorney will gather facts and information from you, evaluate all aspects of your tax issue with you, identify your options, and explain what you can expect.

If your tax issue requires that your attorney represent you in dealings with the IRS or in tax court, at every stage of your case your attorney will represent you zealously — by gathering all necessary documents and evidence related to your tax issue, researching all pertinent issues, and working with tax agency officials — all with the goal of protecting your legal rights and financial concerns, and ensuring the most favorable outcome for your tax situation.

Late Filers:

Faced with the above penalties, some might choose to take a bury-your-head-in-the-sand approach to filing a tax return in the first place. However, the penalties for not filing at all or filing late are notably worse than those above.

Filing Mistakes:

You may have to pay a penalty if you file an erroneous claim for refund or credit. This occurs in circumstances where a taxpayer:

Shows negligence or disregard of the rules or regulations, or
Substantially understates their income tax.

UNFORTUNATELY…IGNORANCE IS NO EXCUSE.

You don’t want to be in the position of arguing with the IRS that you deserve a break because you didn’t know about your tax obligation.  If you win that argument, I will buy you a cup of tea in China.  An experienced DC tax attorney will work to make sure you know and do what is necessary to satisfy your tax obligations.

A DC tax attorney is someone who can help you to avoid tax problems with the IRS or your state’s Department of Revenue.  An experienced DC tax attorney can also help you with setting up trust funds and stock portfolios, minimizing any surprises at tax filing time.

He can advise you on how to set up a company to take advantage of the best legal tax breaks according to your situation. If you are going through an audit, the tax attorney can also help you get through the process and have fines reduced, liens removed and serve as a buffer between you and the IRS.

DC Tax Attorney: Legal Services

Setting Up Trust Funds
Stock Portfolios
Small Businesses
Self-Employment Taxes
Levies
Tax Liens
Criminal Investigations (tax evasion)
Installment agreements
Help with Frivolous Claims
IRS Misconduct cases
Abuse by the IRS
Tax Fraud
Bankruptcy
Property Seizures

Are looking for a good DC tax attorney.  If you have attempted to resolve the problems yourself and feel that you need professional help.  Give us a call and we will sort all of this out and help you get on track and get you your new start.

Joe Smith, DC Tax Attorney provides quality and rapid services for all of your tax issues, so you can get you back on the right track once and for all.

Call us today to set-up an appointment for a FREE Consultation…

(202) 345-4567

Joe Smith, Attorney
DC Tax Attorney