February 21, 2014

Having an outstanding tax debt is becoming a growing issue that many Americans face. The number of Federal tax liens and levies filed by the IRS has grown significantly in recent years.  In 2011, nearly 4 million tax levies were served on third parties, a 456% increase when compared to the same IRS reports from 2001. Similarly, the IRS issued over one million Federal tax liens in 2011, up 145% from a decade earlier.

The IRS is usually relentless in their pursuit of collecting outstanding tax debt. The stress and pressure that is often placed on individuals and families can be overwhelming. Professional tax relief firms can be an incredible source of assistance when it comes to dealing with the IRS (or other State Tax Authorities) regarding back tax amounts owed or a wide range of other tax related challenges. Here are the top 10 benefits of working with one of these organizations.

1.  You don’t have to face the IRS alone

One of the major benefits of using a tax relief company is the fact that they have many professionals with different educational backgrounds to help you. By having a wide range of experts who understand how the IRS works (such as attorneys, CPA’s, or other specialists), they are able to put that knowledge to work for you so that you can reach the best possible settlement or solution for your tax problems.  After all, when dealing with the IRS or State Tax Authority, you can never have too many professionals working on your side.

2.  Reduce the overall balance you owe

The total amount you owe the IRS is often compounded by additional penalties and interest, and may involve more than one tax period or issue. These penalties and interests are automatically assessed to your account by their computer system; however you may not actually have to pay the additional fees.

A professional tax relief firm can evaluate your situation, and depending on the circumstances behind why you owe the debt, can oftentimes have these penalties removed from the total balance owed. This applies to the interest accruing on your balance as well, which can really add up over any length of time.

3. Avoid losing your home or other property from an IRS seizure

In some extreme cases, people have lost their home or other property because of past due tax debts. Although property seizure is one method that the IRS can use to collect amounts owed, it is usually a last resort for them.

However the number of IRS property seizures has increased dramatically in the last decade. In 2011, the IRS conducted 776 property seizures (compared to 234 seizures in 2001), resulting in a 230% increase in this form of enforcement in just 10 years. An experienced tax relief organization can help you avoid becoming one of these alarming statistics.

4. Avoid having your bank account levied

Similar to a property seizure, the IRS can also implement other actions to collect past due taxes. One more common method used is to levy your bank account. This action will occur after the IRS sends several written notices and warnings, yet still takes many people by surprise when they find out their bank account has been cleared out overnight.

According to the IRS, over $55 billion dollars was collected as a result of enforcement actions in 2011, up 63.3% from a decade before. Imagine the nightmare of waking up one morning only to find that the IRS followed through with their threat of levying your bank account, and realizing that the money in your account that you were going to use for bills, rent, or other items, is no longer yours to spend.

But this is just another example of a situation that can be avoided by having a professional tax relief service help you. You should contact them the moment you receive that first threatening letter from the IRS.

5. Stop or prevent an IRS wage garnishment

Garnishing your wages is yet another tool the IRS can implement to collect past due amounts owed to them. This adjustment to your paycheck can be financially devastating to your household income, usually taking somewhere between 30-75% of your NET paycheck before it makes it into your hands.

The IRS legally requires an employer to comply with their collection efforts and the wage order stays in effect until the IRS releases it, usually not until the entire amount owed to them has been collected.

A skilled tax relief firm can appeal to the IRS on your behalf and have the garnishment of your earnings reduced to a more reasonable amount or oftentimes stopped altogether.

6. Settle your outstanding tax debt for much less than you actually owe

Oftentimes the IRS is willing to negotiate with tax payers in regards to outstanding debts that are owed. This is true largely because of the fact that they would rather collect a lesser amount than nothing at all. But entering into a settlement negotiation with the IRS can be risky territory, especially if you are not fully aware of all of your rights or settlement programs that exist to reduce your overall debt.

This is another area where a company that specializes in tax resolution can assist you. By negotiating with the IRS on your behalf, they can usually reach an agreement that not only significantly lowers the total amount you owe, but also makes the terms of payment simple and for a shorter period of time.

7. Get caught up on past returns

It is estimated that 1 in 6 Americans (26 million people) is currently struggling with tax problems. Many people let these problems grow and compound over years and end up failing to file new tax returns, figuring they are already in enough trouble with the IRS as it is. Working with a professional tax relief organization can also offer benefits by helping you get caught up on any back tax returns you may still need to file.

8. Assistance during audits

One nightmare than many people fear is being audited by the IRS. A reputable tax relief firm will stand by you through this process and make sure that everything you need to have is covered. The chances of being selected for an audit are relatively low with only around 1% of tax returns being selected for this process each year. Furthermore, of those returns that are audited, only about an additional 1% of them are for individual tax payers. So while the odds of being audited are low, it is nice to know you have someone on your side if you need them.

9. Avoid dings in your credit score due to unpaid tax issues

While the IRS is not currently providing information to the 3 major credit bureaus about any unpaid taxes you may owe, it is something they have strongly considered recently. Additionally, if the IRS files a lien because of outstanding debt owed, that information could show up on your credit report since it is considered a judgment, and will remain on your credit report for 7 years after you have repaid it or 10 years if you ignore it. This information can definitely affect your overall credit score and sometimes even potential employment.

10. Enjoy a little piece of mind again

The stress and pressure that can be placed on an individual or family because of outstanding tax debt can be so overwhelming and can even cause major problems in the lives of people who are struggling with it. It can seem like the easiest solution is to run and hide from the problem, but let’s face it, the IRS is one powerful and relentless authority and when they want their money, chances are they will find you.

These issues will not go away on their own. The only way to make them disappear is to face them and address them as they arise. Having an experienced tax relief firm on your side to help with all the complicated policies and procedures can help your overall mental health dramatically.

Although facing the IRS and State Tax Authorities can be a very scary and intimidating experience for many people, it doesn’t have to be so difficult. There are many options to help reduce or sometimes eliminate the debt you owe, but trying to handle it on your own can be equally challenging. Working with a professional tax relief firm is often your best bet. These knowledgeable and skilled individuals can help you handle everything necessary to get your tax related problems resolved once and for all.