Tax Matters - The Top Tax Defenders Blog

Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in August 2020 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.

One of the easiest ways to get in trouble with the IRS is by committing tax evasion. Just the words - Tax Evasion - sound like they should be accompanied by those tonal beats from Law and Order. 

Can you get a refund if you owe back taxes? The simple answer is … maybe. As in, it depends on whether you owe less in tax debt than you have coming to you as a refund. There are several reasons the IRS might hold up your refund or seize it to pay for other debt.

Sometimes you need a little help with your taxes that a preparer or CPA can’t help you with. A tax attorney, on the other hand, fits the bill nicely. Taxes, like most other legal issues, are complex bordering on absurd. It takes someone with experience and the right skills to help you hack your way through the jungle of rules, regulations, and other entanglements.

Can your federal benefits be garnished? In today's business climate, that is a fair question. Unfortunately, there isn't a quick answer other than "It depends."

With the recent quarantine shutdowns and job losses, everyone is feeling the pinch. Some more than others. Now it’s time to file and pay income taxes.

Like a certain Marvel Universe bad guy, the IRS seems inevitable. And most people aren’t Iron Man, not even close. But luckily you don't need superpowers to face a  compliance check.

In 2017, the IRS collected $2.39 trillion (yes, that’s with a ‘T’) in payroll taxes. That amount represented 70% of all federal tax revenue collected for the year. 

Nobody looks forward to receiving a notice from the IRS, especially one that says audit. However, of the three types of audits the agency performs, there is one you can almost be happy about — a correspondence audit.

Have you received IRS Letter 3172, Notice of Federal Tax Lien Filing and Your Right to a Hearing under IRC 6320? That means the IRS has determined you owe a tax debt, which you have neglected or failed to pay. Now they put a lien on your property so you can’t sell or refinance any of it until you pay up or make a deal.

The COVID-19 pandemic has pretty much turned the world upside down. In a surprising but welcome move, the IRS has moved Tax Day to July 15, 2020. But that isn’t the only difference COVID-19 makes to your 2020 taxes and tax activity.