FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Answers to the questions people ask us most.
Tax problems come with a lot of uncertainty, and most people have the same questions before they ever pick up the phone. Here are honest answers to the ones we hear most often. If you do not see yours, a free consultation is the fastest way to get a clear answer for your specific situation.
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Getting started
Yes. The first consultation is free, confidential, and carries no obligation. Its purpose is to understand your situation and give you an honest read on your options, not to pressure you into anything. If we are not the right fit, or if your situation is simple enough to handle on your own, we will tell you.
It depends on the problem and the resolution. Setting up an installment agreement can be relatively quick, while an Offer in Compromise can take many months for the IRS to decide. After we pull your transcripts and review your situation, we will give you a realistic timeline for your specific case rather than an optimistic one, so you know what to expect.
It depends on the complexity of your case, which is why we quote it in writing before you commit to anything. You will see exactly what the work involves and what it costs, in plain language, and nothing moves forward until you have agreed. We do not charge for work that has not been done, and there are no surprise fees.
Less than you might think. After the consultation, most of the work is ours: we file the Power of Attorney, pull your records, build the strategy, and deal with the IRS. We will ask you for certain documents and information along the way, and for your approval before anything moves forward, but the day-to-day burden of handling the IRS comes off your plate.
Generally, no. Once we file a Power of Attorney, the IRS deals with us on your behalf, which means the calls and notices stop landing on you. There may be rare situations where your direct involvement is needed, but the point of representation is that we handle the IRS so you do not have to.
That is a common starting point, and it does not change the process much. Getting those returns filed is usually part of the early work, and filing them properly often reveals you owe less than the IRS estimated. We will tell you which years need to be filed and handle the preparation as part of resolving your case.
Common tax problems
Yes, the IRS has the power to garnish wages and levy bank accounts, but for most people it does not happen out of nowhere. Enforcement like that generally follows a series of notices that went unanswered, which means there is usually time to prevent it by addressing the balance first. And even an active garnishment or levy can often be released once a resolution is in place.
Related: Wage Garnishment, Bank Levy
It depends on the notice, but the most important thing is not to ignore it. Many IRS notices, such as a CP2000, are proposed changes rather than final bills, and most carry a deadline to respond. Responding on time, even just to ask questions or dispute the figures, keeps your options open. If you are not sure what a notice means, decoding it is something we can help with.
Related: IRS Notices
Generally it gets worse rather than better. An unpaid balance grows with penalties and interest, and unanswered notices can escalate over time toward liens, wage garnishments, or bank levies. The encouraging part is that almost any tax problem is more manageable the earlier it is addressed, and there is almost always a path out once you engage with it.
Related: IRS Back Taxes
The IRS can file a federal tax lien, which is a legal claim against your property for an unpaid tax debt, and it can affect your credit and your ability to sell or refinance. A lien is serious, but it is not the same as the IRS seizing your property, and liens can often be addressed or released as part of resolving the underlying debt.
Related: Tax Liens
For the vast majority of people, no. Owing taxes, and even having unfiled returns, is almost always a civil matter, a balance with penalties and interest, not a criminal one. Criminal cases are rare and generally involve deliberate fraud or evasion, and coming forward voluntarily is viewed very differently than waiting to be found.
Resolution options
Sometimes, through a program called an Offer in Compromise, but it is not the right fit for most people, despite what some "pennies on the dollar" advertising suggests. The IRS accepts an Offer only when it concludes you genuinely cannot pay the full amount over time. When someone does qualify, the savings can be significant, but an honest assessment of whether you actually qualify matters more than a promise that you will.
Related: Offer in Compromise
There are real options for that, and it is one of the most common situations we see. Depending on your finances, you may be able to pay over time through an installment agreement, settle for less through an Offer in Compromise if you qualify, or have collection paused if paying would leave you unable to cover basic living expenses. Not being able to pay in full does not mean you are out of options.
Related: Installment Agreements, Offer in Compromise
In most cases, yes. An installment agreement lets you pay your tax debt over time in manageable monthly payments, and many taxpayers qualify. The right structure depends on how much you owe and your financial situation, and setting one up correctly can also help prevent enforcement while you pay it down.
Related: Installment Agreements
Often, if you qualify. The IRS offers penalty relief in certain situations, including first-time abatement for those with a clean prior history, and reasonable-cause relief when circumstances outside your control kept you from complying. Removing penalties does not erase the underlying tax, but it can meaningfully reduce the total you owe.
Related: Penalty Relief
You may qualify for Currently Not Collectible status, which pauses IRS collection when paying would create genuine financial hardship. It does not erase the debt, and interest continues to accrue, but it stops active collection such as garnishments and levies while your situation is difficult. It can be an important protection when money is genuinely tight.
Related: Currently Not Collectible
Working with us
Every case is handled by a licensed CPA, Enrolled Agent, or tax attorney, the three credentials the IRS grants unlimited authority to represent taxpayers, not a call-center representative or a commissioned salesperson. We price our work in writing before you commit, and we give you an honest assessment of what is realistically possible, including when a dramatic settlement is not.
A licensed professional. The firm brings together CPAs, Enrolled Agents, and tax attorneys, and your case is handled by someone credentialed to represent you before the IRS. Which type of professional depends on what your situation calls for, and many cases benefit from more than one.
We focus specifically on tax resolution, helping individuals, the self-employed, and businesses resolve problems with the IRS, including back taxes, unfiled returns, wage garnishments and levies, liens, audits, penalties, and settlements. If you are facing the IRS, there is a good chance it is something we handle, and the consultation will tell you for sure.
Related: Tax Problems
Yes. Your situation and the details you share are kept confidential, and the consultation itself is confidential and carries no obligation.
No, and you should be cautious of any tax relief company that does. Outcomes depend on your specific finances and on the IRS, and no honest firm can promise a particular result before reviewing your situation. What we can promise is licensed representation, a clear written plan, and an honest assessment of your options.
Still have questions?
The fastest way to get a clear answer for your situation is a 30-minute consultation. It is free, confidential, and there is no obligation to do anything afterward.
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