Back taxes

How to Get California Income Tax Relief

March 13, 2017 | by Dennis N. Brager

California tax problems can come as a result of an IRS tax audit, if the IRS sends the result to the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB). The FTB can also initiate its own audit, or you can simply find yourself in a difficult financial situation and be unable to pay your California income tax debt.

The FTB offers a number of ways to get tax relief. If you have a complex tax situation that requires professional assistance, talk to a tax attorney before you agree to any tax relief programs.

Installment Agreements

When To Work With a Tax Litigation Lawyer as Well as a Bankruptcy Lawyer

February 23, 2017 | by Dennis N. Brager

If you have a large amount of tax debt, it is possible that you also have other types of debt that are causing financial difficulties. You may be considering bankruptcy if you have a combination of tax debt, secured debt, and unsecured debt. In this case, you might be unsure whether to seek advice from an expert tax litigation lawyer or a bankruptcy lawyer.

When to Talk to a Tax Litigation Lawyer

There are certain tax issues that require assistance from a tax lawyer, regardless of whatever other financial problems you are experiencing. If you have any of the following issues, you should contact a tax attorney:

Why You Should Consider an “Offer in Compromise” to the IRS

February 7, 2017 | by Dennis N. Brager

An Offer in Compromise (OIC) is a program that allows taxpayers to settle their tax debt for a lump sum which is less than the total amount owed. The IRS will look at your ability to pay, income, expenses, and assets to determine how much they are likely to recover from you. If the IRS is convinced that you are offering them more than they can reasonably expect to recover from you, they may accept your OIC to settle your tax debt.

Why the IRS Accepts OICs

There are three reasons that they IRS will consider accepting your OIC. First, if you can show that you do not actually owe the money to the IRS. This is referred to as an offer in compromise based on doubt as to liability.

Can Back Taxes and Penalties Be Negotiated?

December 6, 2016 | by Dennis N. Brager

Back taxes can be financially crippling both to you and your business. If your tax debt is more than you can afford to pay back in a lump sum, or if you think there may be some error on the part of the government in assessing how much you owe, you do have some options at your disposal.

Offer in Compromise to Reduce Back Taxes

One such option is known as the Offer in Compromise, which is an application to reduce your tax liability to less than the full amount you owe, under certain circumstances. Acceptance of an OIC is at the discretion of the IRS and is based on a combination of factors including your ability to pay, income, assets and total expenses. To be eligible to submit an Offer in Compromise, you must be current on all your tax filings and not be in a bankruptcy proceeding.