If you owe back taxes, you have heard the pitch. A serious voice describes a government program that erases most of what you owe. Pennies on the dollar. Ninety percent off. Call before the window closes. The IRS Fresh Start Program is real. That part is true. But the thing being advertised is not the…
A phone call from payroll saying the IRS sent something with your name on it is rarely a good way to start a week. The form behind that call is usually IRS Form 668-W, Notice of Levy on Wages, Salary, and Other Income, and it does exactly what the name suggests. It tells an employer…
A notice with a 30-day deadline printed on it does not leave much room for waiting things out. IRS Form 12153 is the document that turns “I disagree with this” into an actual hearing in front of someone who had no role in the original decision, but the form only works if it reaches the…
Getting a notice that raises your tax bill, denies a request, or moves straight into collection can feel like the decision is final the moment it lands in your mailbox. It usually is not. The IRS has an internal appeals system built specifically for taxpayers who disagree with a decision, and using it does not…
A letter from the IRS asking about a return, or the start of an audit, tends to raise one question fast: can someone else deal with this instead of me? The answer is yes, and the process is more accessible than most people expect. IRS representation means a taxpayer authorizes another person, usually a CPA,…
