With all of the chaos we’ve been enduring, word on the tax professional “street” is that there is coming a FLOOD of people who will be owing tax debts to the IRS (and the SBA) in a few months.
With unemployment as it (still) is, and the economy not fully reopening anytime soon apparently … this isn’t surprising.
Getting answers from the IRS or the SBA about these things is going to be a HUGE issue for regular Chattanooga taxpayers.
But even worse than the insane hold times (and trust me … they are bonkers), getting information from the IRS can be a little nerve wracking.
This might be a note to save … because I’m going to share with you the best way to find out “what’s what” with your tax file WITHOUT creating unwanted attention.
Before I get into that, one more quick word about IRS tax debts: did you know that one of the few acceptable debt consolidation uses of the Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) is to pay off IRS debt? If you owe back taxes, this might be a VERY simple way to get out from under it.
Here is where you apply. It only recently re-opened to non-agricultural businesses, so don’t miss your chance while you can, if you need it.
Now, back to the best way to get answers…
The Best Way For Chattanooga Taxpayers To Get Answers About Tax Debts
“All adventures, especially into new territory, are scary.” – Sally Ride
It’s going to be a mess to get any good answers from the IRS and the SBA for months to come.
But on top of that, it can be a little nerve wracking to have to speak to these agents if you are afraid you might be in arrears.
Here’s the good news: we have a special tool in our toolbox that YOU don’t have, but which we can deploy on your behalf and it’s called The Practitioner Priority Service.
Essentially, this is a dedicated phone line that the IRS has made available to certified tax professionals (Enrolled Agents, Attorneys, and CPAs) to ask questions about their clients’ accounts.
Here’s the best part: these inquiries are made under the radar.
That’s because the IRS representatives that staff the Practitioner Priority Service are not connected to the IRS collection division.
They are not IRS Revenue Officers.
And they do not work for the IRS Automated Collection Service.
They are there simply to answer our questions, and provide information about our clients’ accounts.
The staff there are simply dispensing information, and they don’t have anything in their job description which would put our inquiries into any kind of queue for future follow up.
In other words, when we make that kind of call on your behalf, it is low key, with minimal risk to you.
Here are some of the things we can find out on your behalf from the IRS Practitioner Priority Service:
- How much longer the IRS has to collect the taxes from you. By statute, the IRS has 10 years — but the Practitioner Priority Service can tell us the end dates the IRS has in their internal database.
- We can determine if the IRS has sent out a Final Notice of Intent to Levy, whether they can levy your wages, accounts and property, and if you have appeal rights to stop it.
- If the IRS has your account in active collection status or currently uncollectible inactive status.
- If your case has been assigned to the IRS Automated Collection Service, or a local Revenue Officer.
- We can find out the last time you officially filed a tax return, and the information that the IRS has for use in preparing the returns.
- Whether the IRS has properly applied and processed any payments you have made.
- Exactly how much you owe the IRS, including the IRS calculations of interest and penalties (which can double the amount due every five years).
- If your tax liabilities can be discharged in bankruptcy, giving you a clean slate as to the IRS.
When we call on our dedicated Practitioner line, we can also secure internal IRS transcripts of your account, verifying everything the representative tells us. This provides us with a backup verification for your records on what the IRS has on your account.
So, to sum up, here’s the great news: You don’t have to be in the dark about your IRS tax liability, and you don’t have to fear asking the IRS questions.
Again … save this somewhere you can find it, especially if the second half of 2020 finds you in financial hot water, especially with the IRS or SBA.
Just shoot me an email or give us a call. Put us to work on your behalf.
Warmly,
John and Wanda King
(423) 870-2440
U S Tax Solutions
