Choosing a Tax Professional
Under certain circumstances a taxpayer may not need to hire a tax professional or a representative to help resolve their issue(s) with the Internal Revenue Service. However, often the circumstances create a situation where having a tax professional and/or representative assist the taxpayer could be very beneifical.
In such a case where a taxpayer hires a tax professional, it is very important that the taxpayer hire a competent tax professional well versed in IRS collection procedures, but also an individual or firm who is actually a tax professional.
The Internal Revenue Service has issued consumer warnings regarding firms that promise settlements (pennies on the dollar) and/or the ability to remove (abate) penalties when the ability to successfully have such settlements or requests accepted by the Internal Revenue Service was not a reality. Many of these firms who conduct business in such a manner are well known household names and on TV.
A number of firms will use “salesman” to directly contact the taxpayer based off of a tax lien list. Once the IRS (or a state) files a tax lien, such lien becomes public knowledge. The vast majority of the time, the individual contacting and soliciting the taxpayer has little to no knowledge regarding tax law, tax code and IRS collection procedure. Further, once the taxpayer has agreed to be represented by such company, the taxpayer is constantly and consistently asked (or required) to pay additional fees.
When looking to hire a tax professional to represent them before the IRS, every taxpayer should ask the following questions:
- Who am I speaking with? Is this individual even a CPA, attorney or enrolled agent who can actually represent me?
- If the individual is a CPA, attorney or enrolled agent who can represent me, is this individual experienced and knowledgeable regarding such representation and IRS collection procedures and resolutions?
- What am I being told? If it sounds too good to be true, it probably is!
- Who will you actually be working with and represented by?
If you have been directly solicited by an individual who is not able to directly represent you before the IRS this should be an immediate red flag. Further, if such individual is stating they can settle your debt or have penalties removed without even looking at your financial statement or discussing the issues in detail, this should be an immediate red flag, and you’d be best served to hang up the phone.
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