General Practice Focus

I specialize in providing tax and business services to individuals, home and other small businesses and non-profits. I have experience in the following areas: Manufacturing and Construction, Retail, Personal Service, Real Estate Sales, Rentals, Salon and Daycare. I also provide services to religious and other non-profit organizations.

While I currently provide bookkeeping and payroll services as well as tax services, I am moving away from those into a pure tax and business consulting service model. I will continue to provide businesses with QuickBooks set up and use assistance as well as internal control, workflow, office and record keeping setup assistance.

Income Tax Practice Focus-Please see Tax Controversy items further down the page for more detail.

I prepare and file:

• Original Current Year Tax Returns
• Amended Tax Returns
• Prior Year Unfiled Returns

I can assist you with the following related items:

Audit Representation

• Injured Spouse
• Ability to Pay Issues
• Back Taxes
• Installment Agreements
• Offers-in-Compromise
• Tax Planning for the Future
• Budgeting and Financial Management Assistance.

Note: In some cases the best strategy is to have an attorney handle your account with me providing an assist. I will advise you of that too.

Tax Controversy Areas-A little more detail

Back Taxes Owed

Have you filed your tax returns every year, but not paid all the tax you owe? Maybe you just didn’t have enough money at the time and planned to pay more later. Unfortunately, the penalties and interest that are added to back taxes greatly increase how much you will ultimately owe the government. If you are delinquent on your taxes and haven’t yet heard from the IRS, you soon will. The IRS may place a lien on your property or a levy on your bank accounts or wages. The potential damage from unpaid back taxes can be financially ruinous, but it is often avoidable. I can help you assess your tax debt options and negotiate a workable payment plan with the IRS. Unpaid back taxes is a problem that rarely goes away on its own.

Currently Not Collectible/Hardship Status

If paying your tax debt would cause you undue financial hardship, you may qualify for Currently Not Collectible (CNC) status. If the IRS decides your case is legitimate, they will halt collection for the duration of your CNC status, although you may still be subjected to a lien. Generally, to be accepted as Currently Not Collectible you must demonstrate to the IRS that you cannot pay your tax debt after meeting monthly living expenses or by liquidating certain assets. Applying for hardship status on your own is time-consuming and can ultimately end in failure. If I feel you have a good chance to qualify for hardship status, I will plead your case with the IRS. Currently Not Collectible is best thought of as a reprieve from collection enforcement that is subject to review. Once your status is confirmed, a permanent solution may be available such as Bankruptcy or Offer in Compromise.

IRS Audit Representation

Have you received a Notice of Audit and Examination Scheduled from the IRS? An IRS audit is a review of an organization’s or individual’s accounts to ensure information is being reported correctly. Ignoring an audit usually means the IRS files your return for you and you end up paying much more. An IRS audit is a serious situation, but you don’t have to face an audit alone.

I can represent you before the IRS and assist you in pulling your records together in order to prove your deductions. I will also look for missed deductions at the same time which can also serve to lessen the impact if your records aren’t quite what they should be.

Offer in Compromise

An offer in compromise allows you to settle your tax debt for less than the full amount you owe. It may be a legitimate option if you can’t pay your full tax liability, or if doing so would create a financial hardship. The IRS will generally approve an offer in compromise when the amount offered represents the most it can expect to collect within a reasonable period of time. But the Offer in Compromise program is not for everyone. We will analyze your financial situation to see if you are eligible. If you do not qualify for an offer in compromise, we can recommend other payment options to resolve your tax debt.

Penalty/Interest Abatement

One of the worst things about IRS tax controversies are the penalties and interest tacked on to your original bill. There are penalties for late filing, late payment, and negligence, to name but a few–and the interest on unpaid taxes can rapidly increase your total tax liability. If you are struggling with unpaid taxes plus additional penalties and interest, we can help. The IRS may abate certain penalties if there is reasonable cause and the failure was not due to willful neglect.

Many taxpayers who have not previously had major issues with the IRS can qualify for a first time penalty waiver. Generally, the IRS does not revoke interest charges, but some established interest suspension provisions do apply–especially where the IRS has made an error. I will carefully review your tax situation to see where penalties and/or interest may be waived.

Unfiled Returns

If you have neglected to file a tax return from a previous year or years you should do so immediately–even if you think you can’t pay. The penalties and interest you may face for not filing a return are often much worse than if you file but do not pay in full. In other words, you have nothing to gain by not filing tax returns except hefty fines and possible jail time. Once your missing returns have been filed, a payment plan or an Offer in Compromise may be available to help you put your tax woes behind you. Please note that the IRS will not accept any payment arrangement or revoke a lien or levy until all delinquent tax returns are filed.