Ellyn Tanenberg, Attorney & CPA - Miami, FL

Overview

Tax Creations

Please take a moment to browse through my web site to learn more about my firm and how I can resolve your TAX issues. I look forward to hearing from you soon

My area of expertise is to solve tax problems for individuals, small businesses and estates. I represent you before the IRS and State Tax Authorities. My legal and CPA accounting expertise has enabled me to resolve disputes with tax authorities and has given me a thorough understanding of tax returns and tax procedures. As a direct result of my intervention, I have saved my clients substantial time, money and aggravation

Tax Talk

We've all heard the adage "Two things in life are inevitable: taxes and death". I or a variety of reasons, some of us may ignore filing and/or paying taxes. Since it is the IRS's duty is to collect and protect the revenue, IRS has the authority to bring enforcement action against delinquent taxpayers to collect the tax. This may consist of imposing liens and levies and seizing a taxpayer's property. These are civil actions taken by the IRS In addition. There may be criminal investigation and prosecution if the government believes there was a criminal tax violation.

Q: What are the psychological and financial effects of failing to file or pay taxes?

• Financial Unfiled and/or unpaid prior years' taxes can grow into a much larger amount b/c the IRS imposes interest and penalties on amount owed. This can cause a person to lose the opportunity to obtain a much-needed mortgage, car loan, job or apartment. The IRS may garnish a person's wages. They can freeze bank accounts.
• Psychological People tell me they are not able to work of sleep or plan life events. They are afraid not only of the financial impact, out worry that they will suffer terrible humiliation when the IRS garnishes their wages or they even tear going to jail

Q: How do I handle clients who are delinquent in filing returns and paying taxes?

• First I do a phone interview with the client to get a feel for the history of the problem. as they understand it. I ask them to gather up pertinent IRS correspondence and their most recently-filed returns.
• Then we meet. We talk about the circumstances that led to the problem.
• I look over their documents and correspondences
• Then I put together a little chronological outline of the facts and a game plan to present to IRS by telephone while the client is in my office.
• Then I call the IRS

Q: How do I handle the IRS or state tax authority when a client has not filed or paid their taxes?

• My attitude when dealing with the IRS is solution-oriented and respectful. That way, we always start out on the right foot.
• First thing I ask the IRS agent is where things stand right now for the taxpayer. Are they threatening collection enforcement?
• Next I explain succinctly to the IRS agent why the taxpayer's returns are missing or payments haven't been made Usually. I explain, it begins with some sort of crisis -- loss of a job, divorce, serious illness or death of a significant other. The taxpayer stops fully functioning for a while, and during that time, may suspend filing and/or payment of his taxes Sometimes he may no know how to pick up where he left off and reinstate himself into the tax system.
• I propose some kind of plan to the IRS agent --I usually ask for 30 or 60 days to catch up on filing returns and then arranging an installment plan or Offer in compromise after that I've found the IRS will usually hold off on further enforcement action b/c they know taxpayer has committed to filing his delinquent tax returns w/in 30 or 60 days and payment negotiations will begin.
• After that, I prepare a game plan with my client for getting the returns done. As the returns are prepared, the client files them, and then we decide what payment option seems most reasonable (payment in full, installment agreement or offer in compromise), Incidentally, many times, the amounts due on the newly prepared tax returns show much less tax owed than the IRS thinks. Most times, once the delinquent returns are filed, and a payment arrangement is made, the IRS problem will be under control and the taxpayer can sigh a sigh of relief.