Tax Collection Matters

Tax CollectionBefore the IRS and ADOR

If you are facing a sizeable tax collection action by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Arizona Department of Revenue (ADOR), it’s important to put your case in the hands of an experienced tax attorney as soon as you receive notice. There are important deadlines, that if missed, result in missed opportunities to appeal the officer’s actions. We at McFARLANE LAW – A Tax Law Firm - can help you obtain the best possible outcome, while protecting you and your assets from further draconian collection activities.

At the Phoenix – Scottsdale law firm of McFARLANE LAW – A Tax Law Firm - we have the experience and reputation to successfully represent individuals and business owners in all types of tax collection matters, including:

• Representation before IRS Revenue Officers: As attorneys, we can insulate you from answering questions that could result in substantial additional tax liability and even criminal charges.  If approached by a revenue agent or officer, agree to fully cooperate, but through your tax attorney! You have Taxpayer Rights – one of which is representation for your case.
• Liens, Levy, Wage Garnishments, and Seizures:  Some of the draconian collection tools of revenue officers are liens, bank levies, wage garnishments, and asset or property seizures.  We can assist in seeking relief from these collection actions that strangle taxpayers.  We are consistently successful in achieving reasonable resolutions to taxpayers collection problems.
• Response to Notices of Intent to Levy, collection demands and requests to appeal to the Office of Appeals: When collection officers seek unreasonable terms or make over-broad requests, we step in to resolve the controversy.  But when a resolution is not forthcoming at the revenue agent or revenue officer level, we escalate the case to the Appeals Office for a more reasonable resolution.  As a Former IRS Litigation Attorney, Mr. McFarlane handles appeals of tax collection actions before all levels of administrative review, including the Appeals Office and the Office of Administrative Hearings.
• Negotiation of payment plans: If you have a tax liability and have the ability to make payments, our lawyers can handle the complex process of negotiating and qualifying you for a payment plan with the IRS or the ADOR.
• Preparation of offers-in-compromise: If you are unable to pay the tax liability in full within a reasonable period of time, you may be a candidate for an offer-in-compromise, which reduces the amount of liability you owe.  We prepare dozens of OIC Applications each year and can efficiently assess your case to determine if you might qualify for an OIC, or can obtain other payment arrangements.
• Innocent or injured spouse relief: A spouse signing a joint tax return prepared by the other spouse is jointly and severally liable for any tax liability even though that spouse may not understand the return or know of the expenses stated or the income listed. On a continuous basis, we represent dozens of spouses claiming innocent spouse or injured spouse relief.
• Payroll Tax disputes and Trust Fund Recovery Representation: When an employer fails to turn over withheld taxes to the government, the employer is held liable for those taxes, but so are any “responsible persons.”  At McFARLANE LAW – A Tax Law Firm – we have years of experience representing businesses with payroll tax problems and helping business owners, officers, and other responsible persons in defending against the trust fund recovery penalty.
• Employee independent contractor classification: Many small businesses hire workers as independent contractors when they are really “employees.”  The AzDES, ADOR, and IRS generally view your workers as employees. This classification can result in a potential tax liability for taxes on employee wages.
• Unfiled Tax Returns:  If you have years of unfiled tax returns, and expect to owe significant taxes, penalty and interest on unpaid taxes, call McFARLANE LAW – A Tax Law Firm for assistance.
• Request to abate penalties: The IRS and ADOR will not reduce or eliminate penalties without a very good reason. Our attorneys have been very successful at finding “reasonable cause” for penalty waiver or abatements.  There is also the “1^st Time Penalty Abatement Program” that we calculate to maximize your benefit from that IRS program.

Contact Our Tax Lawyer to Resolve Your Tax Collection Problems

To arrange a personal consultation with our Phoenix tax debt attorney, call McFARLANE LAW – A TAX LAW FIRM – at Tel. 480-991-0032 or contact us at e: [email protected]. We represent clients in Phoenix, Scottsdale, Paradise Valley, Cave Creek, Fountain Hills, Glendale, Mesa, Tempe, Tucson, Casa Grande, Flagstaff, Sierra Vista, Bisbee, and throughout Arizona, the United States, and the world.