I am a tax attorney who spends the vast majority of my time representing taxpayers before the IRS in Connecticut in civil and criminal tax matters. I have heard those stupid satellite radio ads too. Some deep male voice comes on the radio and asks you if you are sick and tired of being harassed by the IRS over those past tax debts? Well what you need to do is hire the thieves from national ‘we’re going to screw you” tax resolution firm because they know the ins and outs of the ’IRS Fresh Start’ program. A program that wasn’t actually program.
And oh yeah, it ended in 2012!
This annoys me to no end, because the national companies are effectively conning people in tax trouble and desperate for help to hire them for a ridiculous amount of money with promises they have no idea if they can deliver on.
Let me clarify the issue: there is NO FRESH START Program! None!
The IRS Fresh Start program was a collection of changes made in 2012 to the way the IRS collects tax. Now don’t get me wrong, I thought the changes made were great, and showed that even the IRS can sometimes act pragmatically. As the Collection Division inventory keeps climbing, the IRS decided to try and make it easier for people to get into payment agreements and file Offers-in-Compromise. Some of the changes included:
- Adjusting the totals for a streamlined installment agreement
Limited the look-back window for dissipated assets in an Offer-in-Compromise
Reduced the future income calculation for Offers-in-Compromise
Those changes were made, and they are now permanent features of the Internal Revenue Manual. That’s it. No program. It’s over and has been for 10 years.
In fact, it’s been so long, and there have been so many new hires at the IRS, if you call and ask them about their "Fresh Start Program" odds are they have no idea what you are talking about. It’s because the IRS person you are speaking to today most likely was in High School when the Fresh Start changes were made.
So if you read this pass it on and share it everyone you know: do not be conned by these hucksters who are preying on vulnerable people frightened of the IRS boogiemen. Know there is no Fresh Start program, but the IRS will work with you to resolve your back-tax issue.
So if you want to discuss IRS tax debts or anything else IRS related (except the Fresh Start program!), then you can contact me at either (203) 285-8545 or by email at egreen@gs-lawfirm.com.
Eric L. Green, Esq.
Green & Sklarz LLC
1 Audubon Street, 3rd Floor
New Haven, CT 06511
Ph. (203) 285-8545 ~ egreen@gs-lawfirm.com
www.gs-lawfirm.com
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