Welcome to the Tax Tips and Insights series of First Response Resolution, LLC’s official blog! We are a specialty tax firm practicing right here near Medford in Southern Oregon. The focus of my practice is solving tax problems for individuals and businesses, IRS Representation of taxpayers, and representing taxpayers before their individual State Departments of Revenue. We offer our services online nationwide from the comfort of our client’s homes and will provide services on-site to businesses in our area upon request. Think of our firm as your Financial First Responders who specialize in saving troubled taxpayers. We help people who are struggling with tax problems get their lives back on track so they can focus on what matters most to them.
In this post we wrap up our discussion on the rights that are granted to Americans in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. You have rights as a taxpayer that you should be prepared to defend when dealing with the IRS. We are well versed in defending taxpayer rights while representing clients before the IRS and State Departments of Revenue.
The Right to Confidentiality:
You have the right to expect that the IRS will not disclose any information that you provide to them unless they are authorized to do so by either you or the law. As a taxpayer, you also have the right to expect that appropriate actions will be taken against any employees, tax return preparers, or others that wrongfully disclose or improperly make use of your personal information. In general, if the IRS is going to contact third parties in the course of an investigation or during collection procedures, they have to notify you in advance. As it pertains to civil matters, you generally have the same confidentiality protections that you would have with an attorney with your authorized representative, such as a CPA or Enrolled Agent.
The Right to Retain Representation:
Every taxpayer has the right to retain an authorized representative of their choice to represent them when dealing with the Internal Revenue Service. You can select any person that is a federally authorized tax practitioner, such as an Attorney, Certified Public Accountant, or an Enrolled Agent. This means that when you authorize a representative to deal with the IRS on your behalf, you are not required to attend meetings or speak with the IRS unless the IRS formally summons you to appear before them. If, during the course of an initial interview, you request to consult with a representative, the IRS MUST suspend the interview and allow you to obtain representation. Taxpayers also have the right to seek assistance from a Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic if they cannot afford representation in their matters.
The Right to a Fair and Just Tax System:
You have the right to expect that the United States Tax System will consider the facts and circumstances that might affect your underlying liabilities, your ability to pay on those liabilities, and your ability to provide timely information. You also have the right to receive assistance from the Taxpayer Advocate Service if you are experiencing financial difficulty or if you are having problems resolving your tax issues properly and timely through the normal channels of the IRS. This includes having the options to establish a monthly payment plan or requesting to settle your liability for less than you owe based on what you can afford through an Offer in Compromise.
If you or someone you know is in the midst of an IRS issue, contact me at either 541-293-8449, by email at zach@firstresponseirs.com, or through our website. We specialize in solving tax problems! We know how to defend taxpayer rights and will thoroughly investigate and evaluate your specific situation and consider ALL OPTIONS available to you. All discussions are kept strictly confidential, and we offer no obligation initial consultations of up to one hour.
Is your agency interested in having me speak to your team of realtors in person or over Zoom at one of your weekly sales meetings free of charge? I have a presentation developed to address the following:
- Taxation and your clients,
- Tax tips for saving on your own tax returns, and
- Tax Problem Solutions.
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