When clients come into my Hobart IN office after an IRS audit with a tax bill they don’t believe they owe, we usually will talk about 2 options for resolving the tax debt: Audit Reconsideration or doing a doubt as to liability offer.Audit reconsideration is a process where you can ask the IRS to review information that was not submitted during the original tax audit (along with documentation that was submitted with the audit). It is also used after the client submits a tax return after the IRS has created a Substitute for return (SFR)(when the client didn’t file a return), when it is believed the IRS made a computational or processing error and it can also be used when the IRS denies certain credits that the client feels they are entitled to.There are situations where the IRS will not c... 09/16/2020

When a company gets behind on their payroll taxes and IRS penalties and interest get added in, it can become a nightmare for the company to try to catch up. Worse, as is often the case when clients come into my Hobart, IN office, if you are one of the people responsible for payroll tax preparation and payment process, there is the potential for the IRS to assess a personal liability against you and in helping collect this tax debt, and one of my priorities is to try to minimize the amount of personal exposure to my client.As many business owners and accountants know, there are two type of payroll taxes that a company has to remit to the IRS.          The trust fund taxes – these are taxes that are withheld from an employee’s pay check and held in trust until they are remitted to the IRS... 09/09/2020

I represent clients for tax debt resolution in Northwest Indiana. One of the questions I get asked is when you owe a tax debt, when is the best time to start the tax resolution process? There are several schools of thought on this and I will address a few of them here, then give you my thoughts based on my experiences.One of the common schools of thought is when the client comes into my office is they have ignored the situation and the IRS has already levied bank accounts and their paycheck, creating a financial hardship for the client. Should the client decide to retain me, I will usually immediately reach out to the IRS and try to get a hold on collections to stop the next levy from happening and am usually told I have x number of days to propose a resolution to the client’s tax debt.... 08/31/2020

With the focus of my Hobart, IN practice being tax representation, tax liens are something I deal with relative frequency. I have heard the comment “I would sell my house, but there is a tax lien” more times than I can count. So, the real question is can you sell a house when there is an IRS tax lien?In Short, you absolutely can sell your house, even if there is an IRS tax lien on it. The IRS will be more than happy to allow the house to be sold. The only thing the IRS requires is that the seller who owes money to the government not walk away with money that the IRS should have received.For example, if the taxpayer owes the IRS $100,000. They own a house worth $400,000. I will explain what the IRS would get in each of the following circumstances:-          Taxpayer sells and owes the ba... 08/26/2020

When the phone rings in my Hobart, IN office, and the caller on the other end of the phone has a significant outstanding IRS tax debt, I am often asked how much I think they would have to pay to “settle the outstanding tax debt.” The general answer I give is it depends on the potential client’s financial situation. The IRS gives specific requirements for determining what a person can pay, and, despite what you may have heard on TV, it’s not a matter of having a proprietary process or knowing the right people at the IRS that will drive a tax resolution alternative to acceptance, it’s a matter of understanding the IRS rules and processes which drives an offer to acceptance.To explain it a little further, the IRS looks at what it can collect from a client based on the Client's Reasonable C... 08/24/2020

I represent taxpayers in Hobart Indiana, the Chicago area and the rest of the state before the IRS and State Departments of Revenue. When clients come into my office, I am often asked what options are available to them. For taxpayers to resolve back tax issues, they need to propose a plan to payback the IRS. So what options are available to a taxpayer to pay back tax debt?There are a number of options available to the taxpayer to resolve their tax debt and, in most cases, the options available require a look at the client’s financial situation.          Offer-in-Compromise – This is where the client proposed a tax settlement to the IRS to accept less than the amount owed. The IRS looks at something called Reasonable Collection Potential (RCP), which will be discussed in a future blog en... 08/20/2020

When I first meet a client in my Hobart, IN office, in most cases, one of the things I require before I get to work resolving their tax debt is to review their tax transcripts. This step is often something the client questions, but the step is one of the more critical steps in the tax resolution process.So, why do I require a transcript review and what do I hope to gain from it?The tax transcript gives me a clear view of everything the IRS has on file for the tax payer, including what returns were filed, what the IRS has received in terms of W-2s, 1099s, and other reported items, and most importantly, what the total amount of tax debt the IRS shows as owed.  When I review the transcripts, I pay close attention for unfiled tax returns over the past 6 years, since they will need to be fil... 08/17/2020

When clients come into my Hobart, Indiana office for help resolving their tax debts, one of the things we take a look at as we work out a strategy to deal with their tax debt is which debts fall outside the 10-year collection statute.When I walk through the entire process at client onboarding, I am often askedthe question: “what is the 10-year collection statute and why do we look at it?” The 10-year collection is the limit to the amount of time the IRS can try to collect most tax debts. Put simply, if the tax debt were assessed more than 10 years ago, the IRS cannot collect it. The reason I check this is to make sure when I am working out a solution to the client’s tax issue is to make sure the client isn’t being billed for old debts that should have been written off and to determine w... 08/14/2020

You get home from work and check your mailbox. You skim through the mail to see what needs your attention. There it is… a letter from the IRS. Your heart starts pounding in your chest. You start to shake a little. Your mouth goes dry and you lose the ability to swallow. You're unsure what you should do. Clients that come into my office in Hobart, Indiana generally feel the same way when they receive one of these letters. So, when they come into my office, and I am able to explain what the letters mean and what options are available to prevent the IRS from taking a client’s bank account or paycheck (through an IRS Tax Levy), they tend to leave a little more at ease, knowing what their options are. They have an what they need to do, and have a general idea of the path forward.When a tax r... 08/09/2020

I represent taxpayers in Northwest Indiana and the State of Indiana who have outstanding tax debt and other issues with the IRS and Indiana Department of Revenue. The IRS collection process can be quite intimidating and confusing for some people. But with a brief overview, a person can easily understand the steps the IRS will typically take and what can be done on their part to try to resolve the debt.The IRS will typically follow these steps to collect a debt:1)      The Tax Debt is assessed, either through the filing of a tax return or their creation of a substitute for a return.2)      If the debt isn’t paid with the taxpayer’s return, the IRS will send a collection notice to alert the taxpayer that the payment is due.3)      The IRS will send a second notice that is not worded as fr... 08/07/2020

I represent taxpayers in Northwest Indiana and the rest of Indiana who have civil tax issues and have recently seen an uptick in clients coming in who have not filed tax returns, some for many years. In fact the non-filer has become a major priority for the IRS, who have publicly state they have identified more than 12 million taxpayers who have failed to file a return, and the IRS plans to roll out an initiative to target these people, and the IRS plans to roll-out an initiative to target these tax scofflaws.In Addition, it is worth noting that the failure to file a tax return is a federal tax crime under the Internal Revenue Code’s Section 7203.So what can non-filers do and how can I help you get your tax returns issues resolved with the IRS? It depends on why they fail to file in the... 08/03/2020

 Winter, Spring, Summer or Fall...all you have to do is call...and we'll be there.. oh yes we will ! Here's a recent Thank You Card from relocating buyers we represented this winter. If we can be of service to you in buying or selling real estate in Northwest Indiana, please give us a call @219-309-9930 Please click the various links to read what our clients say about using our professional services to help them by providing solutions to their real estate needs Google Reviews Zillow Reviews Endorsements on our Blog Website Testimonials  01/28/2020

  114.68 Acres of Land For Sale !Drone Video XX Location: Property borders => U.S. Highway 231 and Montgomery Street and 145th East Avenue  Approximately 50 miles to downtown Chicago via Interstate 65 which  is approx. 5 miles from this land to Exit # 247. Just 7 miles from downtown Crown Point, 9 miles from Merrillville  and SouthLake Mall and just 12 miles to Valparasio. Unincorporated Winfield Township =  Award Winning Crown  Point School System. Northwest Indiana has become a suburb of Chicago-land.  Commuting distance of an hour by major expressways or train  to the Windy city, plus the southern shores of Lake Michigan and the  Indiana Dunes National Park  nearby for R & R.  Besides those seeking to commute to Chicago for jobs, locally the demand for housing exists due to the varie... 05/08/2019

Watch the Sun Set over Northwest Indiana Farmland from your Living room.... or in season from your patio where you can watch the crops growEnjoy the ease of one level living in this Cottage Style Ranch Home For Sale listed by F.C.Tucker 1st Team Real Estate serving NW Indiana.  We've blogged about Crown Point Indiana - The Hub of Lake County before. With close proximity to major roads for ease of commute to Chicago-land and award winning schools,This property is worth your careful consideration!  #TalkToTucker, Indiana's Leading Real Estate Company (est. 1918).   #LetsTalk @ 219-309-9930 Please click the various links to read what our clients say about using our professional services to help them by providing solutions to their real estate needs Zillow Reviews Endorsements on our Blog W... 01/09/2019

 St. John , Indiana is a town in Northwest Indiana's Lake County. Being near the border of the state line of Illinois, St. John is commuting distance to Chicago-land by Amtrack Train / rail or by car via Interstate. In 2017, St. John was named the richest small town in the state of Indiana! Known for it's religious center -> The Shrine of Christ's Passion - which attracts visitors from all over the world and is located less than an hour from downtown Chicago -Google map link. Recently we listed a Corner Ranch Home For Sale in the Kilkenny Estates neighborhood of St. John, IN 46373.   Check out the drone's aerial view of the home and then click the Multiple Listing Service website link below for more details on this lovely property. 8350 Kerry Court, St. John, Indiana 46373   Give us a c... 01/12/2018

 Begin Here-Call or Message us Today 219 374 9890  12/12/2017

Why did I decide to be a Real Estate Agent? Besides the fact that the money is good, yes. But that is Not my Why.My why begins with me on a deeper level. I was brought up in a nice home with Loving Parents and Siblings. A home meant to me a safe place to be, A place I knew what was going to happen from day to day Security in my childhood. A home is a place where we lay our heads, do laundry and cook and clean for those we love the most in life. We entertain and meet new friends. We learn about them and each person we meet in life teaches us lessons and improves our journey. We raise our children in our homes teaching them right from wrong and we want to give them a good childhood and a great foundation for their future. Our home was always a place of Laughter, Love and full of Life. So,... 12/10/2017

 Find more info at http://astro-realty.com/8703-w-141-ave-cedar-lake-indiana.h…Call for your showing today 219 374 9890  08/15/2017

5 Common First-Time Home Buyer Mistakes 1. They don’t ask enough questions of their lender and end up missing out on the best deal.2. They don’t act quickly enough to make a decision and someone else buys the house.  Get more info on this topic at   http://astro-realty.com/6-tips-for-choosing-the-best-offer-for-your-home.htm 07/25/2017

 Unless the buyer who makes an offer on your home has the resources to qualify for a mortgage, you may not really have a sale. If possible, try to determine a buyer’s financial status before signing the contract. Ask the following: 1. Has the buyer been prequalified or preapproved (even better) for a mortgage? Such buyers will be in a much better position to obtain a mortgage promptly.  Does the buyer have enough money to make a downpayment and cover closing costs? Ideally, a buyer should have 20 percent of the home’s price as a downpayment and between 2 and 7 percent of the price to cover closing costs. To read more information about this topic please click over to http://astro-realty.com/is-your-buyer-qualified.htm  07/24/2017