REASONS WHY YOU MIGHT HAVE GOTTEN AN IRS NOTICE INSTEAD OF A TAX REFUND.

Every year, millions of Americans ask, “Where’s my refund?”

Many of them find an answer at IRS.gov. But there are millions of others who expect a refund but instead get a notice – usually from the IRS – or a smaller-than-expected refund. If this happens to you, here are six possible reasons for this often unexpected change:

1. You or your spouse owe federal or state taxes.
This is one of the most common reasons the IRS lowers refunds. When you owe the IRS, the IRS has the right to take your refund to pay back taxes, penalties, and interest you owe. If your spouse owed taxes before you were married, the IRS can take your joint refund to pay for the past taxes.

If you owe the IRS or state, you’ll need to figure out:

How much you owe
Whether the IRS or state is correct about that amount
Whether you can do anything to lower it (or any penalties and interest)
If the IRS took your joint refund to pay for your spouse’s premarital tax debt, consider requesting your portion of the refund. This is called an injured spouse claim.

DO YOU NEED IRS TAX HELP? CALL OUR TAX ATTORNEYS!

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2. You or your spouse owe other types of debt.
The IRS is required by law to take your refund or part of your refund to pay for certain other debts, including:

Delinquent child support
Delinquent student loan debt
Back unemployment compensation that shouldn’t have been paid
If you owe a government agency other than the IRS or your state tax authority, you’ll need to work directly with that agency. If you didn’t get a notice explaining where your refund went, call the Bureau of Fiscal Services at (800) 304-3107.

You can also file an injured spouse claim to get your portion of a joint refund when it was taken to pay these other types of debt, if that debt belongs only to your spouse.

3. The IRS thinks you made an error on your return.
The IRS can make certain changes to your return if the IRS thinks there was an error. For example, the IRS could adjust your return if your or your dependent’s name and Social Security Number (SSN) don’t match IRS records.

Or, if your return has an inconsistency, the IRS may change your return and send you a notice. This could be something as simple as the IRS denying a child-related credit when the taxpayer who took it doesn’t have children.

When the IRS thinks you made an error, the IRS will send you a notice. Notices can be confusing, so if you don’t understand exactly why the IRS made a change to your return, call the IRS or look closer at your tax account. You can start with the phone number on the notice. You can also get a tax pro to help determine whether the IRS was correct, and help respond with the information the IRS needs to correct the error.

4. The IRS is verifying that you qualify for a credit or deduction.
The IRS can hold your refund and send you a notice asking for proof that you qualify for a credit or deduction you claimed on your return. This commonly happens with the Earned Income Credit (EIC), when two people (usually former spouses) both claim the same child as a dependent. Another common example is tax identity theft (see #5).

You should provide the IRS with the information it needs, as soon as possible. Learn more about how to handle refund holds and return adjustments like this. Or, you can get in touch with a tax pro for help.

5. You were a victim of tax identity theft.
The IRS may send you a notice to verify that a return filed using your SSN is legitimate.

If the return was yours, respond to the notice so that the IRS will process your return and issue your refund.
If the return wasn’t yours, respond to the IRS by verifying your identity and making sure the IRS processes the return that you filed (not the fraudulent one).

6. The IRS is looking into another one of your returns.
If the IRS has opened a delinquent return investigation or has started auditing a return you already filed, the IRS may freeze your refund until that process is complete.

If you owe taxes because of one of these issues, the IRS will put your refund toward the taxes. If you don’t owe any taxes, the IRS will release your refund after it completes the investigation or audit.

Learn how to handle an IRS audit or back tax returns.

Best course: Respond quickly
Other issues can come up, even after the IRS has processed your return and issued your refund. Always open IRS letters right away and respond by the due date to get the best outcome.

Or, get help from a tax pro, who can help you get to the bottom of any missing or reduced refunds, and deal with the IRS for you.

GET TAX RELIEF HELP TODAY
If you think that you may need help filing your 2017 tax return and past due tax returns, you may want to partner with a reputable tax relief company who can help you get the max refund and reduce your chances for an IRS AUDIT.

Advance Tax Relief is headquartered in Houston, TX with a branch office in Los Angeles, CA. We help many individuals just like you solve a wide variety of IRS and State tax issues, including penalty waivers, wage garnishments, bank levy, tax audit representation, back tax return preparation, small business form 941 tax issues, the IRS Fresh Start Initiative, Offer In Compromise and much more. Our Top Tax Attorneys, Accountants and Tax Experts are standing by ready to help you resolve or settle your IRS back tax problems.

Advance Tax Relief is rated one of the best tax relief companies nationwide.

Call our team today at 800-790-8574 for more information. For a free consultation, schedule an appointment with us online. Feel free to also learn about us and contact us via www.advancetaxrelief.com.

However, it doesn’t matter where you live, we service taxpayers nationwide. We have settled millions in back tax penalties and interest for our clients nationwide.

Advance Tax Relief is a Professional Tax Relief Organization

SELF EMPLOYED? WHAT TO DO WHEN YOU HAVE DIFFICULTIES PAYING YOUR SMALL BUSINESS BACK TAXES

IRS small business back tax bills, at a glance:

If you can’t pay your business taxes, the most important thing you can do to avoid enforced collection is get into an agreement with the IRS.

The IRS offers several options, including extensions to pay and payment plans.

DO YOU NEED IRS TAX HELP? CALL OUR TAX ATTORNEYS!

ADVANCE TAX RELIEF LLC
www.advancetaxrelief.com
BBB A+ Rated
Call (713)300-3965 - Free Consultation

***We have successfully resolved millions in back taxes for our clients

Businesses that are in financial hardship should consider special IRS programs that offer deferred payment and settlement.
You can get expert help resolving the issue when you owe business taxes and can’t pay.

What you need to know when you can’t pay your taxes
If you file your business tax return and can’t pay (or if your business still owes taxes from a past return), you have several options.

Depending on your circumstances, the IRS offers payment options ranging from short extensions for businesses that just need a little more time to pay, to special agreements for businesses in financial hardship situations.

A tax professional can help you evaluate which option will work best for your business, and your tax pro can even help work with the IRS to set up the agreement.

One option that is not a good idea is to ignore the issue. If you don’t make any arrangements with the IRS, the IRS can eventually force you to pay. The IRS can file a lien that would harm your credit, and the IRS can levy your bank accounts and income sources, such as payments from customers.

How to address business taxes you can’t pay

1. Confirm that you’re in filing and payment compliance.

Before you can get in any payment agreement with the IRS, you must file all the business’s required tax returns. You’re also required to make enough tax payments on the current year so that you won’t file and owe in the future. If your issue is unpaid employment taxes, you’ll need to be current with your federal tax deposits.
If you’re unsure whether you’ve filed all your required business returns, call the IRS to research your account.

2. Make sure you actually owe the amount of back taxes the IRS says you do.

Review your business’s tax returns for the year(s) you owe and the prior three years to see whether the tax balance is correct. If you don’t think the amount is correct, you may want to amend your return(s).
You may also look at any penalties to see whether you can reduce or remove them through penalty abatement.

3. Evaluate the options – and choose the best one for your circumstances.

Consider your facts, including:
How much the business can pay with existing assets or in monthly payments
The impact of any potential tax lien
The impact of any additional penalties and interest
Based on your facts, choose the best payment arrangement for you. IRS options include:
A short-term extension of time to pay
One of several types of monthly payment plans (called installment agreements), with different terms and conditions
A temporary reprieve based on your documented financial hardship situation (called currently not collectible status)
The offer in compromise, an IRS option for qualifying taxpayers in highly specific financial circumstances to pay less than the full amount they owe to settle the tax debt
Gather the personal and financial information necessary to request your option from the IRS.

4. Obtain an agreement with the IRS.

Contact the correct IRS function before any deadlines to request the payment arrangement you’ve chosen. Provide the IRS with the necessary information to complete the agreement.
It may take time for the IRS to set up your agreement or consider your option, especially if your business:
Owes more than $50,000
Is requesting currently not collectible status
Is requesting an installment agreement that will not pay the entire balance within six years
Is requesting an offer in compromise

You may have to appeal an IRS decision if the IRS denies you an option that you are entitled to, based on your facts.

GET TAX RELIEF HELP TODAY
If you think that you may need help filing your 2017 tax return and past due tax returns, you may want to partner with a reputable tax relief company who can help you get the max refund and reduce your chances for an IRS AUDIT.

Advance Tax Relief is headquartered in Houston, TX with a branch office in Los Angeles, CA. We help many individuals just like you solve a wide variety of IRS and State tax issues, including penalty waivers, wage garnishments, bank levy, tax audit representation, back tax return preparation, small business form 941 tax issues, the IRS Fresh Start Initiative, Offer In Compromise and much more. Our Top Tax Attorneys, Accountants and Tax Experts are standing by ready to help you resolve or settle your IRS back tax problems.

Advance Tax Relief is rated one of the best tax relief companies nationwide.

Call our team today at 800-790-8574 for more information. For a free consultation, schedule an appointment with us online. Feel free to also learn about us and contact us via www.advancetaxrelief.com.

However, it doesn’t matter where you live, we service taxpayers nationwide. We have settled millions in back tax penalties and interest for our clients nationwide.

Advance Tax Relief is a Professional Tax Relief Organization

TIPS TO GET BACK ON TRACK WITH THE IRS WHEN YOU HAVE NOT FILED TAX RETURNS IN YEARS - IRS TAX HELP

Sometimes, people don’t file tax returns because they can’t pay. Other times, life happens, and they can’t get everything together in time to file. Regardless of the reason, not filing a required return is serious business for the IRS.

But there’s a way to get back in good standing: Gather all your information, research your IRS account, and file the returns. A tax pro can help you investigate which returns you need to file and how to submit them to the IRS.

HOW MANY YEARS SHOULD YOU FILE? Read Answer Below

This is the most common question people with back tax returns ask. The answer lies in a little-known IRS policy statement.

DO YOU NEED IRS TAX HELP?

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www.advancetaxrelief.com
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Call (713)300-3965

***We have successfully resolved millions in back taxes for our clients

IRS Policy Statement 5-133, Delinquent Returns – Enforcement of Filing Requirements, provides a general rule that taxpayers must file six years of back tax returns to be in good standing with the IRS. The policy also states that IRS management would have to approve any deviation from that rule.

Sometimes, IRS managers will require tax returns from even further back than six years, depending on the situation. These are the most common reasons the IRS requires returns from more than six years back:

There’s a large potential tax bill on the older returns. The most common red flags are Forms 1099-MISC, property sales, and large wages with no withholding.

There are business returns involved. The IRS will closely scrutinize business returns because the IRS knows that businesses have the largest potential for noncompliance.

A revenue officer is on the case. Delinquent-return investigations can involve local field collection personnel (called revenue officers), who perform in-depth investigations on nonfiling and collection.

Remember these tips when you’re filing back tax returns.

1. Confirm that the IRS is looking for only six years of returns.
Call the IRS, or your tax pro can use a dedicated hotline to confirm the unfiled years.

2. The IRS doesn’t pay old refunds.
You can only claim refunds for returns filed within three years of the due date of the return. Everything before that is lost.

3. Transcripts help.
It’s important to prepare an accurate return that matches IRS records. Trace your income history and request your wage and income transcripts from the IRS. Make sure your return reports all items on the transcript. Without this match, the IRS can question the accuracy of your return. If you made estimated tax payments that you can credit to any tax balances you owe, request your account transcripts to verify the amounts you paid.

4. There can be hefty penalties.
Years with tax balances due will have penalties, such as the failure to file and failure to pay penalties. These penalties combined can accumulate, over time, up to 47.5% of the tax bill.

5. Request penalty abatement, if applicable.
Good news: With most back tax returns, you can ask the IRS not to charge you failure to file or pay penalties on balance-due returns. Use first-time abatement for the first year if you qualify. Otherwise, consider reasonable cause arguments for late filing and payment to get some relief from penalties.

6. The IRS may have filed a return for you.
The IRS usually starts this process, called a substitute for return (SFR), about three years after the due date of the return. When you file a return to replace an SFR, the IRS will closely scrutinize the replacement return and compare it to information statements on file. Because of that scrutiny, the IRS will take more time than usual to process the replacement return – more than four months in some cases.

7. Delinquent returns may need special processing.
If you have gotten a delinquent-return notice or an SFR in the past, you’ll need to file the return with specific IRS units for special processing.

8. If you owe and can’t pay, set up a payment agreement with the IRS.
Remember to get into an agreement if you can’t pay. There are several types of agreements, depending on what you need. If you don’t establish some type of payment plan with the IRS, a second wave of IRS enforcement – collection – will follow.

9. Authorize your tax pro to help.
You can sign an authorization to allow your tax pro to call the IRS to get information and transcripts for you – or you can sign an authorization to allow your tax pro to handle the entire issue with the IRS for you. Also, you or your tax pro can request a stay on enforcement activity, and follow up to ensure the IRS accepts the return.

GET TAX RELIEF HELP TODAY
If you think that you may need help filing your 2017 tax return and past due tax returns, you may want to partner with a reputable tax relief company who can help you get the max refund and reduce your chances for an IRS AUDIT.

Advance Tax Relief is headquartered in Houston, TX with a branch office in Los Angeles, CA. We help many individuals just like you solve a wide variety of IRS and State tax issues, including penalty waivers, wage garnishments, bank levy, tax audit representation, back tax return preparation, small business form 941 tax issues, the IRS Fresh Start Initiative, Offer In Compromise and much more. Our Top Tax Attorneys, Accountants and Tax Experts are standing by ready to help you resolve or settle your IRS back tax problems.

Advance Tax Relief is rated one of the best tax relief companies nationwide.

Call our team today at 800-790-8574 for more information. For a free consultation, schedule an appointment with us online. Feel free to also learn about us and contact us via www.advancetaxrelief.com.

However, it doesn’t matter where you live, we service taxpayers nationwide. We have settled millions in back tax penalties and interest for our clients nationwide.

Advance Tax Relief is a Professional Tax Relief Organization