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tax appeals

IRS Tax Appeals: What You Need To Know

No one wants to have a problem with the IRS, but there are plenty of situations where it is next to impossible to avoid a conflict or disagreement – tax appeals can be the answer. Often, people with very complicated taxes, such as business owners, find themselves in a position where the IRS says they owe more money. Few people realize, however, that the high number of cases processed by the IRS every year means relatively little time to spend on each case. Unfortunately, that leads to an increased number of mistakes and incorrect applications of the tax code that are overlooked.

For someone who the IRS is telling that they owe additional money due to an examination or other activity, it can be challenging to know where mistakes were made. Fortunately, the tax professionals at Samaritan Tax Relief are willing to help. We can review your case and help file tax appeals that force the IRS to re-examine their original findings. Before starting on the IRS appeals process, however, it’s essential to understand a little about these filings.

Who Can File A Tax Appeal?

If the IRS has made any decision regarding an audit or review of your tax filing, it is possible to file an appeal by the requisite deadline. Of course, there are different procedures for filing a request based on the decision type. For example, someone looking to reduce their overall tax debt would file very different paperwork than someone looking to appeal an installment plan decision.

Every U.S. taxpayer has the right to appeal decisions from the IRS, and the IRS is required by law to have an impartial tax appeals department.

If you do not win your appeal, it is possible to take the next step and argue your position in tax court with tax court representation. Of course, it is highly recommended that you have the assistance of a tax attorney in these cases.

How Do I Know If I Should File An Appeal?

To determine if you have a case, it’s first necessary to decide where the IRS is violating the law. For example, a taxpayer can appeal the IRS’ decision to charge excessive penalties, or they could use evidence to show that they do not owe the amount of tax that the IRS says they owe based on tax law.

The appeals process is not the place to protest an amount reasonably determined or ask for a payment plan. There are other processes to ask for a reduction in the total amount owed or to establish an installment agreement. IRS tax appeals are only meant to correct mistakes that the IRS has made. If you cannot afford to pay the debt, you have with the IRS, requesting a payment modification or an installment agreement may be possible.

It should also be noted that if your tax debt has gone into collections, there is a separate appeals process for collection issues. The collection appeals process does not allow taxpayers to appeal the total amount owed or the amount owed every month, but it does allow taxpayers to appeal the methods used to collect the debt.

What Can I Expect From The IRS Appeal Process?

By law, all tax appeals are heard by an impartial Appeals Officer. The Appeals Office operates as a separate unit from the rest of the IRS to maintain neutrality.

To succeed with your appeal, taxpayers are required to clearly list all issues they have with the decision and put forth a clear written argument based on tax law to explain why the reasoning behind the IRS decision should be reversed.

It’s important to note, however, that the tax law only states that appeals must be dealt with promptly. Therefore, if there is a backlog of cases to be heard, which often is the case, it might take longer for your case to be heard.

Because it is very complex and challenging to navigate through the appeal process or even to determine if you should file an appeal or a request for a modification and how to set forth the argument of an appeal, it’s a good idea to work with the tax resolution professionals of Samaritan Tax Relief. They have a lot of experience with successfully making an IRS tax appeal.

Please take a look at additional information and advice on some of the more common tax appeals options available in which we provide expert tax representation:

Samaritan Tax Relief Innocent Tax Appeals Representation

One of your most important rights as a taxpayer is having a qualified tax resolution professional, such as an Enrolled Agent (EA), represent you with your tax appeal to provide the best chances of success.

When you hire Samaritan Tax Relief to assist you with your IRS appeal, we will guide you through the process while advocating on your behalf and protecting your interests.

Samaritan Tax Relief is here to help you because when you have a justified opportunity for a tax appeal, the worst thing you can do is do nothing at all. The best decision is to take the necessary first step and obtain some tax debt relief!

Click on the “Get Help” button at the top of the page to take that first step.