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Search using the term class action after the name of
the company or individual you are investigating
(example: John Doe class action).
Public
Service Message: This
discussion will explain the impact that errors can
have when preparing an offer in compromise, provide statistical
facts about submitted proposals, buyer
beware warnings, research tools, tips and guidelines that will
help with finding the services of a
competent professional and protect you from unethical offer
in compromise
promoters.
Search using the term better business bureau after
the name of the city where the organizational
headquarters is located. (example: city? better
business bureau) then search the name of the
organization and/or individual. As a public service
the Better Business Bureau reports on all businesses whether a member or
not.
The argument that an individual or
organization is preparing a large number of compromise
applications and
therefore is expected to have a number of
complaints, is not valid. I worked for an organization that
resolved some 2,800 tax cases per year, had an in-house
complaint every three years on average and never a
better business bureau reported incident.
The
formulas that must be applied to complete an offer
in compromise
proposal are
complicated, dependent on method of payment, difficult
to apply, circumstance specific, often subject to Internal Revenue Agent subjective interpretations and riddled with
exceptions. Therefore, we do not
recommend that you submit an offer to compromise without the
help of a professional.
We
offer a free tax analysis completed by a
qualified professional to align your eligibility and
circumstance with available IRS and State tax programs to
determine the best course of action to
settle your back tax debt.
The IRS
imposes a $150.00 application fee that must accompany
an offer and compromise proposal when submitted that is waived only if you
meet certain poverty
standards and you must make installment payments
while an offer is reviewed. Both the application fee and the installment
payments are not refundable and will be applied to the
liability if your submitted offer is deemed
processable, but later rejected.
Errors
made when completing the forms, will
magnify. A $10.00 error in the amount, that you are
obligated to pay each month will cost you $600.00 over
the life of a 60 month deferred payment agreement and
errors can result in the rejection or delay
of an offer.
"We
are increasingly concerned about unscrupulous
promoters charging excessive fees and providing
assistance for taxpayers who
have no chance of meeting the offer in compromise
program requirements, “ said IRS Commissioner Mark
W. Everson.” We
urge taxpayers not to be duped by high-priced
promises.”
Our
enrolled agents,
accountants and associates are dedicated to finding
tax solutions for problems big and
small and we therefore have no minimum debt
requirements.
We
guarantee: That we will not tell you that you are
eligible to file an offer and compromise if you are not, that the forms
will be completed correctly, that
required attachments are included, that we will
provide unlimited support and that we will aggressively represent your interest to deliver the
best possible outcome in the event that we provide offer in
compromise assistance to prepare and submit an offer or obtain
relief by other means.
If
you have a tax case that requires filing back tax
returns pre-pay as each
return is completed and remitted for your
signature. Make incremental payments as you go!
Minimum
debt requirements are an indication of fee structures.
If
an organization requests money prior
to counsel from an assigned
individual that will work with you
"one on one" you are likely dealing with an offer
mill and speaking with unqualified offer in compromise sales staff.
Avoid purchasing software that does
not provide an eligibility pre-screening analysis
because you may spend your money only to discover
that you do not qualify to participate in the offer
in compromise program.
An
occasional complaint does not necessarily indicate that an organization
conducts bad business because the customer from hell,
does exist. However, these encounters are rare and an
astute business person will bend over backwards to
protect their reputation.
These
statistics indicate that most people do not have the
expertise required to correctly complete the forms and that some
were led to believe by unscrupulous
individuals that they qualified for relief when they
did not meet the eligibility requirements, from the
onset. As a result the IRS has issued the
following alert.
STATISTICAL
FACTS
PRELIMINARY
INVESTIGATION
OFFER
IN COMPROMISE
Other
Resources
CHOOSING
A TAX PROFESSIONAL
FORMS and
FORMULAS
Several
firms that offer to compromise your tax debt have
litigated class action suits, paid settlements and/or
been suspended from practicing in some states.
It is best to avoid these
individuals or organizations because class actions are
not filed without merit, by nature involve
many and are indicative of the business
practices, you will encounter.
YOU ARE IN
THE WRONG PLACE:
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If
the first thing you hear is “we will
settle your tax debt for pennies on the dollar”.
-
If
you are not doing business with an Attorney,
Accountant or Enrolled Agent.
-
If
you are seeking assistance from an organization
that claims representation, negotiation and
advocacy is not required to successfully settle
your tax debt.
Require
both mail and e-mail correspondence from your
provider, keep all documentation and demand a signed
and dated contract
before relinquishing money. This has the
potential to build breach of contract, federal wire and mail
fraud cases and nothing is better than having federal
authorities on your side if you have
encountered a pirate
Contents:
Introduction, Essentials, Net Realizable Equities, Net
Income, Future Income, Reasonable Collection Potential,
Process, Consumer Protection Message, Compromise Help,
Table of Contents, IRS Manual.
ADDITIONAL
TIPS AND GUIDELINES
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