The IRS can be problematic to deal with – especially if you don’t have a clue about anything tax-related. For those who owe a liability to the IRS, it is important to understand how the IRS works in addition to any potential action the IRS can take against you. If a tax balance is owed, they can place you into collections, garnish your paychecks, place a lien on your physical assets, or even levy your bank account(s). Here is what you need to know about the IRS taking action against you, and how to prevent yourself from tax liabilities.
3 Different Tax Liabilities
Tax Liens
A tax lien is something that the IRS can place against you if you owe any tax liabilities. The IRS has the ability to place liens on physical assets such as a home or vehicle in order to ensure they receive the max amount of money if a taxpayer intends on selling their assets; they will take a portion of the profit of the sold asset and apply it to the balance owed to them. You can avoid having a lien placed against you by paying your balance owed in full and on time or, if you cannot afford to pay your balance off, you can contact the IRS to see what type of payment plan options you can be placed on.
Tax Levies
The IRS would send several collection notices warning a taxpayer of their intent to levy if the balance owed has yet to be paid in full. A tax levy occurs once the IRS considers you a delinquent taxpayer and they will go after your bank accounts, wages, or property in order to settle the debt that is owed. In some cases, the IRS will only seize a small sum of money from a taxpayer. Other times, they will take a taxpayer’s entire savings and apply it to their tax balance. To stop an IRS tax levy, you can contact them directly and request they release the levy if you can prove that you are currently in a hardship. They will also release their levy if you can pay the amount owed in full, the collection period to collect the tax liability on your balance has ended, or the value of your property is more compared to the amount owed to the IRS.
Tax Garnishments of Wages
The IRS can also garnish your wages if you have an unpaid balance. The IRS can legally seize your income and apply it to the balance owed to them and garnish your paychecks, commissions, or any bonuses. There are a couple of ways to stop the IRS from garnishing you, you can either pay your balance in full or contact the IRS to set up a payment plan or hardship agreement if you qualify.
The IRS will act against those who fail to pay their tax balance and they can and potentially will attempt to garnish, levy, or place a lien against you should you ever owe tax liabilities. It is expected that all taxpayers remain compliant with the IRS and adhere to the most current tax laws in order to stay out of collections.
Optima Tax Relief provides assistance to individuals struggling with unmanageable IRS tax burdens. To assess your tax situation and determine if you qualify for tax relief, contact us for a free consultation.