Relief for innocent spouses is a way for ex-partners to avoid taxes. Make sure that the company you choose is accredited by one or more professional tax organizations, such as the National Association of Tax Professionals (NATP), the National Association of Registered Agents (NAEA) and the Association of International Certified Professional Accountants (AICPA), to reduce the chances of falling into a scam. Some licensed tax professionals offer guaranteed assistance if your tax returns are audited. For many, paying the bill for a tax resolution service in addition to the taxes they end up owing can be a bitter pill to swallow.
There are also tax relief companies that charge an hourly rate for their services, and some have minimums in terms of the amount of debt a taxpayer must have. Because only the IRS can determine if you qualify for relief programs, you should stay away from any tax relief company that promises to reduce your debt or that presents claims that seem too good to be true. If you're looking for professional help with your tax debt problems, you're probably most interested in consulting a tax relief company. Assurances that you qualify for one or more programs without even analyzing your case, or claims that you can pay off your tax debt within a specific time frame should immediately raise red flags.
Most firms that specialize in tax settlements claim to have at their disposal a battery of tax experts who are former employees of the IRS who can fight for their clients. Optima Tax Relief works with all types of state and IRS tax relief options, from payment plans to “currently uncollectible” returns. While a tax relief company may be able to reduce someone else's tax liability, it may not be able to do the same for you. The main requirement to be eligible for this type of tax relief is to have no penalties during the previous three tax years, although you must also have filed or at least requested an extension of your current taxes.
However, Victory Tax does manage common IRS tax debt relief options, such as commitment and installment agreements, but not relief for innocent spouses. Larson Tax Relief works with all types of tax debt relief services, from personal tax debt relief from the IRS to corporate tax assistance and even help to delay or prevent bank taxes. Tax settlement firms use a procedure accepted by the IRS known as a compromise offer to reduce their customers' tax bills.
