IRS challenges can be a problem. If they\u2019re bleeding into other areas of your life things can really get out of control. \u00a0Click here to read or watch more IRS Help resources.<\/a><\/p>\n My name is Darrin Mish, and I\u2019m the IRS Solution Attorney.<\/p>\n Click here to watch or read more information on IRS Back Taxes.<\/a><\/p>\n From experience, I personally know that when people have financial problems, there is a tendency for them to negatively impact the person\u2019s life. Tax problems, especially, can put a strain on marriages.<\/p>\n Part of my job is to do a little counseling to help them feel better.<\/p>\n There\u2019s always a perceived fear that versus the reality of what\u2019s actually happening in their lives. In fact, I usually spend the first 10-15 minutes addressing a new client\u2019s fears before we get down to discussing their problem, and how we can come up with a solution.<\/p>\n However, it\u2019s not just all about business. My clients are people, and if I can throw the light on their tax problems and other \u201clife\u201d problems, I know that I\u2019ll be able to provide an invaluable service that goes beyond offering just expert tax advice.<\/p>\n It\u2019s one thing to have some tax challenges, but if you\u2019re intentionally doing something, like hiding assets or other covert things to hide what you have, then you may have placed yourself in the IRS\u2019s crosshairs.<\/p>\n Going back to the fear bit, one of people\u2019s biggest fears is that they\u2019ll end up in prison over taxes they haven\u2019t paid. Then, I\u2019ll have an almost immediate opportunity to tell them that\u2019s not going to happen.<\/p>\n So, that piece of news is good for the client because it immediately calms them down and we can get down to the business of solving their problem.<\/p>\n I often talk about these things on my show, and I inform people that going to prison is highly unlikely if you owe the IRS money. While it\u2019s uncommon, there are certain things you have to work at to make sure that it doesn\u2019t happen\u2014that you remove it from the realm of remotely being a possibility.<\/p>\n So generally speaking, if you own the IRS money, and you don\u2019t pay them, you\u2019re not going to go to prison. That\u2019s sort of the general rule.<\/p>\n Working with procrastinators isn\u2019t that difficult. That\u2019s because procrastination is relatively easy to fix. The solution is simply to change one\u2019s behavior.<\/p>\n Looking back over my own life, I did my share of procrastinating\u2014from high school, college, and perhaps in law school on occasion. While not typical, it is considered normal behavior.<\/p>\n However, when it comes to trial work, you lose if you are unprepared. It\u2019s just that simple. And people are depending on you for a positive outcome.<\/p>\n Not being prepared creates fear. It\u2019s the same with anything in life. When people come to see me about a tax issue, they\u2019re dealing with a lot of fear because they\u2019re not prepared.<\/p>\n The reason people may not see a doctor for their regular checkup is they fear there might be bad news. People fail to deal with problems because they\u2019re terrified at what might happen.<\/p>\n I love being thorough. When a client only asks me 2 or 3 questions, as compared to 20 or so, it\u2019s because I\u2019ve thoroughly addressed any fears and answered virtually all their questions.<\/p>\n People don\u2019t conduct a lot of research. I can tell this by their questions. However, I\u2019m not complaining. I don\u2019t mind being the expert. That\u2019s what I\u2019m here for.<\/p>\n People do, however, quite a lot of research looking for an attorney before they call. I may not always be the first call on their list, but that\u2019s fine with me. It could be my open personality, which some may find a bit strange. Once they get to know me, they know they\u2019ve made the right choice.<\/p>\n I can speak, not only as an expert concerning their taxes, but as someone who understands life. Married, with children, I know that no one wants to deal with people who are irritable and difficult to be around.<\/p>\n I mean, I can remember when I was going through periods of my life and was really feeling negative about a lot of things. If it\u2019s one thing I know, being negative perpetuates a lot of negative things. You have to readjust your attitude and \u201cfake it until you make it\u201d if at all possible.<\/p>\n I can remember in my own life, not that long ago, when everything seemed to be going wrong. Then one day, I looked in the mirror, and realized that it was \u201cME\u201d that was wrong in life.<\/p>\n By faking it until you make it, I mean I sort of faked positivity. And it worked. So, while I\u2019m helping clients with their tax problems, I can also give them a boost of confidence. We\u2019re going to work out their tax problems. We\u2019re going to eliminate the unknown so that we can eliminate their fears.<\/p>\n Tapping into your own higher standards is when you start making the decision to do better. It\u2019s when you stop throwing pity parties for yourself and start looking at life in a positive way that better things start coming your way.<\/p>\n The truth is I\u2019m all about compassion. I get the pain, anxiety, and fear that a lot of people deal with. I get it down to the core because I\u2019ve had to deal with it on occasion in my own life.<\/p>\n When a person walks into my office, sits down, and looks me in the eye, their mindset is the first thing I want to help them change. Otherwise, there\u2019s nothing I can do with their own personal finance challenges that will have lasting impact.<\/p>\n If there\u2019s something in your life that you\u2019re unsure about, starting doing some research on the matter. It doesn\u2019t have to be real sophisticated. As I said, what makes people afraid is a fear of the unknown.<\/p>\n Your research can be as simple as saying to yourself, \u201cI have a problem with the IRS, and I\u2019m going to \u201cGoogle\u201d what happens when someone doesn\u2019t file their taxes. Will they go to jail? Is there a tax penalty filed?<\/p>\n Get a few answers, and then, call a tax professional and set up an appointment to take care of the problem. You can even look for people on a national level that can help. Call the person and find out how much it costs.<\/p>\n The last thing you want to do is hook up with a scam artist. They\u2019re out there, and they\u2019re always looking for their next victim. Be aware of the following scams:<\/p>\n \u2022 Fictitious claims for rebates or refunds based on Social Security Benefits withheld. If you feel that you\u2019ve been scammed, there are a couple of things you can do to close the \u201cfear\u201d gap. First, get a second opinion. Find a competent tax preparer, tax attorney, or CPA and find out for sure if there\u2019s a scam going on.<\/a><\/p>\n Tax preparation is as much an art as it is a science. As such, anyone competent in tax matters should be able to tell you if there is a scam in place. If there are irregularities, you have time amend the return using form 1040x. A tax attorney may help to get the penalties abated if reasonable cause is found.<\/p>\n There are a lot of reasons to trust a qualified tax preparer with your taxes.<\/p>\n \u2022 It can be a hassle trying to figure out your own taxes. Peace of mind is a process of having eliminated fear, which takes us right back to the beginning of the article. If you\u2019re having any IRS challenges, don\u2019t let them bleed into other areas of your life.<\/p>\nIntentionally Hiding Assets?<\/h2>\n
Solutions for the Procrastinator<\/h2>\n
Being Thorough<\/h2>\n
People Can Tap into Their Higher Standards<\/h2>\n
Start Doing Research \u2013 Change Your Fear Factor<\/h2>\n
Avoiding Tax Scams<\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 Bogus claims that Treasury Form 1080 can be used to transfer funds from the Social Security Administration to the IRS enabling a payout of the IRS.
\n\u2022 Offers of free money without documentation being provided.
\n\u2022 Promises of large refunds for low-income people.
\n\u2022 Bogus advice on claiming the Earned Income Credit for exaggerated reports on self-employment income.
\n\u2022 And much more.<\/p>\nWhat to Do if You\u2019ve Been Scammed<\/h2>\n
\n\u2022 It is nearly impossible for the average individual to keep with changing tax laws.
\n\u2022 Mistakes can be costly.
\n\u2022 If there are mistakes made, a tax program cannot possibly represent you in an audit.<\/a>
\n\u2022 A qualified tax professional can help you plan ahead, including future years.
\n\u2022 Your tax professional can recommend ways to save on your taxes.
\n\u2022 Knowing that a professional is handling your taxes can give tremendous peace of mind.<\/p>\n