The IRS is often considered a scary department of the government to most people. Many taxpayers will do whatever they can to not talk with this agency. Even if the taxpayer owes money to the IRS, they will ignore the taxes to avoid having to wait on the phone and talk to a representative that might try to use scare tactics. But even if you ignore your taxes, they are not going to disappear. The issue will just get worse as the IRS adds interest and penalties to the taxes owed. These fees effectively increase the amount of money that you owe to the IRS and over time, the IRS can start to put liens on your property and take out of your wages.

It is always best to pay any back taxes owed as soon as possible to save money. Finding an IRS lawyer can help to deal with the IRS and get things back on track. Even if you are not able to make the full payment at this time, your lawyer can help to set up a payment plan that will meet your tax obligation. Here are some of the steps you can take when you are dealing with back taxes owed to the IRS.

Filing the Returns

If you owe taxes because you have not filed the returns, you need to get these filed as soon as possible. The more years you have missed the hardest this process will be. With your IRS lawyer, you can find all the proper paperwork to get this information filled out correctly. When you are dealing with more than one tax return at a time, having some help can make a huge difference.

If you filed for all of the years, bring in any of the paperwork you have received from the IRS. This paperwork would include notices from the IRS, any copies of checks you submitted, and your return. The more paperwork you can bring in, the easier this process can be for you and the tax professional to get straightened out.

Talk to the IRS

After you have filed all of your tax returns and are caught up with the years you have missed; it is time to contact the IRS. You can do this on your own if you wish. When you call, a representative will be able to assist you through the steps that need to be taken. You can either make a payment in full or request a payment plan. Remember that a payment plan will add extra fees to the amount that is owed. But since most taxpayers cannot pay all their back taxes at once, a payment plan is a much better option than to ignore the taxes. A representative will be able to send you the necessary documents to request a payment plan.

Some taxpayers become nervous when talking to the IRS. If you are worried about talking with the IRS, you can have your IRS lawyer speak for you. Make sure to fill out the Form 2848. This form will allow your tax professional to speak with the IRS on your behalf. Your tax professional will follow the same steps you will and work out a payment plan that fits your budget.

Fill out the paperwork

If you and the IRS agreed to a payment plan to pay off the back taxes, fill out any paperwork that the IRS sends you. This paperwork should not take long, but failure to fill it out and submit will result in a denial of the payment plan. Respond to any of the correspondence that the IRS sends to you during this time. Timely responses can speed up the process and keep things on track.

Make the payments

You must make payments on time according to the payment plan. If a hardship comes up and it becomes difficult for you to make the payments, contact the IRS right away. Ignoring the issue again will result in the IRS taking actions including liens on property and wage garnishment. But contacting the IRS can assist as extensions or a new payment plan can be made.