Many of our clients who retain our tax relief services are interested in knowing two things: 

1) Can you settle this for less than I owe; and

2) How long will this take?

When you retain the Atkins Law Firm, P.A. to resolve your tax issue, some relief will be immediate and some will take time. It is important to keep in mind that IRS tax problems didn’t come about overnight and will take time to resolve. The good news is that generally you won’t have to meet or speak with the IRS while we are representing you.

An average Offer in Compromise (OIC) case can take anywhere from 6-12 months (or longer) depending on the amount of tax liability owed, the complexity of the case, and your individual facts and circumstances. Other resolution methods will move significantly faster.

Roadmap of working with the Atkins Law Firm, P.A.:

1. Initial Consultation:  The first step is to schedule your confidential, no obligation, no cost consultation. At this meeting, you will meet with an attorney or CPA who will evaluate your situation and discuss all available options for resolving your matter. We generally allot 30-45 minutes for this initial session. We suggest having copies of all recent notices and correspondence from the IRS available during our meeting. 

2. Retaining Our Firm: At the end of your consultation, you will be provided a specific fee for the representation of your case. Our fees are typically billed on a flat fee basis so you know exactly what the cost for the legal services will be. To commence representation, you will be required to sign an representation agreement and pay the fees agreed to.

Upon retainer, we will file a Power of Attorney with the IRS. This provides you with immediate relief because when this document is filed, the IRS must communicate with your representative instead of you.

The next step will be for us to obtain your IRS transcripts and Record of Account so we can best evaluate all of your alternative settlement options.

3. Beginning the Tax Resolution Process:  Together we will develop a phased strategy for resolving your case and advise you on what steps to take for the most effective resolution. Our team is available to you by direct dial phone, individual e-mail, or in person. At the Atkins Law Firm, P.A, we employ the team approach to resolving your tax problems.

3. IRS Compliance:  Generally, before any negotiation/settlement will be accepted by the IRS, you must become a compliant taxpayer. Compliance means that all past due delinquent income tax returns must be prepared and filed.  Compliance also means you have to be “current” on you quarterly estimated income tax payments and you must be withholding at the correct rate if a wage earner. The Atkins Law team is experienced in what must be done to achieve compliance and will advise you accordingly. If you cannot furnish records necessary to prepare your taxes, our team can assist in obtaining income information from the IRS and preparing your outstanding tax returns in order to get them filed right away. 

4. Your (the Client’s) Responsibilities: Clients who achieve successful resolution of their matters have the following traits in common:

They view the relationship with us as a collaborative one.

They view this as a “project” that requires cooperation.

They follow through, on a TIMELY basis, with our requests for information and documentation.

Clients who achieve stated resolution goals return our phone calls and emails timely, provide requested documents promptly, and stay in contact with us throughout the duration of their case.

5. Negotiation of your Tax Resolution:  We will propose a plan to the IRS to resolve your tax issue that you can live with and see through to acceptance. We pride ourselves in transparently communicating your settlement options with you and then obtaining the best settlement for you under the law. It is rare, however, that a proposal is accepted right away. Through diligence, persistence, and follow-up our experienced team will monitor, provide additional information to the IRS as needed, and negotiate your proposed resolution until a resolution is achieved.

6. Resolution of your tax problem:  We will review the final resolution of your case by the IRS to make sure it is as agreed upon. If not, we will insist that it be changed to reflect what was agreed to. If the IRS is unwilling to do this, we will advise you as to what your options are for the next step. Finally, you will be advised on what you must do in order to succeed with your resolution and avoid future tax problems.