The IRS has a lot more power than other debt collectors. Here are several things they can do if you don't work with an IRS tax problems attorney to stop them.
Put You in Jail
In most situations, you can't go to jail for owing money. That's not always the case with the IRS. While IRS criminal charges are usually reserved for tax evasion or tax fraud, they do have the ability to put you in jail.
The IRS has its own criminal investigations division. That means that if they suspect you committed a tax crime, they don't have to go to the FBI or anyone else. They can investigate crimes on their own and bring that case directly to federal prosecutors.
If you're dealing with the IRS in a situation where criminal charges are a possibility, don't try to handle it on your own. Get a tax lawyer the same way you would get a criminal defense lawyer for a DUI case.
Take Your House
The IRS also has the ability to take your house. Unlike other creditors, they don't even have to go to court and sue you first.
The IRS has the direct ability to place a federal tax lien on your home. A lien means that you're not allowed to sell your home unless you're able to pay the lien when you sell your house. Instead of you getting a check for the buyer's offer amount, the IRS gets paid first then you get what's left.
In some cases, the IRS won't wait for you to sell. They also have the ability to foreclose on your home. That means they can force an immediate sale so that they can get paid sooner.
To stop a lien, you usually need to work with a tax lawyer to get rid of the IRS debt that caused the lien.
Garnish Your Wages
The IRS can also garnish your wages. Again, they don't need to go to court to do this. They can send an order directly to your employer.
Another issue with IRS garnishments is that they can often take a lot more money than would be taken out for other debts. So you may not even be left with enough money to cover your expenses unless you make some serious changes to your budget.
If you want to stop a wage garnishment, you usually need to have a tax lawyer help you find a solution to your tax debt before the garnishment happens.
Share9 May 2023
When it comes to fighting in court, it isn't always easy to stay strong, stable, and secure in your convictions. Fortunately, by working with a great lawyer, things become much easier. About ten years ago now, I was accused of a crime that I didn't commit, and it was really heartbreaking. I started thinking about what to do, and a friend of mine suggested working with a great lawyer. It was incredible to see how much help the lawyer was, and within a few months, I was proven innocent. This blog is here to help people who might be fighting legal battles of their own.
