You may already be aware that avoiding an IRS settlement for your past due tax returns could lead to serious consequences if unaddressed, including garnishment of wages, a reduced credit rating or claim to your property. But did you know filing for back taxes could put money in your pocket?

If you were due a refund from a previous year’s taxes, you only have three years from the return due date to file, and subsequently claim the return. You could be throwing money away that the government owes you.

Whether you’re facing a tax debt or the IRS owes you, filing your back tax is the financially wise thing to do. Resolving past due tax returns with the IRS will give you the financial freedom to pay your monthly expenses and enable achievable financial goals for your future.

The IRS has a history of collecting on back taxes, and in its recent strategic plan for 2009 - 2013, the government branch reaffirmed its goal to quickly collect past-due taxes.

Your best option is guidance from an experienced tax attorney who has helped many people just like you get their prior year’s taxes filed. You need an attorney who will factor every situation you faced during the year for which you are filing, including whether or not you were searching for a job during that year.

Federal tax laws change yearly, and how much expertise your tax attorney has with these laws will ultimately translate to the best financial agreement you can make with the IRS.

Don’t hesitate to contact an experienced tax lawyer before the IRS contacts you.

As the old saying goes… “the only things that are certain are death and taxes”. If you owe money to the Internal Revenue Service for federal taxes, they are going to do everything they can to collect, including placing a lien on your property, bank accounts or any other asset that they can attach.

The only way that you can clear a Federal Tax Lien is to pay the taxes you owe. The IRS will sometimes negotiate a settlement for your tax liability, but if the equity in the property will cover the amount of taxes that you owe the government is more likely to force a sale of the property.

Some homestead rules will apply to help you keep your home, but taking care of your tax problems is the only sure way to save your property from the IRS.

A qualified tax attorney can help you understand your rights and offer the best possible advice for clearing a Federal Tax Lien on your property.

Finding a dependable attorney to handle your negotiations with the Internal Revenue Service is crucial to getting the help you need with your tax problems.

The difficulty in finding reliable representation was highlighted today when Texas Attorney General Greg Abbott charged JK Harris & Company, LLC, its owners and two related firms with materially misrepresenting their ability to help resolve unpaid tax obligations.

A release from Attorney General Abbott’s office says

According to the state’s enforcement action, JK Harris failed to provide promised services, misrepresented its employees’ professional skills and experience, overstated its ability to reduce debts that customers owe to the Internal Revenue Service, and accepted large, prepaid fees from customers whose tax liabilities the firm knew – or should have known – it could not reduce.

“The defendants are charged with unlawfully misrepresenting – and overstating – their ability to reduce unpaid debts that taxpayers owe to the IRS,” said Attorney General Greg Abbott. “Struggling Texans who paid large, upfront fees were told that their unpaid taxes could be resolved for pennies on the dollar. Today’s enforcement action seeks restitution for the defendants’ Texas customers and a court order enjoining the defendants’ unlawful conduct.”

The Texas Attorney General’s office in conjunction with the Better Business Bureau conducted an investigation into the company’s business practices after receiving more than 1,000 complaints in the past three years.

If you need help with a tax problem, contact a reputable tax attorney in your area.

If you are a Texas resident who has had dealings with JK Harris and Company, LLC, JKH Financial Recovery Systems LLC or Professional Fee Financing Associates, and feel that you have been a victim of their deceptive practices, contact the Texas Attorney General’s office at (800) 252-8011 or online at www.texasattorneygeneral.gov.

It is crunch time in that most grueling of seasons, tax season. The April 15 is the deadline for filing your 2008 Federal Tax return with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is just a week away.

The first step to preparing your taxes is to organize all your W-2 and other income documentation. Then make sure you have dedicated enough time to get your Form 1040 completed.

Get plenty of rest before you start the process so that you approach the task with a clear head.

Since most of us don’t want to think about taxes the rest of the year, we tend to ignore all the things that make tax preparation easier. Organizing receipts so that accounting for your deductions may seem like a chore throughout the year, but it is much better than sorting through 12 months of paperwork the week before your tax return is due.