Tax Relief Lawyers in Oakley

"Tax relief" in Oakley, California can refer to a wide range of subjects. However, it almost exclusively refers to lowering the tax liability, either of an individual, or a group of individuals.

When a politician or other government official uses the term "tax relief," they're mostly commonly talking about tax cuts, or some other actual or prospective government action which would reduce the tax liability of some individuals or corporations.

However, many people in the general public, particularly in these troubled economic times, often hear the words "tax relief" used in a totally different context. The phrase has become synonymous with businesses and individuals who claim they have some exceptional method to help you lower your tax liability in California. While some of these offers are legitimate, many of them are scams, and if you hire them, you'll end up in a worse position than you were before.

Tax Relief Scams in Oakley, California

It is pretty common for scammers in Oakley, California to claim that, for a comparatively small fee, they will help you get out of paying all of your taxes.

But you should beware: no honest tax relief business in Oakley, California will make such promises, because they know it's almost always impossible to deliver on them. Luckily, there are several features you can look for to help you spot - and avoid - tax relief scammers.

There is one warning sign that virtually guarantees that the tax relief company you're dealing with intends to defraud you: if they make an explicit guarantee that they can lower your tax bill. While there are some legal ways to try and reduce your tax requirement, including negotiating with the IRS, there is no guarantee that they will prevail. And although the IRS does have programs to help people who are absolutely unable to pay for their taxes, they are only available to very small subset of the population, and most Oakley, California taxpayers aren't qualified to participate in them.

Furthermore, any demand for upfront payment, before any actual services are rendered, is another warning sign that you may be dealing with a fraudster. This is because many tax scammers in Oakley will simply take whatever money you give them, and drop off the face of the Earth (figuratively, unfortunately), without doing anything to help you, or even pretending to. Adding insult to injury, if you pay them with a credit card, they may well make additional unlawful charges to it.

How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in Oakley, California Help?

If you are in need of tax relief, or are encountering trouble paying taxes you owe, it can't hurt to talk with an Oakley, California tax attorney.

A qualified and reputable tax attorney in Oakley, California will give you objective legal advice on how to handle a tax law issue. A seasoned tax attorney delivering honest advice, however, will tell you the truth, which may not necessarily be what you want to hear. The upside, of course, is that the information they're giving you is actually useful, as opposed to the "advice" given to you by a tax relief scammer, which, if followed, would put you in a worse position than you were before. Plus, you will have a good deal of legal recourse against a tax attorney, in the unlikely event that a licensed attorney defrauds you.