Tax Relief Lawyers in Westminster
"Tax relief" in Westminster, 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 contemplated 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 unique 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 Westminster, California
Scammers in Westminster, California often claim that they can employ some unique method enabling you pay the IRS less than you really owe, or even erase your tax debt.
In the majority of cases, however, tax relief scammers in Westminster, California have no actual capacity to reduce your legal liability to pay your taxes. However, these scams also have numerous common factors which tend to be dead giveaways of their fraudulent nature, making them fairly easy to avoid if you are extremely vigilant.
One of the strongest indications that you're dealing with a scammer is if they assure that they can deliver a specific result. When it comes to negotiating with the IRS or state tax authorities, there are simply no guarantees, and a qualified and ethical tax relief professional will know this, and tell you as much. The unfortunate fact is that, while the IRS does have programs permitting people to negotiate a reduced tax bill, they only apply to people in extreme instances, who are unable to pay their taxes through no fault of their own. Most Westminster, California residents will not be qualified.
Another red flag to look for is a demand of a large up-front payment. Many tax relief scammers in Westminster will not even pretend to try and assist you. Rather, they simply take the money and disappear, sometimes after making further, and illegal, charges to your credit card or withdrawals from your bank account.
How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in Westminster, California Help?
If you are encountering trouble paying the taxes that you owe in Westminster, California, and are seeking tax relief, you should speak with a knowledgeable local tax attorney before you pay anyone else to help you.
A good Westminster, California tax attorney can give you honest, unbiased legal advice that will be useful in handling any problem you have with your taxes. Of course, as you probably know, honest advice is, more often than not, the opposite of what one wants to hear, even if it is more useful than whatever puffery you'll hear from a scammer. Plus, in the extremely unlikely event that your tax attorney defrauds you, it will be much easier to seek legal action against a licensed attorney than against some scammer who likely doesn't use his or her real name.