Tax Relief Lawyers in Forest Park

"Tax relief" in Forest Park, Illinois can refer to a wide range of subjects. However, it almost always refers to lowering the tax liability, either of an individual, or a group of people.

When the term "tax relief" is used in the media, it's typically in the context of a politician, or someone running for elected office, promising that they'll reduce tax rates. Basically, "tax relief" is, in this context, another term for "tax cut."

However, many people in the general public, especially in these troubled economic times, often hear the words "tax relief" used in a completely different context. The phrase has become synonymous with businesses and individuals who claim they have some special method to help you lower your tax liability in Illinois. 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 Forest Park, Illinois

Many scammers in Forest Park, Illinois claim that they can completely discharge you of your obligation to pay your taxes - for a fee, of course.

But you should beware: no honest tax relief business in Forest Park, Illinois will make such promises, because they know it's almost always impossible to deliver on them. Fortunately, there are some 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 unequivocal guarantee that they can lower your tax bill. While there are some legal ways to try and reduce your tax obligation, including negotiating with the IRS, there is no guarantee that they will succeed. And although the IRS does have programs to advise people who are really unable to pay for their taxes, they are only available to very small subset of the population, and most Forest Park, Illinois taxpayers aren't suitable to participate in them.

Additionally, you should be wary of anyone promising tax relief, but demands payment immediately, before they truly do anything. Many scammers in Forest Park will convince their victims to pay them upfront, and then simply take the money and run. They may even make additional, unauthorized, charges to your credit card or bank account.

How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in Forest Park, Illinois Help?

If you find that you are unable to pay your taxes, through no fault of your own, you may be tempted to answer an advertisement for a "tax relief" company. Before that, you should speak with a Forest Park, Illinois tax lawyer.

A skilled and reputable tax attorney in Forest Park, Illinois will give you objective legal advice on how to handle a tax law issue. A knowledgeable 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.