Tax Relief Lawyers in West Chicago

The term "tax relief" can refer to many different things in West Chicago, Illinois. But, it is normally used to refer to some action that reduces the tax liability of an individual, corporation, or a certain category of individuals.

When a politician or government official uses the term "tax relief," they are typically referring to tax cuts, which are simply a reduction in the tax rate for everyone, or some people.

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 West Chicago, Illinois

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

In most cases, however, these people have absolutely no legal means to truly help their "clients" ("victims" is the more accurate term), and will simply take your money and disappear. Fortunately, these scams in West Chicago, Illinois typically have a few elements that are dead giveaways, which you should always be on the look out for if you're considering hiring someone offering "tax relief."

One of the biggest warning signs that one should look for is an unequivocal promise that someone can eliminate your tax debt. This is simply not a promise that anyone can honestly make. While the IRS does have programs to advise people who are really unable to pay their back taxes, through no fault of their own, they only apply in the most extreme cases, so the vast majority of taxpayers in West Chicago, Illinois don't qualify for them.

Additionally, 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 West Chicago 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 unauthorized charges to it.

How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in West Chicago, Illinois Help?

If you find that you can't pay your taxes, and this is not a result of any fault or irresponsibility on your part, a tax attorney in West Chicago, Illinois may well be able to advise you.

A skilled and reputable tax attorney in West Chicago, 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.