Tax Relief Lawyers in Ashland

The term "tax relief" can refer to various different things in Ashland, Massachusetts. But, it is usually used to refer to some action that reduces the tax liability of an individual, corporation, or a certain category of individuals.

When you hear the term "tax relief" used by an elected official, or someone running for office, they're almost exclusively talking about tax cuts, which would apparently apply to the speaker's target audience. A tax cut is simply a reduction in the percentage of one's income (or whatever else is being taxed) that they have to pay in taxes.

However, when most people think of "tax relief," they are thinking of an individual, law firm, or corporation that claims to offer a way to get out of paying some or all of one's back taxes. They normally claim that they will have brilliant lawyers negotiate with the IRS or Massachusetts tax authorities, to reduce your tax liability. While some of these businesses are legitimate, there are also many scams in this area.

Tax Relief Scams in Ashland, Massachusetts

Scammers in Ashland, Massachusetts will commonly claim, for a fee of course, that they can get you out of your requirement to pay your taxes.

In the majority of cases, however, tax relief scammers in Ashland, Massachusetts have no actual capacity to reduce your legal liability to pay your taxes. However, these scams also have various 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 cases, who are unable to pay their taxes through no fault of their own. Most Ashland, Massachusetts residents will not be qualified.

And if a tax relief organization demands up-front payment, this should raise a big red flag for you. Many scammers in Ashland, whether they're vowing tax relief, or anything else, will take your money, and then disappear, without even pretending to try to assist you. The worst of the worst will also take the money you agreed to pay them, and then make unlawful charges to your credit card, or withdrawals from your bank account.

How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in Ashland, Massachusetts 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 talk with an Ashland, Massachusetts tax lawyer.

A qualified and reputable tax attorney in Ashland, Massachusetts 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.