Tax Relief Lawyers in Cambridge
The term "tax relief" can refer to many different things in Cambridge, Massachusetts. But, it is typically 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 always 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 usually claim that they will have skilled 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 Cambridge, Massachusetts
Scammers in Cambridge, Massachusetts will often claim, for a fee of course, that they can get you out of your obligation to pay your taxes.
But buyer beware: these scammers in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and elsewhere, cannot possibly deliver on their promises, and they know it. Luckily, most tax relief scams have a few common factors that can give them away to vigilant consumers.
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 assist people who are truly 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 Cambridge, Massachusetts don't qualify for them.
Furthermore, you need to know that anyone demanding payment before they perform any services in Cambridge probably doesn't have your interests in mind. If you pay a scammer up front, they'll probably just run off with your money, and you'll never hear from them again.
How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in Cambridge, Massachusetts 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 Cambridge, Massachusetts may well be able to help you.
If you hire a good Cambridge, Massachusetts tax lawyer, your attorney will be able to provide you with honest advice about your legal situations vis-Ã -vis your taxes. Fair warning: honest legal advice sometimes doesn't involve telling you what you want to hear. However, the advice of an attorney will be far more useful than anything most "tax relief" companies tell you. Plus, in the very rare event that your attorney tries to defraud you, you have much more legal recourse against them than you would have against some fly-by-night "tax relief" company.