Tax Relief Lawyers in Lewiston

The term "tax relief" can refer to various different things in Lewiston, Maine. 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 supposedly 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.

Increasingly, however, the general public is being inundated with advertisements on the Internet, the radio, and in print, from companies offering "tax relief" to consumers who owe back taxes in amounts that will be hard or impossible to pay back. These companies claim to have some distinct technique that can get Maine residents out of paying their taxes, or at least negotiate their final tax bill down to a smaller amount. Some of these companies are legitimate, but many of them are total frauds.

Tax Relief Scams in Lewiston, Maine

It is pretty common for scammers in Lewiston, Maine to claim that, for a comparatively small fee, they will help you get out of paying all of your taxes.

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

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 Lewiston, Maine 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 Lewiston will not even pretend to try and assist you. Rather, they simply take the money and disappear, sometimes after making further, and unlawful, charges to your credit card or withdrawals from your bank account.

How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in Lewiston, Maine 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 a Lewiston, Maine tax lawyer.

Your tax lawyer in Lewiston, Maine will be able to give you real, useful advice about your tax situation. Just be ready: your tax attorney will give you honest advice, whether or not that's what you want to hear. Additionally, in the unlikely event that a licensed tax attorney defrauds you (or attempts to defraud you), you will have considerable legal recourse against that attorney through your state bar association.