Tax Relief Lawyers in Abingdon

The term "tax relief" can mean a few different things. Occasionally, it's used to refer to action that lowers the amount of taxes that people or businesses are required to pay in Abingdon, Virginia, or elsewhere.

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

However, many people associate the phrase "tax relief" with individuals, corporations, or law firms that offer services claiming to reduce or eliminate one's tax liability - getting them out of their requirement to pay the taxes. Most of the time, they'll say that they have experienced negotiators on their staff who can negotiate with the tax collectors in Virginia or the IRS, to lower your tax bill. Some of these businesses are honest, and have the best interests of their customers in mind. However, many of them are scams.

Tax Relief Scams in Abingdon, Virginia

Many scammers in Abingdon, Virginia claim that they can completely relieve you of your requirement to pay your taxes - for a fee, of course.

However, in most cases, these people have no capacity or intent to help their "clients," and will simply take the money and run. In order to spot a tax relief scam, there are a few things that residents of Abingdon, Virginia can look for.

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 competent and ethical tax relief professional will know this, and tell you as much. The unfortunate fact is that, while the IRS does have programs allowing people to negotiate a reduced tax bill, they only apply to people in extreme instances, who are unable to pay their taxes through no fault of their own. Most Abingdon, Virginia residents will not be eligible.

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

How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in Abingdon, Virginia 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 Abingdon, Virginia tax lawyer.

A good Abingdon, Virginia tax attorney can give you honest, unbiased legal advice that will be useful in handling any problem you have with your taxes. Of course, as you probably know, honest advice is, more often than not, the opposite of what one wants to hear, even if it is more useful than whatever puffery you'll hear from a scammer. Plus, in the extremely unlikely event that your tax attorney defrauds you, it will be much easier to seek legal action against a licensed attorney than against some scammer who likely doesn't use his or her real name.