Tax Relief Lawyers in Lexington

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 Lexington, 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 brilliant 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 Lexington, Virginia

Scammers in Lexington, Virginia often claim that they can employ some exceptional method enabling you pay the IRS less than you actually owe, or even erase your tax debt.

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 Lexington, 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 cases, who are unable to pay their taxes through no fault of their own. Most Lexington, 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 Lexington, whether they're vowing 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 unlawful charges to your credit card, or withdrawals from your bank account.

How Can a Tax Relief Attorney in Lexington, Virginia Help?

If you owe a huge amount in back taxes, and are unable to pay them, it may well be helpful to seek the advice of a Lexington, Virginia tax attorney.

If you hire a reputable Lexington, Virginia tax lawyer, your attorney will be able to provide you with honest advice about your legal situations vis-à-vis your taxes. Fair warning: honest legal advice occasionally 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.