Tax Relief Lawyers in Des Moines

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 Des Moines, Washington, 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 in the general public, particularly in these troubled economic times, often hear the words "tax relief" used in a totally different context. The phrase has become synonymous with businesses and individuals who claim they have some exceptional method to help you lower your tax liability in Washington. While some of these offers are legitimate, many of them are scams, and if you hire them, you'll end up in a worse position than you were before.

Tax Relief Scams in Des Moines, Washington

Scammers in Des Moines, Washington will often 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 Des Moines, Washington 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 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 Des Moines, Washington residents will not be eligible.

Another red flag to look for is a demand of a large up-front payment. Many tax relief scammers in Des Moines will not even pretend to try and help you. Instead, 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 Des Moines, Washington 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 Des Moines, Washington tax lawyer.

Your tax lawyer in Des Moines, Washington 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. Furthermore, in the unlikely event that a licensed tax attorney defrauds you (or attempts to defraud you), you will have significant legal recourse against that attorney through your state bar association.