When you owe back taxes to the IRS, you not only owe the money for the taxes, but you also owe interest and penalties on that money. The longer it takes you to pay, the faster this amount will grow. But, if you have a compelling reason why you didn’t pay your taxes in the first place, you may have a claim to have that penalty reduced or even eliminated.
This is called penalty abatement. The IRS will consider penalty abatement if you can prove that you attempted to pay your taxes, and have one of the following reasons for not meeting the deadline to pay:
- You weren’t able to get the proper documents
- There was a death, serious illness or unavoidable absence
- You received erroneous advice from your tax preparer
- You were involved in a natural disaster, fire or other catastrophe
To request penalty abatement, you want to make sure you have all of your documentation before you approach the IRS. That’s why you should come to Levy and Associates for help with your tax problem, first. We have many years of experience in dealing with the IRS and can advise you on whether you have a good claim for penalty abatement. We can also help you seek any other tax resolution for which you may be eligible. We are able to help — no matter what type of tax relief you need.