Common Tax and Business Issues in Alpharetta (30004 Area Code)
The most common tax and business issues we encounter from the 30004 area code involve tax appeals dealing with the IRS office at the Atlanta location or the DOR Sales Tax Department.
The result is often an assessment of back taxes, interest, penalties – sometimes even criminal sanctions. However, those who are unfortunate enough to receive unfavorable adjustment rulings from an audit have more recourse than they realize.
IRS Audit Appeals: A Path for Taxpayers
Audits can be appealed similarly to lesser court rulings. In many cases, the Office of Appeals overturns (or at least modifies) the findings of the original audit in the taxpayer’s favor.
How Appeal Negotiations Work
- Appeal negotiations take place in person or by mail.
- The negotiations are informal.
- An appeals officer has the authority to settle a dispute based on what the IRS calls the hazards of litigation.
This means you’ll be more likely to get your tax bill lowered by convincing the agent there’s a significant chance the IRS will lose in tax court.
The IRS considers:
- Specific facts of your case
- Chances of both you and the IRS being able to prove the facts at a trial
- The strength of your legal arguments
- The practical realities of litigating the particular issue in court
The agent focuses on negotiating the specific issues involved, rather than entertaining a reduction of the overall tax bill.
What Happens After Negotiation?
- If there’s an agreement, the appeals agent prepares an agreement called a stipulation.
- Next, you discuss payment of the remaining tax.
- If you can’t reach an agreement, you can appeal the audit results to the federal tax court.
Understanding IRS Appeals Agents’ Role
IRS appeals agents are entirely independent of the opinions and conclusions of audit agents. They have considerable discretion in reviewing audits.
Important Consideration:
You could end up with a bigger tax bill than when you started.