What to Do If a Revenue Officer Shows Up?

On: June 5, 2020

A revenue officer is a person who collects back taxes and enforces the filing of back tax returns. The IRS normally sends revenue officers to collect taxes when taxpayers have not set up a payment agreement with them, or when they owe large amounts of fees, back taxes, or have unfiled back tax returns. A revenue officer can show up unannounced if you or your business owes a significant amount of back taxes or has failed to file tax returns for several years. Hiding from the IRS or negotiating with the revenue officer on your own is a mistake, that can lead you into further problems. Contact an experienced tax attorney to protect your assets.

Why an IRS Revenue Officer Shows Up?

The Revenue Officer’s job is to collect your delinquent taxes. If you owe back taxes, an IRS Revenue Officer may contact you unannounced. This gives an impression to the taxpayer that the IRS is serious about collecting due taxes and is within the IRS’s policy. IRS will contact you at your business place first if your business owes taxes. IRS will contact you at your home if you owe individual income taxes. If the officer came to see you in your absence, he would leave his or her business card for you. IRS Revenue Officers usually collect on significant payroll tax delinquencies rather than smaller income tax delinquencies. Still, you may receive an unannounced visit from a Revenue Officer depending on the nature of your case and the IRS’s priorities.

How to Tell If the Revenue Officer Is Legitimate?

Phone and in-person IRS scams are common these days, so if someone claiming to be an IRS Revenue Officer shows up at your door, you must verify whether he is an impersonator or legitimate. Legitimate revenue officers will provide you with two forms of identification. The first is the pocket commission, and the other is the HSPD-12 card. You have the legal right to confirm the revenue officer’s identity by calling the dedicated IRS telephone number.

How the Revenue Officer Collects Payments?

IRS Revenue Officers use numerous different options for collecting payments for delinquent taxes. The method they use depends on your situation and your assets or business assets. After due process, IRS Revenue Officers can seize your personal or business property. Do not ignore the letters sent to you by the IRS, especially those sent by certified mail, as doing this may make you miss your opportunity to contest the seizure or request a review. IRS Revenue Officers can also freeze your bank account. Again, you are entitled to fight such wage garnishments. The IRS can also claim your property through a federal tax lien.

How to Respond to a Revenue Officer?

Be cautious in how you respond to and interact with an IRS Revenue Officer assigned to your case. The IRS Revenue Officer may provide you Form 433-B, which clearly states the amount the IRS can collect from you each month. Do not try to fill this form out yourself before contacting an experienced tax attorney. Filling out this form in the presence of a Revenue Officer only may lock you into an unaffordable installment payment plan, or that is more than you rightfully owe. The Revenue Officer can only enter public areas if they have a warrant or you permit them. If the Revenue Officer has a warrant, they will usually bring law enforcement too. It is not required for you to let them in your house. Note their name and identification number from their identification card and inform them that you are getting representation before proceeding further. Whatever type of tax problems you are experiencing, always make sure to call Leading Tax Group and don’t attempt to do it yourself.