I Received a Notice of Intent to Levy. What Can I Do to Stop That?

On: January 11, 2019

This is the first serious step in the IRS collection efforts to collect past due tax liabilities. You may want to consider hiring a tax professional at this time. There is no harm in you calling the IRS at this time, but you should not offer them any information. The purpose of your call is to get information for yourself. What is the status of IRS collection efforts? How much do you owe? Do you need to file past tax returns? Does the IRS have wage and income data for the years in question? If the IRS starts asking you questions, advise them that you need to consult with a tax professional before proceeding further. The IRS will understand and should back off. These are the questions a tax professional would initially ask the IRS about your case. The tax professional and you want to know what the IRS thinks is going on. You can then proceed and work to show them they are wrong. This is when a tax professional is sorely needed. They know the forms, standards and procedures the IRS uses, the exceptions to the rules and how to appeal a case when the IRS makes a wrong decision. This is one of the important reasons you should not offer up any information to the IRS should you call them yourself. You might be setting a trap for yourself and preventing the tax professional from later taking advantage of rules and procedures that the IRS has set out for your benefit. Remember: The IRS can proceed without your permission. It can seize bank accounts and garnish wages. A notice of intent to levy must be dealt with immediately. A tax professional will work with you and the IRS to set you up with best possible resolution available to avoid a possible IRS levy.