PROBABLY NOT.  We know tax problems are stressful and some cases are more complicated than others.  However, from our experience, 99% of the time, the IRS wants your money more than they want your freedom.  This doesn’t mean the IRS won’t pursue criminal prosecution in certain circumstances, but if you stop procrastinating and take action before it’s too late, you should be able to avoid jail time.  Our firm has successfully represented and helped clients avoid jail time who hadn’t filed in 20+ years as well as ones who owed the IRS $10,000,000+ (10 million plus).

Assuming your case remains civil (versus criminal), the IRS still has the power to seize your house and other assets, levy and empty out your bank accounts, garnish your wages, and more.  They are the most powerful collection agency in the world, and they can ruin your financial life in an instant if you let them.  Needless to say, the IRS is going to aggressively attempt to collect as much money as they can from you to pay down your debt in the shortest amount of time.  If our firm takes on your case, we have the ability to represent and protect you, your assets, and your income stream.  We can help you negotiate the best long-term resolution possible without ongoing fear that the IRS is going to pursue escalated collection against you. 

MOST LIKELY – YES.  We have helped hundreds of clients save many millions of dollars while successfully resolving their tax problems.  We can confidently say that there are very few situations where we wouldn’t be able to intervene and help you.  Unless you are under criminal investigation by the IRS or your case is so small that the cost of our firm taking on your case would exceed the cost to pay the IRS, we should be able to help you. 

99% of the time – NO.  Once we file a valid Power of Attorney with the IRS on your behalf, the IRS is no longer allowed to contact you directly via phone, e-mail, or in-person.  Once we begin representing you, you should not have to talk to or meet with the IRS at all during the entire time we are representing you.  As part of our representation services, we will handle all the meetings, phone calls, e-mails, and other correspondence with the IRS on your behalf so we can help you permanently resolve your tax problem.  Please note that the IRS can and will continue to send you letters in the mail, but that should be the extent of the communication they are allowed to have with you while we are representing you.

YES – ABSOLUTELY.  Obviously if you have already been levied/garnished then it makes your case much more complicated and threatening.  However, if we end up taking your case on after you have been levied/garnished, we should be able to get all levies/garnishments released.  Once we have successfully done that, we should also be able to negotiate a long-term and permanent resolution for your case.    

YES – ABSOLUTELY.  Tax liens are a much less severe form of collection action as compared to an asset seizure, bank levy, or wage garnishment.  Our firm understands all the complexities associated with tax liens and has the capability of helping you resolve any tax lien problems you have.    

MAYBE.  Your first step is to schedule a Tax Strategy Session with one of our specialists who can get a better understanding of your case and can determine if we are even able to help you.  Unfortunately, we are not able to take on every case as our firm is selective with who we will work with based on who we think we can help.  Once you schedule your initial Tax Strategy Session with us, it is very important that you are fully transparent about your situation so we can make an accurate assessment of your case.  Once we have all the facts about your case, we will be able to make a determination of whether or not we can accept you as a client as well as what the price for our services will be. 

In most situations, we will let you know immediately after your Tax Strategy Session whether or not you are eligible for our services and whether or not we are willing to take your case on.  However, some cases are unique or more complex in nature and we may need to take up to 72 hours after your Tax Strategy Session to review your case before making a decision as to whether we can accept you as a client or not. 

Obviously, every case is unique and so the price for our services is going to vary based on the time, complexity, amounts owed, number of tax years involved, etc.  During your initial Tax Strategy Session, we will be able to show you our menu of prices based on the services required and associated with your specific case.  Effective 1/1/2025, our minimum price on any new case that involves and requires our full representation is $5,500.

NO – 99% of the time.  We understand that no one wants to worry about running up an hourly bill or getting nickel-and-dimed for every single meeting, e-mail, text, and phone call.  Our firm operates almost exclusively on a fixed pricing basis, meaning we will quote you a fixed price to resolve your tax problem and this fixed price includes all of the time, services, and expertise required to permanently resolve your tax problem – regardless of whether our engagement takes 3, 6, or 12 months.  This also means that if our engagement with you is a fixed price engagement, you will not be billed for meetings, e-mails, texts, phone calls, etc.  Additionally, our pricing is 100% transparent, so we will let you know ahead of time exactly how much it’s going to cost so you aren’t left with any surprises.  We are a highly ethical firm and committed to honoring all of our fixed pricing engagements unless for some reason it becomes unreasonable to do so based on your unique circumstances.

MAYBE – if you qualify.  Many taxpayers are able to settle their tax debt for much less than they actually owe.  If you can prove to the IRS that you are experiencing a financial hardship and can’t afford to pay your tax debt, then you could be a good candidate for the IRS’ Offer-In-Compromise (OIC) program.  Unfortunately, not everyone qualifies to make an OIC.  In fact, the IRS usually only accepts between 30-40% of all the OIC’s submitted in any given year.  Because of this, it’s critical you work with our firm, because we can give you the best chance at having your OIC accepted.  OIC’s need to be strategically prepared and filed and most tax professionals and attorneys do not specialize in this particular area of taxes.  Fortunately, our firm does.  If you needed your kidney replaced, would you let your dentist perform this surgery on you?  Of course not, and your tax matters should be treated no differently.  YOU NEED A SPECIALIST IN TAX RESOLUTION – which is exactly what our firm specializes in.

If you go to court for a criminal matter, there are no guarantees as to what your outcome will be.  The judge and jury have the final say inside the courtroom and dealing with the IRS is no different.  It would be illegal for us to guarantee you any kind of results related to your tax matters and potential outcomes.  However, we do guarantee that we will always work vigorously and professionally for you and to advocate for you to ensure you get the absolute best and most permanent resolution possible.  We can also guarantee with 99% certainty, that if we take on your case that you will not have to meet with or talk to the IRS at all during the entire time we are representing you.

Unfortunately, the IRS (and other taxing authorities) ultimately will have the final say regarding your tax matters, so beware if anyone tells you otherwise.  Despite this, the IRS is required to follow the law and a very specific set of guidelines.  You as a taxpayer do have rights and our firm has the expertise to do everything in our power to make sure that the IRS follows its own rules and that you are receiving fair treatment based on your circumstances.

First off, remember that tax problems typically don’t surface overnight.  Also, keep in mind that the Federal Government and the IRS do not move quickly on anything.  With that said, some problems can be resolved in a matter of weeks, and some can take 12 months or more.  The time frame varies based on the complexity of your situation.  We will be able to give you a more accurate time frame once we complete our initial investigation and analysis of your situation.  From our experience, clients who receive the best results are those who are patient.  We have developed a proprietary Tax Resolution System that can work for you, but it doesn’t produce results instantaneously.  It requires strategic planning and implementation.

YES – ABSOLUTELY.  Most people that have IRS tax problems haven’t filed in a few years.  It’s a very common problem and you’re not alone.  In fact, you shouldn’t be embarrassed because IRS statistics show that more than $13,000,000 (13 million) people were delinquent on their tax returns in 2016.  In our many years practicing before the IRS, we’ve talked to many, many people who had a rough patch in their life that kept them from filing and paying their taxes.  IRS tax problems happen to good people.  Sometimes people get sick and can’t work or someone loses their job.  It’s terrible because there’s no money to pay the taxes one year and so they decide not to file.  Then the next year they are afraid they are going to get caught and they don’t file again.  This happens frequently to many people, but they don’t realize that the worst thing you can do is not file your returns.  Our firm can help you get current on your tax filings and give you the peace of mind you deserve.   

YES – ABSOLUTELY.  And they won’t hesitate to do so if you owe them money and are ignoring them.  The IRS actually has a lot of power over your life.  They can garnish as much as 75% of your net paycheck and seize all the money in your bank accounts. 

YES – they can take that money too.  They have that much power.  They don’t care about your Social Security, Pension, 401(k), IRA, or other retirement account.  They are the collection arm of the United States Treasury and if they think you have their money then they will do whatever necessary to obtain it.

YES – without a doubt.  In addition to your wages, bank accounts, and retirement money – they can also take all of your personal property.  This includes your car, real estate or rental property, motorcycle, jet skis, golf clubs, snowmobiles, boats, jewelry, etc.  If you owe them – they will try to collect and won’t go away until they do.

Sadly, the United States is in a lot of debt.  With the mortgage crisis, the Wall Street fiasco, the Great Recession, and the COVID-19 pandemic – the Government’s books are loaded with liabilities.  So, they need revenue to help pay off this debt.  That’s why their collection activity against you is so severe and punishing.  The U.S. is dependent on collecting tax revenues in order to pay the country’s bills.

The IRS does not like to be ignored.  They will continue to assess penalties and interest until your balance is paid-in-full.  If you ignore the letters the IRS sends you then the penalties, they charge can be up to 100% MORE than if you responded to their letters and set up a formal payment agreement.  We’ve seen many taxpayers dig themselves into a much deeper hole with the IRS by ignoring the IRS’ correspondence.  Don’t make this mistake – STOP PROCRASTINATING!

YES – ABSOLUTELY.  If you have REASONABLE CAUSE and can make a good argument to the IRS, then you may qualify to have your penalties reduced to ZERO.  The IRS has over 148 different types of penalties they can hit you with and most of them can be abated if your case is reasonable.  We’ve helped clients have penalties abated for: medical reasons, bad accountants, ignorance of the tax laws, ex-spouses, military call-ups, fires, floods, alcoholism, drug abuse, death, and even relying on IRS advice.  You may be pleasantly surprised at what you qualify for, and the savings could be huge.  You should never settle for paying the penalties the IRS assesses you if you have a reasonable argument as to why you shouldn’t have to pay them.

NO – not really.  Unfortunately, the IRS will assess you interest on any outstanding balance you owe.  This interest will continue to accrue until your balance is paid-in-full.  It is not possible for interest to be abated.  However, if you are successful receiving a penalty abatement, the IRS will credit your account for the interest you’ve accrued and been assessed on the penalty amount.   

MAYBE – but it depends on your situation.  Anytime an IRS tax lien is placed against you, it is a public legal notice that the IRS has a formal claim against the asset named in the lien.  Once an IRS tax lien is filed, it tells the public that the IRS intends to get paid first on any of your outstanding debts.  Additionally, this tax lien makes it nearly impossible for you to sell any of your assets and will have a drastically negative affect on your credit report.  We can help you make the best case to the IRS as to why they should remove your tax lien.  There are various criteria the IRS will consider, and we know the best strategies to help you get the best results with your current tax lien.

YES – ABSOLUTELY.  Although our most frequent tax problems involve the IRS, many of our clients also have tax problems with the state (or various states).  We can protect you from these taxing agencies also and make sure you get the best results possible.  Regardless of your physical location compared to ours, our firm has the ability to represent you regarding state tax matters with almost all 50 states.  

PROBABLY NOT.  There are several reasons you don’t want your current CPA, attorney, accountant, or tax advisor negotiating with the IRS on your behalf:

1. They are not independent and have a built-in bias towards your situation (for good or bad).
2. They do not specialize in tax problem resolution – our firm solves tax problems all day, every day.
3. They may be more concerned about protecting themselves and their professional liability since they prepared your tax returns – this would not make them a good advocate for you.
4. They probably don’t really want to deal with your tax problem anyway because they know they don’t have much experience negotiating with the IRS and they genuinely care about you and don’t want to make your situation worse.

PROBABLY NOT.  We have nothing against anyone who has worked for the IRS as there are many great people who have.  However, when it comes to solving your tax problem, do you really want someone representing you who is probably receiving a pension from the IRS?  How are they going to independently represent you when they are getting paid by the IRS at the same time?  This is the epitome of a conflict of interest.  Additionally, someone who has worked for the IRS has been trained to enforce the IRS’ rules and collect money from taxpayers.  IRS employees are trained to follow very specific procedures and work within a pre-determined set of rules and guidelines.  They are not trained on how to help people who are having tax problems.  From our experience, a better advocate for you is someone who has an independent opinion and can help you create a customized resolution plan to solve your tax problem.  IRS problems are very complicated to solve, and no two cases are ever the same.  In your current situation, you need someone who can think “outside-the-box” and develop a customized solution specific to you.  If you were accused of a crime, would you want to hire an experienced criminal defense attorney to represent you or a former prosecutor who is receiving a government pension and is now transitioning into the criminal defense world?  Of course you’d prefer the experienced criminal defense attorney who has handled hundreds of cases like yours.  Your tax matters should be treated no differently.

Our firm does not prepare financial statements, conduct audits, provide bookkeeping services, or offer most of the other services that your typical CPA and accounting firms offer. We also do not provide estate planning, bankruptcy representation, or any general legal services. Why not? Because that’s not what we are great at. We are experts in representing troubled taxpayers before the IRS and getting them the best results possible. Do your other options specialize in Tax Problem Resolution? Be sure to ask them what they specialize in. How comfortable would you feel about your general practitioner doctor diagnosing you with an emergency medical condition, then driving you to the hospital, taking your x-ray, wheeling you to the ER, and then conducting the emergency procedure on you – all by himself? I know that wouldn’t make me feel very comfortable – I’d want to see a specialist.

MAYBE – BUT BEWARE. Do you want someone halfway across the country representing you that you can’t meet with in-person? How can you trust them? Do you want to take the risk of dealing with non-licensed sales professionals? Did you know that when you call many of the large, tax relief companies that the person you are talking to does not have a professional license? They are trained sales professionals who are experienced in closing sales and know very little about dealing with the IRS. Their goal is to close the sale and get you to fork up your cash. Only then will they consider passing you along to one of the licensed professionals. Once you potentially deal with the licensed professional, you’ll probably get a highly impersonal and non-customized client experience, where their goal is to close your case as quickly as possible – regardless of the resolution. This way they can “churn” through as many clients as possible and they know you have no recourse since they are thousands of miles away. Is this really the type of professional representation and experience you want to have? Our services are always highly customized to our clients to ensure they get the best results possible. You will always deal with experienced professionals and our firm does not employ pushy sales tactics.

YES – ABSOLUTELY.  We have worked with clients in all 50 states as well as clients who are no longer living in the U.S.  Although we always enjoy our local clients that we can meet with face-to-face on a regular basis, it is definitely not required and often times not necessary.  Where you live in relation to our office will have no impact on our ability to help you achieve the best results possible with the IRS.

In short, you can try.  BUT – how much experience do you have resolving tax problems?  Do you really want to have to answer interrogating questions from a highly seasoned IRS agent?  Do you want to risk the possibility of lying to a Federal Agent?  If you had to go to court for a criminal matter, would you represent yourself in court or hire a specialized attorney?  By dealing with the IRS directly, you are opening yourself up to self-incrimination and to possibly making your situation worse.  We know how to protect you and how to navigate the IRS’ maze.

We understand your concerns and worries.  We have worked with many clients who have fallen victim to scams or to professionals who made empty promises.  We would encourage you to read all our online reviews (Google, Yelp, Facebook, etc.)  Additionally, Toph Sheldon, Cincinnati Tax Resolution’s Founder is a licensed CPA in good standing in the state of Ohio.  We would encourage you to call the Ohio Accountancy Board at: (614) 466-4135 to get more information on him and his history with the accountancy board.  Please reference his CPA number of:  CPA#47109. 

It is our company policy to try and personally speak to all of our clients on the phone (or in person) a minimum of once per month.  We know communication is critical so we will stay in close contact with you throughout the duration of our engagement and keep you well informed of all activity regarding your case.   

Call us today at (513) 342-4000 and schedule a Tax Strategy Session.  We will discuss the process and our proprietary Tax Resolution System with you so you can get the protection you deserve.