Philadelphia Tax Advisor and Tax Services

It comes down to what you need done. Reviewing one late return is quick. An audit with several issues, a garnishment, a payroll tax case or an Offer in Compromise each takes much more time and paperwork. The only honest quote comes after someone has looked at your notices, filing history, balances and financial records. When you compare quotes, check whether they include the document prep, the IRS calls and the follow up, not just the first step.

Yes. A CPA is licensed by a state board, in Pennsylvania's case the State Board of Accountancy, and can perform audits of financial statements, along with tax and accounting work. "Tax advisor" isn't a license at all; it's a general label. An Enrolled Agent is licensed by the U.S. Treasury specifically for tax and has unlimited rights to represent taxpayers before the IRS. Our founder is an Enrolled Agent, not a CPA. For an IRS problem, the key question is whether the person is allowed to sign a Form 2848 and speak for you.

Pretty much anything on the federal side. An Enrolled Agent can handle audits, collection cases, payment plans, penalty requests, Offers in Compromise and back returns, for any taxpayer in any state. In practice, that means we read the notices, prepare the documents, deal with the IRS directly and explain what each option will cost you and require from you before you agree to it.

They can. First Time Abate relief works if the prior three years were clean. Reasonable cause works when something beyond your control, like illness, a death in the family or a disaster, caused the problem. We check your account transcripts first, confirm you're current on filing, then build the request with the documents the IRS will want to see.

Sometimes. An Offer in Compromise is approved only when the IRS agrees the full balance can't realistically be collected. It weighs your income, allowable living costs, equity in property and future earning power, and you must be current on returns. Many applicants would be better served by an installment agreement, so we run the numbers before deciding which way to go.

Call right away. A bank levy freezes funds for 21 days before the bank sends them to the IRS, and a wage levy keeps going every pay period until it's released. Have the IRS notice, your recent statements, pay stubs and a list of monthly expenses ready. With representation in place we can contact the IRS, show hardship if it applies, and set up terms that support a release. Keep filing and paying current taxes in the meantime.

Usually, yes. Before the IRS will approve a long term arrangement, it wants every required return on file. Late returns also swap the IRS's estimates for your actual numbers, and those are often lower. We prepare the missing years with the bigger plan in mind, since a refund in one year, a balance in another and the collection deadlines all affect which option works.

Yes, and the sooner the better. Missed payroll deposits and unfiled Form 941s grow fast, and the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty lets the IRS go after owners or officers personally. We review deposits, filed returns and payroll records, get current quarters back on track and work with the IRS on the past due amounts. Contractors with federal work also get a look at how the fix fits their GovCon accounting.