Tax relief for flood victims

“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times.”  When Dickens wrote his Tale of Two Cities, he wrote of more than times in the past, but for times we even share today.  My neighbors, friends and family in Tennessee learned this only too well earlier this month, when a “thousand year flood” ripped through homes, business and lives with an unrelenting force. ...

Tax Levy Relief is spelled r-e-l-e-a-s-e.

Whew! Fifty-seven minutes and counting on one phone call with one IRS collection agent. Three trips to the fax machine and one management referral later, my client will get his paycheck this Friday. Thanks to good staff effort, and good rapport, we got the job done again. It’s important whenever we call the IRS to understand the background and perspective of the person on the other...

TAO – Offer in compromise – Pennies on the dollar?

IRS enforcement efforts are subject to swings between more and less aggressiveness based on the national economy, revenue needs and pure politics.  In the Eighties and again in the late Nineties, Congress was moved by public pressure (including a certain 60 Minutes broadcast in which I was interviewed) to enact The Taxpayers’ Bill of Rights I and II.  As a result, a longstanding but...

Taxpayer Help From Tax Advocate One

Hi.  My name is Gary Dettloff.  Welcome to my blog.  I am a former IRS Attorney and Manager. Presently, I am Director of the Center for Tax & Strategic Planning in Michigan and Senior Tax Counsel at Waterford in Tennessee.  I serve clients throughout the United States, and overseas from Bangkok to Cairo.  This blog will offer information, ideas and perspectives about an American Tax...

The Truth Shall Set You Free

It’s true.  Just like the Bible says. A generation or two ago, the Soviet Union dominated a half billion people against their will.  The government controlled all major information outlets, broadcast and press.  So when President Reagan described the USSR as an “evil empire” there was no evidence of such a pronouncement within the Soviet bloc.  Except for one little thing.  The people...