I have always considered myself a do-it-yourself type person. I just don’t agree with paying someone to do something that I can do myself. I recently purchased a home in the last year, and when something goes wrong, I will try to fix it myself. That’s just the way I am. But recently, I have come to a very significant realization: I am not able to fix everything. More importantly, if I can do it, I just might not do it well. I have realized the hard way that there are some situations better left to a professional.
A tax problem is another good example. Any taxpayer may choose to represent themselves before the IRS, and it is possible to facilitate tax negotiation without professional assistance. Yes it’s possible…BUT it can be difficult for a taxpayer to represent himself or herself effectively due to the lack of experience. This is similar to representing yourself in a court of law. Oh, it’s possible, but probably not the best route to take. You see, it is an IRS agent’s job to deal with taxpayers, but not a taxpayer’s job to deal wit the IRS. If the average taxpayer only knows to that they have to pay taxes and something bad happens if they don’t, I would not consider that existing knowledge to be the secret weapon in their arsenal. I am afraid they are going to get to the line and it’s game-set-match. IRS.
A tax problem is another good example. Any taxpayer may choose to represent themselves before the IRS, and it is possible to facilitate tax negotiation without professional assistance. Yes it’s possible…BUT it can be difficult for a taxpayer to represent himself or herself effectively due to the lack of experience. This is similar to representing yourself in a court of law. Oh, it’s possible, but probably not the best route to take. You see, it is an IRS agent’s job to deal with taxpayers, but not a taxpayer’s job to deal wit the IRS. If the average taxpayer only knows to that they have to pay taxes and something bad happens if they don’t, I would not consider that existing knowledge to be the secret weapon in their arsenal. I am afraid they are going to get to the line and it’s game-set-match. IRS.
If you find yourself in a situation where you believe you might be over your head, you probably are. That is why, especially in high-liability cases (cases involving more than $10,000), I would strongly advise that a taxpayer have good representation by a professional who is enrolled to practice before the IRS. Don’t try to be Mr. Fix-It or Mrs. Fix-it for that matter. As stated before, you can do it, but you might not do it well. Think about that before you take on the IRS.
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1 comment:
I agree. In this instance experience and expertise is worth it's weight in gold. That is one of the things I like most about Effectur. I have the wonderful advantage of sitting near our Enrolled Agents and I hear their telephone conversations with the IRS. It becomes more and more apparent that their experience is such an advantage to our clients. They are constantly referencing the Internal Revenue Manual and challenging the IRS on their decisions. It continues to validate for me the value we offer our clients with their knowledge.
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