fresh start program

What is the Fresh Start Program?

If you owe back taxes to the IRS or to the Georgia Department of Revenue, your ears may be tickled by radio and TV commercials that appear to claim that you can “resolve tax debts for pennies on the dollar.”

The offers are generally referred to as a ‘fresh start program’ and many taxpayers have come to know it by that name. The ‘promise’ made in these commercials is that these law firms can get your past tax debt negotiate away!

Contrary to that belief, the IRS does not have an ‘amnesty’ program for those who owe back taxes that they cannot pay. However, they sometimes may be willing to settle for less than what you owe. This requires that you meet certain criteria. And the actual name of the program that a taxpayer would participate in actually an “Offer in Compromise” (OIC) Program. 

In fact, only a small percentage of cases qualify for that level of back tax reduction. Tax settlement firms that advertise this way are primarily interested in the large fees they will charge new clients, seemingly without regard to the actual viability of the “pennies on the dollar” claim on most people’s unpaid tax situations.

Your ‘Fresh Start Program’ Attorney Should Advocate in Your Best Interests

A principled attorney is in the practice of law for the purpose of advocating on clients’ best interests. We interview and screen potential clients carefully in order to confidently predict which ones he can help before encouraging them to hire him to negotiate with the IRS.

In the words of the IRS, “An offer in compromise (OIC) is an agreement between a taxpayer and the Internal Revenue Service that settles the taxpayer’s tax liabilities for less than the full amount owed.” Negotiating the amount to be paid and a viable payment plan is a job for an attorney with ample experience dealing with IRS agents.

Resolve IRS Tax Problems With Guidance From Atlanta Tax Law Attorney

Are you looking for a knowledgeable and effective Atlanta attorney for offer in compromise representation before the IRS? For more information and insight into tax law issues, see attorney Cohen’s articles and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) on this website. To schedule a Free Phone Consultation regarding unpaid back taxes, call Mr. Cohen or send him an e-mail through this website.