One of the most devastating acts that the IRS can take when you owe back taxes is to garnish your wages, also sometimes called “attaching” your wages. When they do this, it means that they have a portion of your paycheck withheld every pay and sent directly to them.
This form of collection can often leave people unable to pay their other bills like mortgage or rent, utilities, and even groceries.
When you face a wage garnishment — formally known as a wage levy — it can be terrifying and subject you to crushing stress. You may not know what to do, how you are going to keep a roof over your head, or where to turn for help.
That’s where Instant Tax Solutions comes into the picture.
We have many years of experience correcting unfair wage garnishments and other IRS tax levies such as property seizure, frozen bank accounts, and more. We are ready to review your finances, prove to the IRS that their collections efforts are unfair, and help you to find relief from your tax burden.
Seek Portland IRS Wage Garnishment Help
The IRS does offer options to reduce or remove wage garnishment, but it can be complex to get this sort of relief. Recourse from wage garnishment requires that you prove specific circumstances, such as severe financial hardship caused by the garnishment of your wages.
Offering evidence the IRS accepts can require help from a seasoned tax relief company like Instant Tax Solutions. We have made a career out of a single sole mission, and that is to help you get your financial feet under you once more.
The first step for many is getting those wage garnishments removed so you can actually start paying back what you owe.
Our Portland tax relief attorneys — from CPAs to tax lawyers, researchers, and beyond — bring decades of collective experience to the table. They all also share a common goal to reduce or eliminate your tax burden with honesty and transparency.
We are only a phone call away.
For many, it turns out that they actually owe less than the IRS claims; the agency is not perfect, and they make mistakes when they assess tax obligations. In addition, when they perform their own assessments, they do not apply deductions and credits.
We can go over your financial records and correct these errors.
Finally, we can represent your interests to the IRS. We can reach out to the agency, take the necessary steps to get things back on track, and even help you access programs you may not be aware existed.
More importantly, we give you peace of mind and room to breathe.
How Does Portland IRS Wage Garnishment Removal Work?
Wage garnishment is a type of tax levy, the most severe form of collections effort the IRS can take, and usually a last resort for the agency. To receive wage garnishment removal, you must first prove that you are in a situation that merits having the levy removed.
The agency does understand that, in many cases, wage garnishment creates serious financial hardship. They may be willing, in these cases, to replace the garnishment with some sort of other arrangement to pay down the debt.
You must, however, take the right steps.
Can I Get a Full Portland IRS Wage Garnishment Release?
Depending on the type of claim you make, you may receive a full or partial wage garnishment release from the IRS. There are many ways you may do this, and it is important to choose the right path for your situation.
Even if you are refused, you may often be able to appeal the decision. It is vital, however, to seek help from a seasoned and expert tax relief company to get the best chance for success.
What Are the Types of Wage Garnishments?
There are several types of wage levies the IRS can bring against you. These include the following:
- Employer wage garnishment: This type of wage garnishment means that the IRS contacts your employer and informs them they must withhold a portion of your wages every pay period and send them to the IRS until your debt is paid.
- 1099 wage garnishment: This form of levy takes all of your earnings from a single freelance or gig-work job. Unlike employer garnishment, a 1099 garnishment is a one-time action and not ongoing. The agency may, however, file additional 1099 garnishments if needed.
- Social security garnishment: For federal employees or those on social security, the IRS can garnish a portion of your federal income from these sources. It works similarly to employer wage garnishment but attaches to federal income rather than standard W2 income.
Other Forms of Levies
In addition to directly attaching your wages, the IRS can also freeze your bank accounts, instructing the bank to send them the money you owe right from your finances. They may also seize any property you own that has value, including your house, car, jewelry, or heirlooms.
Many people are unaware that the IRS can issue a levy regardless of whether you receive a notice of it. So long as they can show that they sent the letter via certified mail to a known address, they may issue a levy.
This is why it is so important to have representation from qualified tax relief professionals.
How Can I Seek IRS Wage Garnishment Removal?
Several strategies can offer relief from an IRS wage levy. These include paying down what you owe, seeking an appeal, filing a hardship claim, or seeking other forms of tax relief.
Understand that this process can take weeks or even months and requires hard proof of your situation. It takes patience and perseverance to succeed — and Instant Tax Solutions will be by your side every step of the way.
Pay What You Owe
The IRS, obviously, prefers that you simply pay them what they say you owe. Of course, you may not think you owe this much, or you may not have that much to pay all at once.
If this is the case, you will need to seek additional forms of abatements.
Filing an Appeal
You can almost always appeal an IRS decision. In the case of a wage levy, you should receive a Final Notice of Intent to Levy.
This letter will give you instructions on your next step, including how to pursue your right to a hearing. You will have 30 days from the letter’s date to file your appeal.
Most often, appeals are filed when you think the amount the IRS says you owe is unfair or incorrect or when you believe an administrative mistake has led to the action they are taking.
Claim of Financial Hardship
Among the most common reasons people present to the IRS for removing a wage levy is that the levy causes unreasonable economic hardship. It is not uncommon for such a levy to attach so much of a person’s pay that they can no longer pay their rent or mortgage and stand to lose their home, the car they need to get to work or utilities.
If you can establish that the levy interferes with your basic living expenses, you may be able to seek relief. Documenting such economic hardship in a way the IRS accepts can be tricky, however.
This is why it is a good idea to seek help from Instant Tax Solutions. We can put together the records and proof that you are due economic hardship relief.
Seeking an Offer in Compromise
Sometimes, if you can manage to pay off a reduced amount of taxes, the IRS will accept that as payment in full. This is called an offer in compromise.
You must negotiate such an offer with the IRS, including the total amount to pay, the means by which you will pay (lump sum or installment agreement), and the schedule you will follow.
Installment Plans
The IRS is often willing to consider allowing you to pursue a payment plan instead of garnishing your wages. Since wage garnishment is a last resort for the agency, they can sometimes be less willing to listen to offers of an installment plan.
If you have help from ITS, however, we can put together the package you need to get them to listen.
If they agree to an installment plan, they will then release the wage levy. It is vital, however, that you stick to the plan once it is established, and Instant Tax Solutions can also help you create a plan you can follow.
Fee and Penalty Abatement
Along with late taxes always come fees and penalties, which also accrue interest. We can negotiate with the IRS to remove these fees and penalties, and the interest will then go as well. This can significantly reduce the amount you owe.
Amended Tax Returns
After you file a tax return, you have up to three years to amend that return. Often, an amended return can help you take advantage of credits you did not know you could take or deductions you did not realize were available.
You may be able to reduce the core amount of back taxes you owe and, in some cases, even eliminate them. ITS can help you go over your records and put together a corrected tax return.
Seek Experienced, Professional IRS Wage Garnishment Help
If you are facing a wage levy from the IRS, Instant Tax Solutions may be able to help. We will help you go through your financial records and look for ways to reduce your tax burden and get those garnishments lifted.
All it takes is a simple phone call or email. Reach out at (888) 363-8958 or use our online form to schedule a no-obligation, free, confidential case review today. You have nothing to lose and financial freedom to gain.
