Washington (Feb. 6, 2004) -- Tax professionals who cringe at the thought of local ads promoting services to settle with the Internal Revenue Service for "pennies on the dollar" are in good company -- the IRS itself is warning taxpayers to beware of such claims.
The agency is warning consumers that some promoters are inappropriately advising taxpayers to file an Offer in Compromise application. The IRS has the authority to settle, or "compromise," federal tax liabilities by accepting less than full payment under certain circumstances.
"This program serves an important purpose for a select group of taxpayers. But we are increasingly concerned about unscrupulous promoters charging excessive fees to taxpayers who have no chance of meeting the program's requirements," said IRS Commissioner Mark W. Everson. "We urge taxpayers not to be duped by high-priced promises."
-- WebCPA staff
