Meeting With the IRS: What Not to Do or Say

Few interactions in life are as nerve-wracking as meeting with the IRS. Thankfully, most correspondence occurs via snail mail. When, however, an in-person meeting proves necessary, what you say — or don’t say — can determine a lot about your future tax situation. Hence, the importance of following these critical guidelines:

Be Honest

No matter how bad your situation looks, you can quickly make it worse by uttering anything that the IRS could deem dishonest. Even seemingly minor instances of stretching the truth could get you in big trouble down the road. Resist the urge to sugarcoat your situation. When in doubt, silence is always better.

Don’t Provide Too Much Information

While it’s critical that you remain polite at all times, restraint is just as important. You may be tempted to provide details in the hopes of coming across as helpful, but this impulse could ultimately come back to haunt you. Instead, think of this as an opportunity to gain valuable insight into your situation. Why not let IRS representatives do most of the talking?

Work With an Enrolled Agent

In reality, there’s no need to chat with the IRS in the first place. It’s perfectly acceptable for a representative to handle difficult tax matters on your behalf. Even if you feel fully capable of explaining your situation, it may ultimately be in your best interest to let a tax resolution service take care of IRS concerns instead. This limits your risk of accidentally getting yourself into even more trouble. What’s more, your enrolled agent can secure a favorable resolution that might not be possible if you attempt to handle IRS negotiations on your own.

If you’re nervous about meeting with the IRS, don’t worry — the helpful team at the Highland Tax Group can free you of this burden. Contact us today to discover how you can benefit from our tax resolution services.