Since October 15th falls on a Saturday in 2011, this year’s deadline is Monday, October 17th.

Atlanta tax attorneys and the best IRS tax relief firms in Georgia are reminding clients that if they filed an IRS Form 4868 for a tax extension last spring, the deadline to file a return is coming soon. The extension deadline is normally on October 15th, but because the 15th falls on a Saturday in 2011, this year’s deadline is Monday, October 17th.

Filing a tax extension Form 4868 by the April tax deadline (usually the 15th) allows a taxpayer or an Atlanta tax lawyer more time to gather together the necessary paperwork in order to file an accurate tax return. It does not give more time to pay the taxes that are due. Those must be paid in full by the April deadline, even if you have to make an educated guess as to the amount. The good news, as the best Atlanta tax attorneys will tell you, is if you paid at least 90% of what was due on time in April, the remaining money you owe will not be assessed a late penalty. If your newly completed return indicates that you overpaid, you will receive a refund. Interest accrues on any balance due as of April 15th. If you underpaid by more than 10%, you will be assessed penalties on the unpaid taxes.

If you have any questions about the approaching tax extension deadline and what it means for you, or need help with your unpaid taxes, please call your Atlanta tax lawyer or the staff at The Gartzman Law Firm at 770-939-7710.

If the IRS is making your life miserable with threats and harassment, a reputable Atlanta tax attorney is your best shot at tax relief. An expert in tax resolution, he or she will walk you through the best options to try to fix your IRS tax problems, find tax relief, and settle tax debt, tackle IRS tax disputes, settle back taxes and resolve tax debt, tax audits, tax appeals, and tax liens and levies with effective legal counsel.

While most people quake at the thought of taking on the IRS, Atlanta tax lawyers are the specialists you need to successfully handle your tax audit or appeal and settle your tax debt for the lowest amount in full compliance with the tax laws.

Your professional Atlanta tax attorney should have years and years of experience dealing with the IRS, and coming out a winner. He or she will know the ins and outs of the tax code and use it to get you tax relief.

Whether you have a problem with Georgia state tax resolution, settling back taxes and IRS debt, tax appeals, tax liens or levies, your Atlanta tax lawyer will bring you top-notch legal and tax counsel. They will walk you through the best legal course of action, examining the details of your unique situation and bring palatable options to resolve your tax problems including an IRS appeal, Offer in Compromise, setting up an IRS payment plan, or bankruptcy tax review.

The best Atlanta tax attorneys assist clients with innocent spouse relief, bankruptcy discharge of tax review, and payroll tax problems. They will provide keen guidance in preparing federal income taxes and Georgia state tax returns, minimizing taxes, and tax planning aimed at the best outcome for individual or corporate taxes. They might even offer to perform an IRS Audit Exposure Review to determine your chances of surviving an IRS audit, and then thoroughly lay a course of action for preparation.

If you have problems with the IRS, call an Atlanta tax lawyer now. You have too much to lose. Contact Jeffrey S. Gartzman at Gartzman Law Firm at 770-939-7710 and get an experienced Atlanta tax attorney on your side.

Taxpayers in Georgia have learned the hard way that the State of Georgia, Department of Revenue has been aggressive in tax collection efforts in recent years. For people who owe state back taxes or can’t afford to pay their Georgia state income taxes, filing delinquent tax returns can be stressful.

Atlanta taxpayers should know the Georgia Department of Revenue is under new leadership this year. As a member of the tax section leadership team for the Georgia Society of CPAs, I had the chance to hear the new Tax Commissioner Mr. Douglas J. MacGinnite, Esq. speak at our recent annual meeting with the Georgia Department of Revenue. At this annual Executive Roundtable, Atlanta tax attorneys and CPAs who are members of the Society participate in a discussion with government leaders regarding taxpayer concerns – in the spirit of making our tax system work better for everyone.

With the incoming tax law leadership at the helm, I find myself optimistic that there will be opportunities for flexibility for taxpayers to settle their state tax debt, back taxes, and in negotiating tax audits successfully. As an Atlanta tax attorney, I look forward to more opportunity for me to help my clients resolve their tax problems.

Jeffrey S. Gartzman has 28 years of experience as an Atlanta CPA and tax attorney. As a long standing member of the Georgia Society of CPAs Tax Section Leadership Team, the Georgia State Bar Tax Section, and the Atlanta Bar Association, Mr. Gartzman holds positions of leadership where he advocates for taxpayer solutions in collaboration with state government. Contact Gartzman Tax Law to learn about your opportunities to reduce tax debt and pay IRS back taxes. Call the Gartzman Law Firm at (770) 939-7710 today.

If you owe IRS back taxes from unfiled income taxes, sooner or later the IRS will take action to collect. In many cases this means additional tax debt from penalties and interest – on top of IRS liens and levies that can bring your life or your business to a halt. When you work with an Atlanta tax attorney or CPA to get tax relief, your tax lawyer will intervene with the IRS and work to reasonably settle IRS back taxes for you.

“Times were tough, so I didn’t pay my taxes.”

It’s a story I hear frequently these days: Maybe you were making good money or staying in the black with self-employment income before the economy went downhill – along with your job or small business income. You tried to stay afloat by not filing federal income taxes, and now you owe back taxes.

During this recent Recession the IRS significantly increased their efforts to enforce tax collection. Avoiding paying federal income taxes during tough economic times will only result in a staggering IRS tax debt from back taxes.

I provided IRS tax relief services to a client who had accumulated tax debt during the rough economy. With tax help from the Gartzman Law Firm, my client was able to settle almost $250,000 in back taxes for about $20,000 by pursuing an Offer in Compromise with the IRS.

Here’s how your Atlanta tax attorney can help you pursue an Offer in Compromise:

1. Meet with a tax attorney and complete a financial worksheet to paint a complete scenario of your IRS tax problems and owed back taxes.

2. Give your tax attorney Power of Attorney so they can communicate with the IRS on your behalf about your tax debt and specific details in your tax record: unfiled returns, amount the IRS claims you owe, etcetera.

3. Your tax attorney will review your case and present viable financial and legal options to present an Offer in Compromise to the IRS.

4. Work with your tax attorney to complete the filing for an Offer in Compromise. As a tax attorney, I understand what the IRS will be taking into consideration regarding your financial status: income, expenses, assets, liabilities, and personal issues like age, employment, medical, and family status.

5. Submit the Offer in Compromise. On average, the process takes three to four months.

6. You will receive a letter from the IRS about the acceptance status of your Offer in Compromise, and what payment is owed.

During this process your Atlanta tax attorney will intervene on your behalf with the IRS – meaning you’ll talk with your lawyer, not get bounced around to different people at the IRS. Your tax attorney may meet with an IRS Revenue Officer, automated collection service (ACS) personnel, Offer in Compromise examiners, or sometimes an Appeals Officer to resolve your tax problems.

Back taxes and IRS tax problems preventing you from economic recovery? Settle your back taxes today with the experienced legal counsel and financial guidance of Jeffrey S. Gartzman, Atlanta tax attorney and CPA by calling (770) 939-7710, or contact us online.

With the new federal tax-cut bill on the horizon, you might be wondering how changes in US tax policy affect you this upcoming federal tax filing season. Learn more about the facts of the bill, or ask your tax attorney for an industry insider’s scoop.

Here are the tax figures built into the bill for the next two years:

• Federal income tax rates will remain the same – at a maximum of 35% for the highest income brackets
• Dividends and capital gains tax will remain the same – at a maximum rate of 15%
• Exemptions will increase for the Alternative Minimum Tax when filing federal income taxes
• Social security tax withheld from employees’ paychecks will decrease from 6.2% to 4.2%
• Estate tax exclusion will increase from $3.5 Million to $5 Million per person – meaning, if you pass away and leave an estate valued up to $5 Million, your estate would not be taxed on it.
• Maximum estate tax rates will decrease from 45% to 35%
• Certain items that expired in 2009 and 2010 will be extended

Though the potential changes in tax law for 2011 may not have an immediate impact on your tax debt problems or filing tax returns for 2010, they could affect your tax planning decisions.

Income tax and estate tax planning with a licensed Atlanta CPA and tax attorney will help you understand changes in tax law in this year and any. It’s important for taxpayers to meet with their tax experts when making decisions about wills and trusts, tax planning, and changes to your estate.

Jeffrey S. Gartzman is an Atlanta tax attorney and CPA who has been helping people in Atlanta with tax planning and estate planning since 1982. To get the tax help you need, contact The Gartzman Law Firm today at (770) 939-7710.