Tax Attorney

Attorney Richard S. Harris has a Master of Laws in Taxation from one of the premier law schools in the country, New York University School of Law. In more than 35 years of practice, he has represented hundreds of taxpayers in their dealings with the IRS, the state of Michigan, property tax authorities, and local tax authorities. He has been involved in appeals of proposed deficiencies, and in filing petitions with the U.S. Tax Court and the Michigan Tax Tribunal. He has also dealt with revenue officers and collection personnel at the local, state, and federal levels.

In many cases, he has been successful in obtaining the release of bank levies, wage garnishments, and in entering into installment agreements and offers in compromise. He has been able to lower the liability of taxpayers for tax, interest, and penalties by thousands of dollars.

Offers in Compromise

An offer to compromise your tax liabilities can be entered into with the IRS if you cannot afford to pay your back taxes in full. We can help analyze whether you are eligible for an offer in compromise, and then arrange for the appropriate paperwork to be filed with the IRS. These compromises are always subject to certain terms and conditions. We can explain these to you.

Installment Agreements

If you cannot afford to pay your tax liability in full, we can help you secure an installment agreement with the IRS, the state of Michigan, or other tax authorities. There are certain guidelines you must adhere to, and we can work with you to ensure that you meet them.

Wage Garnishment and Bank Levy Releases

The IRS and other tax authorities have the ability to assert a wage garnishment if you fail to pay your taxes. The IRS and other authorities might levy your bank account and other assets as a means of collecting overdue taxes. We can assist in the release of wage garnishments and levies.

Trust Fund Tax Responsibility

If a corporation or limited liability company does not pay withholding taxes (so called “trust fund taxes”), the IRS, state of Michigan, or other authorities might attempt to collect those taxes from “responsible persons.” Responsible persons are generally officers of a corporation and managers of a limited liability company.

If you are in that situation, you need someone experienced in tax matters to represent you. In some cases, you may be an officer or manager, but you might be able to avoid liability for the taxes owed. These taxes are also subject to resolution through an offer in compromise or installment agreement. which we can assist you with.