Our Experienced Tax Professionals Are Here to Help You
Georgia business owners must deal with many different types of taxes and multiple layers of legal jurisdictions. Navigating business tax obligations and staying compliant with state and federal tax codes can be extremely confusing. Unfortunately, even a slight misstep can put you at risk of penalties, unwanted tax assessments, and involuntary collection actions.
A business tax attorney can help. At Wiggam Law, our Atlanta business tax lawyers are ready to assess your situation and help you find a solution based on your unique needs and priorities.
Working with a Business Tax Attorney
Businesses have a wide range of local and federal tax obligations, which may include:
- Staying compliant with corporate or pass-through income tax obligations,
- Withholding and remitting employee payroll taxes,
- Properly classifying each employee in IRS or DOR filings,
- Paying and filing state and federal unemployment tax returns,
- Collecting and remitting sales taxes, if applicable, and
- Possibly handling excise taxes.
Dealing with multiple taxes and multiple tax jurisdictions can get very complicated, and a mistake can lead to penalties, audits, tax assessments, or even revocation of your business or professional licenses. Unpaid taxes, in particular, can put your business assets at risk as both the state and the IRS have the right to collect back taxes through liens and levies.
The tax resolution professionals at Wiggam Law have extensive experience resolving complex and challenging business tax problems, including employment tax problems. We can help you tailor a solution based on your unique tax problems, your business’s goals, and your financial situation. We negotiate with the IRS and the Georgia DOR so that you can get back into compliance and out of tax debt. Over the years, we’ve helped our clients save millions of dollars in tax penalties, fees, and debt.
Our team helps by leveraging our vast knowledge of the state and federal tax code to your advantage. We help you find the best solution for your tax problems and show you how to stay in compliance with the tax code in the future. Regardless of the hurdles you’re facing, we’ll advocate for your best interests every step of the way.
Get Help With Business Tax Problems
The team at Wiggam Law is confident in handling a variety of challenging tax issues that might surface with your business. We can help with:
- Corporate income tax
- Employment/payroll/withholding taxes
- Trust fund recovery penalty
- W-2 or 1099 reporting errors
- Classifying employees vs. contractors
- State sales tax problems
- Determining nexus for remote businesses
- IRS or state audits
- Civil penalties
- Criminal tax fraud allegations
- Negotiating with the state DOR or the IRS
- International tax concerns
- IRS or GA state collection efforts
This is not a comprehensive list of our services. To get help with your business tax concerns, contact our attorneys for customized guidance and representation.
Business Tax Attorney FAQs
If you don’t pay your taxes, you will incur penalties ranging from 1% to 100% of the unpaid tax, plus interest. You may also face involuntary collection actions and risk losing your business or professional licenses.
The IRS can use liens, levies, garnishments, and asset seizures to collect unpaid business taxes. The Georgia DOR may also issue liens or state tax levies against you. The IRS and the state will go after the business for most unpaid taxes, but both of these agencies can hold individuals personally liable for certain unpaid business taxes, such as state sales tax or taxes withheld from employees’ paychecks but not remitted to the state.
In cases of willful tax evasion, you can face criminal charges at the state or federal level, but this doesn’t apply in cases where you simply got behind due to error or not being able to afford your tax liability.
If you incur tax debt due to filing a return and not paying or undergoing an IRS or Georgia state audit that leads to a tax assessment, you may qualify for one of the following resolution options:
- Installment agreements – Both the IRS and the state offer installment agreements. The DOR gives you up to five years to make payments on state taxes. The IRS will generally let you spread out payments for corporate income taxes (up to $50,000) over six years and payroll taxes (up to $25,000) over two years. If you need longer and owe over the threshold for the other payment plans, you’ll need to complete Form 433-B.
- Offer in compromise – Both the IRS and the GA DOR, as well as many other states, are willing to settle for less than owed through an offer in compromise. Generally, in-operation businesses do not qualify for settlements, but talk with a tax pro to see if you might qualify for some type of exception.
- Penalty abatement – If you’ve incurred IRS penalties for the first time or have reasonable cause for incurring state or IRS penalties, you may qualify for penalty abatement.
Each of these options comes with advantages and disadvantages. They also each carry their own eligibility requirements. To determine your best option, it’s best to discuss your specific financial circumstances with a tax attorney.
Possibly. The IRS and the GA DOR may negotiate with businesses in certain situations. However, both of these agencies expect businesses to stay current on their tax obligations. Your options may be limited if your business has a history of unpaid taxes or unfiled returns. A tax attorney can help you deal with the revenue agencies and get back on track.
In cases where you cannot come to an agreement, you may have the right to appeal. For federal tax issues, an attorney can represent you in Tax Court. For state tax disputes, you may need to go in front of the Georgia Tax Tribunal. However, there are strict rules for when and how you’re allowed to petition the court, so you should strongly consider working with an experienced business tax attorney.
Let’s Resolve Your Business’s Complex Tax Issues
Is your business facing challenging tax issues with the IRS and/or the GA DOR? If so, then it’s critical to act quickly. An Atlanta tax attorney can help you understand the options and the best path forward.
Here at Wiggam Law, we’re ready to advocate for you. We have a local focus on Atlanta-area businesses, but we can also help businesses in nearby cities, throughout Georgia, and in the rest of the country.
To get assistance now, schedule a consultation with our team of dedicated tax resolution attorneys by using our online scheduler or call us at (404) 609-1300.