Fighting the IRS Alone? You May Have a Fool For a Client

Nancy Cicero had a fool for a client in her fight with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS); she represented herself. Rather than seeking the advice of a tax attorney with the tools and experience needed to successfully fight the IRS; she went it alone, saved a few bucks, and is now a felon awaiting sentencing.

Cicero was found guilty on four counts for illegally claiming more than $3 million in tax refunds on her tax returns for tax years 2005 – 2008. Each count of filing false claims with the IRS carries a maximum penalty of five years in prison and/or fines up to $250,000.

According to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, while self-represented, Cicero made no real opening statement or closing argument, and asked no questions of witnesses. When the judge would ask her if she wanted to object to the admission of evidence against her, she provided indecisive answers, such as, “I object. It is not my wish. Let the record show it is my wish.”

She should have wished for sound legal advice from her tax attorney. While saving a buck by representing yourself in a fight with the government is a legal right, common sense and Cicero’s predicament is proof positive that not all rights should be exercised. If you find yourself having to fight the IRS, don’t fight them alone, the tax attorneys at Montgomery & Wetenkamp are available to take your call and offer a free consultation.

It’s Baseball’s Opening Day!!!! – Sort Of

Baseball season is finally here! So if you follow this blog, you know that the Tax Attorneys at Montgomery & Wetenkamp, are San Francisco Giants fans first, then baseball fans second. Just like tax day is no longer April 15th; Baseball’s opening day has gone the way of the dinosaur. Worse however, is it is now confusing … just like taxes can be at times.

For those baseball fanatics reading this and thinking the season has already started, technically you’re right. It started in Japan last week with the A’s and the Mariners. After which they sensibly returned to spring training to play more exhibition games. Therefore, that was not opening day.

For those of you that aren’t on Japan time and missed those games, you may have thought the opening day was earlier this week on Wednesday when the Marlins opened their new ballpark against the Cardinals. Wrong again. The Marlins immediately jumped on an airplane and played the Reds on Thursday in Cincinnati. That’s not a home-stand and therefore not opening day. Same could be said about the Tigers and Red Sox who played Thursday just to have an off day Friday. This is the case with all of the teams that played Thursday, with the exception of the Dodgers and the Padres, who played the first game of their home-stand yesterday, and are shockingly playing today as well. You may be thinking, well that must count as a home-stand and must have been the real opening day. Wrong Again! If it involves the Dodgers, by rule, does not count.

That leaves us only to conclude that today, Friday, April 6, 2012, is Baseball’s official opening day for 2012 because the 2010 and 2012 World Champion San Francisco Giants are finally in the fight for the pennant. It’s sad that gone are the (opening) days where every team in the league has a 50/50 shot to be in first place after the 27th out.  However, at least the boys of summer are back.

Tax Relief Available for the 2012 Tax Season!

Montgomery & Wetenkamp are ready to help you this tax season!  See 2012 Tax Season press release.

The tax attorneys at Montgomery & Wetenkamp, personally handle all aspects of their tax relief cases. Unlike other tax relief firms, the tax attorneys at Montgomery & Wetenkamp do not employee a sales force, legal assistants, or other intermediaries which may increase client fees and diminish the client experience. From the first time a client calls Montgomery & Wetenkamp, they will be speaking directly to one of the tax attorneys who will personally resolve their IRS tax debt.

“The IRS is a very powerful and unforgiving collection machine. This tax season, it is now easy and affordable to be prepared and have an organized and systematic plan for tax relief rather than getting stuck in the bowels of the IRS collection machine. The IRS has several tax relief options available for taxpayers who cannot pay their taxes. Such options vary from allowing additional time to pay a tax debt to reducing the total amount of the tax bill to an affordable amount

~ Christian Montgomery, Tax Attorney

Most tax relief options are driven by a taxpayer’s unique facts and circumstances, and how well and organized those facts and circumstances are advocated to the IRS. The tax attorneys at Montgomery & Wetenkamp are experienced in tax relief matters and will design and implement a systematic resolution to their client’s IRS tax problems.

Contact Montgomery & Wetenkamp now for your free consultation.