4 Tips for Not Panicking When You Get a Letter From the IRS

Published on: 31 January 2019 Last Updated on: 08 August 2019

A letter from the IRS may seem serious, but the situation that results in the letter may not always be serious. You may find that you’re receiving a notification of a minor error or small sum of money that you owe. Even an audit isn’t causing to panic — the IRS may simply need some additional information in your personal files. Follow these tips to handle communications from the IRS in a calm, sensible manner.

Read the IRS Document Carefully:

IRS

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You should always open and review documents from the IRS as soon as you receive them. The IRS will attempt to connect with you by mail to make initial contact regarding any issues with unpaid tax debt, tax filing errors, tax audits, and other issues. The sooner you address the problem, the easier it will typically be to find a satisfactory resolution.

If you ignore letters from the IRS, it is possible for the agency to reach out to you by phone. The IRS recently started working with private debt collection companies to handle unpaid tax debt. Many telephone scams exist as well, and you should be vigilant about confirming any information that you receive by telephone.

Keep Your Tax Documents Organized:

Ideally, you’ll have your tax documents for the last three years safely stored and ready for your review at any time you may need them. These materials include documentation regarding any protections you may enjoy through a third-party tax filing service. Many websites and companies provide audit protection or a guarantee of accuracy, which can give you valuable peace of mind if an audit should arise.

If you do not have these documents on hand, you should take the time to gather them as soon as you’re informed of any type of dispute or IRS audit. Having these documents provides an important sense of security going forward.

Verify the Tax Issue:

Before you make arrangements with the IRS to settle a debt, make sure that the amount of the debt is correct. The IRS may occasionally make errors, so it’s crucial that you check the numbers for yourself and file a dispute if you believe that the figure is incorrect. Contact the IRS immediately if you believe that the agency is operating with incorrect information.

Explore Your Tax Debt Options:

If you owe a debt to the IRS, you don’t necessarily have to pay the full sum immediately. You can explore several tax debt options. Understanding these options can help you avoid panic, particularly if you’re facing a debt too large to pay at once. You may qualify for an offer in compromise, a condition in which you settle your debt with the IRS for a lower sum of money. You can also request that the IRS delay collection or set up a payment plan to handle the debt in a series of installments.

If you hear from the IRS, you should take the time to thoroughly review all communications so that you understand what the IRS requests from you. If you need assistance navigating an audit, tax debt, or other situation, don’t hesitate to reach out to a professional for help.

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Eight Essential Tips For Getting Out Of Debt

Do you feel like debt is slowly ruining your life? If so, you should know you're not alone. Although the road to getting out of debt is a long one, it's not impossible to do so. We've put together a list of 8 tips for you to get started and live a debt-free life. Let's get started. 1. Find Out How Much You Owe : This is a step that you probably have avoided for some time because you fear to know the number. But if you are serious about getting out of debt, you must know exactly what you owe. Start by making a spreadsheet listing every single debt you have. It might also be helpful to specify if those debts are outstanding, so you know which ones need attention. Once you know exactly what you owe, you'll be able to see the bigger picture and not be blindsided by unknown debts. The spreadsheet will help you keep track of your progress, and you will feel more motivated watching the numbers go down. 2. Stop Adding More Debt : This might sound like an obvious step, but if you're trying to get out of debt, you shouldn't create new ones. While it might be difficult to avoid temptation, you must do so in order to pay off your debts. If you pay off your debts, only to use them again, you will never finish. Start paying for large purchases using cash, and not buy anything you cannot afford. This will keep you on track to paying off your debts faster. If having your credit cards around is too much temptation, try cutting them up or freezing them. That way you won't feel tempted to walk into a department store when you see a sale. 3. Try to Negotiate Lower Interests Rates : It's no secret credit cards come with really high interests rates, which makes it so difficult for people to pay them off. If you signed up to enjoy the introductory 0% APR and now you have to pay more interest than you can handle, it's time to renegotiate. It's possible to talk to your credit card company and try to negotiate a lower interest rate. You can start by calling and simply asking them to lower your interest rates. But before you call, you might want to have a strategy. Begin by calling your oldest credit card and using your loyalty to open up negotiations. Being a loyal card member might provide you with some extra benefits. Don't forget to always be polite. 4. Find Ways to Make More Money : We understand it might be difficult to pay off your debts when you're living paycheck to paycheck. In fact, this might be one of the reasons why you got into debt in the first place. In order to help speed up the process, it might be a good idea to start making more money. Try to get creative and find ways to earn more cash. Why not get a part-time job, talk to your boss about getting a raise, or find a side hustle. Then you can put that extra money into paying off your debt. 5. Focus on Building an Emergency Fund : You might want to put all of your efforts into paying all your debt, but it's also important to have a little saved up for a rainy day. Even though you need to pay off your debt, you also need to build your emergency fund, both are just as important. The reason is if an unexpected expense comes up, you will have enough saved up to cover it without needing to use your credit cards. Having money saved up will help with the process along so you stay on track. 6. Sell Items You Don't Need : If you want to look for other ways to make a dent in your debt, then look around your house. Sometimes we accumulate things of value without even knowing it. You might be able to get some extra cash by selling items you have laying around the house. You might be able to sell old broken gold jewelry and get some money out of it. You might also be able to also sell electronics, art, and furniture. There are many ways to sell your old stuff. You can have a garage sale, post on Craig's list, or even sell on eBay. 7. Create a Budget and Stick With It : If you want to have enough money to pay your bills and pay off your debt, you should make a budget. Creating a budget will help you allocate where all of your money goes, so you don't have to wonder where your money goes each month. If you stick to your budget, you'd be surprised how much you could have leftover at the end of the month. Any money left over will be used to put towards your debt. Having a budget will also be good practice for life after all your debts are paid off. Sticking to a budget will secure your financial future. 8. Decide which Debts to Start Paying First : Even if you want to pay off your debt, you might not know where to start. This could be a confusing process for many people. If you have student loans, car loans, mortgages, and credit card debt, you might want to start tackling your credit card debt. Credit cards have the highest interest rates out of all your other lenders. Once you're done paying off your credit cards, you can put that money towards paying off your other debts. You can start paying off the credit card with the highest interest rate and highest balance. Once you do, you can move on to the next. If you want to learn more about which debt to prioritize, request more info here. Getting out of Debt is Possible : Getting out of debt might seem like an impossible thing to do. However, it's not as difficult as you think. Get started by making a list of all your debts, create a budget, and even try to find ways to make more money. If you want to learn more finance tips, visit our blog. Read Also : Are Debt Consolidation Loans Recommended For Credit Card Consolidation Dealing With A Debt Relief Officer For A Better Assistance Proper Management Of Tech Debt Is Necessary For Successful Business

10 Ways a Low Credit Score Can Negatively Impact Your Life

In 1989, the current credit system was created, and the world of finance was forever changed. Usually ranging from low scores of 300 to a perfect 850, the higher your number is, the more creditworthy lenders will consider you to be. That is why a low credit score can negatively impact your life. Here’s how. Rental Problems Property management organizations will review your credit before renting your home or apartment. If they find you have poor credit, they may refuse your application or ask you for an outrageous security deposit. Your credit score is tied to how trustworthy companies believe you are. Personal Loans The personal loan lender will run your credit report whether you are taking out a new loan or refinancing an already existing one. This will allow them to see your income to debt ratio. If you have a great score, you may get offers to consolidate your loans, or the lender could give you a loan with low rates. If your score is low, they can refuse your loan. Buying Cars Modern car loans are commitments for at least four years, and that means your ability to make monthly payments is critical to the company lenders. That is why auto lenders check credit scores before assigning interest rates that determine your total payback amount and monthly payments. Costly Utilities When you move to a new residence, your utility company will check your score when they open your account. If your numbers are low or your payment history is spotty, you will be asked to pay a hefty security deposit. If you miss payments, the deposit may be used to catch up. Credit Cards The interest rate issued on your credit card is often based on your FICO score. Although that may seem unfair, the card issuers have a scoring model that creates a report based on your numbers that allows them to determine your “pay-back” history. The higher your credit numbers are, the better your interest rate will be. House Buying Credit unions and banks take note of your credit score when you apply for a house loan. The lenders want to know you will pay back the money on time, so they look for scores equal to or greater than 500. However, if you want a low mortgage interest rate, you need a score higher than 750. Insurance Rates Most people don’t realize that insurance premiums are often based on credit scores. Although the insurance scores are different than FICO-based numbers, they are based on your ability to pay bills on time. Phone Expenses Unless you pay cash when you purchase your phone, you can expect the carrier to run your credit before you buy. They want to know you have sufficient income to make monthly payments and a credit history of paying your bills on time. Finding Work Yes, even employers are looking for individuals they believe are financially responsible, and that means they will often run a credit check before offering you employment. Some companies even look at credit standings before recommending promotions or raises. Self-Worth Credit is a double-edged sword in modern society. With all this pressure to maintain high credit numbers, failure to get scores over 700 can negatively impact your feelings of self-worth and cost you more money in interest every month. That means you will have less money to pay your bills. No wonder self-worth is sometimes tied to low credit scores. As you can see, the numbers associated with your credit are important in almost every part of your life. If your scores aren’t where you want them to be, check out one of the internet sites that explain how to raise that score. It is easier to raise your credit score than you think. Read Also: How to Dispute an Error on Your Credit Report Why Would I Need A Business Credit Report? Using Short-Term Loans to Help Rebuild Your Credit Score Revolving Debt Vs Installment Debt – Which Impacts your Credit Score

Is Fixed Deposit the Right Place to Invest Post-Demonetization?

Fixed deposit is an investment option which is balanced with both: Returns and Risks. Although the investment is the most preferred option; these day’s people are seen to be disappointed with its returns. Perhaps the reason behind this disappointment can be the drop down of interest rates post-demonetization. Fixed deposit (FD) is always considered as a much favourable choice than savings since the returns earned are comparatively high. But as the rates have dropped down, the investors might have to think about parking their funds in savings rather than investing it. Before you change your mind, it is important to consider other financial institutions too, who offer fixed deposit investments. Banks are not the only ones providing the fixed deposit service; there are highly reputed NBFCs which are providing it too. The FD offered by the NBFCs are called as company fixed deposit. Despite the repo rate cut down, NBFCs still manage to offer best-fixed deposit rates which are higher than banks. Yes! You read it right, you can earn higher returns by investing in company’s fixed deposit, plus there are many schemes and facilities you can gain from. Owing to the favourable fixed deposit conditions, you no longer need to resort to less interest offering saving options. Here are some things that you should know about fixed deposit investments: 1. Secured Investment: As fixed deposit does not depend upon the market conditions, the interest offered on it is fixed throughout the loan tenure. This makes the investment a safe option to allocate your funds in. Whereas, the returns offered on the high-risk investments depends upon the market conditions which makes them risky. There is no such guarantee that you might always earn higher returns as there can be times when you might face a loss. This is not the case with fixed deposit. Besides, there are some NBFCs who are awarded ICRA’s MAAA rating and CRISIL’s FAAA rating which means, they are reliable as well as safe to invest in. 2. Flexibility: With a safe investment option, fixed deposit also provides flexibility with its tenure. You are free to choose any tenure period ranging from one year to five years. Also, you can reinvest in FD if your account matures. 3. Interest rates: The interest rate is a very important factor to consider when it comes to investments, as it decides the returns you will be earning over the fixed deposit. Fixed deposit interest rate offered by every financial institution differ, which is why it is important to compare FD rates and then apply for it. Also, as mentioned above, investing in NBFC’s fixed deposit can benefit you with higher FD returns in comparison to banks. 4. Tax deduction: In case, if you are investing a lump sum amount and the interest offered on your investment is above INR 10,000, then you might have to pay taxes. To escape from this tax deduction, you can split the money and invest it in different FD accounts. Also, you can apply for Section 80C to benefit from the tax deduction. 5. Senior citizen fixed deposit: If you are a senior citizen, you can benefit here, as you can invest your pension funds and earn higher FD returns compared to normal FD accounts by parking your funds in senior citizen fixed deposit. Although post-demonetization has brought down interest rates on normal FD account, the rates offered on senior citizen fixed deposits have increased. Though rates offered on a fixed deposit have dropped down, investing in a company fixed deposit can earn you higher returns. If you are planning for an investment, then NBFCs such as Bajaj Finserv offers highest Interest on FD Rate as well as provide different schemes and facilities that can benefit you. Read More : How To Get Low Cost Life Insurance For Seniors 10 Tips To Design The Perfect Business Card

4 Tips for Not Panicking When You Get a Letter From the IRS

Read the IRS Document Carefully:

Keep Your Tax Documents Organized:

Verify the Tax Issue:

Explore Your Tax Debt Options:

Tips for Breaking Into Finance and Banking

How to Select the Best Investment Plan for Your Child?

Tags

Content Rally

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

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Eight Essential Tips For Getting Out Of Debt

10 Ways a Low Credit Score Can Negatively Impact Your Life

Is Fixed Deposit the Right Place to Invest Post-Demonetization?

4 Tips for Not Panicking When You Get a Letter From the IRS

Read the IRS Document Carefully:

Keep Your Tax Documents Organized:

Verify the Tax Issue:

Explore Your Tax Debt Options:

Share this Article

Tips for Breaking Into Finance and Banking

How to Select the Best Investment Plan for Your Child?

Tags

Content Rally wrapped around an online publication where you can publish your own intellectuals. It is a publishing platform designed to make great stories by content creators. This is your era, your place to be online. So come forward share your views, thoughts and ideas via Content Rally.

Leave a Reply

Popular

Follow Us

Recent

Related