Recently, the MMAC Group has put out a commercial starring Richard Hatch (that guy from Survivor who claims he was told he wouldn't have to pay taxes on the $1 Million he won). In it, they say their 123-4567 number about 80,000 times...perhaps because they don't think the average person who owes the IRS can remember how to count to 7.
Then, Richard Hatch goes on and on about how the IRS sent him to jail and they'll definitely send you to jail. Then, some actors (really bad actors...I guess they blew their talent budget on Richard Hatch) pretend to be very afraid of going to jail.
First of all, it is unlikely that the IRS will send you to jail. Yes, the IRS can send you to jail. It sends people to jail who are clear tax evaders. If you go years upon years without filing, when you definitely have a lot of taxable income, the IRS may just throw you in the slammer. If you hide loads of cash in off-shore bank accounts and never pay taxes on any of it, the IRS will spend decades if it has to send you to prison.
But, do most Americans fall in those categories? Absolutely not! In fact, this country is made of some of the most honest taxpayers in history! Most people who owe the IRS want to pay their debt. They just wound up in a bad situation because of circumstances or poor financial decisions. None of them outright are trying to pull the wool over the eyes of the IRS.
Secondly, the IRS doesn't really want to throw people who owe them in jail. It isn't their job to lock people up. That's why we have a police force and a court system. It's their job to make sure that the government gets paid by collecting taxes from us for the Department of Treasury. Now, you tell me...is the IRS going to see any money if you're sitting behind bars? Obviously, the answer to that is "no."
If you owe $10,000 or more, the IRS will seize whatever it can from you. That means anything that you own and any money you have. And, this doesn't just stop at bank accounts and wages. Anything you can touch, the IRS can take. This includes:
I'm not making this up. This is directly from the IRS web page on their levy procedures. So, yes, it is vital that you take care of your tax debt. While the IRS probably won't send you to jail, they can make your life feel like a prison. Don't fall for the fear mongering tactics that companies like MMAC Group employ. Get solid, professional help. If you owe $10,000 or more, give my team a call at 1-888-415-1337 or fill out the submission form. We'll let you know the best solutions to your tax problems, and we will tell you the TRUTH.
Labels: Celebrities and Tax Debt, IRS Bank Levy, IRS Tax Lien, IRS Wage Garnishment