Fort Lauderdale Wage Garnishment Attorney
Under state and federal law, anyone who earns an income in Fort Lauderdale is required to file a tax return every year. Individuals are also required to file any taxes they owe in a timely manner. Taxes are expensive and it is not uncommon for the amount of tax debt to become such a burden, the taxpayer cannot pay it. If this has happened to you, it is important to know that you have legal options. It is important to speak to a Fort Lauderdale wage garnishment attorney who can advise you of what these are, and the penalties you may face if you do not pursue one of them.
What is an IRS Wage Garnishment?
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has many ways to obtain the tax debt owed to them by taxpayers. One such way is by garnishing your wages. When the IRS garnishes your wages, a portion of every paycheck is withheld from you. Your employer will deduct the amount requested by the IRS and forward it to the government agency. While this is very common in debt collection cases, the IRS does not have to file a lawsuit against you before they can garnish your wages. Additionally, the IRS can typically garnish more of your wages than other debt collectors.
The IRS Must Send You Notice
If the IRS intends to start garnishing your wages, it will not happen without your knowledge. The IRS must first send you a notice indicating the amount of taxes you owe, and the date by which you must pay to avoid the garnishment. You will receive this notice in the mail. Many people are tempted to ignore communication from the IRS, but that will not make it go away. It is always important to thoroughly review any communication sent to you by the IRS, and to then speak with a lawyer about your options.
Other Penalties You May Face
The IRS typically tries to garnish your wages before taking any other legal action because most of the time, this is the easiest way for them to collect the tax debt. Unfortunately, it is not the only tool they have available to them.
The IRS may also levy your bank account, which will allow them to access those funds to repay the debt. They may do this all at once if the funds are available, or they may continue taking a portion of your bank account for a certain period of time. Lastly, the IRS may also place a lien on your property. If they take this action, you no longer have a legal claim to the property until the lien is removed, so you cannot sell or refinance your own assets.
Our Wage Garnishment Attorney in Fort Lauderdale Can Help with Your Case
If you have received notice from the IRS, you need to speak to our Fort Lauderdale wage garnishment attorney at Ronald Cutler, P.A. today. Call us now at 386-490-9949 to schedule a free consultation and to learn more about how we can help you avoid a garnishment.