Do NYS Tax Enforcement Agents Play Fast and Loose with the Rules? "SOME DO" says David Selig of Selig & Associates

Two weeks ago the State levied a business-owner’s bank account because he owed about $17,000 in unpaid sales taxes. The next day the business-owner came to our office and hired us to negotiate an affordable re-payment plan between him and the State.  

Two days later I entered the business-owner into an excellent installment agreement, and as a matter of procedure, provided the Agent [who had issued the bank levy] with the exact amount of money that that was in the bank account, so that these funds could be applied to the taxpayer’s debt. 

So far so good . . . Not so fast Skippy

That’s when things went south. The Agent said the the business-owner would have to call her himself and that she and the business-owner needed to have a “conference-call” with the bank. I refused and explained to the Agent that an Accountant and Attorney represent the business-owner and that under no circumstances would our client call her. 

The Agent was adamant and demanded that I give her the business-owner’s telephone number so that she could speak with him directly. Again, I refused and explained to her that an Accountant and Attorney represent the business-owner and that she was not to contact him directly. Whereupon the Agent said “the installment agreement is only pending” that it hadn’t been approved yet, and  some other not so thinly veiled threats. 

I had heard enough and asked to speak with her supervisor. The Agent refused and said the supervisor would agree with her. I said “maybe so” but that I still want to speak with her. The Agent said, “she’s not available”; that her supervisor was very busy, and that she would send her supervisor an email asking her to call me.  That's when I asked the Agent for her supervisor’s name and telephone number. The Agent angrily refused to provide me with either and said, “She’ll call you” then abruptly hung up.  

Well, it’s been over a week and still no call - which begs the question, is this just a poorly trained Agent? Or alternatively, does the State in its zeal to collect and cajole taxpayer’s into compliance, condone and encourage this sort low level nonsense. 

Selig & Associates, we take a practical approach to problem solving and strive to obtain the best possible outcome for our clients

We successfully resolve most IRS and New York State Tax problems including suspended Drivers Licenses and Passports. Specializing in large dollar Payroll, Sales and Income Tax Representation for Individuals, Professional Practices and Businesses. 

We negotiate excellent Payment Plans, Audits, Offers in Compromise, Payroll & Trust Fund Recovery Penalties, and most other tax issues. Do you have Unfiled Tax Returns? We can have them prepared and filed for you within 48 hours, guaranteed. Call (212) 974-3435 or contact us online. 

Same day and emergency appointments are available in our New York City offices. Schedule a Free and Legally Privileged Consultation with a Federal Tax Practitioner and Attorney by calling (212) 974-3435 or contact us online.