I just got back from Puerto Rico.
Took the family out there for a few days. My daughter especially — watching her enjoy herself made every minute worth it.
Somewhere on the way home, I picked up a nasty cold that followed me right back to the office.
So here I am, tissues on the desk, slightly miserable, but genuinely fired up.
Because before I left, I got news I didn’t get to share with you.
A client of mine just got word that his Offer in Compromise was accepted by the IRS.
He came to me carrying $153,000 in federal tax debt.
The IRS came back and told us they’re willing to settle it for $15,900.
Ten cents on the dollar.
It’s not finalized yet — but this family is about to be free.
That’s not a fluke. When I took him on, I believed he had a 90% chance of qualifying for a strong offer.
We don’t submit offers we don’t believe in. We investigate, we verify, we build the case — then we go in.
I wanted to share that before I get into what’s on my mind today.
Right now, things are getting harder for a lot of people.
Tariffs. Layoffs. Prices climbing.
Driving home from the airport, I almost choked when I saw gas prices pushing close to $6 a gallon in Los Angeles.
Six dollars. I’ve been gone a few days and that’s what I come home to.
The news cycle is relentless and none of it feels good.
I talk to people every week who are stressed about the economy, worried about their jobs, wondering what’s coming next.
And somewhere on their kitchen counter, there’s an IRS notice sitting unopened.
Here’s what I need you to understand.
The Collector doesn’t watch the news.
The IRS is not pausing enforcement because the economy is rough.
The FTB is not waiting for things to settle down. Penalties are accruing today. Interest is compounding today. The clock on your collection statute is running right now, while you’re reading this, while the headlines scroll, while everyone waits to see what happens next.
Ben Settle — one of the sharpest direct response writers I’ve ever read — told a story once about a salesman who kept whistling and closing deals while his entire office was paralyzed by recession news. S
omeone finally asked him how he was doing it. He looked up and said: “There’s a recession?”
That’s not arrogance. That’s focus.
The people who come out of hard times in better shape are the ones who stop watching the noise and start handling their actual situation.
And here’s the part nobody talks about:
Tough economic times are actually one of the best times to work with the IRS.
When people are struggling financially, the IRS has real tools available — hardship status, reduced settlements, Offers in Compromise.
The numbers that qualify someone for serious relief get easier to meet when income is down and expenses are real.
The client I just told you about? He almost didn’t call.
Figured his situation was too far gone.
It wasn’t.
Yours probably isn’t either.
If you’ve got unfiled returns, a balance you’ve been avoiding, or a notice you haven’t opened — let’s find out exactly where you stand before this gets worse.
Start here: TaxDebtTriage.com
Or call us now: 909-570-1103 — we pick up.
Back to the tissues and the inbox.
Talk soon,
Carlos Samaniego, EA
The Tax Debt Detective™
909-570-1103 | TaxDebtTriage.com
P.S. —The IRS is not waiting for the economy to improve. Neither should you.
P.P.S This Friday at noon, we will be doing our “Tax Debt Live” broadcast at 12 noon on Youtube.
