Are Tax Troubles Ruining Your Marriage?

Supermodel and host of the reality television hit Project Runway, Heidi Klum is going into the advice business. Klum plans on sharing her insights on fashion, beauty, parenting and relationships with her fans.

Klum is married to pop singer Seal, and from all reports, the two have a strong and loving relationship. It’ll be interesting to see how the couple’s considerable financial wealth impacts her relationship advice – after all, financial issues are the leading cause of marital strife. MSN money recently detailed half a dozen ways that money can wreck a marriage.

Not on the list but definitely a big problem for many couples: tax problems. Unresolved tax issues can ruin your relationship. Here’s why:

Stress and Tension

The IRS uses aggressive and persistent collection techniques. The phone calls, intimidating notices, and threats of liens, levies on your wages and bank accounts, and seizure of your car or house can create an atmosphere of fear and anxiety that takes a toll on even the strongest marriages.

Financial Impact of IRS Actions

Tax liens can prevent a couple from borrowing money. This can make it difficult to buy a home, a car, or fund a child’s education. Not being able to realize long-cherished dreams such as these can create resentment and even hatred within a relationship. Additionally, many employers review a prospective employee’s credit report for IRS liens and often reject taking on a prospective employee who’s had trouble with the IRS. In today’s competitive job market, that can make finding and keeping a job even tougher.

What Can Be Done About IRS Tax Trouble?

Tax trouble doesn’t have to wreck your marriage. There are solutions to your outstanding tax issues. Often, simply beginning the process of dealing with unpaid taxes, unfiled tax returns, or other tax issues, eliminates a lot of stress and tension from the marriage. Knowing that the tax problem is getting fixed can put a couple back on the path to building a strong, happy life together – and that’s what a relationship is supposed to be about!

Are You Part of the “IRS Tax Lien Explosion”?

Reading this article can leave the typical taxpayer feeling a little nervous. If you’ve already had trouble with the IRS, or are currently trying to resolve tax problems, that article, which charts the dramatic increase in IRS tax liens, might make you very nervous indeed!

The IRS Is Stepping Up Tax Enforcement Efforts

Earlier this month, National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olsen released her annual report to Congress. The Advocate expressed continuing concern that the IRS’s increasing use of hard-core enforcement actions, particularly tax liens, is inflicting unnecessary harm on financially struggling taxpayers.

Over the past seven years, the IRS has filed more than five million tax liens. 1.1 million liens were filed in 2009! The impact of these liens is tremendous. The individual tax payer will have their credit negatively impacted, making it harder for them to borrow money to buy a house, car, or fund a child’s education. A tax lien can affect a taxpayer’s employability. Not every company is willing to hire someone who’s had trouble with the IRS.

What To Do About Your IRS Tax Lien

If you have received a notice from the IRS about a potential or impending federal tax lien, don’t panic! There is hope for your situation. Begin by realizing you need to get help right away! Resolving tax problems requires expert, experienced assistance. Don’t try to go it alone!

There are many routes to settling old tax debt and eliminating federal tax liens. Don’t trust anyone who claims to know the solutions to your tax problem before they understand your unique circumstances! Every tax problem is different. You want a qualified tax professional to work with you to discover the best way to resolve your tax issues.