Austin & Larson Tax Resolution
Tax Lawyer In New Hudson, MI
Michigan rewrote part of its tax code in October 2025. If you owe the IRS or the State of Michigan, the wrong help can now cost you more than it used to.
Tax Debt is Often
Intimidating
Frustrating
Confusing
Embarrassing
Stressful
… But it Doesn’t Have to Be
What changed in Michigan tax law in 2025, and why it affects who you hire
On October 7, 2025, Governor Whitmer signed House Bill 4961. For tax years that begin after December 31, 2024, Michigan now ignores five tax breaks in the federal One Big Beautiful Bill Act. The practical result: a business or pass-through entity can owe more in Michigan tax than its federal return suggests.
Michigan is a rolling-conformity state, so it usually follows federal tax changes by default. HB 4961 broke that link on purpose, to protect state revenue. Here is what the state no longer follows for 2025 and later:
- No immediate state deduction for domestic research and experimental costs under Section 174A. Those costs must still be capitalized and amortized for Michigan.
- Bonus depreciation stays on the older, shrinking schedule: 40% in 2025, 20% in 2026, and 0% in 2027.
- The Section 179 expensing limit and the Section 163(j) business-interest cap stay at their pre-2025 levels.
- The new Section 168(n) write-off for production property gets added back for Michigan.
Why this matters before you hire anyone
A professional who only knows federal IRS defense can miss the Michigan side of your return. The gap shows up first for businesses with equipment purchases, research costs, or financed growth.
New Hudson sits on the I-96 manufacturing corridor. Employers here, including Pratt Miller Engineering, Testek, and Bielomatik, run exactly the kind of research and equipment-heavy books this change hits. If you own or run a business in Lyon Township, your 2025 Michigan return may not match your federal one.
The question to ask is simple: can the person you are about to hire explain how HB 4961 changes your specific return?
Looking For A Fresh Start in Michigan?
We Are Here To Help!
Should the weight of tax debt be pressing down on you, we urge you to connect with us to avail of a no-cost
consultation. Our objective revolves around untangling tax debt complexities for clients entangled in an array of
tax-related dilemmas. It would bring us immense satisfaction to furnish you with solutions to your inquiries and aid
you in swiftly settling your tax debt matters.
Property tax appeals in Oakland County: the calendar nobody spells out
To challenge your Oakland County assessment, you must start at your local March Board of Review, then, if you are still not satisfied, file with the Michigan Tax Tribunal. Miss the filing date and your assessment stands for the whole year.
Here is how the year runs in Lyon Township and across Oakland County:
- Assessment notices arrive in mid-February. The value is based on your property’s condition as of December 31 of the prior year.
- The March Board of Review hears appeals starting the second Monday in March, by appointment. For residential property, this step is required before you can go further.
- Bring evidence: recent comparable sales, a professional appraisal, or documented problems with the property’s condition. Tax rates and how the money is spent are not on the table here.
- The Tribunal’s Small Claims Division handles residential and lower-value disputes.
Michigan Tax Tribunal deadlines
- Commercial, industrial, and personal property: May 31 (you can file directly, no Board of Review step required).
- Residential and agricultural property: July 31 (a March Board of Review appeal is required first).
- In 2026, May 31 falls on a Sunday, so the commercial deadline moves to the next business day. File early.
An honest word on “win rates”
Neither the Michigan Tax Tribunal nor the local Boards of Review publish win-rate data. So when any firm claims it wins most of its appeals, there is no public record to check that against. Ask for specifics on recent Oakland County cases instead of a headline percentage.
What We Do | Tax Resolution
Offer In Compromise
Installment Agreements
Non-Collectable Status
Compliance
Revenue Officer Representation
Levies & Wage Garnishments
Bankruptcy
Audit Representation
Tax Return Preparation
Handling tax resolution may feel daunting, but with our expert guidance, you'll experience relief knowing seasoned professionals are by your side. At Austin & Larson Tax Resolution, our experienced Michigan tax lawyers are dedicated to delivering the reassurance and help you deserve. Well-regarded for their expertise and in-depth understanding of Michigan State tax regulations, our proficient tax relief lawyers provide a full spectrum of services, from thorough consultations to exceptional legal advocacy, all focused on securing the most favorable resolution to your tax matters.
The 5-Point Michigan Tax Counsel Check
Before you hire anyone for a New Hudson tax matter in 2026, run them through these five questions. Specific answers are a good sign. Generic answers are a warning.
Michigan conformity
“Can you explain how HB 4961 changed depreciation, R&D, and interest deductions for the 2025 tax year, and what it means for my return?”
Most general practitioners have not read the bill. The one who can walk you through it has done the homework your situation needs.
Local appeals
“Have you taken an Oakland County assessment through the March Board of Review and the Michigan Tax Tribunal? What evidence worked?”
Knowing the assessor and Tribunal process here is different from generic property tax talk.
Both sides at once
“If I have an IRS problem and a Michigan problem at the same time, how do you handle the two together?”
Since late 2025, federal and state treatment can diverge. You want one person tracking both.
Filing systems
“Do you work in person, by video, or both, and how do you file through Michigan Treasury Online?”
A New Hudson client should not have to drive far. Ask how remote filing and meetings actually work.
Privilege and court
“Are you a licensed attorney who can claim attorney-client privilege and represent me in Tax Court, or a salesperson at a relief company?”
This single answer separates a law firm from a call center.
What a tax attorney does that a “tax relief company” cannot
A licensed tax attorney gives you two things a national relief company usually cannot: attorney-client privilege and the ability to represent you in U.S. Tax Court.
IRS Enrolled Agents and CPAs can represent you before the IRS too, and they are the right tool for many jobs. But privilege and courtroom advocacy belong to the attorney. Austin & Larson keeps attorneys, Enrolled Agents, and CPAs under one roof, so the work goes to whoever fits your case.
About “pennies on the dollar”
Be careful with any promise to wipe out your debt for a few cents on the dollar. An offer in compromise can lower a balance, but only when your finances support it. The IRS accepted about 1 in 5 offers in FY2024, 7,199 of 33,591 submitted.
An offer works when it matches what the IRS calculates it could collect from you, a figure called your Reasonable Collection Potential. There is no haggling it down. Firms that promise a settlement to everyone show up on the IRS Dirty Dozen scam list every year.
The 10-year clock, in plain terms
Federal tax debt generally expires 10 years after it is assessed. That window is called the collection statute.
But the clock can pause. Filing an offer in compromise, requesting certain agreements, or other events can stop and restart it. Waiting can help you or quietly hurt you, depending on your specific dates.
Before you decide to wait the IRS out, have someone pull your account transcripts and read the actual dates. Guessing is how people lose years.
Our Process | Simple, Fast & Stress Free
Step 1: Initial Contact
During your first call to our office, we will ask you a brief
background of your current tax situation and determine the
most convenient office location for your free initial
consultation.
Step 2: Free Consultation
We will meet with you to review and discuss your individual
facts and circumstances to create a customized tax relief plan
for your situation and the next steps to take to resolve your tax
situation.
Step 3: Begin Resolving Debt
Once we have decided to move forward, we will immediately begin working with the IRS on your behalf to resolve your
case as quickly as possible. We will also provide advice and the steps you need to take to ensure you do not acquire
any additional debt while we work to settle your case. From the moment you retain our firm, we will be your voice with
the IRS and the point of contact for all taxing entities.
Step 4: Monitor Case Status
Some tax debt cases can be resolved quickly, while others may
have quite a bit of back and forth contact with the IRS to reach
full resolution. We will regularly monitor your case and keep
you in the loop along the way so you are never left in the dark.
Step 5: Tax Freedom!
It is our goal not only to resolve your current tax debt but also
to make sure that you don't have any further tax problems.
After we have reached resolution with your case, you will be
fully equipped with best practices to avoid future tax issues of
any kind.
Four steps, no mystery
First call
Tell us roughly what you owe and which notices you have received. We pick the closest office or set up a video meeting. For New Hudson, that is usually our Brighton office.
Free consultation
We pull your IRS transcripts, read your notices, and look at both your federal and your Michigan picture. Then we tell you the options you actually qualify for.
We take over contact
Once you retain us, we deal with the IRS and the Michigan Department of Treasury directly. They stop calling you and start calling us.
Resolution and after
We work the balance through the right program, then show you how to stay clear of the same problem next year.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is there a tax lawyer based in New Hudson itself?
No. No dedicated tax-law office sits inside the 48165 ZIP code. The attorneys who serve New Hudson work from nearby communities like Brighton, South Lyon, Novi, and Farmington Hills. Our closest office is in Brighton, west on I-96, and we also meet by phone and video.
Do I need a tax attorney, or is a CPA or enrolled agent enough?
For preparing and filing a return, a qualified CPA or enrolled agent is often enough. For an audit, collections, Tax Court, or a dispute involving Michigan’s 2025 conformity changes, a licensed tax attorney adds attorney-client privilege and the right to represent you in court. Our firm has attorneys, enrolled agents, and CPAs, so you are matched to the right one.
How much does a tax lawyer near New Hudson cost?
It depends on the work, from answering a single IRS notice to a full audit or a Michigan Tax Tribunal case. We quote your fee after the free consultation, once we have read your transcripts and notices. Be wary of any firm that promises to cut your debt by a fixed percentage before it has seen your file.
Are Oakland County property tax appeals usually successful?
There is no public win-rate data from the Boards of Review or the Michigan Tax Tribunal, so no honest firm can quote you a bulk success rate. Outcomes turn on your evidence: comparable sales, a professional appraisal, and documentation of the property’s condition. Strong evidence and the right deadline matter more than any promise.
What changed in Michigan tax law in 2025?
House Bill 4961, signed October 7, 2025, decoupled Michigan from five federal tax breaks for tax years that begin after December 31, 2024. Businesses and pass-through entities are most affected, and some now owe more in Michigan tax than their federal return shows. This is the development the directory listings for our area largely ignore.
Can you really settle my tax debt for “pennies on the dollar”?
Sometimes, through an offer in compromise, but only when your finances support it. The IRS accepted about 1 in 5 offers in FY2024. An offer has to match what the IRS believes it could collect from you. Any firm that guarantees a settlement to every client is a warning sign, and that promise lands them on the IRS scam list.
Talk to a Michigan tax attorney about your New Hudson tax problem
Send a short note or call. We read your transcripts and notices, explain your real options, and quote a fee before you commit to anything.
Weekdays 8am-6pm
Brighton, Saginaw, Lansing, and Jackson, MI
Free Phone or In-Person Consultation
Fill out the form below or give us a call today to speak with one of our tax experts!
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