Austin & Larson Tax Resolution
Tax Lawyer In Flint, MI
Austin & Larson Tax Resolution represents Flint taxpayers in front of 3 separate tax authorities: the IRS, the Michigan Department of Treasury, and the City of Flint Income Tax Division in the City Hall basement at 1101 S. Saginaw Street. Our team is tax attorneys, IRS Enrolled Agents and CPAs. We work Genesee County cases out of our Brighton office, south of Flint on US-23, and our Saginaw office, north on I-75. The consultation is free and costs you nothing if you decide not to hire us.
Flint taxpayers answer to 3 tax collectors, not 2
If you live or work in Flint, 3 governments can assess and collect income tax from you. The IRS. The Michigan Department of Treasury, at the 2026 individual rate of 4.25% set in the Treasury notice of April 15, 2026. And the City of Flint, which levies 1% on residents and 0.5% on people who work in the city but live somewhere else.
The city one is the piece that surprises people. Flint runs its own income tax division, its own collections, and its own enforcement, out of City Hall at 1101 S. Saginaw Street. A clean IRS transcript tells you nothing about your city file. You can settle a federal balance, walk away satisfied, and still open a Flint notice afterwards.
Tax Debt is Often
Intimidating
Frustrating
Confusing
Embarrassing
Stressful
… But it Doesn’t Have to Be
The 2027 split: which government gets which tax year
Flint city income tax is moving to the State of Michigan. On June 3, 2025, Mayor Sheldon Neeley and State Treasurer Rachael Eubanks signed an agreement handing administration of the city income tax to the Michigan Department of Treasury starting January 1, 2027. Flint becomes the second Michigan city on this arrangement, after Detroit, which has been with Treasury since 2015. The rates do not move. Everything around them does.
We call this the 2027 split, and it is the first thing we check on a Flint file. Every tax year now sits on one side of a line, and the side it sits on decides who you file with, which form you use, when it is due, and who has the power to collect.
Here is the line, as Treasury has published it:
- Tax year 2025 and earlier. The City of Flint Income Tax Division administers these. City forms, city processing, city collections, due April 30.
- Tax year 2026, the return you file in spring 2027. The Michigan Department of Treasury administers it. New standardized city forms, e-filed through Michigan Treasury eServices, due April 15, 2027.
- Tax year 2027 and later. Treasury, with estimated payments due on the 15th rather than the 30th: April 15 2027, June 15 2027, September 15 2027, January 15 2028.
Three details inside that split cost people money.
First, payments go to the city through December 31, 2026. Estimated payments you make to Flint for tax year 2026 get transferred to your Treasury account after the handoff. Send them to the wrong place in the meantime and you are chasing a misapplied payment across 2 agencies.
Second, the due date moves. April 30 has been the Flint deadline for years. April 15, 2027 is the first Treasury due date.
Third, Treasury is discontinuing phone and in-person payment for city tax. If your habit is walking into City Hall with a check, that option goes away.
When a Flint city tax file turns criminal
The City of Flint Income Tax Division operates a Tax Enforcement Unit. Its published job is finding non-filers and under-reporters, and it pursues both civil collection and criminal investigation of tax fraud, working with District Court and the City Attorney. That is stated on the Income Tax Division’s own page.
A city office that can route your file to the City Attorney is not one to answer without representation.
Your federal case gets heard in Detroit, not Flint
The United States Tax Court designates 1 place of trial in Michigan: Detroit, at the Theodore Levin U.S. Courthouse, 231 W. Lafayette Blvd, Room 1069. There is no Flint session. If you receive a Notice of Deficiency and petition the Tax Court, the case is calendared in Detroit.
The deadline on that notice is 90 days from the date on the letter, or 150 days if the notice is addressed to you outside the United States. It does not move. Missing it means losing the right to contest the liability before paying it.
There is also no Low Income Taxpayer Clinic in Flint or anywhere in Genesee County. IRS Publication 4134 puts Michigan’s clinics in Ann Arbor, East Lansing, Detroit and Grand Rapids. The 2 closest to Flint are the University of Michigan clinic in Ann Arbor and the Alvin L. Storrs Low-Income Taxpayer Clinic at Michigan State University College of Law in East Lansing. If you qualify on income, call one of them before you pay anyone a retainer. Our co-founder trained in that MSU clinic, and we would rather point you there than take money you do not need to spend.
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.
What to check before you hand anyone a power of attorney
Michigan’s Attorney General publishes a consumer alert on tax debt resolution, and one rule inside it is worth knowing before you sign anything with anybody, us included. If a business takes your money and distributes it to the IRS on your behalf, it is operating as a debt management company and generally has to be licensed by the Michigan Department of Insurance and Financial Services. Licensed debt management companies are capped at $50 or less in initial upfront fees.
Five things to establish on the first call, whoever you are talking to:
- Who signs the power of attorney, and what is their credential. An attorney, an Enrolled Agent and a CPA can all represent you before the IRS under Circular 230. An attorney also carries attorney-client privilege.
- Who files your Flint city return for tax year 2025, and who gets the 2026 one. The answer has to distinguish the city from Treasury.
- Whether anyone will be holding your money before it reaches the IRS, and whether they hold a DIFS licence for that.
- The statutory deadline on the notice in your hand, and the date it falls.
- Whether your transcripts have been pulled yet.
Learn From The Experts
IRS Power Of Attorney Form 2848
Written By: Michael Vale Reviewed By: Bridgette Austin, Esq., EA, Co-Founder and Tax Attorney Last Reviewed: September 14, 2026 The IRS power of attorney form is Form 2848, and it does 1 thing: it lets a person you name speak, argue, and sign for you in front of the...
Form 1099-C And Canceled Debt: Is Forgiven Debt Taxable?
Written By: Michael Vale Reviewed By: Bridgette Austin, Esq., EA, Co-Founder and Tax Attorney Last Reviewed: September 4, 2026 If you received a Form 1099-C, the canceled amount on it is usually taxable income, and you generally report it on Schedule 1 of your Form...
Who Pays Back Taxes After Divorce?
Written By: Michael Vale Reviewed By: Bridgette Austin, Esq., EA, Co-Founder and Tax Attorney Last Reviewed: September 2, 2026 If you filed a joint tax return, you both do. The IRS treats a joint return as "joint and several," which means each spouse is on the hook...
When we are not the right call
If your only issue is a Flint property tax bill, an assessment appeal or a Board of Review question, that is not our practice. We will say so on the first call rather than bill you to find out, and point you to the Genesee County Treasurer’s office, which runs the county’s property tax exemption assistance.
If you owe a small federal balance, every return is filed, and nobody has levied anything, you may not need a firm at all. The IRS approves installment agreements under published balance thresholds directly, and you can request one yourself.
If you qualify on income for a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic, call Ann Arbor or East Lansing first.
We are built for the harder files: multiple unfiled years, revenue officer contact, payroll and trust fund exposure, Michigan tax liens and levies already in place, and Flint city matters running alongside a federal case.
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.
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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I still file my Flint city return with the city, or with the state?
Tax year 2025 and earlier go to the City of Flint. Tax year 2026, the return you file in spring 2027, goes to the Michigan Department of Treasury. Payments go to the city through December 31, 2026.
What is the Flint city income tax rate?
1% for residents and 0.5% for nonresidents who work in Flint. Those rates are not changing when Treasury takes over administration.
My employer never withheld Flint city tax. Do I still owe it?
Generally yes. The obligation is on you as the taxpayer, and if withholding will not cover what you owe, estimated payments may be required as well. Employers with a Flint location or doing business in Flint are the ones supposed to withhold.
Do you have an office in Flint?
No. We serve Genesee County from our Brighton and Saginaw offices, and consultations can be handled by phone. Every location and phone number on this page is one of our real offices.
Is there a free tax clinic in Flint?
Not in Flint or anywhere in Genesee County. The nearest IRS Low Income Taxpayer Clinics are in Ann Arbor and East Lansing, with others in Detroit and Grand Rapids. If you qualify on income, call one before you pay a retainer anywhere.
How long do I have to respond to a Notice of Deficiency?
90 days from the date on the notice, or 150 days if it was addressed to you outside the United States. That deadline is statutory and cannot be extended.
Can you settle my tax debt for pennies on the dollar?
No one can promise that. An Offer in Compromise is accepted on a formula tied to your assets, income and expenses, not on negotiation. We tell you what your numbers support before you pay us anything.
Put A Tax Lawyer On Your Flint File
An attorney, an Enrolled Agent and a CPA can all sign a power of attorney and speak to the IRS on your behalf. Only the attorney carries attorney-client privilege, and only the attorney can take the case into the United States Tax Court, which for Michigan sits in Detroit. That gap matters more in Flint than in most of the state, because the city’s Tax Enforcement Unit investigates tax fraud alongside District Court and the City Attorney, so a city file can stop being a paperwork problem and start being a legal one.
Weekdays 8am-6pm
Brighton, Saginaw, Lansing, and Jackson, MI
Call Us Today or Fill Out The Form
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