Austin & Larson Tax Resolution
Tax Lawyer In Midland, MI
Behind on the IRS or the State of Michigan in Midland? The IRS office that handles Midland County is one county east, at 4901 Towne Centre Road in Saginaw. Our Saginaw office is in that same building. Austin & Larson Tax Resolution is a Michigan firm of tax attorneys, Enrolled Agents and CPAs. We handle IRS and Michigan Treasury debt: liens, levies, wage garnishments, unfiled returns, audits, revenue officer cases and Offers in Compromise.
There is no IRS office in Midland, Michigan
Midland does not have an IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center. The IRS publishes its list of centers, and Michigan has six: Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Marquette, Saginaw and Traverse City. The one that serves Midland County is in Saginaw, at 4901 Towne Centre Road, in the next county east. Weekday service there is by appointment. You book it on 844-545-5640, not by walking in.
Our Saginaw office is at 4901 Towne Centre Road, Suite 215. Same street address as the IRS center. A Midland client who has an appointment downstairs can meet their representative upstairs the same morning.
That is not a marketing line. It is the practical reason most of our Midland work runs out of Saginaw rather than Brighton or Lansing.
If you search “IRS office Midland,” Google will offer you 1004 N Big Spring Street. That is Midland, Texas. Two cities, one name, and the Texas one has the IRS building.
The other office people ask about is the Taxpayer Advocate Service, which is the IRS’s internal problem-solving arm for cases that have gone off the rails. Michigan has one, in Detroit, at 985 Michigan Avenue, Stop 7, Suite 609. It is the only one in the state. Their national line is 877-777-4778.
Tax Debt is Often
Intimidating
Frustrating
Confusing
Embarrassing
Stressful
… But it Doesn’t Have to Be
The Four Desks: work out which government sent the letter before you hire anyone
Most people in Midland who call a tax lawyer have not yet worked out who is actually chasing them. There are four separate collectors, four separate rulebooks, and four separate clocks. Austin & Larson works two of the four.
The City of Midland Treasurer
Property tax. The City collects on one bill for several units at once, so the City’s name is on an envelope that mostly funds other bodies. The City publishes the calendar: summer taxes run July 1 to September 15 without penalty, winter taxes run December 1 to February 14, and a 4% collection fee goes on anything unpaid after the deadline. The City calls it a collection fee, not a penalty, and the wording matters if you are reading a statute.
The Midland County Treasurer
On March 1, every delinquent real property tax and special assessment leaves the City and goes to the County. Catherine L. Lunsford’s office, 220 W Ellsworth Street, Midland, MI 48640, 989-832-6850. The County Treasurer publishes the schedule from that point: 4% administration fee plus 1% interest at transfer, another 1% interest every month after, a $15 certified mailing fee in October, then on March 1 of the following year the parcel forfeits and picks up $175 plus recording and posting fees and another half a percent of interest. If it is still unpaid by March 31 after the judgment of foreclosure, it goes to public auction.
The Michigan Department of Treasury
State income tax, state liens, state offsets, state Offers in Compromise. Lansing, not Midland.
The IRS
Federal. Everything from a CP14 to a revenue officer showing up.
Austin & Larson works Desks 3 and 4. We do not do property tax appeals or assessment disputes, and we will tell you that on the first call rather than three weeks in. If your problem is Desk 1 or Desk 2, your first call is the treasurer who sent the bill, and it is free.
The reason this matters: a March 1 rollover to the County Treasurer is governed by Michigan property tax law, and a federal collection case is governed by the Internal Revenue Code. Different government, different statute, different remedy. Working out which desk you are at is the cheapest thing you will do all month.
What changed in Michigan in October 2025, and why a Midland business should care
Michigan stopped following the new federal business tax rules. On 7 October 2025, Public Act 24 of 2025 changed how Michigan defines the Internal Revenue Code. Michigan now reads the Code as it stood on 1 January 2025, or, at the taxpayer’s option, as it stands for the tax year. The old conformity date was 1 January 2018.
The practical effect is that Michigan decoupled from parts of the federal law passed in July 2025. For tax years beginning after 31 December 2024, Michigan treats two provisions as though they were never enacted: qualified production property under IRC 168(n), and the new research and experimental expensing under IRC 174A. Four more provisions get frozen rather than deleted. Michigan applies IRC 163(j), 168(k), 174 and 179 as they stood on 31 December 2024. It runs across individual income tax, corporate income tax and the flow-through entity tax.
Translated: if you run a machine shop, a supplier, an engineering practice or any other business in the 48640 and 48642 ZIPs, your federal number and your Michigan number now come apart for the 2025 tax year onward. Reading the federal treatment off your federal return and carrying it straight onto the Michigan return now produces the wrong state figure.
On the individual side there is a short window. For tax years after 31 December 2025 and before 1 January 2029, MCL 206.30(1)(ee) lets you deduct the federal qualified tips and overtime amounts under IRC 224 and 225, to the extent they are not already out of your adjusted gross income. They are below-the-line federal deductions, so they do not reduce federal AGI, and Michigan starts from federal AGI. Without this provision the benefit would not reach your Michigan return at all. For a non-resident, only tips earned for work done in Michigan count.
Michigan’s individual income tax rate for 2026 is 4.25%, set out in Treasury’s rate notice of 15 April 2026. Corporate income tax stays at 6% per Treasury’s corporate income tax pages.
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 We Do
Austin & Larson handles tax debt owed to the IRS and to the State of Michigan. The work falls into a few groups.
Collections defense. Liens, bank levies, wage garnishments, and cases that have been assigned to a revenue officer. This is the work that has a clock on it, and it is the reason to call early rather than after the levy lands. If a Michigan state tax lien has already been filed against you, that is a different remedy than a federal lien and it is worth knowing which you are looking at.
Getting compliant. Unfiled returns, substitute returns the IRS filed for you, and the transcript work that tells you what the government actually thinks you owe. Nothing else can be negotiated until the filings are current.
Settlement and payment. Installment agreements, partial payment installment agreements, currently not collectible status, penalty abatement, and Offers in Compromise with both the IRS and Michigan Treasury.
Audits and disputes. Audit representation, IRS adjustments that are simply wrong, innocent spouse and injured spouse claims.
We do not prepare property tax appeals, and we do not take Midland County assessment disputes.
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 a tax lawyer is the wrong hire
Some of the people who find this page should not spend money with us.
If your return is straightforward and your income is low to moderate, Greater Midland publishes free tax preparation at its Community Center by appointment. The number is 989-832-7937, then press 6, or email taxhelp@greatermidland.org. The 2026 season has closed and 2027 dates are not posted yet. United Way of Midland County also promotes MyFreeTaxes for free federal and state filing. Neither will take a case to Tax Court, and neither will charge you several thousand dollars to file a W-2 return.
If your problem is bookkeeping, a return that needs preparing, or planning for next year, a CPA or an Enrolled Agent is the right hire and usually the cheaper one.
A tax attorney earns the fee when the issue involves attorney-client privilege, a contested collection action, a revenue officer, potential criminal exposure, Tax Court, or a dispute running across more than one taxing authority. That is a narrow set of problems, and most tax debt does not fall inside it.
And if your envelope came from the City of Midland or from the County Treasurer, go back up to the Four Desks. You want a treasurer, not a lawyer.
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
Is there an IRS office in Midland, MI?
No. The nearest IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center is in Saginaw at 4901 Towne Centre Road, in the next county east. Weekday visits are by appointment through 844-545-5640. Michigan has six centers in total: Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Marquette, Saginaw and Traverse City.
Do you have an office in Midland?
No. We serve Midland from our Saginaw office at 4901 Towne Centre Road, Suite 215, Saginaw, MI 48604. We also have offices in Brighton, Lansing and Jackson.
My tax bill came from the City of Midland. Can you help?
Probably not, and that is good news for your wallet. City and County property tax questions go to the treasurer who sent the bill. The City of Midland handles summer and winter property tax; after March 1 delinquent real property moves to the Midland County Treasurer at 989-832-6850. We work IRS and Michigan Treasury debt.
Can the State of Michigan take my federal tax refund?
Yes. Michigan participates in the federal Treasury Offset Program. You get a certified Notice of Intent to Offset first and have 60 days to pay or to show the debt is not owed or not legally enforceable. Treasury’s letter description says 8 weeks, so treat the deadline as the shorter one.
Do I need a tax attorney or will a CPA do?
A CPA or Enrolled Agent is the right hire for preparation, bookkeeping and most adjustments. A tax attorney matters when you need attorney-client privilege, a contested collection action, a revenue officer case, Tax Court, criminal exposure, or a dispute running across more than one taxing authority.
Is there free tax help in Midland?
Yes, for straightforward returns. Greater Midland runs free preparation at the Community Center by appointment on 989-832-7937, prompt 6, or taxhelp@greatermidland.org. United Way of Midland County promotes MyFreeTaxes for free federal and state filing. The 2026 season has ended and 2027 dates are not yet published.
Talk to a Michigan tax attorney
Work out which desk you are at, then call. If it is the IRS or Michigan Treasury, the consultation is free and we will tell you honestly whether you need us.
Weekdays 8am-6pm
Brighton, Saginaw, Lansing, and Jackson, MI
Call Us Today or Fill Out The Form
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