Austin & Larson Tax Resolution
Tax Lawyer In Ypsilanti, MI
Austin & Larson Tax Resolution handles IRS and State of Michigan tax debt for people and businesses in Ypsilanti. An attorney and a CPA work the same file under one engagement, so the federal case and the state case move together. We work from our Brighton office at 812 W. Grand River Ave., north of Ypsilanti on US-23, and represent clients across Michigan.
Who is actually asking you for money
Four different authorities can send a Ypsilanti resident a tax notice, and only two of them are our work.
Your assessor, either the City of Ypsilanti or Ypsilanti Township, decides what your property is worth. The City assesses as of 31 December at 50 percent of true cash value and presents the roll to the March Board of Review, per the City Assessor’s published description of the process. If the number on your assessment notice is what you disagree with, that is your assessor’s desk, and we will point you at it rather than bill you for it.
The Washtenaw County Treasurer takes over property tax that went unpaid at the local level, and runs its own delinquency and foreclosure calendar from there. Also not our work.
The Michigan Department of Treasury handles state income tax, sales tax and withholding, plus the assessments, liens and collection actions that follow. That one is ours.
The IRS handles federal income tax, payroll tax, audits, levies, liens and the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty. Also ours.
Getting this wrong costs you a deadline. A final notice of intent to levy from the IRS gives you 30 days. A Board of Review protest happens once a year, by appointment, in a window measured in days. Neither clock pauses while you work out where to call.
Tax Debt is Often
Intimidating
Frustrating
Confusing
Embarrassing
Stressful
… But it Doesn’t Have to Be
The transcript-first rule
Nobody should tell you what your tax debt can be settled for until they have read your IRS account transcripts. That includes us.
This is the single position on this page most likely to cost us a signature, and we hold it anyway, because the transcript is where the case actually lives. It records what was assessed and on what date, which sets the Collection Statute Expiration Date for every year you owe. It shows payments the IRS applied to the wrong year. It shows whether a Substitute for Return was filed on your behalf, which changes both the balance and the strategy. It shows penalty codes, which decides whether abatement has a theory behind it or is just a request. It shows holds, appeals and prior agreements that quietly extended your collection clock while you assumed it was running down.
Two things follow from reading it first.
The first is that the number on your notice is not always the number you owe. Paying a balance as printed is occasionally the worst available move, and you cannot know that from the letter alone.
The second is about time. Each year carries its own 10-year collection statute measured from the assessment date. Several events pause it, including a pending Offer in Compromise, certain appeals, bankruptcy and time spent outside the country. We have opened files where the best strategy on the oldest year was to stop volunteering for it, and files where an offer would have restarted a clock that was nearly finished. Neither of those calls can be made from the outside.
We quote fees after the consultation, once the file has been read.
The Michigan Treasury side, which is not the smaller problem
Michigan runs in parallel with the IRS and in some respects moves faster. The state intercepts refunds, files liens, touches licenses and garnishes wages, and it works to its own statutory windows for assessment and collection, which do not line up with the federal ones. The state’s published individual income tax rate for 2026 is 4.25 percent.
We file Michigan Form 151, the authorized representative declaration, so the state matter runs on the same timetable as the federal one instead of trailing behind it. Most of our clients owe both governments, which is why both stay on one engagement.
One live issue is worth knowing about. Between 7 and 28 April 2026 the Michigan Department of Treasury sent more than 27,000 incorrect Notice of Adjustment letters during its new tax system rollout. Treasury issued corrected letters dated 19 May 2026, and the House Tax Policy Committee took the matter up on 16 June 2026. There has been no public reporting since, so we treat a Michigan notice from that window as something to verify against the account rather than something to pay as printed.
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 handle in Ypsilanti, and what we do not
We handle IRS and State of Michigan tax debt. That means audits, unfiled returns, payroll tax exposure, liens, levies and wage garnishment, plus the payment paths that close a case out.
We do not file property assessment appeals. Not at the City Board of Review, not at the Township Board of Review, not at the Michigan Tax Tribunal. If your problem is a number on your assessment notice, hiring us would be the expensive way to solve it, and we would rather say that now than bill you to find out.
Read it as a boundary, not modesty.
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...
What working with us looks like
Retain us and the correspondence changes hands that week. The sequence runs like this.
- Free consultation. We read your notices, tell you which authority you are actually dealing with, and give you the realistic paths rather than the flattering one.
- Power of attorney filed. Form 2848 for the IRS, Michigan Form 151 where the state is involved, filed within 24 hours of retention. Federal contact shifts to us and the calls stop.
- Transcripts pulled and read, before any negotiating position is taken.
- Compliance first. Missing returns get prepared and filed, because nothing else opens until they are.
- Resolution filed. We build the path your numbers support and carry it through with the IRS or the state.
- Monitoring to close. We track the case and keep you posted, so you are not guessing where it stands.
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 need a tax lawyer to appeal my Ypsilanti property assessment?
Usually not. For a straightforward over-assessment, owners present their own case to the Board of Review and many succeed. Bring recent comparable sales or proof of a condition that lowers value. Representation earns its cost on high-value parcels, on commercial or rental property, or where the assessment dispute is tangled up with an IRS or Michigan Treasury balance. Austin & Larson does not file property assessment appeals.
When can I appeal my assessment in 2027?
The March Board of Review is the main window and the one that hears valuation disputes. Neither the City nor the Township has posted 2027 dates yet. Call your assessing office in January to book, because appointments are first come, first served and the sitting lasts days, not weeks. The December Board of Review handles a narrower set of issues, mostly qualified errors and hardship exemptions, rather than a general disagreement about value.
How much can my taxable value go up in a year?
For 2026 the State Tax Commission capped the increase at 2.7 percent, a multiplier of 1.027, for any property that did not sell or receive additions. The formula is the 2025 taxable value minus losses, multiplied by 1.027, plus additions. Local assessors cannot substitute a different figure. The 2027 multiplier has not been published yet and is expected around November 2026.
The IRS sent me a notice. What do I do first?
Read the deadline, and do not call the IRS before you know what is on your account. A CP504 is loud but does not start your appeal clock. The letter that does is the LT11 or Letter 1058, the final notice of intent to levy, which gives you 30 days to request a Collection Due Process hearing on Form 12153. A Notice of Deficiency runs a separate 90-day clock for petitioning the U.S. Tax Court. Order your account transcripts first, then file Form 2848 so correspondence routes to your representative.
I have not filed in years. Is it too late?
No, and filing is the step that unlocks everything else. No payment path is available to a non-filer. Keep waiting and the IRS prepares a Substitute for Return in your place, with no deductions and no credits attached, so the figure it produces overstates the real liability. Getting current normally means the last 6 years.
Can you help with Michigan Treasury debt, not just the IRS?
Yes. Michigan Form 151 puts us on the state file, and we keep it on the same timetable as the federal one. The state can outpace the IRS on collection, above all on refund offsets, liens and action against licenses, so leaving the state half unattended while the federal half is negotiated tends to go badly.
Does IRS tax debt ever expire?
Yes. The IRS gets 10 years from the assessment date to collect on each year, and because assessment dates differ, so do the expiry dates. Once one passes, that year is closed to collection. Pending offers, certain appeals, bankruptcy and time abroad all stop the clock while they run. Your transcripts carry the exact date for every year you owe.
I got a Michigan Notice of Adjustment in spring 2026. Is it right?
Possibly not. The Michigan Department of Treasury sent more than 27,000 incorrect Notice of Adjustment letters between 7 and 28 April 2026 during its tax system changeover, then issued corrected letters dated 19 May 2026. The House Tax Policy Committee took it up on 16 June 2026 and there has been no public reporting since. Check the notice against your actual account before paying it.
Talk to a tax lawyer about your Ypsilanti tax debt
Call (866) 668-2953 or send the form. The consultation is free, and you will leave it knowing which authority your problem sits with, whether you need a firm at all, and what the realistic paths are.
Bring your notices. The letter number tells us more in 10 seconds than an hour of description.
Weekdays 8am-6pm
Brighton, Saginaw, Lansing, and Jackson, MI
Call Us Today or Fill Out The Form
Fill out the form below or give us a call today to speak with one of our tax experts!