Tax Lawyer in Lansing, MI

The CP504 notice in your mailbox gives the IRS 30 days before they can levy your bank account. A Final Notice of Intent to Levy (Letter 1058) starts another 30-day clock, then wages get garnished. A Michigan Department of Treasury demand letter often moves even faster than either. If you’ve received one of these, you don’t need general tax advice. You need a Tax Lawyer in Lansing, MI who handles these cases every week.

Austin & Larson Tax Resolution is a Michigan tax law firm with an office in Lansing, led by Bridgette M. Austin (JD, EA), Vice President, and Dustin Larson (EA, CPA). Our staff includes Tax Attorneys, IRS Enrolled Agents, and CPAs working the same case from both sides: legal strategy and accounting execution. We resolve IRS and State of Michigan tax matters for individuals and business owners across Ingham County and the greater Lansing area.

A Lansing tax attorney handles tax matters that put your legal rights, your wages, or your liberty at risk. CPAs prepare returns and handle audits at the examination level. A tax lawyer steps in when the IRS escalates to collection, issues a Final Notice of Intent to Levy, threatens Tax Court, or contacts you about a criminal matter. Austin & Larson Tax Resolution covers both the legal and accounting sides of your case under one roof in Lansing.

If any of the following applies to you, the case has already moved past what a return preparer can handle:

• You’ve received a Letter 1058 (Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Right to a Hearing).
• You’ve received a CP504 (Notice of Intent to Levy state tax refund).
• The IRS has issued a wage garnishment notice (CP90, CP297) or bank levy.
• You owe payroll taxes (Form 941 trust fund liability), which the IRS prioritizes above almost every other collection matter.
• You haven’t filed personal or business returns for three or more years.
• A Special Agent from IRS Criminal Investigation has contacted you or visited your business.
• You’re facing a Tax Court petition deadline (90 days from a Statutory Notice of Deficiency).
• Your IRS appeals window is open and you need representation at the conference.
• You owe more than $50,000 and the IRS has assigned a Revenue Officer to your case.
• Michigan Department of Treasury has issued a demand letter, wage garnishment, or asset levy.

These cases have legal exposure that a CPA license alone doesn’t cover. Bridgette Austin holds a JD and Enrolled Agent license, which lets her represent you before the IRS, the State of Michigan, and the U.S. Tax Court. Dustin Larson holds an EA and CPA, which covers the accounting and IRS-procedural side. Most firms have one or the other. Austin & Larson has both.

A Lansing tax lawyer provides full representation between you and the tax authorities. Austin & Larson Tax Resolution files Form 2848 (Power of Attorney) with the IRS, which routes all calls, letters, and contact through our office. We stop active collection, file missing returns, correct IRS adjustments, negotiate formal resolutions, represent you in audits and appeals, and appear on your behalf in Tax Court when needed.

Services we handle from the Lansing office:

• • IRS collection defense. We respond to Letter 1058, CP504, and other levy notices to stop wage garnishment, bank levies, and asset seizure.
  • Offer in Compromise (OIC) preparation and submission. We complete Form 656 and Form 433-A (OIC) to settle qualifying debts for less than the full amount owed.
  • Installment Agreement negotiation. We structure monthly payment plans (streamlined, partial pay, or full pay) that the IRS will actually accept.
  • Currently Not Collectible (CNC) status. We file the financial documentation to pause collection if you can’t pay anything right now.
  • Penalty abatement. First-time abatement and reasonable cause arguments to remove failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalties.
  • Innocent Spouse Relief. Form 8857 representation if your spouse or ex-spouse caused the tax problem and you qualify.
  • Unfiled return preparation. Three to ten years of back returns prepared accurately, often using IRS Substitute for Return (SFR) replacement to lower the assessed amount.
  • Audit representation. Full representation through correspondence, office, and field audits.
  • IRS appeals. Filing Form 12203 or a formal protest, then representing you at the Appeals conference.
  • Tax Court representation. Filing the Tax Court petition and litigating the case if appeals don’t resolve it.
  • Michigan Department of Treasury matters. State-level tax debt, audits, and collection defense (covered in detail below).

When should I hire a tax lawyer instead of a CPA?

You should hire a tax lawyer instead of a CPA when the matter has legal exposure: a Final Notice of Intent to Levy (Letter 1058), a CP504, a wage garnishment, a bank levy, payroll tax (Form 941) trust fund issues, three or more years of unfiled returns, a Statutory Notice of Deficiency with a 90-day Tax Court window, IRS appeals, or any contact from IRS Criminal Investigation. CPAs handle return preparation and examination-level audits well. A Lansing tax attorney handles cases past that point. Austin & Larson covers both sides, so you don’t need to choose.

Can a tax lawyer in Lansing handle Michigan Department of Treasury issues?

Yes, and the location matters. Michigan Department of Treasury is headquartered in Lansing, and most of its auditors and collectors work from Lansing. Austin & Larson Tax Resolution handles MI sales tax audits, MI individual income tax disputes, MI withholding tax (Forms 5080 and 5081), Corporate Income Tax matters, and state wage garnishment defense. State collection often moves faster than IRS collection, so timely representation is critical. We respond to Michigan Treasury demand letters the same business day from our Lansing office.

How long does it take to resolve IRS tax debt?

The timeline depends on the resolution path. An Installment Agreement under $50,000 typically takes 30 to 60 days to set up. A Currently Not Collectible status approves in 30 to 90 days. An Offer in Compromise takes 6 to 12 months from submission to acceptance, sometimes longer if the IRS requests additional documentation. Penalty Abatement requests resolve in 60 to 120 days. Active collection (wage garnishment, bank levy) usually stops within 24 to 72 hours of Austin & Larson filing Form 2848 on your behalf.

Does the IRS forgive old tax debt?

The IRS has a 10-year collection clock called the Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED), which starts on the date the tax is assessed (not the year it was earned). Once the CSED passes, the debt is legally uncollectible. Certain actions pause the clock, including bankruptcy filings, pending Offer in Compromise reviews, and Collection Due Process appeals. Many older debts are closer to expiration than people realize. Austin & Larson Tax Resolution pulls your account transcripts and calculates exact CSED dates as part of every case review.

Can the IRS or the State of Michigan take my house?

The IRS can file a federal tax lien against your property and, in severe cases, pursue a judicial sale of real estate, though this is rare and requires court approval. The State of Michigan can file a state tax lien that attaches to your real property. Both liens cloud the title and prevent a sale or refinance until the debt is resolved. Most cases never escalate to forced sale. The fix is to engage representation before liens are filed, or to negotiate lien withdrawal or subordination after. Our Lansing office handles both federal and Michigan state liens.

What’s the difference between an Enrolled Agent, a CPA, and a Tax Attorney?

All three can represent you before the IRS, but the credentials cover different ground. An Enrolled Agent (EA) is licensed directly by the IRS through testing and continuing education; EAs specialize in taxation and have unlimited representation rights. A CPA is a state-licensed accountant who often handles tax work as part of a broader practice. A Tax Attorney is a lawyer licensed by a state bar with focused tax practice; attorneys are required for Tax Court litigation and offer attorney-client privilege. Austin & Larson Tax Resolution employs all three.

Do I have to go to court if I hire a tax lawyer?

Most tax cases resolve without going to court. The IRS resolves cases through its own administrative process: the collection division, the audit examination division, and the Office of Appeals. Tax Court only enters the picture if appeals fails or if a Statutory Notice of Deficiency requires a petition within 90 days to preserve your rights. When Tax Court is involved, Bridgette Austin’s JD and EA credentials allow her to litigate cases directly. The Michigan Tax Tribunal handles state-level disputes through a similar administrative process.

What if I haven’t filed taxes in years?

Unfiled returns are one of the most common situations our Lansing office handles. The IRS rule of thumb is six years for compliance, though we often pull and prepare three to ten years depending on the case. Filing missing returns is the first step in almost every resolution; the IRS won’t accept an Installment Agreement, an Offer in Compromise, or Currently Not Collectible status until you’re in filing compliance. Dustin Larson and the Austin & Larson team prepare back returns and often reduce the assessed amounts when the IRS has filed Substitute for Returns on your behalf.