Woodstock, GA asked in Tax Law for Alabama

Q: I pay my taxes , my husband is self employed and has not . Apparently

I have always paid my taxes , my husband is self employed . It turns out he has not in years , finances are separated, so I’m not sure how much he has . We are lower income . I finally secured a a good job with health insurance and he wants to be added to my policy. Which I’m very scared to do , I’m upset about the potential bind our family could be in -at this moment I know Alabama is sending letters to him about back taxes . Any advice is appreciated

Related Topics:
2 Lawyer Answers
Linda Simmons Campbell
Linda Simmons Campbell
Answered
  • Tax Law Lawyer
  • Burlington, CT

A: If you filed married filing separately then the IRS can only come after joint assets (joint bank accounts, home, stocks, etc.). If your finances are completely separate (including no joint bank accounts) then you should be fine.

If you filed married filing jointly then you are both liable to the IRS and you should contact a tax attorney immediately. Stay away from the places you see advertised on TV. Most of us offer a free consultation.

You should not have any problem adding him onto your policy either way you filed..

If you filed married fling separately you should urge your husband to consult with a good tax attorney to resolve his back taxes. Again, tell him to stay away from the places he sees advertised on TV.

One other piece of free advice. If you did file married filing jointly in the past, you should only file married filing separately unless he has paid his taxes.

A: Adding your husband to your health insurance policy will not affect any of the tax issues you have raised here. On the other hand, if your employer charges you for family coverage you should make you husband pay it--every month. As to the tax issues: If you are as concerned as it sounds you should gather up all your tax returns for the last several years and take them to a CPA or tax lawyer--soon.

Justia Ask a Lawyer is a forum for consumers to get answers to basic legal questions. Any information sent through Justia Ask a Lawyer is not secure and is done so on a non-confidential basis only.

The use of this website to ask questions or receive answers does not create an attorney–client relationship between you and Justia, or between you and any attorney who receives your information or responds to your questions, nor is it intended to create such a relationship. Additionally, no responses on this forum constitute legal advice, which must be tailored to the specific circumstances of each case. You should not act upon information provided in Justia Ask a Lawyer without seeking professional counsel from an attorney admitted or authorized to practice in your jurisdiction. Justia assumes no responsibility to any person who relies on information contained on or received through this site and disclaims all liability in respect to such information.

Justia cannot guarantee that the information on this website (including any legal information provided by an attorney through this service) is accurate, complete, or up-to-date. While we intend to make every attempt to keep the information on this site current, the owners of and contributors to this site make no claims, promises or guarantees about the accuracy, completeness or adequacy of the information contained in or linked to from this site.