Tax Resolution in St. Augustine: What We See Locally
St. Augustine's historic-district tour operators, restaurants, and B&Bs face a distinct mix of hospitality tax issues, seasonal payroll swings, and sales/TDT reporting. We handle the federal case and coordinate state and county-level cleanup.
Who we help in St. Augustine
• Tourism & tour operators
• Restaurants & B&Bs
• Historic-district retail
ZIP codes served
3208432086
Local landmarks nearby
• Castillo de San Marcos
• St. George Street
• Flagler College
Specialty Tax Cases We Handle in St. Augustine
Two case types make up a meaningful share of our Northeast Florida caseload. If you fit one of these profiles in St. Augustine or greater St. Johns County, we know the IRS pressure points before you call.
Military & Veteran Tax Cases
Active duty, reservists, retirees, and disabled veterans in St. Augustine face a distinct set of federal tax issues — DFAS withholding errors, missed combat zone exclusions (IRC §112), SCRA protections during collections, and VA disability retroactive adjustments that trigger amended returns.
• Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) reconstruction and refund claims
• SCRA §3702 interest-rate cap and collection-hold requests for active duty
• Disabled veteran retroactive VA award recharacterization (Form 1040-X)
• State-of-residence disputes (SCRA §571) for stationed service members
• Innocent spouse relief (IRC §6015) for military spouses
• Retirement/TSP early-withdrawal penalty exceptions and abatement
Owner-operators, small fleets, freight brokers, and 3PLs running out of St. Augustine and the JAXPORT / I-95 / I-10 corridor come to us with per-diem substantiation gaps, Form 2290 HVUT problems, misclassified 1099 drivers, and IFTA-triggered federal audits.
• Form 2290 Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) delinquencies
• Per diem (DOT 80% M&IE) reconstruction under IRC §274(n)(3)
• Driver classification defense (W-2 vs. 1099 / SS-8 determinations)
• Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (IRC §6672) defense for fleet owners
• Fuel tax credit and IFTA-audit federal spillover representation
• Bookkeeping cleanup for freight brokers, 3PLs, and owner-operators
• Depreciation and §179 planning on tractors, trailers, and equipment
Not sure which fits your situation? Call (904) 227-7902 — every St. Augustine case is triaged by a licensed tax attorney.
Services for St. Augustine Taxpayers
From IRS collections defense to monthly bookkeeping and business returns — IRS representation is handled by licensed counsel, and returns and bookkeeping are handled by our senior accountant and IRS-registered tax professionals.
IRS Levy & Wage Garnishment Release
Fast intervention to stop bank levies and wage garnishments.
Offer in Compromise (OIC)
Settle federal tax debt for less than owed — prepared and negotiated by licensed counsel.
Penalty Abatement
First-time abatement and reasonable-cause relief to strip penalties and interest.
Installment Agreements
Affordable monthly payment plans structured to protect your household budget.
Currently Not Collectible (CNC) Status
Hardship protection that pauses IRS collections while you recover financially.
Unfiled Returns & Audit Defense
Back-tax filing and full representation through IRS audits and appeals.
Tax Preparation (Individual & Business)
Forms 1040, 1065, 1120, 1120-S — filed accurately and on time.
Bookkeeping & Monthly Financials
Clean books, monthly P&L and balance sheets, and catch-up cleanup work.
All Services Available in St. Augustine
Every service we offer is available to St. Augustine residents and businesses. Click any service for a St. Augustine-specific overview and FAQ.
Tax Resolution Questions from St. Augustine Clients
Answers to the questions we hear most often from taxpayers and small business owners in St. Augustine and across St. Johns County.
My St. Augustine tour business is behind on 941 payroll taxes after a slow off-season — what now?
Seasonal payroll issues are common here. We negotiate an In-Business Trust Fund Express installment agreement, request penalty abatement on the deposit penalties, and set up a payroll cadence that survives the next off-season.
How does St. Johns County Tourist Development Tax (TDT) interact with my federal Schedule E?
TDT is a county-level bed tax and is separate from federal income tax, but it must be collected and remitted on short-term rentals. We help reconcile TDT payments against the rental income you report federally so the two match if the IRS or county audits.
How fast can you stop an IRS wage garnishment in St. Augustine?
In most St. Augustine cases we can move to release a wage levy within 24–72 hours of engagement, once your transcripts are pulled and Form 8821 or 2848 is on file. The IRS will release a Form 668-W wage levy under IRC §6343 when we prove financial hardship, put you into an installment agreement, secure Currently Not Collectible status, or file an Offer in Compromise. Speed depends on filing compliance — unfiled returns must be addressed first.
Can the IRS levy my bank account in St. Augustine without warning?
No. Before a bank levy hits a St. Augustine account, the IRS must issue a Final Notice of Intent to Levy (typically Letter 1058 or LT11) and give you 30 days to request a Collection Due Process (CDP) hearing under IRC §6330. If you missed that window, we can still request an equivalent hearing, negotiate a levy release, or file Form 911 for Taxpayer Advocate assistance.
What are my options if I owe the IRS back taxes and live in St. Augustine?
St. Augustine taxpayers generally qualify for one of five IRS resolution programs: an Offer in Compromise (settle for less than owed), a streamlined or partial-pay Installment Agreement, Currently Not Collectible status, Penalty Abatement, or Innocent Spouse Relief. We pull your IRS transcripts, run the Reasonable Collection Potential (RCP) analysis, and recommend the program with the strongest cost-benefit for your household — including any exposure from Florida-source self-employment or 1099 income.
Does Florida's lack of a state income tax affect my IRS case in St. Johns County?
It helps. Because Florida has no state income tax, St. Augustine clients face only the federal side — no companion state levy, garnishment, or lien to coordinate. That simplifies Offers in Compromise and installment agreements, but it also means the IRS has fewer competing creditors, so federal collection can move quickly. Acting early on any CP14, CP504, or LT11 notice is critical.
I'm active-duty military stationed near St. Augustine — how do IRS collections work while I'm deployed?
Under the Servicemembers Civil Relief Act (SCRA) and IRC §7508, active-duty St. Augustine-area servicemembers in a combat zone or contingency operation get automatic extensions on filing, payment, audit, and collection deadlines — typically 180 days after leaving the zone, plus the days remaining when you entered. We file the SCRA/§7508 notice with the IRS, suspend levies and installment-agreement defaults, and reconstruct Combat Zone Tax Exclusion (CZTE) wages using DFAS LES statements and Form 4852 when W-2s are missing or wrong.
I drive a truck out of the St. Augustine / JAXPORT corridor — how do I handle Form 2290 back taxes?
Form 2290 Heavy Highway Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT) applies to trucks 55,000 lbs gross weight and up, and unfiled 2290s are one of the fastest paths to an IRS lien for St. Augustine owner-operators. We file delinquent 2290s for each tax period (July–June), request penalty abatement under Reasonable Cause or First-Time Abate, and coordinate with Florida DHSMV so your IRP registration isn't held up. Stamped Schedule 1 typically returns within days once filed correctly.
Can a VA disability rating change affect my old IRS tax bills?
Yes. If your VA disability rating was increased retroactively, or you received a Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) or Concurrent Retirement and Disability Pay (CRDP) adjustment, previously-taxed military retirement pay may now be excludable. St. Augustine veterans can file Form 1040-X amended returns for open years (generally three years from filing or two from payment under IRC §6511), and any resulting refund often knocks down or eliminates the balance driving current IRS collection.
The IRS says my drivers are employees, not 1099 contractors — what happens to my St. Augustine trucking or logistics company?
Worker-classification cases hit St. Augustine-area carriers hard because unpaid employment taxes are non-dischargeable and expose owners to the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty (IRC §6672) personally. We defend classification using the 20-factor common-law test, file Form SS-8 when appropriate, and negotiate Section 530 safe-harbor relief or the Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP) to cap back-tax exposure. If a TFRP has already been assessed, we contest it with Form 4180 interview prep and appeals.
