How We Work

The Standards That Govern Every Engagement at Mike Habib, EA

myIRSTaxRelief.com  |  Whittier, California  |  Serving All 50 States and Americans Abroad

Why This Page Exists

The tax resolution industry has a credibility problem. Late-night television commercials promise to settle tax debts for “pennies on the dollar.” Call centers sell Offer in Compromise packages to people who do not qualify. Upfront retainers disappear before any meaningful work is done. It is a landscape that makes skeptical taxpayers even more skeptical, and it should.

This page is my answer to that problem. It is a plain statement of how I run my practice, what I will and will not do, and what you should expect from the first phone call to the final resolution. I am publishing it for two reasons. First, because the clients who do best are the ones who start with clear expectations. Second, because a firm willing to put its standards in writing is easier to judge than one that speaks only in adjectives.

Our Standards

1. Diagnostics Come Before Engagement

Before you hire me, I give you an honest assessment of your case. That means a real review of your notices, your filing history, your financial picture, and the specific IRS or state agency actions you are facing. If your situation is straightforward, I tell you. If it is serious, I tell you that too. If it needs a tax attorney or a criminal defense specialist rather than an Enrolled Agent, I refer you. The diagnostic call is complimentary, and its purpose is to give you information, not to close a sale.

2. Written Flat Fees for Most Matters

The majority of my engagements are on a flat-fee basis, quoted in writing before you pay anything. You know the total cost upfront. There is no meter running, no hourly surprises, and no retainer that quietly evaporates. For the limited cases where a flat fee is not appropriate, I quote a clear hourly rate with an estimated cost range and a not-to-exceed cap. Either way, you see the numbers before you commit.

3. Realistic Outcome Ranges, Never Guarantees

No ethical tax representative can guarantee an IRS outcome. The IRS makes its own decisions, based on its own financial standards, legal criteria, and procedural rules. What I can do is tell you, based on more than 20 years of representation experience, what the likely range of outcomes looks like for a case like yours. If an Offer in Compromise is realistic, I say so and explain the math. If it is not, I tell you that directly and walk you through the alternatives that actually fit your situation, whether that is a Partial Pay Installment Agreement, Currently Not Collectible status, penalty abatement, or something else.

4. Direct Access to the Person Handling Your Case

When you retain my firm, you work with me. Not a junior associate. Not a paralegal. Not a rotating support team. The reason is structural. My practice is intentionally built to keep the person with the credential, the experience, and the accountability on the case from intake through resolution. You have my direct line, my direct email, and a realistic response window.

5. Honest Referrals When a Case Is Not Ours

Some cases belong with a tax litigation attorney. Some belong with a criminal defense specialist. Some belong with a bankruptcy attorney who also handles tax matters. When your case falls into one of those categories, I tell you and refer you to someone qualified to handle it. I do not take engagements I cannot move forward productively, and I do not quietly hold cases that should be elsewhere. The referral costs you nothing and saves you from retaining the wrong specialist.

6. No Sales Pressure, Ever

You will not be pressured to sign a retainer on the initial call. You will not be given a “today only” discount. You will not hear scripted urgency tactics about the IRS “taking action within 24 hours.” If the situation is actually urgent, I will explain exactly why and give you the information to decide. If it is not, I will say so. Your decision to hire a representative should be based on information, not anxiety.

7. Transparent Communication Throughout the Case

You receive copies of every document filed with the IRS, every letter received from the IRS, and every substantive action taken on your case. You know what has happened, what is pending, and what comes next. If there is a delay, I tell you the reason. If there is a development, I call. If there is a decision to make, I present the options clearly with my recommendation and the reasoning behind it.

8. Scope Discipline

My practice focuses on tax representation and controversy, complex tax preparation, and tax planning. I do not dabble outside that scope. If you need estate planning, business formation, bookkeeping services, or other work that falls outside tax, I do not take the engagement and bill you to learn it. I refer you to a specialist in that area. Specialization is the point.

What You Will Not Hear From This Firm

• “We can settle your tax debt for pennies on the dollar.” No honest practitioner can promise this. OIC acceptance depends on the IRS’s Reasonable Collection Potential formula applied to your specific finances.
• “Sign today and we’ll waive the consultation fee.” The consultation is already complimentary. There is nothing to waive.
• “The IRS is about to take drastic action against you.” Drastic action follows specific procedural steps that are documented in your IRS notices. I will explain where you actually are in that timeline.
• “We guarantee results.” No one can guarantee an IRS outcome. Anyone who says otherwise is selling, not representing.
• “Our attorneys will handle your case.” If you retain my firm, an Enrolled Agent handles your case. If your matter requires an attorney, I tell you and refer you.
• “Let us handle everything, don’t worry about the details.” You should always know the details of your own case. I make sure you do.

What You Can Expect From the First Call

During your complimentary consultation, we will cover:

• The current status of your matter, including where you are in the IRS or state procedural timeline.
• The notices and letters you have received, and what each one actually means.
• The realistic range of resolution options for your specific facts.
• Whether your situation is best handled by an EA, a CPA, a tax attorney, or a criminal defense specialist.
• If we proceed, a written flat-fee quote with a clear scope of work.
• If we do not proceed, guidance on who to call and what to do next.

The consultation is typically 30 to 60 minutes. It is conducted by phone or video, on your schedule, and your information stays confidential under the federally authorized tax practitioner privilege under Internal Revenue Code Section 7525.

Who We Represent

My practice serves individuals and businesses nationwide and Americans living overseas. The typical clients who benefit most from this firm include:

• Individuals and families facing IRS audits, back taxes, liens, levies, or wage garnishments.
• Self-employed professionals and small business owners with payroll tax issues, unfiled returns, or collection cases.
• S-Corporation shareholders, partners, and owners facing basis, distribution, or reasonable compensation disputes.
• Taxpayers dealing with California FTB residency audits, EDD worker classification audits, or CDTFA sales tax audits.
• Expats and U.S. persons abroad needing streamlined filing compliance, FBAR, or dual-country tax coordination.
• Clients with complex multi-state returns, trust and estate filings, and prior-year corrections.

About Mike Habib, EA

I am a federally licensed Enrolled Agent with more than 20 years of experience in tax representation and complex tax preparation. My credential is granted by the U.S. Department of the Treasury under Circular 230, which grants me unlimited representation rights before the Internal Revenue Service in all 50 states. Before building this practice, I served as Controller at Xerox Corporation and Director of Finance at AEG, which gives me a working understanding of corporate finance, financial statements, and the business side of tax that purely administrative practitioners often lack.

My rates are $400 to $500 per hour, compared to $850 to $1,500 per hour at large law and accounting firms. Most engagements are flat fee. You work directly with me. That is the firm, and that is how it works.

Start With a Straight Answer

Call or email for a complimentary diagnostic consultation. You will leave the call with a clear understanding of your options, a realistic outcome range, and a written flat-fee quote if we proceed. No pressure, no sales script, no over-promises. myIRSTaxRelief.com