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Stop an IRS Tax Levy and Protect Your Wages, Bank Accounts and Assets in New Jersey
An IRS tax levy is a legal seizure of wages, bank accounts, Social Security benefits, retirement funds, or business assets to satisfy unpaid federal tax debt. Seizure release, installment agreement negotiation, and offer in compromise applications are available defenses that Anthony Surace, CPA and enrolled agents at Clean Slate Tax use to stop federal enforcement for New Jersey taxpayers. Call 1-888-588-5429 for an immediate free case review.
Clean Slate Tax stops IRS tax levies, releases wage garnishments, and prevents new seizures by establishing a qualifying resolution and filing for CDP hearings when needed.
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4.8★ Google Rating | 20+ Years IRS Experience | Anthony Surace, CPA | Thousands of Cases Resolved | Free Consultation
An IRS tax seizure is the legal seizure of your property to satisfy an unpaid federal tax debt. Unlike a tax lien, which is a legal claim against your property, a levy is the actual taking of assets including bank accounts, wages, Social Security benefits, and physical property. Clean Slate Tax stops active levies, releases garnishments, and prevents new seizures by establishing a qualifying resolution agreement with the IRS.
What the IRS Can Seize With a Tax Levy
| Asset Type | How the Levy Works | Your Protection |
|---|---|---|
| Bank accounts | IRS freezes and seizes funds on the levy date (21-day hold) | Release possible during 21-day hold period |
| Wages | Continuous levy — employer withholds each paycheck | CDP hearing right or qualifying resolution agreement |
| Social Security benefits | IRS levies up to 15% of monthly benefit | Hardship exemption or resolution agreement |
| Accounts receivable | IRS notifies clients/customers to pay IRS directly | Resolution agreement stops future levy |
| Retirement accounts | IRS can levy IRAs and 401(k)s with supervisor approval | CDP appeal before levy is issued |
| Physical property | IRS seizes and auctions vehicles, real estate, business assets | CDP appeal or injunction required — act immediately |
The IRS Levy Sequence and Your Rights
Before levying, the IRS must send a Final Notice of Intent to Levy (Letter 1058 or LT11). This notice gives you 30 days to request a Collection Due Process hearing, which stops the seizure while your case is reviewed. The CDP hearing is your most powerful procedural protection — it preserves appeal rights and puts all enforcement on hold while a resolution is negotiated.
If you have already received a levy and funds have been seized, the IRS does not automatically return them. However, if the seizure was procedurally defective (e.g., the Final Notice was not properly delivered), Clean Slate Tax can pursue enforcement action reversal and return of funds.
Received a Final Notice of Intent to Levy?You have 30 days to stop it. Call immediately and we file the CDP request the same day. Call 1-888-588-5429 Now
State Tax Levies and How They Differ
State tax agencies operate levy programs separately from the IRS and do not follow the same notice requirements. New Jersey, for example, can issue a Certificate of Debt and proceed to seizure with shorter notice windows than the IRS. Clean Slate Tax handles both federal and state enforcement action situations and coordinates resolution across both agencies simultaneously.
Anthony Surace, CPA, founded Clean Slate Tax with more than 20 years of experience in IRS and state tax levy defense, Collection Due Process appeals, and urgent enforcement releases. A Rutgers University graduate and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, Anthony and his team have helped thousands of clients across the country resolve their IRS and state tax issues. Clean Slate Tax carries a 4.8 out of 5 Google rating. Call 1-888-588-5429 for a free case review.
Common Questions About Levy Notices and Asset Seizures
What Is the Difference Between a Federal Encumbrance and a Federal Seizure
A lien is the IRS legal claim filed against your property as a public record. It does not immediately take anything. A levy is the actual seizure of property or income. A lien typically precedes a seizure. Resolving the underlying debt stops both.
How quickly can you stop an IRS levy?
In most cases Clean Slate Tax can initiate a levy release within 24 to 72 hours of establishing a qualifying agreement. Bank account levies have a 21-day hold after the seizure date — if we engage before that window closes, the full levied amount may be recoverable.
Can the IRS levy my retirement accounts?
Yes, with IRS supervisor approval. IRAs, 401(k)s, and other retirement accounts are not exempt from an IRS levy. However, the IRS typically exhausts other collection avenues first. A pending CDP appeal or qualifying resolution agreement prevents retirement account levies from being issued.
Will I get a warning before the IRS levies my bank account?
Yes. The IRS must send a Final Notice of Intent to Levy at least 30 days before levying. If you received this notice and did not respond, the agency may have already levied. Contact Clean Slate Tax at 1-888-588-5429 immediately.
Stop Active Collections Before More Assets Are Taken
Free case review. We evaluate your situation and initiate the release process immediately.
