FTB Levy

California Tax Problems FAQ: Unpaid Taxes, Levies, Liens, Residency Disputes, and How Professional Representation Can Help

September 12, 2025 | Mike Habib, EA

Tax issues in California can quickly become overwhelming. Between the IRS, the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB), the Employment Development Department (EDD), and the California Department of Tax and Fee Administration (CDTFA), taxpayers often feel trapped and unsure of their rights or options.

This FAQ article addresses the most common California tax problems—from unpaid back taxes and tax liens to bank levies and complicated residency disputes. We’ll also explain how Mike Habib, EA, a nationally recognized and BBB A+ rated Enrolled Agent, can represent you before the IRS and California taxing agencies to help resolve your tax matters effectively.

CA Tax Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What are the most common tax problems California residents face?

California taxpayers frequently encounter:

Unpaid back taxes (federal or state)
Tax liens filed against property or assets
Bank levies or wage garnishments
Residency disputes with the California FTB
Payroll and employment tax problems (EDD)
Sales and use tax audits (CDTFA)
Penalties and interest adding up over time

These problems often compound if ignored. Professional representation helps taxpayers protect their assets and negotiate the best possible outcome.

FTB Unpaid Back Tax Help: FTB calling delinquent taxpayers

July 12, 2012 | Mike Habib, EA

The FTB is implementing an automated dialer to make outbound collection calls to individual income-tax taxpayers in an effort to prevent collection actions such as tax liens, bank levies, and wage garnishments. The state FTB tax agency will implement a similar system for business entities in September 2012.

FTB is contacting businesses that didn’t file tax returns

June 15, 2012 | Mike Habib, EA

The CA FTB is contacting more than 100,000 California business entities that have not filed their 2010 state income tax returns. (FTB News Release (June 14, 2012)) When a business is contacted, they will have 30 days to either file or show why no return is due. Otherwise, the FTB will assess tax based on the information reported to them from other agencies.

Back taxes help: tax levy relief for IRS tax problems

March 20, 2011 | Mike Habib, EA

Do you owe unpaid back taxes? There are tax relief solutions to your IRS tax problems.

The IRS could file a federal tax lien to protect the US government from the back taxes owed by the taxpayer. Although the federal IRS tax lien attaches to all the taxpayer’s property, some property is exempt from the IRS levy. The following items could be exempt from levy to some extent:

(1) wearing apparel and school books,

Tax Relief Specialists: How to Find a Reliable Tax Professional

February 27, 2011 | Mike Habib, EA

Tax relief experts have a job pretty similar in nature to specialists of any other field. For example, if you are traveling on the road and suddenly your car breaks down due to a mechanical fault, you cannot fix it without the service of an expert mechanic, unless you possess such proficiencies. Likewise, when your IRS taxes get out of control due to financial problems, carelessness or any other reason, you need the help of a tax relief expert to carry on with your smoother journey of life. But there are many so-called experts you need to beware of, who are there only to take your money. Let us try to expose these scammers!

The American economic system relies heavily on the taxation system and this is why the IRS handles the individuals vehemently who try to evade taxes. However, in current cloudy financial circumstances paying taxes is not an easy job. If you have become a tax defaulter, need not worry because there are several legal ways out.

If you try to solve your IRS tax problems without the technical know-how expertise, it is just like trying to fix your broken car without the help of a mechanic and you will end up nowhere. If you do not want to waste your time and money, contact a reliable tax relief expert, as soon as you realize the tax problem. Procrastination will result in nothing but penalties and higher interest and you will be paying much more than the actual back taxes owed.

BBB “A” rated tax relief company by Mike Habib, EA

February 24, 2011 | Mike Habib, EA

Mike Habib is an IRS licensed Enrolled Agent who focuses his tax practice on helping his clients resolve their tax controversy matters. His tax relief firm is rated “A” by the better business bureau, which is quite rare for this industry as many are rated “F” or already ceased business operations like American Tax Relief and Nationwide Tax Relief and possibly many more to come.

Do you have IRS tax problems?

Don’t procrastinate anymore; call Mike Habib at 877-788-2937 for a free analysis of your tax situation. There are solutions to your tax problems.

Stop IRS Wage Garnishment: Stop IRS Tax Levy: 877-788-2937

October 13, 2010 | Mike Habib, EA

If you have received a wage garnishment notice (IRS Levy) that the IRS is instructing your employer to deduct a big chunk of your paycheck, it clearly means that you have an unpaid back tax debt. And what’s worse is, your employer is required by law to remit a significant portion of each paycheck directly to the IRS to satisfy the garnishment order to pay off your unpaid tax debt.

What amazes me as a tax professional, is that most taxpayers continue ignoring the IRS by not responding to the tax levy, not knowing that the IRS will continue garnishing their paychecks until their tax debt is paid in full with a lot of penalties and interest too.

If you have a tax levy then you need to know that with our firm, you do not have to take on the IRS by yourself, we actually do not recommend self-representation as you do not know the tax laws, your options nor do you know your rights as a taxpayer. We specialize in tax representation and will work with the IRS to negotiate the full or partial release of the wage garnishment, tax levy, if you qualify for tax relief, resulting in saving your paycheck! Depending upon your particular circumstance, we may be able to negotiate an installment agreement so you can pay the IRS a specified dollar amount every month until the tax debt is paid. Once the installment agreement is in force, an offer-in-compromise may be negotiated to settle your entire tax debt, including penalties and interest, for less than the entire tax liability, depending on your individual financial circumstances, each case is different.

Franchise Tax Board (FTB) and Tax Gap: Unfiled Tax Returns

August 20, 2010 | Mike Habib, EA

Franchise Tax Board is Contacting Thousands of Businesses to File Delinquent Tax Returns

Sacramento: The state is contacting more than 40,000 California businesses that have not filed their 2008 state income tax returns with the Franchise Tax Board (FTB).

The notices inform the businesses that they have 30 days to file a return or show why there is no tax filing requirement. Businesses that disregard these notices could face tax assessments that may include penalties, interest, and fees.