Ask Phil Video Series

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, answers a common concern: “I got a letter from the IRS saying I owe taxes from more than 10 years ago. Can they still collect?” The answer is yes—and it all comes down […]

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, answers another question from Reddit: “Can I make an estimated tax payment before filing a 1040-X?” A Form 1040-X is used to amend a previously filed tax return, and in this […]

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, answers another tax question from Reddit: “I just received an IRS letter saying I owe $23,000 for 2019 and 2020 taxes I never filed. Has anyone successfully negotiated this down?”  How […]

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, answers another question from Reddit about getting back into tax compliance. In this case, the taxpayer hasn’t filed taxes in 10 years and was told by an enrolled agent that they likely only need to […]

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, shares his predictions and insights for the upcoming 2026 tax season. From refunds to IRS service levels, here’s what taxpayers can expect.  Hot Take #1: Tax Refunds  Will refunds go up or down […]

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, answers a common question: “Is the IRS really going to stop sending refund checks?” The short answer is partially yes. As of September 30, 2025, the IRS moved away from issuing paper […]

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, addresses a growing concern: Is the IRS Direct File program going away in 2026? The answer is yes—IRS Direct File, which allowed certain taxpayers to file for free, has officially been discontinued and is not available […]

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, answers another tax question from Reddit. This time, the topic is bankruptcy and how tax debt is treated during the process. The taxpayer in this scenario has a $25,000 tax debt […]

Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, breaks down what you need to know to get ready for the 2026 tax season. The IRS has already started its “Get Ready” reminders, and being proactive now can help you […]

Today, Optima Tax Relief’s Chief Tax Officer and Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, answers a Reddit question about CSEDs:   “If my CSED is 11/15/25, does it expire at the beginning or end of the month?”   To get there, he breaks down what a Collection Statute Expiration […]