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The IRS can get particularly nasty if they're forced to "catch you" or "chase you down". The best thing to do is to face up to your situation – no matter how bad you perceive it to be – and deal with it now. Hiring an attorney can virtually assure that you won't have to even talk to the IRS, and you'll know that you have someone working in your corner to work out the very best solution to your problem.

When that knock comes on your door and you want to hide because you know it's the IRS there are some simple things you should do and not do. First and foremost you will want to consult with a qualified tax professional. You will typically want to then file all of your tax returns. It doesn't matter if you can afford to pay the IRS or not. Not filing your tax returns is a crime! Do your part to be cooperative and meet the deadlines discussed in the IRS correspondence. Lastly, treat IRS employees with respect, even if you don't want to.

The IRS is knocking on your door, calling your phone, and sending threatening letters in the mail. You are scared. You may feel overwhelmed. Perhaps you have not filed your tax returns for a few years, or you simply don't have the funds to pay what you owe the IRS. The question on your mind is "Will I go to jail?" My answer is: It depends, and it's good to know that many options are available.

The IRS have 10 years to collect - and if they don't, your debt is erased. It's called the Statute of Limitations (note...this only applies to Federal Taxes. Some states can indeed hound you for the rest of your life to pay your state taxes). But don't get too excited yet.

According to the IRS website,  "We usually levy only after these three requirements are met..."

You know it's time to DO something.....but what? Every day you wake up with that gnawing pain in your gut, knowing that you have an IRS problem and it just won't go away. You can never really relax with an IRS problem It's with you 24/7.

Cary Bryson, Louisiana Tax Resolution Attorney and co-founder of Bryson Law Firm, LLC, is proud to accept the 2012 Better Business Bureau® Douglas Manship, Sr. Torch Award For Ethics in Business.

Cary Bryson, a Louisiana Tax Resolution Attorney, was recently featured in The Wall Street Journal as well as major online media outlets, including Yahoo!Finance, Morningstar, CNBC, MarketWatch and many others.

History has its share of famous (and infamous) people who have made attempts to cheat the IRS and paid the price...

In 2006, Will Smith starred in a movie called "The Pursuit of Happyness", a true story about Chris Gardner, a man with a 5-year old son who ends up homeless on the streets of San Francisco.  Smith was nominated for an Academy Award and a Golden Globe Award for his part in this inspiring film, which tells with an unblinking eye the real-life story of a man's struggle with a string of back luck coupled with questionable decisions.