At Ovation Tax Group, we are fearless defenders of our clients—unafraid to confront even the most intimidating taxing authorities. When government agencies overstep, we stand between them and the taxpayer like a lion guarding its pride.
Recently, that courage was put to the test when we uncovered a troubling error by the State of North Carolina—one that had the potential to harm countless taxpayers.
In August, one of our clients received a notice from the North Carolina Department of Revenue warning of a bank lien/levy against his account. The problem? That notice had been printed in April—a full four months earlier—yet was only just being mailed. Because of this delay, our client’s bank account was wrongly flagged for enforcement, placing his funds at risk without proper warning.
When the client came to us for help, Svetlana Brontveyn, our seasoned tax attorney, immediately sensed something was wrong with the timeline. Working with Kristine Ciccone, our Certified Tax Preparer and State Analyst, they dug into the details.
What they found was alarming:
North Carolina had been sending out months-old collection letters due to serious internal breakdowns. These delays left taxpayers with no fair chance to respond before facing bank liens, levies, and other damaging enforcement actions.
When we confronted the North Carolina taxing authority, they admitted the mistake was theirs—but refused to correct it for our client. The levy stayed in place.
We didn’t back down. Like a lion protecting its territory, Svetlana and Kristine escalated the matter. The North Carolina State Taxpayers’ Advocate’s Office—recognizing the seriousness of our complaint—notified the Tax Commissioner’s Office on our behalf. Only after this intervention did the state release our client’s bank levy.
Through our investigation, we uncovered the root cause: the State’s contracted printing vendor had gone out of business. As a result, refund checks were delayed for months—and now, so were critical notices about liens and levies. This breakdown in communication and processing created a dangerous situation for taxpayers statewide.
This case wasn’t just about one client’s bank account—it was about defending the rights of every taxpayer in North Carolina. Without strong, persistent advocacy, these bureaucratic errors might have gone unnoticed and unchallenged.
At Ovation Tax Group, we don’t scare easily. We are relentless when it comes to protecting our clients, and we will confront any taxing authority—no matter how big—when they’re in the wrong.
If you’ve received a confusing or delayed tax notice from North Carolina—or any taxing authority—don’t wait. Act quickly, and let our fearless team defend you.