IRS Debt Help

Irs Debt Help: 5 Options To Getting Rid Of Tax Debt

IRS Debt Help:

Do you owe the IRS? Are you struggling with IRS debts and cannot figure out what to do? Don't despair, you are not alone. Many Americans owe back taxes, or cannot afford to pay their IRS debts. If you want to get IRS debt help, it's important to understand the different IRS tax debt strategies.

There are five strategies for getting out of IRS tax debt.

1.Offer in Compromise: a program where you can settle your tax debts for less than what you owe. Requires making a lump sum or short term payment plan to pay off the IRS at a reduced dollar amount.

2.Installment agreement: a monthly payment plan for paying off the IRS.

3.Partial payment installment agreement: a somewhat new debt management program where you have a long term payment plan to pay off the IRS at a reduced dollar amount.

4.Not currently collectible: a program where the IRS voluntarily agrees not to collect on the tax debt for a year or so.

5.Filing bankruptcy: discharge your tax debts under the strict rules of a Chapter 7 or 13 bankruptcy petition.

Offer in Compromise

Many people who find themselves in debt to the IRS might focus on the first option above - the Offer in Compromise ("OIC"). For those who qualify it can be the optimal solution, however, it is important to note that not everyone qualifies for the Offer in Compromise solution. Only about 15% of applicants succeed in reducing their debts through the OIC program. For this reason and because of the complexity of filing an Offer in Compromise many people enlist the services of a Tax Professional who has a track record of success negotiating with the IRS. This Tax Professional will not only be able to determine if you are eligible to reduce your IRS debts via an OIC but they will also assist you in navigating the complicated IRS bureaucracy to achieve the desired outcome.
An Offer in Compromise is a lengthy and time-consuming process. It takes most individuals anywhere from 12 months to 24 months to achieve a successful resolution on your offer application. Through an Offer in Compromise, taxpayers agree to pay the IRS only the reasonable collection potential instead of the full amount of taxes owed. For some people the "reasonable collection potential" will be less than the full amount of taxes owed - sometimes as little as 10%.

Installment Agreement

Many taxpayers cannot qualify for an Offer in Compromise, Statute of Limitations expiration, or bankruptcy relief but still seek resolution for their IRS liability. In these cases, it may be possible to negotiate long term IRS payment arrangements. The IRS allows "structuring" five primary types of payment plans, or Installment Agreements: Guaranteed Installment Agreements, Streamlined Installment Agreements, In-Business Trust Fund Agreements, Long-Term Installment Agreements, and Installment Agreements on Specified Balance Due Accounts.

Currently Not Collectible

If a taxpayer does not qualify for an offer in compromise and cannot afford to pay an Installment Agreement, Currently not Collectible (CNC) status may be an option. If a client is placed in CNC status, the statute of limitations continues to run and the IRS will not pursue collection actions. However, if a taxpayer's financial status improves, the IRS can remove the file from CNC status and return to active collection status.

Reasons for attempting CNC status:

1. Taxpayer has income below allowable expenses and there is no indication that the financial situation will improve in the future;

2. Due to high equity, the taxpayer does not qualify for an OIC and has more allowable expenses than income so an Installment Agreement is not an option; and,

3. Taxpayer has more allowable expenses than income and the statute of limitations is getting close to expiring.

Statute of Limitation for IRS Tax Debt

The IRS has 10 years to collect outstanding tax liabilities. This is measured from the day a tax liability has been finalized. A tax liability can be finalized in a number of ways. It could be a balance due on a tax return, an assessment from an audit, or a proposed assessment that has become final. From that day, the IRS has ten years to collect the full amount, plus any penalties and interest. If the IRS doesn't collect the full amount in the 10-year period, then the remaining balance on the account disappears forever. The statute of limitations on collecting the tax has expired.

Selecting a Tax Professional to handle your IRS Tax Debts

Because of the complexity of the Offer in Compromise and other IRS tax debt processes, many taxpayers hire a tax professional to prepare their IRS documentation and to negotiate directly with the IRS. Tax professionals charge anywhere from $1,500 to $6,000 or more for accurate and thorough IRS representation. Because most of the IRS tax debt solutions involve negotiating with the IRS, your tax professional should be admitted to practice before the IRS. You should be looking for a Tax Attorney, an Enrolled Agent (EA), or a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) to handle your Offer in Compromise. The tax professional must know about the laws governing IRS collection of tax debts, how the IRS evaluates offers, and what all the options are for resolving tax debt problems. "Taxpayers should be looking for a tax professional with years of experience in IRS collection matters, especially experience in dealing with revenue officers, the Automated Collection Systems division, and the complex IRS process" according to Jim Brown, the managing tax attorney with Freedom Tax Relief.

Please be aware that even the most successful tax professionals have lost Offer in Compromise cases, so not every consumer looking for IRS debt help is guaranteed the most savings. It is important to know that your Offer in Compromise will be decided based on your unique financial situation. If you do need IRS debt help, having a tax professional represent you before the IRS will help ensure that all letters and phone calls from the IRS are handled quickly and professionally. But in the end, it is up to the IRS to make a decision about your case.

It is important to know that like death and taxes, your IRS tax debt issue will not simply vanish, so you should seek help before the IRS escalates collection efforts and/or you accrue additional penalties and interest.

Brad Stroh is currently co-CEO of Freedom Financial Network and Bills.com. If you would like more of Brad's articles, please visit the Bills.com information on Credit.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Irs Debt Help: 5 Options To Getting Rid Of Tax Debt

Tax Debt Help - How I Settled My Income Tax Debt Case

Do you need tax debt help? Well, take a deep breath. One experience you never want to have is getting a letter from the IRS informing you that you owe income tax debt. It can be a real shock to get such a letter. However, I can say from personal experience that it may not be as bad as you first think. If you owe the government back taxes, first of all don't panic, relax, the IRS is helpful and will work with you to resolve your income tax debt.

In my case my ex-wife had claimed my son on her taxes in 2006 without telling me, I won't try to explain why she did that, (I have trouble explaining most of what she does). I had been the sole legal guardian of my son for some 15 years and things had not changed in any way in 2006. Nevertheless, after talking with IRS representative, it became evident that I would have to prove that my son lived with me, and that I took proper care of him.

This involved filling out an income vs. expense form, getting forms from his school showing he lived at my address, and supplying a copy of my 2006 income tax return and other personal information. The IRS representative who worked on my case was patient, helpful and objective. After I submitted the proper forms the debt was quickly canceled. After everything was settled it became evident to me that I did a lot of worrying and stressing over something that was resolved without an attorney, just with the aid of the IRS professional and only about five or six hours work. Ok, my case was fairly simple and was easily worked out. The point of my story and my aim in telling it is to demonstrate that if you owe the IRS taxes it doesn't mean that you are under some form of attack or that anyone is out to get you. The only real damage done may be the stress you put yourself through, so take your time and gather all the facts of your particular situation and adopt a wait and see attitude after you have submitted all relevant information.

Tax debt is something that you can't escape through bankruptcy, but if there's no mistake and you really owe the money, the IRS may be willing to work out a repayment plan or settlement of some sort. You may need to borrow some money from the equity in your home. If that's not possible, you may have some personal items you can sell, a late-model automobile you can trade out of, or possibly a relative who can help you out over the short-term.

If the sum owed is a considerable amount, it is very advisable to consult a tax professional who can examine your case in detail and discuss various solutions. A tax professional can help you submit whatever documentation is needed to process your case. Check the author's section below for a professional, quick and free online tax debt help consultation.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Tax Debt Help - How I Settled My Income Tax Debt Case