IRS Law Blog

“How long does the IRS usually take to investigate an offer in compromise?” is a great question, and one I am often asked by clients. The answer is six to twelve months, on average, although...

The offer in compromise program is the best known way to solve an IRS problem.  The compromise program is so popular that I often see clients who have submitted multiple offers, each one having been...

When you make a payment to the IRS, it will be automatically applied to your account in a manner that is in the IRS’s best interest. But what is best for the IRS in handling...

The best way to get relief from an IRS collection problem is to consider the complete picture before jumping in.  A quick way out may be desired, but it is important to look carefully before...

As a member of the Cincinnati Bar Association, it was exciting to see my article about solutions to today’s IRS collection problems as the cover story in March’s monthly bar journal. Here is a brief overview of the article – 5 Things...

Tax problems do come to an end – the IRS has 10 years to collect a tax debt. But be careful:  The time the IRS has to collect can be unknowingly extended by you. The decisions you make...

IRS tax liens are not forever.  They do expire – here is an overview of when: For starters, the IRS has 10 years to pursue you for the unpaid taxes that caused the lien to...

I often have clients who are very focused on an offer in compromise.  But before we plunge in, the first thing I do is check on how much longer the IRS has to collect the...

In addition to offers in compromise, bankruptcy, and uncollectible (See Part I, above), here are three more solutions to owing back taxes to the IRS: Statute of limitations on collection. The IRS has 10 years to...

It is always important to understand what the IRS is asking, and why. Resolution of most collection cases involves providing answers to IRS questions about you.  The questions are asked on an IRS financial statement,...

The IRS takes the decision to use employee tax withholdings to pay business operating expenses rather than the IRS quite seriously.  The owners and managers of the business who make these decisions will find the...

A client came in today with an older tax liability that appeared to have only two years left on the IRS statute of limitations on collection.  The client had not heard from the IRS in...

If you cannot pay your delinquent taxes because of an economic hardship, the IRS can suspend collection efforts against you.  This does not mean your debt is forgiven; just that the IRS will defer collection...

Here are five more situations in which the IRS is barred from taking collection action against you: When the timeframe to collect the liability has expired.  The IRS has 10 years to collect a liability...

The list of when the IRS cannot take property is fairly extensive, so I will do this in parts to break it down simply. Here is Part I of when the IRS is prohibited from...

With more money sitting delinquent in the US Treasury than the government has resources to collect, this is a great question.  All of that “quiet” debt does go eventually go away. The IRS has 10...