You want to the get the IRS off your back, and are considering an offer in compromise. After all, at the end of each month, after you pay your bills, you have little money left to pay the IRS back. Settlement seems logical, right? Hold on, not so fast. The IRS may not give you full credit for all of your living expenses, and calculate that you can pay them more than you actually can. This is because the IRS limits living expenses as part of their offer in compromise analysis. In other words, the IRS will put you on their budget, and disregard yours. If your living expense ... Read More
Need a fresh point of view from IRS collections? A Settlement Officer may be the right change
Sometimes, when negotiating with the IRS collection division, results can be based not only on the strength of your case, but also on who you talk to. Are you dealing with an IRS Revenue Officer? They're the highest-level enforcement agent, with the most power to levy your wages or accounts. Or are you on hold with the IRS Automated Collection System (ACS), anxiously waiting to talk to an IRS collection agent halfway across the country? The better approach to dealing with a Revenue Officer or ACS representative is taking negotiations straight to an IRS Settlement Officer. Here's ... Read More
Become fluent in the language of IRS collection agents
An IRS collection agent throws a word or phrase your way, and you have no idea what he is talking about. As they say, it is all Greek to you. And too much is at stake to bluff your way through it. A wrong move or misunderstanding could result in a levy on your bank account, wages, or seizure of assets. How can you negotiate yourself out of trouble with the IRS if you don't understand the language of IRS collection agents? To even the playing field, here are the 10 of the most important terms you should know when you owe back taxes to the IRS: 1. IRS Revenue Officer. This ... Read More
Is an offer in compromise necessary?
I always try to teach my kids the difference between needs and wants. You need to eat dinner; you want to eat at Chipotle. The same applies to an IRS offer in compromise. You need to keep the IRS out of your affairs, and live free from levies and seizures of your property. You need peace from the IRS. But you have seen TV and radio advertisements for the IRS offer in compromise program, and may want to settle and no longer have a tax debt. You want what you've been sold and told - that an offer in compromise is simple, easy, and everyone qualifies. The hard truth is that an ... Read More
IRS offer in compromise: The good, the bad, and the ugly
There are many pros and cons to deciding whether an offer in compromise is the right next-step in resolving your IRS debt. One thing is for sure: An OIC is not a one-size-fits-all affair. There are many factors to think about before attempting to settle with the IRS. It can put a smile on your face and have you jumping for joy (the IRS said yes and your tax debts are over!). Or, like the IRS in general, an OIC can leave you a little frustrated as it requires an understanding of how to navigate though IRS settlement guidelines that often have no fairness or reason. What you want, though, ... Read More
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