Common IRS Tax Settlement Programs

Full Paymentfor this payment plan.
The fastest way to resolve owed back taxes is byPlacement on CNC Status
paying them in full. This includes paying the interest andIf you cannot afford to pay on your IRS back taxes at
penalties that have been assessed by the IRS back.all, then you might qualify for placement on the IRS'
These penalties and interest can quickly addCurrently Not Collectible (CNC) status. However, you
thousands of dollars to your tax liability as they arewill need to prove to the IRS that your monthly
constantly accruing. If you intend to fully repay the IRSnecessary living expenses exceed your monthly
then you should try to do so as soon as possible toincome.
avoid additional expenses.Offer in Compromise
The final settlement program offered by the IRS is an
By negotiating an Installment Agreement (IA) with theOffer in Compromise (OIC). With an OIC you submit an
IRS, you can repay all, or part, of your total back taxoffer to the IRS detailing what you can afford to pay
liability through manageable monthly payments. Thein a lump sump. If the IRS accepts then by submitting
specific monthly payment is based upon how muchpayment you will resolve your tax debts. However,
you owe and how much you can afford to pay.submitting an OIC requires disclosure of extensive
However, negotiating your payment will require a fullfinancial information in order to prove that you could
disclosure of your and your spouse's financialnot repay your taxes fully over the next 4 or 5 years
information. Additionally, as with all IRS tax reliefeven if the IRS forced the sale of all assets that you
programs, you can only enter into an agreement if youcurrently own.
have filed all your necessary federal income taxInnocent Spouse
returns.This is a very limited form of tax debt resolution. It is
Streamlined Installment Agreementonly applicable when one's spouse files a joint tax
This is a special type of Installment Agreement. Again,return which accrues a tax liability without any
the Streamlined Installment Agreement (SIA) is just aknowledge on the part of the other spouse of what
monthly payment paid to the IRS to address yourcaused the underlying IRS tax liability. Although it is very
back tax liability. The difference is how it is calculated.limited, it is one in the best forms of tax debt resolution
An IA is based upon a comparison of income tobecause it completely eliminates the debt, interest, and
expenses. An SIA is based upon how much you owe.penalties from the innocent spouse's IRS account.
So long as you owe less than $25,000 and the taxHowever, the "non-innocent" spouse still needs to seek
liability will not expire in less than five years, you qualifya different form of resolution.