Taxes Information

10 Thoughts on Tax Offer in Compromise


Beware of advertisements that claim to settle tax debts for "pennies on the dollar". Check the Offer In Compromise requirements to see if it is right for you.

1. If you are unable to pay a tax debt in full, if the taxpayer establishes to the satisfaction of the IRS that he either: has no means of paying the tax, or does not actually owe the tax--and an installment agreement cannot be worked out--the IRS strives to resolve the taxpayer's tax debt.

2. Under certain circumstances, you may be able to take advantage of the offer in compromise (OIC), but there are hurdles to overcome before the Internal Revenue Service accepts less than full payment. To date, taxpayers who have gone through the Offer in Compromise program to settle their tax bill have saved millions of dollars.

3. An OIC delinquent tax settlement is an agreement taxes owed for less than the full amount of taxes due. It's a complex decision and a tax attorney is needed for his extensive expertise in planning, preparing, negotiating and even appealing rejections.

4. IRS Code Sec. 7122 gives the IRS power authority to settle--compromise--federal tax liabilities. Exceptional circumstances sometimes exist that allow the IRS to consider an OIC program for the taxpayer. For example, a taxpayer must demonstrate that collection of the tax would create an economic hardship or would be unfair and inequitable.

5. Very few offers were accepted in the past, because the standards were almost impossible to meet before a tax debt was legally compromised. Recent tax legislation has given new hope to taxpayers who were previously disqualified.

6. In the past the IRS really did not want to encourage OIC's. Prior to 1992 the IRS has been reluctant to settle tax liabilities, but with mounting uncollected taxes, the IRS has decided to go easy on the growing number of cases it sees.

7. Today, the OIC program is one of the best tax resolution tools available to taxpayers. The IRS will accept an OIC when it looks unlikely that the taxes will be collected; but before that happens a good tax person must know and carefully navigate virtually every key regulation involved.

8. After all taxpayer avenues are explored and different available payment options are reviewed, the IRS makes a "business" decision: they want to collect a partial payment rather than nothing at all. The IRS is thinking, "Is there is doubt that the taxpayer will ever pay the full amount of tax owed?"

9. An OIC amount "offered" by the IRS is the amount that they feel that they can reasonably expect to collect after reviewing-- and exhausting--the taxpayer's ability to pay. The IRS weighs the doubt as to liability and doubt as to whether the tax assessed is correct.

10. Beware of advertisements they claim to settle tax debts for "pennies on the dollar", allowing taxpayers to settle their taxes for less, or often much less than you owe (or what the government claims you owe). The IRS resolves less than one percent of all balance due accounts through an OIC agreement.

Kirt Durst
Dedicated to offering news, articles, and instruction on tax. You have a definite choice in organizing your financial affairs. Visit http://www.aidtax.com for more information.


MORE RESOURCES:

Voice of America

Export Tax That Angers Farmers Advances in Argentina
New York Times, United States - 13 hours ago
Legislators debated for more than 15 hours, starting at 7 pm on Friday, before voting 129-122 to approve the export tax system created by President Cristina ...
Argentina's lower house of congress backs grain-export taxes that ... Malaysia Star
Argentina parliament backs tax hike Aljazeera.net
Argentine MPs increase farm taxes BBC News
The Money Times - Bloomberg
all 155 news articles


School districts balance the books, many increase taxes
Pittsburgh Tribune-Review, PA - 1 hour ago
By Liz Hayes Nine of the Alle-Kiski Valley's 15 school districts will increase property taxes during the 2008-09 school year. Apollo-Ridge approved the ...


California's fiscal woes largely of its own making
Los Angeles Times, CA - 3 hours ago
Another area where change has been resisted is the state's reliance on income taxes, a volatile revenue source that plunges when the economy slows. ...


Telegraph.co.uk

Economic downturn means the next government might have to increase ...
Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom - Jul 5, 2008
But the outlook for the public finances suggests that the first Budget of an incoming Tory government might have to increase taxes rather than (aspire to) ...
Tories unveil reform plan for fuel duty worth 5p off litre of petrol guardian.co.uk
WE’LL SLASH 5P OFF FUEL DUTY TO HELP FAMILIES SAY TORIES UK Express
TORY PLOY TO VARY FUEL TAX 'A GIMMICK' Mirror.co.uk
The Sun - Daily Mail
all 147 news articles


That topic we love to hate
Atlanta Journal Constitution,  USA - 10 hours ago
As we all learned in history class, discontent over British-levied taxes ranked high among the grievances that led to the Declaration of Independence and ...
Miscounting Obama's Tax Votes Newsweek
Is Obama Dragging Down Stock Prices? Consumer Affairs
Pocketbook policies World Magazine
all 5 news articles


Newsday

EDITORIAL: Start cutting state taxes
Niagara Gazette, NY - Jul 5, 2008
NIAGARA FALLS — The signs from Albany that the leadership is finally getting a clue about New York’s stifling property taxes continues to be encouraging. ...
You Had a Friend in Albany New York Times
Upstate residents will judge Skelos by deeds, not words Press & Sun-Bulletin
The dean of Albany Long Island Business News (subscription)
13WHAM-TV - Buffalo News
all 16 news articles


Taxes: Shared responsibility makes citizenship priceless
Orlando Sentinel, FL - 21 hours ago
The government and those not involved in the prosecution of the war had a deep aversion to paying taxes to support the conflict, and the national government ...
Amendment 5 worries local businesses Florida Today
Tax Swap Battle Continues in Florida WCTV
all 6 news articles


The Gazette (Montreal)

Are Swiss bank accounts really secret?
Lancaster Newspapers, PA - 1 hour ago
The IRS has summoned six of the largest accounting firms to help detect foreign banks whose US customers use secret accounts to evade taxes. ...
US expands foreign bank tax evasion probe Times Online
IRS Taps Audit Firms to Probe Foreign Bank Role in Tax Cases Bloomberg
US justice dept seeks access to UBS bank account records AFP
Financial Times - New York Times
all 430 news articles


Transportation funding looms large
Newsday, NY - 14 hours ago
"This spending plan will inevitably lead to calls for higher taxes or tolls because it fails to address the state's transportation needs," said Kean, ...


Affordability issue in governor's race
Boston Globe, United States - 13 hours ago
In late June, Douglas called a news conference to lambaste lawmakers for not doing anything this year to stem rising property taxes. ...

Taxes - Google News

Good Credit Loans | home | site map | School Bus Clothing | Florida Pool Heating
© 2006