When you owe more than you can pay
An unpaid balance has more than one way out
Owing tax you can't pay at once is common, and the agency has several arrangements for it. Which one fits depends on your income, your assets and how much you owe. Some people qualify for a payment plan, a few for a hardship status, and fewer still for an offer to pay less.
We look at the whole picture first and tell you honestly which ones are open to you. A lien notice or a levy can make it feel urgent. We'll tell you what the notice does and what can be done about it, and what can't.
Installment agreements and other payment plans
Notices of a lien, a levy or a wage garnishment
Hardship status and offers in compromise, where you qualify
Years of unfiled returns, brought current
How we sort out a balance
- 01
Know the whole sum
We pull the agency's record and compare it with yours, year by year, penalties and interest included.
- 02
Show your finances
A written picture of what comes in, what goes out and what you own, the way the agency will see it.
- 03
Choose an arrangement
We set out the options you qualify for and what each would ask of you every month.
- 04
Keep it from slipping
Once an arrangement is agreed, we tell you what keeps it in good standing and what would end it.
About owing the IRS
Can you promise the IRS will accept less than I owe?
No. An offer in compromise is open only to some people, and the agency says no to many. We tell you whether yours is realistic before you spend anything on one.
The IRS sent a levy notice. What now?
A levy notice often carries a date, and it matters. Call right away. A levy can sometimes be released or paused, depending on the reason it was issued.
Can I get a payment plan without a lawyer?
Often, for smaller balances. You may want us when the balance is large, when returns are missing, or when a plan has already failed once.
Will interest keep growing while we talk?
Interest and penalties generally continue until the balance is paid. That's one reason to settle on an arrangement early rather than late.
Owe the IRS? Start with the notice
Send us the notice number and the year and we'll tell you which arrangements are worth a closer look.