IRS Tax Settlement: This Tax Relief Solution Can Save Big Money!

The IRS used to be the terror in most peoples nightmares. Specifically, people who got behind on their taxes lived in dread of having the IRS catch up with them and freeze their bank accounts, lien their homes or garnish their wages. To promote voluntary resolutions, the IRS instituted a program known as Offer in Compromise. This IRS tax relief program is more commonly known as IRS tax settlement or tax settlement. You have undoubtedly seen the marketing promotions on TV and heard them on the radio touting that you can “settle your IRS tax debt” for less or “settle your IRS tax debt for pennies on the dollar”.

The offer in compromise program was designed to let taxpayers with back tax problems resolve their problems voluntarily. Instead of waiting for the IRS to catch up to them, taxpayers could come forward and essentially admit their sins and request tax debt help. In exchange for this voluntary action, the IRS would consider a reduction of the tax debt amount that was past due including penalties and interest. This IRS tax relief program was a big success.

What is IRS tax settlement? The Offer in Compromise program is essentially a “compromise” or “settling” of the past due IRS tax debt liability. This means that the IRS is willing to accept a smaller portion of what is owed as payment in full on the delinquent tax debt. The IRS does this because they realize it is unlikely that the full amount will ever be collected from the taxpayer. Not surprisingly, the IRS does not take accepting a tax settlement offer lightly, and the taxpayer must demonstrate that it is in their best interest to settle rather than attempt to collect in full on the tax debt. A complete financial disclosure is required from the taxpayer, including all assets held. It is critical that the proposed offer be accurate and complete, and for that reason, many taxpayers use a professional IRS tax settlement service to handle the filing of the application. A professional tax settlement firm has industry knowledge and the requisite tax expertise which can only improve the chances the offer will be accepted.

What is the “20 percent rule”? Also important to keep in mind is that a 20% of the offer amount must be submitted by the taxpayer with their offer in compromise application. This is called the “20 percent rule”. This amount is not refundable nor will any offer in compromise be acknowledged by the IRS if the funds are not submitted. Clearly, this makes the accurate and proper filing of the offer application even more critical. This leads delinquent taxpayers to seek the services of a professional IRS tax relief firm. If you face overwhelming tax debt, then you certainly cannot run the risk of losing this 20% application fee.

Why use a professional tax resolution firm? The IRS scrutinizes each offer in compromise case, so if your proposal is incomplete or improperly worded you may end up paying much more than you actually should. Even worse, the IRS could reject your proposal altogether because the submitted offer is deemed to be too low. Typically, the success rate of offers written by a professional tax firm is higher than those submitted by individual taxpayers. IRS tax specialists know the formulas and intricacies of IRS policy necessary for proper resolution. Most people find that working with a firm that specializes in IRS tax settlement actually saves them not only time and stress but also a significant amount of money. Just be certain to “do your homework” before retaining the services of an IRS tax relief firm. You want to maximize your chances of success to settle your IRS tax debt for as little as possible. The health of your financial future may hang in the balance.