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Entries Tagged as 'Offers in Compromise'

California Sues Roni Deutch for “Heartless” Pennies on the Dollar Tax Scheme

August 25th, 2010 · 2 Comments

If you’re an insomniac you may recognize Roni Deutch from her ubiquitous late night infomercials promising taxpayers pennies on the dollar settlements with the IRS:
Joe Kristan writes about yet another lawsuit against Deutch:
California’s Aspiring GovernorAttorney General Jerry Brown has sued Attorney Roni Deutch, who blogs as the “Tax Lady,” for “swindling” taxpayers who hire her to get taxes forgiven. [...]

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Tags: News · Offers in Compromise · Regulation of Tax Preparers

Offer in Compromise Warning

April 3rd, 2010 · 1 Comment

Kate Smith of Kiplinger.com writes in Pennies on the Dollar Tax Relief Offers Should Be Scrutinized:
Tax troubles keeping you up at night? Then you’ve no doubt seen your fair share of late-night TV pitches to settle your tax debts for less than you owe. Such “pennies on the dollar” come-ons, regardless of the source, demand [...]

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Tags: Offers in Compromise

Warning to Sheep: IRS Invites Settlement Offers Again

March 11th, 2010 · 1 Comment

About a year ago we questioned the sincerity of the IRS’s Offer in Compromise program in a post titled Is IRS Offer in Compromise Program a Sham?Â
We said then that it was our experience and the experience of other tax professionals that the program as currently operated was someone of a bait and switch: The IRS entices taxpayers to come [...]

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Tags: Announcements · Offers in Compromise

IRS Settlements Might Become Less Costly

June 23rd, 2009 · 1 Comment

Tax lawyer Mitchell Port of California Tax Attorney Blog notes that Congress is considering passing a bill that will eliminate the 20% downpayment requirement for IRS settlement offers:
To submit an Offer In Compromise (OIC) with the Internal Revenue Service in order to pay pennies on the dollar, a nonrefundable 20% downpayment is required. Combined with [...]

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Tags: Legislative Watch · Offers in Compromise

Tax Court Update – June 4, 2009 – Failure to Provide Finanical Statements

June 8th, 2009 · 2 Comments

Thomas B. and Labelle B. Lance v Commissioner of Internal Revenue- In this case the taxpayers requested an offer in compromise on the basis of doubt as to collectibility or, in the alternative, an installment payment arrangement, but refused to provide to the IRS officer a completed collection information statement.
The IRS officer did not give the taxpayers [...]

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Tags: Court Cases · IRS Installment Agreements · Offers in Compromise

Is IRS Offer in Compromise Program a Sham?

March 10th, 2009 · 6 Comments

The National Law Journal has a great article titled Attorneys Angered Over Lack of IRS Aid  which tells about the IRS’s failure to efficiently and properly evaluate and process Offers in Compromise and Partial Payment Installment Plans:
At the start of the new year, the Internal Revenue Service announced steps to help struggling taxpayers buffeted by the [...]

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Tags: IRS Installment Agreements · Offers in Compromise · Taxpayer Advocate

Preparing the IRS Financial Statement: Do’s and Don’ts

February 12th, 2009 · 1 Comment

If you can’t pay your tax debt in full, you will have to completely disclose your financial circumstances to the IRS.
There is no way to avoid this disclosure requirement other than making full payment.
A taxpayer’s financial information is provided on one or more of the following prescribed IRS forms:

IRS Form Number

Description

Who Must File

433A

Collection Information Statement [...]

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Tags: IRS Installment Agreements · Offers in Compromise · Tax Collections

Taxpayer Advocate’s Recommendation: Go Easier on Taxpayers Experiencing Economic Hardship

January 11th, 2009 · 2 Comments

Nina Olson, the National Taxpayer Advocate, has released her Annual Report to Congress (PDF).
In it she recommends something old and something new: Simplification of the tax code and enactment of measures that will minimize the burden on taxpayers who are struggling to pay their tax bills.
Ms. Olson said, “it is imperative for the IRS to consider the circumstances of taxpayers facing [...]

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Tags: Announcements · Back Taxes · IRS Installment Agreements · IRS Liens and Levies · Offers in Compromise · Tax Collections

Tax Court Update – December 2008 – Common Law Contract Rules Apply to Offers in Compromise

December 22nd, 2008 · No Comments

David W. Trout v. Commissioner of Internal Revenue -  In 1997, the taxpayer entered into an offer-in-compromise (OIC) with the IRS covering tax years 1989, 1990, 1991, and 1993. The OIC included a term that required the taxpayer to timely file and pay his taxes for the next five years.
The taxpayer filed his 1996 tax return late [...]

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Tags: Back Taxes · Court Cases · Offers in Compromise

IRS Announces New Mediation Program for Offers in Compromise and Trust Fund Recovery Penalties

December 11th, 2008 · 1 Comment

In IR-2008-135, issued on Dec. 1, 2008,  the IRS announced its institution of a 2 year test of the post-Appeals mediation and arbitration procedures for Offers in Compromise (OIC) and Trust Fund Recovery Penalties (TFRP).
Beginning Dec. 1, 2008, for a  two-year test period, IRS Appeals will offer post-Appeals mediation and arbitration for OIC and TFRP cases [...]

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Tags: Announcements · Offers in Compromise · Payroll Taxes · Trust Fund Recovery Penalty