IRS announces waivers for Offer in Compromise applications

IR-2020-55, March 12, 2020

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced the release of final regulations that increase the Offer in Compromise application fee to $205 and provide an additional way for the IRS to waive the Offer in Compromise application fee for low-income taxpayers, based on their adjusted gross income (AGI).

An Offer in Compromise (OIC) is an agreement between a taxpayer and the IRS to settle a tax debt for less than the full amount owed. Generally, it may be an option for taxpayers who can’t pay their full tax debt, or if doing so would create a financial hardship. The IRS considers the taxpayer’s overall financial circumstances when considering an OIC in an effort to administratively resolve the amount due.

Applicants who meet the definition of a “low-income taxpayer” receive a waiver of their OIC application fee. A new provision from the Taxpayer First Act provides an additional way for low-income taxpayers to qualify for a waiver of the OIC application fee.

Normally, the IRS determines if taxpayers fall at or below 250% of the poverty level by looking at their household’s size and gross monthly income. The new law provides an additional standard for the IRS to use in making the calculation. The IRS will now also look at a taxpayer’s AGI from the most recent tax return to determine whether it is at or below 250% of the poverty level.

Taxpayers with an outstanding tax debt are encouraged to timely respond to IRS notices and should not ignore correspondence received from the IRS. Taxpayers with an outstanding tax debt should contact the IRS at the phone number set forth in the notice, online or by visiting a local Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC) – a listing of local TACs is available at IRS.gov. Taxpayers may also seek assistance from the Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS). Contact information for TAS is available online, including a listing of local TAS offices.

For more information, see Offer in Compromise on IRS.gov.

IR Press

Share
Published by
IR Press

Recent Posts

Treasury Issues Final Rule Expanding CFIUS Coverage of Real Estate Transactions Around More Than 60 Military Installations

WASHINGTON – Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury (Treasury), as Chair of the Committee…

2 days ago

U.S. Department of the Treasury’s CDFI Fund and Federal Housing Finance Agency Collaborate to Bolster CDFI Access to Capital

WASHINGTON—Today, the U.S. Department of the Treasury’s Community Development Financial Institutions Fund (CDFI Fund) and…

2 days ago

Report on U.S. Portfolio Holdings of Foreign Securities at Year-End 2023

Washington – The findings from the annual survey of U.S. portfolio holdings of foreign securities…

3 days ago

READOUT: U.S. Department of the Treasury Hosts Roundtable Discussion on the Financial Sector’s Response to Recent Hurricanes

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of the Treasury hosted a roundtable on October 30 with…

3 days ago

READOUT: Sixth Meeting of the Financial Working Group Between the United States and the People’s Republic of China

WASHINGTON – The United States and the People’s Republic of China held the sixth meeting…

3 days ago

Treasury Sanctions Key Members of La Linea, a Group Involved in Trafficking Fentanyl into the United States

WASHINGTON — Today, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned…

3 days ago