Owe the IRS? This is the complete IRS tax debt resolution playbook, from a 19-year tax pro, JD and Enrolled Agent who has resolved hundreds of millions in tax debt for clients.
Welcome to Episode 1 of Across the TaxVerge with TaxPro Serge. I'm Sergio Melendez, and this is the episode I want every person searching for answers at 2 a.m. to hear first.
If you owe back taxes, you already know the stress. Afraid to open the mail. Afraid a garnishment notice shows up at work. Afraid to swipe your debit card at the grocery store. By the end of this episode you will know every option you have, what the IRS is actually allowed to do, and the exact order tax professionals follow to get a case resolved.
In this episode I cover:
- The pre-resolution checklist and what "compliance" really means (the six-year rule, W-4 withholding, estimated payments)
- The four IRS collection departments, from ACS to revenue officers, and how each one operates
- The 10-year clock (CSED): the rule that changes everything, and the events that pause it
- Your Taxpayer Bill of Rights and how to file a complaint when an agent crosses the line
- IRS Fresh Start: what the 2011 rules actually changed, and the red flag to watch for in tax relief ads
- The three real settlement programs: Offer in Compromise, Currently Not Collectible, and Partial Pay Installment Agreement
- When you legally do not owe the money: doubt as to liability, audit reconsideration, CP2000, substitute for return, identity theft, innocent spouse
- Every IRS payment plan, from guaranteed to non-streamlined to CSED agreements
- Penalty abatement: first-time abatement, reasonable cause, and the one step you must take before you request it
Chapters
0:00 Welcome to Across the TaxVerge
0:29 Episode 1: The tax debt resolution playbook
2:43 Chapter 1: Pre-resolution checklist and IRS compliance
6:04 Chapter 2: Which IRS collection department has your case
10:05 Chapter 3: The 10-year clock (CSED)
12:35 Chapter 4: Taxpayer Bill of Rights and hiring representation
15:48 Chapter 5: IRS Fresh Start, real or hype
18:39 Chapter 6: Offer in Compromise, CNC and Partial Pay
22:36 Chapter 7: When you legally do not owe the tax debt
25:27 Chapter 8: IRS payment plans explained
27:57 Chapter 9: IRS penalty abatement
32:09 Chapter 10: IRS Appeals
35:54 Chapter 11: Organizing your IRS case
37:39 Chapter 12: Getting the right help
41:17 Chapter 13: Totality of circumstances and next steps
If any of this sounds like your situation, I want to hear from you. Comment "IRS TAX DEBT" on our latest post, send us a DM, or book a Free Case Review at sempertax.com. No pressure, no sales pitch, just a straight answer on what you qualify for.
Semper Tax Relief
sempertax.com
(949) 506-3457
Across the TaxVerge is hosted by Sergio Melendez, JD, EA, founder of Semper Tax Relief. Comment "IRS TAX DEBT" on our latest post, DM us, or book a Free Case Review at sempertax.com | (949) 506-3457 | Instagram, TikTok, YouTube and Facebook: @taxproserge. This podcast is for education only and is not legal or tax advice for your specific situation.