Taxes Information

What to Do If You Can't Pay Your Taxes


The end of tax filing extensions is quickly approaching. What do you do if you can't pay the amounts you owe? You should still file your return by the due date and pay as much as you can. There are, however, additional steps that might help.

Credit Cards

You can charge your taxes on your American Express, MasterCard, Visa or Discover cards. If you go in this direction, you can use either of the following two sources:

Official Payments Corporation
1-800-2PAY-TAX (1-800-272-9829)
www.officialpayments.com

Link2Gov Corporation
1-888-PAY-1040 (1-888-729-1040)
www.pay1040.com

If a credit card is out of the question, you may be able to pay any remaining balance over time in monthly installments through an installment agreement. If you are completely wiped out and the future looks grim, you may also want to consider getting the tax amount reduced through the Offer in Compromise program.

To apply for an installment payment plan, fill out and attach Form 9465 to the front of your tax return. The IRS has streamlined the approval process if your total taxes (not counting interest, penalties or other additions) do not exceed $25,000 and can be paid off in five years or less. Be sure to show the amount of your proposed monthly payment and the date you wish to make your payment each month. Make absolutely sure you can make the payments.

The IRS charges a $43 fee for setting up an installment agreement. You will also be charged interest plus a late payment penalty on the unpaid taxes. The late payment penalty is usually one-half of one percent per month or part of a month of your unpaid tax. The penalty rate is reduced to one-quarter of one percent for any month an Installment Agreement is in effect if you filed your return by the due date (including extensions). The maximum failure to pay penalty is 25 percent of the tax paid late.

If you do not file your return by the due date (including extensions), you may have to pay a penalty for filing late. The penalty for failing to file and pay timely is usually five percent of the unpaid tax for each month or part of a month that your return is late. The maximum penalty for failure to file and pay on time is 25 percent of your unpaid tax.

In Closing

The IRS wants you in the system, even if you're broke. Whatever you do, file your tax return in a timely manner. Once filed, the IRS will work with you on payment issues. Don't get stressed. Keep in mind that millions of Americans have the same problem.

Richard Chapo is CEO of Business Tax Recovery - Obtaining tax refunds for small businesses for overpaid taxes. Discovery tax strategies and deductions in our tax articles section.


MORE RESOURCES:


Take Advantage of Unique Tax Planning Strategies
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RetailWire (registration)
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Amazon, States, & Merchants:Internet Evolution
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Globe and Mail

UBS: Offshore probes in Britain, Canada, Australia
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ABC News

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When you have 140 million individual tax returns, "you need to be continually looking at ways to serve people," Shulman said. "This effort continues my ...
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Stimulus tax credit buys robots and tractors
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FEATURE-Cos lobby against Obama bid for more tax documents
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Hawaii lawmakers consider tax hikes, other issues
BusinessWeek
Hawaii's lawmakers have reached the halfway point of this year's legislative session, with one law signed so far and about a dozen tax increase proposals ...

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Kansas business leaders urge state senators not to raise state sales tax
Kansas City Star
AP TOPEKA | Business leaders are telling a Kansas Senate committee that they oppose an increase in the state's sales tax. The Senate Assessment and Taxation ...
Sales tax on food would goTopeka Capital Journal
Statehouse Live: Committee chair unveils proposal to increase sales levy ...Lawrence Journal World
Tax increases on deckTopeka Capital Journal

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Boston Globe

Social Security: 'Here It Comes'
istockAnalyst.com (press release)
For decades government has cooked its books by stealing the Social Security taxes you pay. This was the infamous "lock box" debate had during Gore's ...
Social Security to start cashing Uncle Sam's IOUsThe Associated Press
Time to Pay the IOUs out of the 'Lock Box'Big Government (blog)
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