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The U.S. government expects you to pay income taxes to the IRS each year. Most Americans have taxes withheld<\/a> from their wages, which helps to avoid owing the IRS a large sum at the end of the year. However, self-employed individuals and independent contractors who do not have any (or enough) tax withheld may need to make estimated tax payments<\/a> instead.<\/p>\n If you don\u2019t pay your taxes on time, the penalties can be severe. The longer you wait to resolve your tax debt<\/a>, the more difficult and costly it will be. As a taxpayer, it is important to understand the IRS collection process as well as your options for setting up a payment arrangement.<\/p>\n >><\/span> Owe the IRS? Get a Free Tax Relief Consultation<\/span><\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n If your taxes are not fully paid when you file your tax return, the IRS will send you a bill for the amount owed. This bill is the beginning of the collection process.<\/p>\n The first IRS notice<\/a> that you receive will explain the amount you owe, including any taxes, penalties, and interest charges. This notice will also demand full payment of your balance due.<\/p>\n RELATED: Federal Tax Payment Options<\/a><\/p>\n There are stiff penalties for not paying your taxes. With monthly late fees and interest charges, the amount you owe can grow exponentially in size, making it even more difficult to pay. The longer your taxes go unpaid, the bigger the consequences \u2013 leading all the way to asset seizure and even incarceration.<\/p>\n Here are some of the penalties and fees<\/a> that apply to past due taxes:<\/p>\n \u2022 Interest is compounded daily and accumulates on the owed amount (the interest rate is equal to the Federal short-term rate, plus 3%) However, if you can provide reasonable cause for not filing or paying on time, you may be able to avoid incurring the late filing\/payment penalty.<\/p>\n It is in your best interest to contact the IRS and make arrangements to pay the tax due. If you cannot pay the amount in full, you can request a payment plan (see below). But if you ignore the issue and do nothing, the IRS will take actions to collect your taxes \u2013 such as filing a Notice of Federal Tax Lien, serving a Notice of Levy, offsetting your tax refund, or garnishing your wages.<\/p>\n A Federal tax lien<\/strong> is a claim against your property that is used to protect the government\u2019s interest in your tax debt. If you fail to fully pay your tax balance within 10 days after the IRS sends you the first notice (of taxes owed and demand for payment), the IRS will file a \u2018Notice of Federal Tax Lien\u2019<\/a> in the public records. This notifies creditors that the IRS has a claim against all your property, including any property that you acquire after the lien arises.<\/p>\n A Federal tax levy<\/a><\/strong> is an outright seizure of property or assets. The IRS may levy your wages, bank accounts, or retirement income and apply the funds towards your tax liability. The IRS may also seize your house, car, or boat and sell your property to satisfy your tax debt. If you are owed any tax refunds<\/a> in the future (Federal or State), the IRS may take these as well.<\/p>\n Furthermore, in some situations, the IRS may decide to launch a criminal investigation or file charges for tax evasion.<\/p>\n RELATED: What Tax Evasion Will Cost You<\/a><\/p>\n If you cannot fully pay your tax due, you should still respond to the IRS notice in a timely manner. Pay as much as you can now and explore your other options. If you\u2019re unable to alleviate the debt with a loan or credit card(s), you will need to consider the IRS\u2019 payment arrangements \u2013 including an installment agreement, an offer in compromise, or a temporary delay of collection.<\/p>\n An installment agreement<\/strong> allows you to resolve your tax debt by making monthly payments over a period of time, generally up to 72 months. Individuals owing $50,000 or less (and businesses owing $25,000 or less) can apply for an Online Payment Agreement<\/a>. Otherwise, you must make the request by filing Form 9465 (Installment Agreement Request) and a Collection Information Statement (Form 433-A, Form 433-B, or Form 433-F).<\/p>\n An\u00a0offer in compromise (OIC)\u00a0<\/strong>is a settlement offer that you make to the IRS for less than the actual amount owed. Basically, you offer to pay a portion of your taxes now and the IRS agrees to forgive the remaining debt. There are strict eligibility requirements and you must be able to demonstrate that paying the taxes in full will cause you \u201cextraordinary hardship.\u201d If you are able to pay your taxes through an installment agreement, you will not qualify for an offer in compromise<\/a>.<\/p>\n In some cases, you can request a temporary delay of collection<\/strong> from the IRS. If the IRS determines that you cannot pay any of your tax owed, they may label your account as \u2018currently not collectible\u2019 and delay tax collection until your financial situation improves. However, this does not reduce your tax debt in any sense.<\/p>\n NOTE: If you a member of the U.S. Armed Forces, you may be allowed to defer your payment. For more information, see IRS Publication 3 (Armed Forces\u2019 Tax Guide)<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n It is important to understand that you have rights and protections when it comes to the tax collection process. The \u2018Taxpayer Bill of Rights\u2019<\/a> contains 10 major provisions \u2013 including the right to be informed, the right to pay no more than the correct amount of tax, the right to challenge the IRS\u2019 position and be heard, the right to appeal an IRS decision in an independent forum, and the right to retain representation.<\/p>\n If you want to discuss your payment options, you can contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040 or call the phone number on your notice.<\/p>\nIRS Penalties for Past Due Taxes<\/strong><\/h3>\n
\n\u2022 The late payment penalty is .05% of the owed amount and increases each month the taxes remain unpaid (up to a maximum of 25%)
\n\u2022 The combined penalty for both filing and paying late is 5% of the tax owed (if your return is over 60 days late, the penalty may be up to 100% of the tax owed)<\/p>\nIRS Collection Enforcement Actions<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Tax Payment Arrangements (If You Cannot Pay in Full)<\/strong><\/h3>\n
Your Rights as a Taxpayer<\/strong><\/h3>\n