Cash Tracks Financial Tax Resolution: tax liability

Friday, June 14, 2024

Colorado Springs: Am I or Am I Not an Innocent Spouse?

Are you having to deal with daunting tax liabilities from unexpected issues stemming from a spouse's financial actions? The IRS offers a form of relief known as "Innocent Spouse Relief" to address such situations. This provision is designed to protect individuals from being unfairly held responsible for tax understatements or errors committed by their spouse on a jointly filed tax return.

To qualify for Innocent Spouse Relief, several conditions must be met. First, the understatement of tax must be solely attributable to the other spouse's erroneous items. Second, the innocent spouse must demonstrate that they were unaware of the inaccuracies at the time of signing the return and that it would be inequitable to hold them liable given the circumstances. Factors such as significant benefit from the understatement, desertion, death, or divorce are considered in the evaluation process.

Filing for Innocent Spouse Relief involves submitting Form 8857 to the IRS. It's a crucial step for those seeking to rectify tax issues without bearing the burden of their spouse's financial missteps.

Cash Tracks Financial of Colorado Springs

Marcelino Dodge, EA, CTRC

525 N Cascade Ave., Suite 200

Colorado Springs, CO 80903

(719) 359-8789

www.cashtracksfinancial.com

success@cashtracksfinancial.com

Wednesday, June 12, 2024

Colorado Springs: Why am I in IRS Collections?

Have you failed to pay your tax liability? The IRS will initiate a series of steps to collect the owed amount. Initially, you are sent a series of notices, starting with a CP14, which informs you of the balance due. If you do not respond or make arrangements to pay, the IRS escalates the matter by sending additional notices, such as the CP501 and CP503, which serve as reminders and warnings of potential collection actions.

If you continue to ignore these notices, the IRS may issue a CP504, which is a final notice of intent to levy and a notice of the taxpayer's right to a hearing. This notice indicates that the IRS is preparing to take more aggressive collection actions, such as garnishing wages, levying bank accounts, or seizing property.

In some cases, the IRS may assign the debt to a private collection agency. This typically happens when the IRS has exhausted its internal collection efforts. The private agency will then attempt to collect the debt on behalf of the IRS, although this approach has been criticized for its inefficiency and the undue stress it places on low-income taxpayers.

Throughout this process, it is crucial for you the taxpayer to respond promptly to IRS notices and seek professional assistance if needed to avoid severe financial repercussions.