"Offers in Compromise mutually benefit the taxpayer and the IRS.
To find out more about Offers in Compromise, go to the IRS Website at www.irs.gov and search Publications 594 and 656, speak with a tax professional or certified public accountant, and read Stand Up to the IRS.
In the past, only a relatively small number of
Offers in Compromise have been accepted.
According to the Research Institute of America, the IRS has said it expects to issue a new Internal Revenue Manual section on
offers in compromise to resolve two areas of frequent difficulty: how much the taxpayer needs for "necessary living expenses" and how the taxpayer's assets should be valued on form 433-A.
At present, the Government's authority to enter into
offers in compromise is contained in Sec.
As a result of changes made to the
offers in compromise program in 1992, the number of offers and acceptances has increased greatly.
The message behind the guidelines is very simple--accept more
offers in compromise.
She noted, for instance, that revenue officers often are reluctant to consider
offers in compromise (agreements between taxpayers and the IRS to pay less than the required amounts in full satisfaction of their liabilities) or are afraid to make decisions.
Recently, the IRS made significant changes in its procedures for
offers in compromise of a tax debt.
According to internal revenue news release IR-93-45, the number of taxpayers with installment agreements and accepted
offers in compromise increased more than 30% in the last year.
This settlement procedure has been conducted under the strict guidelines of the IRS's
offers in compromise (OIC) policy.
* Acceptance of
offers in compromise is encouraged.
