{"id":2231,"date":"2022-07-28T14:33:00","date_gmt":"2022-07-28T14:33:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/?p=2231"},"modified":"2026-05-01T02:14:18","modified_gmt":"2026-05-01T02:14:18","slug":"how-to-negotiate-back-taxes-with-the-irs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/how-to-negotiate-back-taxes-with-the-irs\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Negotiate Back Taxes With the IRS"},"content":{"rendered":"<!-- mish-intro-v1 --><p><strong>I&#8217;m Darrin Mish. Tampa tax attorney, 32 years in, more than $100 million in IRS debt resolved.<\/strong> What follows isn&#8217;t theory &#8211; it&#8217;s what I&#8217;ve actually watched work.<\/p>\n\n\n<p>IRS tax debt can be difficult to deal with on your own. The IRS is a powerful organization, and they have a lot of tools at their disposal to collect the money you owe them. They can&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/tax-relief\/wage-garnishment\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"36\">garnish your wages<\/a>, put a&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/tax-relief\/tax-liens\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"34\">lien<\/a>&nbsp;on your property, or even seize your assets. Thankfully, in 2011, the IRS rolled out the <a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/the-irs-fresh-start-program-what-it-actually-is-and-how-to-qualify\/\">Fresh Start Program<\/a> that allows late-paying Americans a path towards paying off tax debts. One way to eliminate tax debt is by negotiating back taxes with the IRS.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">How to Negotiate Tax Debt with the IRS<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The first step in negotiating with the IRS is to figure out how much you actually owe. You can do this by requesting a statement of account from the IRS. Once you know how much you owe, you can start to look at your options for paying it off. If you&#8217;re unable to pay the full amount owed, you can try to negotiate a <a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/how-to-set-up-a-payment-plan-with-the-irs-a-step-by-step-guide\/\">payment plan with the IRS<\/a>. The IRS has a variety of payment plans available, and they may be willing to work with you to find a plan that fits your budget.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Negotiate a Settlement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re unable to pay the IRS in full, you might also be able to negotiate a settlement. A settlement is an agreement between you and the IRS that allows you to pay less than the full amount you owe. The IRS may be willing to settle for less if they believe it&#8217;s the best way to collect the money you owe them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Installment Agreement<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re struggling with tax debt, you can try to negotiate an <a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/how-to-negotiate-the-best-installment-agreement-with-the-irs-without-losing-your-mind\/\">installment agreement<\/a> with the IRS. An&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/tax-relief\/installment-agreements\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"22\">installment agreement<\/a>&nbsp;allows you to make monthly payments toward your tax debt. The IRS has a variety of installment plans available, and they may be willing to work with you to find a plan that works for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h4 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Offer in Compromise<\/h4>\n\n\n\n<p>You might also be able to negotiate an&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/tax-relief\/offer-in-compromise\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"26\">offer in compromise<\/a>. An <a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/irs-offer-in-compromise-how-to-settle-your-tax-debt-for-less-than-you-owe\/\">offer in compromise<\/a> is an agreement between you and the IRS that allows you to pay less than the full amount you owe. The IRS may be willing to accept an offer in compromise if you meet the requirements. You will likely qualify for an offer in compromise if you prove that paying off your tax debt will cause&nbsp;financial hardship or would be unfair.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>If you&#8217;re facing IRS tax debt, it&#8217;s important to understand your options. You may be able to negotiate a payment plan or settlement with the IRS that fits your budget and allows you to pay off your debt. A qualified tax attorney can help you navigate the negotiation process and find the best solution to your overwhelming tax debt.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>Get in touch with our&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/contact-us\/\" data-type=\"page\" data-id=\"50\">Tampa tax&nbsp;debt relief attorney<\/a>&nbsp;today at&nbsp;<a href=\"tel:8132297100\" data-type=\"tel\" data-id=\"tel:8132297100\">(813) 229-7100<\/a>&nbsp;to schedule a consultation!<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\">\n{\n  \"@context\": \"https:\/\/schema.org\",\n  \"@type\": \"FAQPage\",\n  \"mainEntity\": [\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"When do I need a tax attorney instead of a CPA or enrolled agent?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"When your case has criminal exposure, complex litigation posture, or attorney-client privilege as a strategic tool. For straightforward Installment Agreements, a CPA or EA is often the right choice. For audits, Trust Fund Recovery, Tax Court, or anything with potential criminal elements, the attorney premium is justified.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What does a tax attorney consultation cover?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"A typical first consultation is 20 to 30 minutes, free, and covers your specific situation, your IRS letters and deadlines, your finances, available resolution options, expected fee range, and whether the firm is the right fit. There is no obligation to engage.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"How much does a tax attorney cost?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Tax resolution cases typically range from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on complexity. Trust Fund Recovery defense and Tax Court litigation are higher. The fee is usually a small percentage of what is at stake when proper representation works.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Does hiring a tax attorney trigger an audit?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"No. The IRS does not flag taxpayers because they hired representation. Having a Form 2848 Power of Attorney on file usually makes the case run more efficiently.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"What is attorney-client privilege in tax cases?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Communications between you and your tax attorney are protected and cannot be compelled in litigation. Communications with a CPA generally have no such protection. The privilege is critical when criminal exposure is possible.\"\n      }\n    },\n    {\n      \"@type\": \"Question\",\n      \"name\": \"Can a tax attorney negotiate with the IRS for me?\",\n      \"acceptedAnswer\": {\n        \"@type\": \"Answer\",\n        \"text\": \"Yes. Once a Form 2848 Power of Attorney is filed, the IRS communicates with your attorney instead of you. The attorney negotiates Installment Agreements, Offers in Compromise, penalty abatements, and represents you in audits and appeals.\"\n      }\n    }\n  ]\n}\n<\/script>\n\n\n\n\n<div class=\"related-resources\" style=\"margin:2em 0;padding:1.25em 1.5em;border-left:4px solid #2c5282;background:#f7fafc;\">\n  <h2 style=\"margin-top:0;\">Related Resources<\/h2>\n  <ul style=\"margin-bottom:0;\">\n    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/tax-relief\">Tax Relief Services Overview<\/a><\/li>\n    <li><a data-wpil=\"url\" data-wpil-url-old=\"aHR0cHM6Ly9nZXRpcnNoZWxwLmNvbS90YW1wYQ==\" href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\">Tampa Tax Attorney &#8211; Our Practice<\/a><\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/about-us\">About Darrin T. Mish<\/a><\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/tax-law-faqs\">Tax Law FAQs<\/a><\/li>\n    <li><a href=\"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/contact-us\">Schedule a Free Consultation<\/a><\/li>\n  <\/ul>\n<\/div>\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>IRS tax debt can be difficult to deal with on your own. The IRS is a powerful organization, and they have a lot of tools at their disposal to collect the money you owe them. They can&nbsp;garnish your wages, put a&nbsp;lien&nbsp;on your property, or even seize your assets. Thankfully, in 2011, the IRS rolled out [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":[],"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","footnotes":""},"categories":[3,4,6,8,9],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2231","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-installment-agreements","category-irs-help","category-offer-in-compromise","category-tax-debt","category-taxes"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2231","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2231"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2231\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":6130,"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2231\/revisions\/6130"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2231"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2231"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/getirshelp.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2231"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}