My partner owes a large amount in taxes, and the IRS won’t let his monthly payment be less than $307. He can’t afford that along with his other bills. Is there anything we can try to lower the payment or adjust the terms?
He’ll need to provide a financial statement to show what he can actually pay.
> more than we can pay
When you say ‘we,’ is this from a joint tax return?
Parker said:
He’ll need to provide a financial statement to show what he can actually pay.
> more than we can pay
When you say ‘we,’ is this from a joint tax return?
No, we’re not married yet.
@Vesper
He should call IRS collections and ask for a lower payment.
Here’s the number: 1-800-829-7650 (M-F, 8am - 8pm local time).
He’ll need to give details about his income, expenses, and assets. IRS uses Form 433-F to assess this:
They also have standards for allowable expenses:
- Call the IRS and ask about Form 433-F. This will let your partner show his actual income and expenses, which might help lower the payment.
- If things are really tight, look into “Currently Not Collectible” status. This pauses collections temporarily.
Has a tax professional reviewed his situation? They might find missed deductions or credits and could even negotiate better terms with the IRS.
A part-time job might help cover the payments. He could have extra tax withheld from that job to avoid falling behind again.
Make more money.
Hi OP, sorry you’re dealing with this. There have been good suggestions here, but I wanted to share a few more options.
Your partner can call and request a penalty abatement. If the IRS doesn’t grant it, he can fill out Form 843 to formally request one. Keep in mind, getting interest abated is harder than penalties.
He could also check the Offer in Compromise pre-qualifier tool on the IRS site to see if it’s worth applying for that program. Another option is visiting a local IRS Taxpayer Assistance Center (TAC). They can review financials in person and help set up a payment plan that fits his situation.
The IRS isn’t trying to make people homeless or skip essentials to pay taxes—they are usually willing to work with people in tough spots.
Yeah, the IRS doesn’t care. I had to cut other things from my budget to make it work.
The IRS doesn’t count credit card debt, personal loans, or similar unsecured debt as expenses. I have $2500 a month in credit card payments, and they ignored that when setting up my payment plan.
Davi said:
The IRS doesn’t count credit card debt, personal loans, or similar unsecured debt as expenses. I have $2500 a month in credit card payments, and they ignored that when setting up my payment plan.
That doesn’t sound right.