Per the IRS Education Provider Standards this course must be COMPLETED by 12/31/2028 to receive credits. NOTE: Go to My Professional Profile in your CCH CPELink account settings to ensure your name, and PTIN number; matches your PTIN card
Statistics show that over 40 million individual taxpayers file a tax return with an unpaid balance due and over 24 million taxpayers owe the IRS back taxes. Unfortunately, some are our clients who fall on hard times and cannot fully pay their tax obligations. Fortunately, there are options when they cannot fully pay their liability.
In this course, join Jim Buttonow as he explores the six IRS alternatives when your client cannot fully pay their liability, the IRS collection alternatives. This course will examine the rules and requirements for installment agreements, extensions to pay, and payment deferrals (namely, currently not collectible status). We also give you the fundamental knowledge to answer your client’s question on whether they can “settle their tax bill’ for less than the amount owed (i.e. the IRS offer in compromise qualification rules). At the end of the course, you will have the basic knowledge to identify what alternative is best and be able to execute that alternative in the most efficient and effective manner for your client.
Publication Date: March 2025
Designed For
Tax professionals and tax firm leaders who need to help their clients evaluate, select, and execute IRS collection alternatives when they cannot full pay their balances owed to the IRS.
Topics Covered
- IRS Collection trends and tax debt update
- IRS collection rules and alternatives to full payment
- Determining ability to pay
- How the IRS Offer in Compromise works
- Case Example: OIC
- Practical consideration and tips
Learning Objectives
- Identify the latest IRS collection enforcement activity
- Identify current trends in taxpayers who owe and cannot pay the IRS- including taxpayers who are facing collection enforcement
- Identify IRS collection enforcement options, including liens, levies, and passport restrictions
- Identify the simple and complex IRS collection alternatives, and the most common alternatives selected by taxpayers
- Identify the terms, conditions, and explain how to obtain the simple IRS collection alternatives: the extension to pay, the streamlined installment
- Identify the terms, conditions, and explain how to obtain the complex IRS collection alternatives: the ability to pay installment agreement, currently not collectible status, and the offer in compromise
- Identify the types of offer in compromise options and identify how to determine if a taxpayer qualifies and can pay an offer in compromise settlement
- Identify the tips and best practices in dealing with the IRS to obtain a collection alternative
Level
Basic
Instructional Method
Self-Study
NASBA Field of Study
Taxes (2 hours)
Program Prerequisites
None
Advance Preparation
None
Instructor
Jim Buttonow
Jim Buttonow, CPA, CITP, has been a leader in helping taxpayers and tax professionals resolve tax problems with the IRS.
For 19 years, Jim worked at the IRS in various compliance enforcement positions. Since 2006, Jim has been in private practice and tax and accounting software development. Jim consulting practice focuses on the areas of tax controversy and tax administration. Jim led product development and marketing for a successful software company that developed tax problem software for tax professionals and has developed and implemented post-filing tax services to large tax providers, such as H&R Block and Jackson Hewitt. This software is currently being used by tens of thousands of tax professionals and businesses in the United States.
Jim has been an IRS partner in improving IRS operations and post-filing service to taxpayers. Jim served as chairperson of the IRS Electronic Tax Administration Advisory Committee (ETAAC) in 2015 and 2016 during which ETAAC played a central role in promoting the IRS digital strategy to develop transformative technology solutions to systemic challenges in tax administration. Jim also served as the North Carolina representative on the IRS’ Taxpayer Advocacy Panel (TAP) from 2020-2022.
Jim regularly speaks on areas of tax administration and problem solving to national associations and has testified before Congress in areas of tax administration. He has also published many articles in industry publications. In his articles, Jim focuses on delivering practical insights, advocating for IRS transparency and efficiency, and proposing innovative large-scale solutions for taxpayers and tax professionals.
Jim currently authors the Tax Problems and Solutions Handbook, a publication aimed at helping tax pros work more effectively in post-filing matters and resolving their clients’ most common tax problems. The book can be found online at TaxProblemsHandbook.com. Jim can be reached at Jim@buttonowcpa.com or at his website at buttonowcpa.com.