This is such a good point! I made this mistake last year with a CPA who didn't know about my state's special treatment of retirement income. Do you think it's better to find someone local who does online consultations or someone fully remote?

I've had better luck finding someone local who offers online services. They tend to know both the state and local tax situations better while still providing the convenience of remote meetings. A fully remote CPA can absolutely work too, especially if they specifically list your state as one they're familiar with. Just make sure to specifically ask about their experience with your state's tax laws during your initial consultation.

Tax software is fine for filing, but it doesn't help with actual tax planning throughout the year. A good CPA helps you make strategic decisions BEFORE tax time to minimize what you owe. Software just processes what already happened.

That's a fair point. I guess I was just thinking about the filing part and not the planning aspect. Maybe I should look into this too since I'm starting a side business this year and could probably use some guidance on how to set things up properly from the beginning.

4 This is really good advice - my father qualified for free help through VITA (Volunteer Income Tax Assistance) program when he got a similar letter last year. They have special assistance for people over 60. Check with local senior centers or call 800-906-9887 to find the nearest location.

8 The Taxpayer Advocate Service can be incredibly helpful, especially for seniors or anyone with financial hardship. They act as an independent organization within the IRS and can help navigate complex tax situations. For the VITA program mentioned, they typically focus on tax preparation rather than representation in tax disputes, but they can often provide guidance and point you toward appropriate resources. Low Income Taxpayer Clinics (LITCs) are another great option - they provide free or low-cost representation for people who need to resolve tax problems with the IRS.

12 This happened to my grandfather too! The scammers had created a letter that looked really official. The only thing that tipped us off was that it asked for payment by money order to an address that wasn't an official IRS processing center. These scammers are getting really sophisticated.

This is a gray area. The IRS guidance states that computer equipment can be a qualified education expense if it's needed for enrollment or attendance. Since your courses had online components that required a computer, you have a legitimate case.

I successfully claimed a new laptop last year. The key was documenting how it was necessary for my specific program. My university had a policy stating students needed "access to a computer" for certain courses, which I printed out and included with my tax documents. Also saved course syllabi that mentioned required online components.

Oh that's really good to know! My university lumps everything together on one statement - tuition, fees, housing, meal plan, health insurance, etc. I need to make sure I'm only including the qualified items in my appeal. Is there an easy way to separate these out?

most schools will give you an itemized statement if you request it from the bursar or student accounts office. just ask for a "detailed statement of account" with all charges broken down by category. thats what i did and it made it super clear which items were tuition/fees vs housing/meals. some schools also have a separate form they can provide specifically for tax purposes that only shows the qualified education expenses. worth asking if they have something like that!

Do they accept payments right there at the office? Or do they just help you figure out how to pay? My payment is due really soon and I'm getting nervous about penalties.

They don't actually accept payments directly at most locations, but they'll help you make the payment online while you're there. The IRS employee can bypass the normal verification requirements when you're in person with proper ID. They did this for me when I couldn't verify online. If your payment is due very soon, make sure to mention that when you call for an appointment. They sometimes have emergency slots for urgent cases. If you absolutely can't get an appointment before your due date, you might want to mail a check as a backup plan just to show you're trying to pay on time.

Not to be that person but this doesn't actually help OP with their current problem of paying taxes without previous returns. They already know how much they owe, they just need to pay it.

Thank you so much for this detailed advice. I've never heard of Form 911 - does that require proof of hardship? And what kind of evidence would be most helpful to show I was kept in the dark? I don't have much documentation since I wasn't allowed to see financial records.

Form 911 does require showing hardship, but in your case, the potential tax bill of $247k on a $30k income absolutely qualifies as financial hardship. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is specifically designed to help in situations where the normal IRS processes would create significant difficulty. For evidence, anything that demonstrates the controlling nature of the relationship helps. This could include: statements from family/friends who witnessed the financial control, documentation of separate bank accounts you didn't have access to, emails/texts where you asked for financial information and were denied, or documentation from divorce proceedings that mentions financial control. Even a statement from a therapist (if you've discussed the financial abuse) can be valuable supporting evidence. The IRS doesn't expect extensive documentation in abuse cases - they understand documentation itself was often controlled.

The statute of limitations might not apply if returns weren't filed at all. The 10-year collection period doesn't start until a tax is assessed, and if no returns were filed, the assessment may not have happened until recently when the IRS created substitute returns.

You're absolutely right about the unfiled returns issue. If the ex never filed returns, the statute of limitations on collection wouldn't have started until the IRS prepared Substitute for Returns (SFRs) and made assessments based on those. The Currently Not Collectible status would still apply though. With a $30k income and basic living expenses, there's no way the IRS collection standards would show ability to pay on a $247k+ tax debt. This could at least provide immediate relief while pursuing the innocent spouse relief, which is definitely the best long-term solution in this case.