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One thing nobody's mentioned yet - consider whether using a low-interest loan to pay the IRS might be better than an installment plan. I had a $22k tax bill last year, and I ended up taking a personal loan at 8% to pay it off because the combined penalties and interest from the IRS were going to be higher. Credit unions sometimes offer good rates, and if you have good credit, it might be worth exploring. Also, if you have a 401k, you might be able to take a loan from that (though be careful with this option).
Wouldn't using a credit card work too? Especially if you can get one of those 0% intro offers? My tax bill is much smaller than OP's but I was thinking of going this route.
Credit cards can work for smaller amounts, but there are a few things to consider. First, most credit cards charge a processing fee (usually around 2-3%) when paying taxes. Second, those 0% intro offers typically only last 12-18 months, and $48,000 would be hard to pay off in that timeframe. If you can't pay it off before the promotional period ends, you'll get hit with much higher interest rates than what the IRS charges. For smaller tax bills, credit cards with promotional rates can definitely make sense if you have a solid plan to pay it off before the promotional period ends. Just make sure to calculate the processing fee into your total cost comparison.
Anyone know if the irs will settle for less than what u owe? I heard something about that but not sure how it works... in a similar boat with about 35k owed
You're thinking of an Offer in Compromise (OIC), which allows you to settle your tax debt for less than the full amount. However, it's not as easy as people think. The IRS only accepts an OIC if they genuinely believe they can't collect the full amount from you, either now or in the future. They'll look at your income, expenses, asset equity, and ability to pay. Most OICs get rejected because people have the means to pay through an installment agreement. If you have assets you could sell or a decent income, it's unlikely to be approved.
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One option nobody has mentioned yet is bankruptcy. If some of your tax debt is more than 3 years old, you might be able to discharge it in bankruptcy. There are specific rules about which tax debts qualify, but it could potentially wipe out a big chunk of what you owe. I went through chapter 7 bankruptcy last year and was able to discharge about $20,000 in tax debt from 4+ years ago. You still have to meet certain criteria - the returns need to have been filed at least 2 years before bankruptcy, the assessment needs to be at least 240 days old, and you can't have committed fraud. Bankruptcy has other consequences obviously, but if you're truly drowning in debt, it might be worth talking to a bankruptcy attorney who specializes in tax issues.
Thank you for mentioning this option. I had no idea tax debt could be discharged through bankruptcy. Is that something that applies to all types of tax debt or just income tax? And did it affect your credit score as badly as people say?
Bankruptcy can only discharge income tax debt, not payroll taxes, fraud penalties, or certain other types. The debt needs to be from a return that was due at least 3 years ago, filed at least 2 years ago, and assessed by the IRS at least 240 days ago. Yes, bankruptcy did impact my credit score - it dropped about 150 points initially. However, it's already started recovering, and the relief of not having that massive tax debt hanging over me was worth it. I've been able to start rebuilding my credit, and some lenders actually see me as a better risk now because my debt-to-income ratio is so much better without the tax debt. I recommend at least having a consultation with a bankruptcy attorney who specializes in tax issues. Many offer free initial consultations, and they can tell you exactly which portions of your tax debt might be dischargeable.
If you're dealing with IRS debt, consider contacting the Taxpayer Advocate Service. They're an independent organization within the IRS that helps taxpayers resolve problems. Their services are free and they can help negotiate with the IRS on your behalf, especially in cases of financial hardship. I was in a similar situation with about $42k in tax debt and couldn't afford the payments they wanted. The Taxpayer Advocate helped me get into Currently Not Collectible status when I was at my financial lowest, which paused all collections. Later, they helped me set up a reasonable payment plan based on what I could actually afford. Their website is https://www.taxpayeradvocate.irs.gov/ and you can find your local office there. It might take some persistence to reach them, but they can be incredibly helpful when you're overwhelmed.
Were you able to get your penalties reduced too? I've heard the IRS sometimes gives "first time abatement" but wasn't sure if that applies when you've already been on payment plans.
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Something to consider that no one has mentioned yet - if your wife is earning babysitting income in her country of residence, she might also have tax obligations there! I learned this the hard way when my wife was teaching English in Japan. Just because she's a US citizen doesn't mean she's exempt from local tax laws where she physically works. You'll need to look into the tax treaty between the US and her country to understand how to avoid double taxation.
That's a really good point that I hadn't even considered! She's currently living in Australia and I have no idea what their rules are for small self-employment income like babysitting. Would we need to file tax returns in both countries then? And how does that work with the tax treaty stuff?
Australia definitely taxes residents on worldwide income, so yes, she likely needs to file there too. The good news is that the US and Australia have a comprehensive tax treaty. If she pays taxes in Australia, you can generally claim a Foreign Tax Credit on your US return using Form 1116 to offset US taxes on that same income. This helps prevent double taxation. Australia has a tax-free threshold of about 18,200 AUD, so if she's making less than that from babysitting, she might not owe Australian taxes anyway.
One more thing to think about - if your wife has any foreign bank accounts and you're filing jointly, you both need to report ALL foreign accounts on the FBAR form, even if they're only in her name. The threshold is $10k combined across all accounts at any point during the year. And just fyi, the penalties for not filing FBAR when required are CRAZY high, even for innocent mistakes. Like potentially $10k per violation.
This FBAR stuff is terrifying! I've been doing my taxes myself for years and just found out about this requirement. Is there any kind of amnesty program if you've messed up in previous years? Also, does it matter if the account has barely any money in it?
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Something nobody's mentioned yet - you also need to consider self-employment tax. If you don't deduct your business expenses, you'll pay more in SE tax (15.3% on the first $160,200 for 2023). By accurately reporting your $4,000 in expenses, you'd save about $612 in SE tax ($4,000 × 15.3%). That's money you could then invest elsewhere or use to cover business costs. Not claiming legitimate business expenses is essentially overpaying your taxes.
That's an excellent point I hadn't considered. So even if I'm able to zero out my income tax through 401k contributions, I'd still be paying unnecessary SE tax if I don't claim my business expenses. Could you explain a bit more about how the SE tax calculation works with Solo 401k contributions?
Exactly! Solo 401k contributions don't reduce your self-employment tax liability - only your regular income tax. SE tax is calculated on your net earnings from self-employment (Schedule C profit) before any retirement plan contributions. So if you have $19,500 in income and don't deduct that $4,000 in expenses, you'd pay SE tax on the full $19,500. But if you properly deduct the $4,000, you'd only pay SE tax on $15,500. At the 15.3% SE tax rate, that's a savings of about $612. That's real money you'd be leaving on the table by not claiming legitimate expenses!
I actually messed this up a few years ago thinking I could choose which expenses to report. My accountant later told me the Schedule C should reflect the true economic reality of your business - you don't get to pick and choose which expenses to report based on what gives you the best tax outcome.
Did you get audited or have any issues with the IRS over it? I've been wondering how they would even know if you didn't report some expenses.
Ravi Gupta
One thing nobody mentioned yet - make sure you're not confusing an HSA with an FSA! They sound similar but are totally different for tax purposes. HSA (Health Savings Account): - Stays with you forever, even if you change jobs - Contributions from both you and employer are tax-advantaged - Unused money rolls over year to year - Need a qualifying high-deductible health plan to contribute FSA (Flexible Spending Account): - Usually use-it-or-lose-it each year - Only available through employers - Different contribution limits - Different tax reporting requirements I've seen people try to deduct FSA contributions like they were HSA contributions and that can trigger big problems with the IRS!
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GalacticGuru
•This is such an important distinction! I messed this up one year and it was a nightmare to fix. Quick question - if you have access to both an HSA and FSA (limited purpose FSA), can you contribute to both in the same year? My benefits coordinator gave me conflicting info.
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Ravi Gupta
•Yes, you can contribute to both an HSA and a Limited Purpose FSA in the same year. The key is that it must be a "Limited Purpose" FSA that only covers dental and vision expenses, not a regular medical FSA that covers all healthcare expenses. Regular medical FSAs would make you ineligible for HSA contributions, but the Limited Purpose FSAs are specifically designed to work alongside HSAs. This combination actually gives you the most tax advantages, as you can use the Limited Purpose FSA for immediate dental/vision needs while letting your HSA investments grow for future medical expenses.
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Freya Pedersen
For anyone still confused about HSA deductions, here's the simple version that helped me understand: 1) EMPLOYER CONTRIBUTIONS: Already tax-free, shown on W-2 Box 12 with code W 2) YOUR PAYROLL DEDUCTIONS: Already tax-free, also reflected on your W-2 3) YOUR PERSONAL CONTRIBUTIONS (from your bank account): These are the ones you claim as a deduction HSA Limits for 2023: - $3,850 for individual coverage - $7,750 for family coverage - Extra $1,000 allowed if you're 55+ TurboTax sometimes makes this more complicated than it needs to be!
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Omar Fawaz
•The limits for 2024 are higher just fyi: - $4,150 for individual coverage - $8,300 for family coverage Plus still the +$1,000 for 55+ folks
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Chloe Anderson
•Is the contribution limit per calendar year or plan year? My company's health plan runs July-June but taxes are Jan-Dec. Always confuses me when figuring the max I can contribute.
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