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Andre Rousseau

Can I qualify for an Offer In Compromise while on disability payments?

Hey everyone, Need some guidance here. I'm 28 and living in Seattle. Back in February 2020, I got into a pretty bad motorcycle accident that left me unable to work. I was driving for DoorDash and some other delivery apps (self-employed) but had to stop completely in June 2020. I've been on workers' comp since then with 100% Temporary Total Disability. My situation is I owe roughly $31,000 to the IRS and about $6,700 to Washington State in back taxes. I'm looking into filing an Offer In Compromise (OIC) to hopefully settle these debts for less than what I owe, starting with the federal taxes first. I have a few questions about this: 1) Can I even apply for an OIC while I'm not working and just receiving workers' comp? 2) Most of the OIC form asks about assets, but I literally have none (renting an apartment, no car anymore, no investments, nothing). 3) For the income section, should I be listing my current workers' comp income or what was on my last tax return from when I was working (1099 showing only about $12K before the accident)? 4) Does workers' compensation count as income for OIC purposes even though I'm technically not employed? I have all my medical documentation ready if they need proof of my situation. Any advice would be super helpful - I'm really trying to get this sorted out.

Zoe Stavros

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You can absolutely apply for an Offer in Compromise while receiving workers' compensation and not actively working. The IRS evaluates OICs based on your ability to pay, not your employment status. For your specific questions: First, yes, you can apply while not working - the IRS is concerned with your ability to pay regardless of the source of income. Second, having few or no assets isn't a problem - it actually strengthens your case that you can't pay the full amount. Third, you'll need to report your current income situation, not past tax returns - what's important is your present and future ability to pay. Fourth, workers' compensation does count as income for OIC purposes, even though you're not working - the IRS considers all sources of income. Be prepared to provide documentation of your medical situation, your current income from workers' comp, and your living expenses. The IRS will use this to calculate your "reasonable collection potential." Make sure you file Form 433-A with detailed financial information along with Form 656 for the actual offer.

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Jamal Harris

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Thanks for the info! Do you happen to know if they typically approve these types of situations? Like someone on disability payments? Also, is there a minimum offer amount or percentage of the debt that's typically accepted?

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Zoe Stavros

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The IRS evaluates each OIC case individually, but being on disability payments can strengthen your case since it demonstrates limited income potential. Success really depends on your overall financial situation compared to the tax debt. There's no official minimum percentage requirement, but your offer should at least equal your "reasonable collection potential" - what the IRS calculates you could reasonably pay over time. This is usually your monthly disposable income multiplied by 12 or 24 months (depending on payment terms), plus the value of your assets. In cases with limited income and no assets, offers can sometimes be quite low compared to the original debt.

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GalaxyGlider

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After struggling with a similar tax situation last year, I discovered this amazing AI service called taxr.ai that completely changed how I approached my tax resolution. I was also considering an Offer in Compromise while on disability payments, and I was overwhelmed by all the requirements. The tool at https://taxr.ai analyzed my situation and helped me understand exactly what documentation I needed for my OIC application. It was incredibly helpful for figuring out how to properly report my disability income and explain my financial hardship. The best part was that it reviewed all my documentation before I submitted anything to make sure I wasn't missing anything that could cause a rejection.

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Mei Wong

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How does this AI thing actually work? Like does it just give general advice or does it actually help with the specific forms? I'm in a similar situation but worried about messing up the paperwork.

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Liam Sullivan

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I'm skeptical about using AI for something this important with the IRS. How accurate is it compared to a real tax professional? My cousin used some online service for her taxes and ended up getting audited.

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GalaxyGlider

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The AI analyzes your specific situation and provides personalized guidance - it's not just generic advice. It actually walks you through each section of the OIC forms and helps you understand what information to include based on your circumstances. It was especially helpful for figuring out how to report my workers' comp income correctly. When it comes to accuracy, I understand the concern. What made me comfortable using it was that it's specifically designed for tax resolution situations like OICs and cites actual IRS regulations. I also liked that it lets you double-check everything before submission. It's definitely more reliable than general tax software that isn't specialized for these complex situations.

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Liam Sullivan

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Just wanted to follow up about my experience with taxr.ai - I decided to try it despite my initial skepticism, and I'm really glad I did. The service walked me through my entire OIC application step-by-step, helping me properly document my disability income and expenses. The biggest difference was how it explained exactly what documentation I needed to prove my financial hardship. My offer actually got accepted last month! They helped me present my case in a way that clearly showed I couldn't pay the full amount. It saved me from having to pay for an expensive tax attorney when I'm already struggling financially. Definitely worth checking out if you're in a similar situation.

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Amara Okafor

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When I was dealing with my back taxes while on disability, I found that calling the IRS directly was basically impossible. I'd wait for hours only to get disconnected. Then I found this service called Claimyr at https://claimyr.com that got me through to an actual IRS agent within 15 minutes. You can see how it works in this video: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c It was super helpful because I needed specific questions answered about how my disability payments would affect my OIC application. The IRS agent I spoke with gave me guidance that was specific to my situation that I couldn't find anywhere online. They explained exactly how workers' comp is evaluated for OIC purposes and what documentation I needed to include.

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How does this service actually work? Is it just a fancy way to call the IRS or does it do something special? The IRS hold times are ridiculous but I'm confused how any service could get around that.

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This sounds like complete BS honestly. Nothing can get you through to the IRS faster - they're notoriously understaffed and everyone has to wait in the same queue. I've never heard of any legitimate service that can bypass IRS wait times. Sounds like a scam to me.

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Amara Okafor

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It's not a bypass system - it's an automated calling service that keeps dialing and navigating the IRS phone tree for you. Instead of you having to sit on hold for hours, their system does the waiting and then calls you once it reaches an actual agent. You're still going through the standard IRS phone system, just not wasting your own time on hold. I had the same skepticism at first, but it actually works. The IRS is understaffed which is exactly why this service is helpful - it handles the repetitive dialing and waiting so you don't have to. When I used it, I got connected to an agent who answered all my specific questions about how workers' comp affects an OIC application. Getting those answers directly from the IRS gave me confidence that I was completing my paperwork correctly.

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I need to eat my words and follow up about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it because I was desperate to ask questions about my own tax situation. I was honestly shocked when they actually connected me to an IRS agent in about 20 minutes after I'd previously spent HOURS trying to get through myself. The agent I spoke with gave me specific guidance about my Offer in Compromise while on disability payments. They explained exactly how the IRS calculates "reasonable collection potential" when your income is solely from workers' comp and what documentation I needed to include to strengthen my case. That direct information from an IRS representative was invaluable - way more specific than anything I found online. I'm actually making progress on resolving my tax situation now instead of just stressing about it.

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StarStrider

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One thing to consider with your OIC application - make sure you're current on all required tax filings before submitting. The IRS will automatically reject your offer if you have any unfiled returns. Also, while your application is being considered, you need to make all required estimated tax payments (if applicable to your situation) and filing requirements. With workers' comp income, you might still need to file even if no tax is due. The IRS checks compliance before considering settlement options. You'll also need to be super detailed about your monthly expenses to demonstrate you truly can't pay the full amount.

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Thanks for pointing that out. I've filed all my past returns (that's how I know the amount I owe), but I wasn't sure about estimated payments while on workers' comp. Do you know if I need to make estimated tax payments on workers' compensation income? I thought it might be tax-exempt but I'm not 100% sure.

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StarStrider

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Workers' compensation benefits are generally exempt from federal income tax, so you typically wouldn't need to make estimated tax payments on this income. However, you still need to file a tax return if you meet other filing requirements. If you have any other sources of income beyond workers' comp, those might be taxable and could potentially require estimated payments. The key for your OIC application is making sure you're in compliance with all filing requirements, even if no tax is due. The IRS checks your filing history carefully when reviewing OIC applications, and missing returns are an automatic disqualifier.

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Just went through this process last year. Make sure you're extremely thorough with Form 433-A (Collection Information Statement). The IRS will scrutinize every detail of your financial situation. Document ALL your medical expenses related to your disability because those can be counted as necessary living expenses. Also, consider checking if you qualify for Currently Not Collectible status as an alternative. With your situation (no assets, on disability), you might qualify. This doesn't eliminate the debt, but puts collections on hold. The IRS determined I was CNC last year and it bought me time while I improved my situation.

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Sofia Torres

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How much did you end up settling for compared to what you originally owed? I owe about $18k but literally have nothing to my name right now... wondering if it's even worth applying?

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Andre, your situation is actually quite common and you definitely have options. Being on workers' comp while applying for an OIC isn't a barrier - in fact, it can strengthen your case since it demonstrates limited earning capacity. A few additional points to consider beyond what others have mentioned: 1) Make sure to include all your medical expenses related to your motorcycle accident as allowable living expenses on Form 433-A. This includes ongoing treatments, medications, physical therapy, etc. 2) Since you're in Washington State, you'll also want to address the state tax debt eventually, but focusing on federal first is smart since the IRS processes are generally more established. 3) Document your disability thoroughly - the IRS needs to understand this isn't a temporary situation where you'll be back to full earning capacity soon. 4) Consider whether you might qualify for "doubt as to collectibility" (you can't pay) versus "effective tax administration" (paying would create economic hardship). Given your circumstances, doubt as to collectibility seems most appropriate. The fact that you only made $12K in 2020 before your accident and are now on disability payments should work in your favor for demonstrating inability to pay. Just make sure every expense you claim is reasonable and well-documented.

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Jayden Hill

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This is really helpful advice, Miguel! I'm curious about the medical expenses part - do things like adaptive equipment or home modifications for disability count as allowable expenses? After my accident I had to get some equipment to help with daily tasks, and I'm wondering if those one-time costs or ongoing maintenance would be considered by the IRS when calculating my ability to pay. Also, you mentioned documenting that this isn't temporary - should I be getting specific documentation from my doctors about long-term prognosis, or is the workers' comp determination of 100% Temporary Total Disability sufficient for the IRS?

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