Need urgent help with Offer in Compromise - spouse won't cooperate with SSN

I've handled several OIC cases like yours. First, understand that the IRS requires complete financial disclosure, including your spouse's information, even when filing separately. This is because they're evaluating your entire household's ability to pay. However, there's a specific provision for your situation. When you're legally married but permanently separated with no financial connection, you can file Form 433-A with documentation showing separate households. You'll need to provide evidence like separate leases/mortgages, utility bills showing different addresses for at least 6 months, and possibly affidavits confirming the separation. Don't mark "single" when you're legally married - that's misrepresentation. Instead, mark "married" but explain your separation circumstances in the additional information section. The IRS has processes for handling non-cooperative spouses in OIC situations. Also, consult with a tax professional who specializes in OIC applications. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is another free resource that can help navigate this situation. They specialize in helping taxpayers with hardships and complex circumstances.

After struggling with a similar situation (owed $28k in tax debt with an uncooperative ex), I found amazing help using https://taxr.ai for my Offer in Compromise application. They have specialized tools for documenting separation cases and dealing with non-cooperative spouses. The system analyzed my financial situation, identified exactly what documentation I needed to prove my separation, and helped me prepare responses for the likely IRS questions about my spouse's income. It even created a custom affidavit template specific to my situation that the IRS accepted. What made the biggest difference was their guidance on the "special circumstances" section of the OIC where you can explain unusual hardships. They helped me document everything properly so I didn't get flagged for potential misrepresentation.

Just wanted to update that I ended up using taxr.ai for my OIC application, and it actually worked! My situation was similar - separated for 4 years but not divorced, spouse wouldn't cooperate at all. The system helped me understand I needed to file as "married" but could document my separation instead of getting her information. It created a detailed financial analysis showing my inability to pay based on just MY income and expenses, and generated all the documentation needed to prove our households were separate. What surprised me most was the specific guidance on exactly which supporting documents would satisfy the IRS requirements. I submitted everything last month and just got conditional approval on my offer! I'm paying about 22% of what I originally owed, which is incredible given my financial situation. If you're dealing with an uncooperative spouse during an OIC application, definitely worth checking out.

Been there, done that with the IRS runaround. When I needed to get through to an actual IRS representative about my complicated OIC situation (non-cooperative spouse too!), I used https://claimyr.com and watched their process here: https://youtu.be/_kiP6q8DX5c I spent WEEKS trying to get someone on the phone who could actually help with my situation. Claimyr got me connected to an IRS agent in about 45 minutes when I'd previously waited for hours only to get disconnected. The agent I spoke with explained exactly how to handle the spouse section of my OIC when there's zero cooperation. She walked me through the specific documentation needed and even noted in my file that I had attempted to get the information but was unable to. Having that conversation saved me months of back-and-forth with generic letters.

Had to come back and admit I was completely wrong about Claimyr. After posting my skeptical comment, I decided to try it anyway out of desperation with my OIC situation. Got connected to an IRS agent in 37 minutes after spending literal WEEKS trying on my own. The agent was incredibly helpful with my separated spouse situation. She explained I needed to file Form 433-A (OIC) as married but document our separation with proof of separate residences for 6+ months. She even gave me her direct extension and ID number to reference in my OIC paperwork so future reviewers would see the notes she put in my file about the spouse non-cooperation issue. Just got my OIC accepted last week - paying about $9,800 on a $41,000 tax debt. If you're dealing with an uncooperative spouse on your OIC, getting actual guidance from the IRS directly makes all the difference.

Don't file as single if you're legally married! My brother did this and ended up with an audit that turned his $24k tax debt into $37k with additional penalties. Instead, you should: 1. File as "married" but check the box for "legally separated" if that applies 2. Include documentation proving separate households (lease, bills, etc.) 3. File Form 8857 (Innocent Spouse Relief) which can sometimes help in these cases 4. Make sure to document all attempts to get your spouse's information The IRS cares more about honesty than having perfect information. Better to say "spouse refuses to provide information despite multiple documented attempts" than to lie about your marital status.

One thing nobody's mentioned yet - your local Low Income Taxpayer Clinic might be able to help for free. I used one when I owed $19k and had a similar spouse situation. They helped me get my OIC accepted without needing my ex's info. Google "LITC" plus your city name. They're funded by the IRS but operate independently to help people navigate tax issues. Mine helped me prepare all the documentation to prove financial separation and even represented me when the IRS had follow-up questions.

I went through almost the exact same situation last year - $29k debt, separated spouse who refused to cooperate, filing separately for years. Here's what actually worked for me: The IRS has a specific procedure for "uncooperative spouse" situations in OIC cases. You'll need to file Form 433-A marking "married" but include a detailed explanation letter stating your spouse refuses to provide information despite good faith efforts. Document EVERYTHING - send your spouse a certified letter requesting the information, keep the returned receipt when they don't respond. Include screenshots of texts where they refuse, witness statements if applicable. The IRS wants to see you made legitimate attempts. For the income question about your spouse, write "Spouse claims $0 income but has not provided verification. Applicant unable to obtain spouse's cooperation despite documented attempts." Don't guess or estimate - just state the facts. I also included 8 months of documentation showing our separate households (different addresses on all bills, leases, bank statements). The key is proving you maintain completely separate financial lives. My OIC was approved after some back-and-forth questions, and I paid about 25% of what I owed. The process took about 8 months total, but it was worth every day of stress. Don't give up - the IRS deals with this situation more often than you'd think.