Your situation
Every page in this section, each sourced to IRS.gov or the law.
- IRS Wage Garnishment: How Much They Take and How It Ends
An IRS wage levy takes most of each paycheck above an exempt amount until the debt is paid or the levy is released. - IRS Bank Levy: The 21-Day Hold and How to Get Money Released
A bank levy freezes the funds in your account for 21 days before the bank sends them to the IRS. What you can do inside that window. - Federal Tax Lien: What It Does and How It Is Withdrawn
A federal tax lien is the government's legal claim to your property. How it arises, when the IRS files notice, and the paths to release or withdrawal. - Unfiled Tax Returns: What Happens and How to Catch Up
If you have not filed for several years, the IRS can file a return for you and assess tax. How many years to file, in what order, and what penalties apply. - I Owe the IRS $10,000: The Options, in Order of Cost
At $10,000 you can usually set up an online payment plan without financial disclosure. What the plan costs, and when other options apply. - I Owe the IRS $50,000 or More: Options in Order
Above $50,000 the online payment plan rules change and, past a higher threshold, the IRS can certify your debt to the State Department. - I Cannot Pay the IRS at All: What Happens and What to Ask
Not paying does not make the debt disappear, but the IRS has a hardship status, payment plans and a 10-year limit. What to do first, and what to never do. - Self-Employed and Behind on Taxes
Gig workers and the self-employed owe income and self-employment tax with no withholding. How the balance grows, and the plans that fit irregular income.