Get IRS Form 656-B, Offer In Compromise Instructions

Individuals requesting consideration of an offer must use Form 656‐B, Offer in Compromise, which may be found under the Forms and Pubs tab on .irs.gov. Completed financial statements and required application fee and initial payment must be included with your Form 656.

The IRS will typically only settle for what it deems you can feasibly pay. To determine this, it will take into account your assets (home, car, etc.), your income, your monthly expenses (rent, utilities, child care, etc.), your savings, and more. The average settlement on an OIC is around $5,240.

COMPLETING THE APPLICATION PACKAGE To calculate an offer amount, you will need to gather information about your financial situation, including cash, investments, available credit, assets, income, and debt. You will also need to gather information about your household's average gross monthly income and expenses.

You can submit an offer on taxes owed individually and for your business. You'll have to pay an application fee of $205 and make offer payments (based on the method you choose) with your offer submission, unless you meet certain low-income guidelines, which are in the IRS OIC Booklet.

In most cases, the IRS won't accept an OIC unless the amount offered by a taxpayer is equal to or greater than the reasonable collection potential (RCP). The RCP is how the IRS measures the taxpayer's ability to pay.

You can apply for an OIC directly or with the help of a tax or legal professional. Whether you go at it on your own or submit it with the help of a professional, use the Offer in Compromise Application Checklist in the IRS Form 656 Booklet.

The cons include: With this method, you are able to reduce what you owe. However, you also surrender your right to tax credits that you may have access to each year. This could mean your tax return could be lowered each year going forward. OIC does create a public record.

You can apply for an OIC directly or with the help of a tax or legal professional. Whether you go at it on your own or submit it with the help of a professional, use the Offer in Compromise Application Checklist in the IRS Form 656 Booklet.