Installment Agreement
What is an Installment Agreement?
If you cannot pay your tax bill in full, there are many different types of installment agreements. All of them have their own benefits. The IRS allows you to break down your debt into monthly installments if you are unable to pay the amount owed to the IRS in full in less than 120 days. Thia allows you to pay down your tax debt while avoiding wage garnishment, levies and collections. Your account will still accrue penalties and interest, but they will be assessed against a smaller amount as you pay down the debt. In addition, paying against your tax debt will demonstrate “good faith” to the IRS.


How Does the IRS Decide How Much My Monthly Payment Will Be?
The IRS gives you the option to decide how much your minimum monthly payment will be based on what you can afford; however, they will encourage you to pay as much as possible to avoid additional penalties and fees. If you offer too low of an amount or you do not tell the IRS what you would like your minimum payment to be, the IRS will divide what you owe into 72 monthly payment installments.
Guaranteed IRS Installment Agreement
If you meet certain IRS criteria, you or your business may be guaranteed eligibility for an installment plan. The best part of a Guaranteed Installment Agreement is that the IRS does not require you to complete a financial statement or verification.
You may be eligible for a guaranteed installment agreement if:
- You owe $10,000 or less in tax debt
- You have filed all required tax returns
- You agree to allow the IRS to take all future returns to pay down the debt
- You agree to file and pay on time for all future returns
- You agree to pay off your installment agreement within 72 months or less
Streamlined Installment Agreement
A Streamlined Installment Agreement is best for you if you owe $50,000 in tax debt or less and do not qualify for a Guaranteed Installment Agreement. This type of plan typically does not require you to complete financial statements and verification.
You may be eligible for a Streamlined Installment Agreement if:
- You owe $25,000 - $50,000 in tax debt
- You have filed all required tax returns
- You agree to file and pay on time for all future returns
- You agree to pay off your installment agreement within 72 months or less
In-Business Trust Fund Installment Agreement
This installment agreement is best for a small business that owes $25,000 or less in tax debt. You must be able to pay off this installment plan within two years. This type of agreement does not typically require you to submit financial verification and statements.
Requirements are:
- You are a small business with employees
- You owe $25,000 in tax debt or less
- You have filed all required tax returns
- You agree to allow the IRS to take all future returns to pay down the debt
- You agree to file and pay on time for all future returns
- You agree to pay off your installment plan within 24 months or less
Next Step
There are many types of installment agreements and all of them come with fees and criteria native to the specific type of agreement. It is best to seek the help of a tax professional to decide which agreement is the best fit for your financial situation and to better understand the fees and requirements necessary to apply. Give us a call today for assistance in taking the next step in deciding which agreement is best for you and your business.
We offer many tax resolution services so please refer to our services page if you are interested.