ARE YOU AN INNOCENT SPOUSE?

When Your Spouse Owes the IRS

We represent taxpayers in Barrington, and the rest of Rhode Island, Massachusetts and Connecticut who have tax issues and we have recently seen an uptick in in those folks coming to us who do not know if they can be classified as innocent or injured spouses. (Publication 971 – Innocent Spouse Relief).

Have you always relied on your spouse to prepare your tax returns?

Have you received a letter from the IRS about back taxes due that surprised you?

Were you aware of a windfall of income but your spouse didn’t tell you the correct amount?

If the answer to any of the above questions is yes, you may be able to get relief from the penalties and the taxes due by your spouse so that your credit is not ruined and you can get on with your financial life.

Provisions for Innocent and Injured Spouses

Sometimes life is full of surprises. You just got a letter from the IRS demanding additional taxes from your last year’s tax return. You have always relied on your spouse to prepare your returns. After all, your spouse has an important job in finance. Worst of all, you do not understand how the IRS thinks you did not report an additional $50,000 of income. Now the IRS wants $20,000 for back taxes, penalties and interest.

In this situation and many others, you can apply for innocent or injured spouse relief. (Injured spouse means financially injured, not physically injured, in this case.) First, you must meet certain conditions to qualify for this relief.

We can help you determine if innocent spouse relief will work for you. We will review your situation to determine if there was an unreported income item that you did not know existed. You spouse might have hidden additional income from you. Or the situation just might not be fair to hold you responsible for the additional tax.

The IRS will review your application for innocent spouse relief and will determine if there were situations where:

There was an erroneous deduction claimed by your spouse
You had no actual knowledge of the erroneous deduction or item when you signed the return
It would be unfair to hold you liable for the tax once the facts and circumstances are known
You have not transferred or received property from your spouse to avoid payment to a third party or to pay taxes.

We understand that is a difficult time for you. There are many things to consider. We are here to help you determine if you meet the requirements for innocent spouse relief.

How We Can Help

If you feel you might be in the situation where the IRS is trying to collect money from you and it is your spouse that should have the debt, then we may be able to help. Here are the ways we can help an innocent or injured spouse with IRS tax debt:

We can consult with you to assess your situation
We can explain the options you have for applying for tax relief
We can act as your representative to the IRS to handle your case
We can complete the forms necessary to apply for relief
We can access your IRS file to understand the records they have about your situation
We can negotiate your case with the IRS officer

To get started with us, please contact us to arrange for a convenient time to discuss your specific situation. We will handle your situation in a discreet and confidential manner. Your privacy is important to us. Contact me at either (401) 225-3656 or by email at rgibney@truenfs.com.

Richard J. Gibney, Enrolled Agent

True North Financial Services, LLC

57 Maple Avenue Suite 200

Barrington, RI 02806

Ph. (401) 225-3656

FAX (401) 223-6451

rgibney@truenfs.com