What’s happening
When a married couple files a joint tax return, both people are on the hook for the whole bill. The IRS can collect all of it from either one of you.
That stays true after a divorce. It’s true even if the debt came from your ex’s business, income your ex hid, or deductions you never knew they claimed. And it’s true even if your divorce decree says your ex is responsible.
Many people only find out when the IRS starts taking money from their paycheck or bank account, for a debt they thought was handled years ago.
What the IRS can do, and what it can’t
The IRS can go after either spouse on a joint debt. They don’t have to split it fairly. They don’t have to go after the person who caused it.
But federal law offers innocent spouse relief. It’s a way to get the tax, penalties, and interest taken off your plate in the right situation. There are three kinds, and we explain them below.
How we fight it
We figure out where the debt came from. Whose income, whose deductions, what you knew, and when. That’s the base of any request for help.
We pick the right kind of relief, or more than one, and build the request around the facts the IRS cares about.
We protect you while you wait. While your request is being reviewed, the IRS generally can’t take your money or property to collect it.
If relief isn’t possible, we look at your other options, starting with whether the bill itself is even right.
