It’s important to know how much you owe the IRS when you have tax debt problems. You may have balances from several tax years, and the balance owed may increase every month due to penalties and interest.
There are several ways to find out how much you owe. The easiest is going to be using the IRS online tool, but other options are also available.
Check Balance Online
If you have an online IRS account, you can view your balance updated to the calendar day. This method is the fastest and most accurate to determine exactly how much you owe.
You’ll need to sign up for an online account and confirm your identity. This generally requires providing:
- Name
- Date of birth
- Social Security Number or Individual Tax Identification Number
- Filing Status
- Mailing address
- Account number for a credit card or other loan account
The online account also has other features, like requesting your tax transcripts.
Call the IRS
You can also request your balance by calling the IRS at 1-800-829-1040. You may have to wait on hold for some time before you can speak to an IRS employee.
You’ll need to provide personal information to confirm your identity. Be sure to have any IRS notices you’ve received and your prior year tax return available in case you need this information to verify your identity.
If you’re working with a tax attorney, they can call the IRS on your behalf once you’ve completed a Form 2848 Power of Attorney or Form 8821 Tax Information Authorization.
By Mail
You can make a request by mail, online, or over-the-phone to have your tax transcripts mailed to you. Each transcript covers a single tax year, so you may need to request multiple years of transcripts to determine the full amount you owe.
Businesses need to submit Form 4506-T to request their transcripts, and they aren’t eligible to check their balance online.
Keep in mind that if you have unfiled tax returns, you may end up owing additional tax to the IRS. Once you know exactly how much you owe, you can determine whether a payment plan, Offer in Compromise, or another tax resolution option works best for your situation.
Contact a tax attorney to get help determining how much you owe the IRS and how to resolve your tax debt problems.
The Gartzman Law Firm handles IRS tax debt and other tax resolution cases. Use our contact form to request a consultation with an Atlanta tax resolution attorney.