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RJS Law - A Tax Law Firm

RJS Law: San Diego Tax Attorney | IRS | FTB | CPA | California

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SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA’S FINEST
LAW FIRM

COMPLIMENTARY CASE EVALUATION

SAN DIEGO
(619) 595-1655
ORANGE COUNTY
(949) 535-2000
El CAJON
(619) 595-1655
  • Home
  • About
    • Ronson J. Shamoun, JD, LL.M.
    • Chandara Diep, JD, LL.M.
    • Joseph Cole, JD, LL.M.
    • Brendan O’Connor, CPA, MST, JD, LL.M.
    • Ashley E. Teague, ESQ.
    • Brian M. Malloy, Esq.
    • Quinn Disparte, JD, LL.M.
    • Martin Schainbaum, JD, LL.M.
    • Melanie M. Shamoun
    • Sandie Portilla
    • Renae Arabo
    • Sabri P. Shamoun
    • Hilary Dargavell
    • Lupita C. Torres
    • Leandro Favano
    • Jewell Cornejo
    • Devon J. Arabo
    • Christopher Engelmann
    • Gwendolyn K. Davis
    • Andrew Rice
  • Services
    • Tax
      • IRS TAX MATTERS
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          • Contesting an IRS Levy
          • Why Retain RJS Law for your IRS Appeal?
          • 4 Tips For Navigating The IRS Rapid Appeals Process
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          • Initial Compliance Center Audits
          • IRS Office Audits
          • What to Expect During an IRS Audit?
          • Taxpayer Rights Under IRS Publication 1
          • IRS Warns Taxpayers About Scam
        • IRS Collections
          • Avoiding and Eliminating IRS Tax Liens
          • Collection Due Process Hearings
          • CP 501 – IRS Notice
          • Failure to file a tax return: What happens?
          • How the IRS calculates interest
          • How to get a tax levy released
          • IRS Automated Collections
          • IRS Collections Process
          • IRS Interest Abatement
          • IRS Revenue Officers
          • Jeopardy Assessments and Jeopardy Levies
          • National Tax Agencies
          • Our Approach to Collections
          • Statute of Limitations on Collections
          • Streamlined Installment Agreements
          • Tax Penalty Abatement
          • Taxpayer Assistance Orders
        • IRS Payroll Tax Matters
          • Independent Contractor Reclassification Audits
          • IRS Forms 940 and 941
          • IRS Trust Fund Interviews
          • Payroll Tax Liability Payment Options
          • The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty
        • IRS Wealth Squad
        • Offer in Compromise & Tax Settlements
          • OVERVIEW OF OFFER IN COMPROMISE PROCESS
          • The Offer in Compromise Process
          • Appealing a Rejected Offer in Compromise
          • How the IRS evaluates an Offer in Compromise
          • Offer in Compromise and Dissipated Assets
          • Offer in Compromise Requirements
          • Pros and Cons of an Offer in Compromise
          • Why Retain RJS Law?
          • Offer in Compromise Alternatives
          • Actual IRS Offer in Compromise Results
      • STATE TAX MATTERS
        • EDD California Payroll Tax Lawyer
          • EDD Investigations
          • EDD Collections – Liens, Levies, and Garnishments
        • California Sales Tax
          • California Sales Tax Appeals
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          • California Department Of Tax And Fee Administration
        • California State Tax Matters
          • California Residency Audits
          • Discharging State Income Taxes in Bankruptcy
          • State Tax Practice – Outside of California
      • CRIMINAL TAX ISSUES
        • Criminal Investigation Division
        • IRS Criminal Investigation Division Tactics
        • Criminal Tax Defense – Tax Crimes
        • Currency Transaction Records & Suspicious Activity Reports
        • IRS Methods of Proof: Tax Fraud and Evasion
        • Methods IRS Agents Use to Locate Assets
        • IRS Special Agent Visits
        • Are You a Criminal Investigation Target?
        • Criminal Tax Attorney vs. White Collar Defense
      • International Taxes
      • CORPORATE TAXES
      • TAX COURT LITIGATION
      • Innocent Spouse Relief
    • Estate Planning
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    • RJS Law Donates Billboard to the Girl Scouts
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WINNER OF THE UNION TRIBUNE SAN DIEGO'S BEST TAX LAW FIRM

 


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  • Home
  • About
    • Ronson J. Shamoun, JD, LL.M.
    • Chandara Diep, JD, LL.M.
    • Joseph Cole, JD, LL.M.
    • Brendan O’Connor, CPA, MST, JD, LL.M.
    • Ashley E. Teague, ESQ.
    • Brian M. Malloy, Esq.
    • Quinn Disparte, JD, LL.M.
    • Martin Schainbaum, JD, LL.M.
    • Melanie M. Shamoun
    • Sandie Portilla
    • Renae Arabo
    • Sabri P. Shamoun
    • Hilary Dargavell
    • Lupita C. Torres
    • Leandro Favano
    • Jewell Cornejo
    • Devon J. Arabo
    • Christopher Engelmann
    • Gwendolyn K. Davis
    • Andrew Rice
  • Services
    • Tax
      • IRS TAX MATTERS
        • IRS Appeals
          • IRS Appeals Process
          • Contesting an IRS Levy
          • Why Retain RJS Law for your IRS Appeal?
          • 4 Tips For Navigating The IRS Rapid Appeals Process
        • IRS AUDITS
          • IRS Correspondence Audits
          • IRS Field Audits
          • Initial Compliance Center Audits
          • IRS Office Audits
          • What to Expect During an IRS Audit?
          • Taxpayer Rights Under IRS Publication 1
          • IRS Warns Taxpayers About Scam
        • IRS Collections
          • Avoiding and Eliminating IRS Tax Liens
          • Collection Due Process Hearings
          • CP 501 – IRS Notice
          • Failure to file a tax return: What happens?
          • How the IRS calculates interest
          • How to get a tax levy released
          • IRS Automated Collections
          • IRS Collections Process
          • IRS Interest Abatement
          • IRS Revenue Officers
          • Jeopardy Assessments and Jeopardy Levies
          • National Tax Agencies
          • Our Approach to Collections
          • Statute of Limitations on Collections
          • Streamlined Installment Agreements
          • Tax Penalty Abatement
          • Taxpayer Assistance Orders
        • IRS Payroll Tax Matters
          • Independent Contractor Reclassification Audits
          • IRS Forms 940 and 941
          • IRS Trust Fund Interviews
          • Payroll Tax Liability Payment Options
          • The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty
        • IRS Wealth Squad
        • Offer in Compromise & Tax Settlements
          • OVERVIEW OF OFFER IN COMPROMISE PROCESS
          • The Offer in Compromise Process
          • Appealing a Rejected Offer in Compromise
          • How the IRS evaluates an Offer in Compromise
          • Offer in Compromise and Dissipated Assets
          • Offer in Compromise Requirements
          • Pros and Cons of an Offer in Compromise
          • Why Retain RJS Law?
          • Offer in Compromise Alternatives
          • Actual IRS Offer in Compromise Results
      • STATE TAX MATTERS
        • EDD California Payroll Tax Lawyer
          • EDD Investigations
          • EDD Collections – Liens, Levies, and Garnishments
        • California Sales Tax
          • California Sales Tax Appeals
          • California Sales Tax Audits
          • California Department Of Tax And Fee Administration
        • California State Tax Matters
          • California Residency Audits
          • Discharging State Income Taxes in Bankruptcy
          • State Tax Practice – Outside of California
      • CRIMINAL TAX ISSUES
        • Criminal Investigation Division
        • IRS Criminal Investigation Division Tactics
        • Criminal Tax Defense – Tax Crimes
        • Currency Transaction Records & Suspicious Activity Reports
        • IRS Methods of Proof: Tax Fraud and Evasion
        • Methods IRS Agents Use to Locate Assets
        • IRS Special Agent Visits
        • Are You a Criminal Investigation Target?
        • Criminal Tax Attorney vs. White Collar Defense
      • International Taxes
      • CORPORATE TAXES
      • TAX COURT LITIGATION
      • Innocent Spouse Relief
    • Estate Planning
    • Trust, Estate & Probate Litigation
    • Trust & Estate Administration
    • Probate
    • Bankruptcy
    • Criminal Defense
    • Corporate & Transactional
    • Private Wealth Services
    • Real Estate Law
      • Landlord Tenant Law
    • Employment Law
    • NOTICES
      • IRS Notices
      • IRS Letters
      • FTB Notices
      • Avisos en Español
  • Tax Institute
  • Blog
  • Testimonials
  • Giving
    • RJS Law Donates Billboard to the Girl Scouts
  • Awards
    • Events
    • SD Metro San Diego’s Top Attorneys 2020
    • SD50 Extraordinary Leadership
    • Media
    • Video Gallery
    • USD Feature Story
    • Publications
  • Accidents & Injury
  • Contact

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Bankruptcy and Taxes

Bankruptcy and Taxes

Bankruptcy and Taxes

As a tax attorney, I am often asked if taxes can be discharged in bankruptcy.  The answer to that question is . . .  sometimes.  Even when bankruptcy is available for a tax debt, bankruptcy may not be the best option for a person with a tax debt.

Some tax debts are not eligible for bankruptcy.  These include trust fund recovery penalties the IRS assesses against an individual in connection to a business payroll tax debt.  A tax debt is also not eligible for bankruptcy if there is any fraudulent activity in connection with the tax debt. 

The federal case law varies from circuit to circuit as to whether tax debt is eligible for bankruptcy.   Some circuits will not allow a tax debt to be discharged if the taxpayer filed a tax return late.  Other circuits will not allow a tax debt to be discharged if the IRS files a Substitute for Return (SFR).  An SFR occurs when the IRS files a tax return for a person based on wage and income information the IRS has available and the person did not timely file a tax return.

Even when a tax debt is eligible for bankruptcy protection, it must pass the 3/2/240 test.  This test requires (1) the bankruptcy must be filed at least three (3) years after the return for the tax was due (including extension), (2) the bankruptcy must be filed at least two (2) years after the taxpayer filed their return, and (3) the bankruptcy must have been filed 240 days after the IRS assessed a tax.  As of the date of publication of this blog, only individual income tax debts from 2016 and prior are eligible for bankruptcy as these debts are the only debts that will pass the three-year test.  2017 personal income tax debts will not be eligible for bankruptcy until October 16, 2021 at the earliest.  Certain events like filing a Collection Due Process Appeal can extend the time a person must wait before discharging a tax in bankruptcy.

If you have tax debt and are contemplating bankruptcy, you should consider certain IRS programs as an alternative to a bankruptcy.  This also applies to state taxing authorities such as the California Franchise Tax Board, California Department of Tax and Fee Administration, and Employment Development Department as they may offer similar programs.

The IRS offers installment agreements as an alternative to a Chapter 13 plan.  The IRS also has an Offer in Compromise Program as an alternative to a Chapter 7 plan.  There are pros and cons to the IRS programs.  For example, the IRS allows installment agreements and Offers in Compromise for debts that may not be eligible for bankruptcy like trust fund recovery penalties and recent tax debts. Unlike bankruptcy, which is a matter of public record, IRS programs usually do not become public record.   

However, IRS programs do not address any non-tax debts such as credit card bills which could be addressed in a bankruptcy.  In addition, a person not eligible for an Offer in Compromise may be eligible for a Chapter 7 discharge (and vice versa). 

Bankruptcy is an option that anybody with a tax debt problem may wish to consider.  For many people with tax debt issues, a bankruptcy may be the best available option.  For others with tax debt problems, bankruptcy may not be available and even if bankruptcy is available the best option may be an installment agreement or Offer in Compromise.  You should speak with both a tax and bankruptcy attorney to help you weigh the pros and cons to determine which option is best for your circumstances. 

RJS LAW stands at the ready to assist you in these matters.

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Published by Joseph Cole, JD, LL.M

Filed Under: Bankruptcy, Tax Law, Taxes

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