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Let’s talk credit card debt

I realize that this is a blog about taxes, but if you have tax debt, I assume that you have other debts as well. It has only been within the last few months that the IRS has softened their stance on allowing you to claim your minimum credit card payments as an allowable expense, so it’s a topic worth addressing.

Credit card debt in general is one of the biggest problems in our society. If you rack up a lot of it, and can’t pay it, life starts to suck when the creditors start calling. Five years ago, when I was heading into bankruptcy, one of my favorite days was the day that Qwest cut off my phone service because I couldn’t pay the bill. That was when the credit collection calls finally stopped!

If you’re looking to address your credit card debt, and other consumer debts as well, there is a simple and often repeated formula for paying down and eliminating those debts. You’ve probably heard two variations of this before, but I think they’re worth hearing again now and then.

The process is pretty simple: Make a list of all your debts, and rank them by priority based on either interest rate from highest to lowest, or by debt amount from lowest to highest. Then, take any extra money you have each month and put it towards the first item on the list.

Mathematically speaking, it’s best to rank them by interest rate. Most of the time, if you owe the IRS money, they’re going to be at the very tippy top because the combined interest and penalty rate can exceed 60% APR. However, many personal finance experts suggest doing it a little different, and paying off your smallest balances first. The rationale behind this is largely psychological, because paying off a smaller debt and being able to say, “It’s paid off!” gives a mental boost to the whole process.

After debt #1 is paid off, the money that was going towards it every month is now applied to debt #2. This accelerates payoff of that debt. Once debt #2 is paid off, the entire monthly amount from that goes to debt #3 until it’s paid off, etc. Eventually, everything is paid off.

While you’re making this debt paydown process, you’re generally making your minimum payments on your other credit cards. If you’re in a situation where money is extremely tight and you’re … Continue reading

Are you ready for IRS collections season?

June is an interesting month at the IRS. It’s the month that marks the transition every year for the IRS from tax return processing season to tax collecting season. If you filed your 2011 tax return on time and had a balance due that you didn’t pay, then you’re now entering (or re-entering) the collections process.

If you had a 2011 tax balance, then you’ve probably already received a bill, and it’s about time that a lien gets filed if you haven’t paid the balance yet. If this is your first rodeo with the IRS, then you’re in for a not-so-fun ride. To learn what to expect, I suggest you read my article on How the IRS Works Collections Cases.

If 2011 brought you an increased balance on top of an existing tax debt, then you’ve already been through the drill. With return processing season finishing up, IRS personnel that were removed from other functions are now starting to be cycled back into their normal job functions. Many of these personnel are cycled from ACS, the IRS’ centralized collections agency. Now that they are going back to their normal jobs, the collections process will pick up.

I would encourage you to learn about your rights as a taxpayer (yes, you have rights), and to look at your options as soon as possible. Do not just ignore your tax debt, it doesn’t just go away. It is best to deal with it at the ACS level, and long before the IRS starts to consider enforced collections action against you, which could include levies and wage garnishments.

Here on TaxFirms.com, we have many resources to help you resolve your tax debt situation. Be sure to look at the articles covering your specific situation, and take a look at our directory of tax firms to locate a tax professional near you that can help you with this difficult matter… Continue reading