Back Taxes Help from IRS, Deadline for Innocent Spouse to be Extended

Last updated on August 15, 2022

The IRS has proposed to extend its deadline for Innocent Spouse Relief to help single mothers and victims of domestic violence receive the benefits of the Innocent Spouse Relief program. This is expected to help more than 50,000 people who apply for Innocent Spouse Relief, including victims of domestic violence. Under the proposed rules, taxpayers will have up to 10 years to apply for the program. If an application is accepted, the IRS will cease all collection actions.

Back Taxes Help: Innocent Spouse Relief Program

Innocent Spouse is an IRS relief program where a spouse can claim innocence from an understatement of taxes that led to a tax debt. If the IRS is convinced that the spouse applying for the program did not know and had no reason to know about the understatement, they free the applying spouse of all responsibility to pay the taxes owed.

Innocent Spouse provides tax debt relief to separated spouses and victims of physical abuse if the tax returns were filed jointly. The IRS’ proposal, if accepted will make the 10 year deadline for applying for Innocent Spouse permanent in law.

Back Taxes Help for Single Mothers, Victims of Violence

The IRS’ rules for Innocent Spouse have made it difficult for many authentic taxpayers to get relief. Over the years, the IRS relaxed its qualifying restrictions after many of the applicants, including single mothers, deserted by their husbands could not get relief under Innocent Spouse due to its strict restrictions.

The current proposal to extend the deadline to file for Innocent spouse to 10 years is part of the efforts of the IRS to make Innocent Spouse more accessible to genuine cases. In 2011, the IRS extended the deadline in most cases because their two-year deadline was challenged in court in a series of cases.

Getting Back Taxes Help for Innocent Spouse Relief

As the IRS needs to be convinced that the innocent spouse did not know, or had any reason to know about the understatement of taxes, most taxpayers hire tax professionals to assist them with an Innocent Spouse case. Tax professional’s help taxpayers prepare their case, apply for the program, and negotiate the case with the IRS.

Tax professionals are able to help taxpayers get relief from the tax debt caused solely by the actions of the other spouse. Our ratings and reviews of top tax resolution services can assist taxpayers in their research.