Standard Innocent Spouse Relief – The Basics

Taxes

One of the last things on a couple’s minds when they fall in love and decided to wed is taxes. You would not want to experience filing taxes as a married couple and eventually found out that your other half owes money to the IRS, much more if it’s thousands of dollars. Some folks don’t realize this until a long time after filing. They might be anticipating a tax return and instead, get a letter informing them that the money was used to settle an old obligation. While it is an unfortunate situation, the reality is that the other half becomes responsible for paying the IRS debt of his or her partner. The IRS views checking the status of your future spouse’s tax filings as a personal concern. Although it is unlikely for many people to do such a thing,   doing so can have major consequences for those who do. The other partner agrees to assume that debt of their partner as their own once those taxes are filed jointly. It includes liens placed against a bank account.

What can an innocent spouse do?

However, if you feel like you are not obligated to shoulder your spouse’s tax obligation, don’t lose hope for help is available. For those who are not accountable for their spouse’s tax burden, there are fortunately some solutions. The IRS, although heavily handed is not that close-minded with your tax situation. in fact, it is willing to make some accommodations if you happen to marry someone who didn’t file taxes or did so incorrectly several years before you even met them. You can learn more about some of your alternatives by meeting with a tax expert or talking to a taxpayer advocate. Personal research is a great place to start as well. More info can be found here.