Free tax relief help
Tax relief and tax help, explained before you decide.
Get free tax help understanding IRS notices, tax relief programs, and the options that may apply to you—using guidance reviewed against primary IRS sources.
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Find your path
Start with your situation, not an IRS acronym.
You do not need to know whether you need OIC, CNC, or an IA yet. Begin with the problem you recognize.
I got an IRS letter
Decode the notice, find the deadline, and understand what the IRS expects next.
Notice libraryI can’t pay in full
Compare payment plans, hardship status, and settlement eligibility without the jargon.
Compare optionsA levy or lien is active
See immediate steps for wage garnishment, bank levies, and federal tax liens.
Collection helpThe debt involves my spouse
Understand innocent spouse relief, separation of liability, and equitable relief.
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CP14 Notice
Received IRS Notice CP14? Learn what this balance due notice means, your response options, payment plans available, and how to dispute if you disagree.
CP501 Notice
IRS Notice CP501 is a reminder that you have an unpaid tax balance. Learn what it means, how to respond, and your options before the IRS escalates collection.
CP503 Notice
IRS Notice CP503 is the second reminder of your unpaid tax balance. Learn why this notice requires immediate attention and your remaining options.
Explore the publication
Useful answers in more than one format.
Read the full guide, compare two paths, check the source, or go straight to the calculator.
Fresh Start, explained without the hype
What the IRS initiative actually changed, who qualifies, and which programs people usually mean by Fresh Start.
Open resourceFind the notice before the deadline finds you
Search common CP and LT letters by number, urgency, and the action the IRS is requesting.
Open resourceEstimate OIC eligibility
Use IRS expense and collection-potential logic to understand whether settlement may be realistic.
Open resourceOIC vs. installment agreement
Compare qualification rules, timelines, costs, and collection consequences side by side.
Open resourceTrack the IRS changes that matter
Plain-language coverage of collection procedures, relief programs, thresholds, and filing changes.
Open resourceSee the source behind the answer
Review the IRS publications, forms, code sections, and manual references used across the site.
Open resourceGet an estimate before you make a call.
Our calculators use published IRS formulas to help you understand collection potential, expense standards, and timing. Your inputs stay in your browser.
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Tax relief help FAQ
Common questions about tax relief and tax help
What is tax relief?
Tax relief is any IRS program or provision that reduces, pauses, or restructures what you owe. Common forms of IRS tax relief include installment agreements (payment plans), Offer in Compromise, Currently Not Collectible status, penalty abatement, and collection due process appeals. Each has its own eligibility rules set by the Internal Revenue Code and the Internal Revenue Manual.
Compare tax relief programsWhere can I get free tax help?
Free tax help is available from several sources. The IRS itself offers payment plans and notice explanations at IRS.gov. The Taxpayer Advocate Service, an independent office within the IRS, helps taxpayers facing financial hardship or unresolved IRS problems at no cost. Low Income Taxpayer Clinics provide free or low-cost representation for eligible taxpayers. Tax Relief Help publishes free, source-based guides explaining IRS notices and relief options.
How to choose tax relief helpIs IRS tax relief real?
Yes. IRS tax relief programs are real and are written into federal tax law and IRS procedures. However, no company can guarantee approval or promise to settle a tax debt for a fixed percentage. The IRS decides eligibility based on your income, expenses, assets, and compliance history.
How we review guidanceHow do I know if I qualify for tax relief?
Qualification depends on the program. Payment plans are available to most taxpayers who owe and have filed required returns. Offer in Compromise generally requires that your reasonable collection potential be less than the amount owed. Currently Not Collectible status requires that paying would prevent you from meeting basic living expenses. Penalty abatement may apply for first-time penalties or reasonable cause.
Check Offer in Compromise eligibility