Back Taxes & Collections

How IRS collection actually escalates, how long it can last, and what changes at different balances. The ground rules behind everything else here.

Almost every bank levy is preventable, because almost every one is preceded by a notice somebody didn't act on.

There's a holding period between the freeze and the money leaving. It's short, it's fixed, and almost everything you can do has to happen inside it.

A frozen account is alarming, but the money hasn't gone anywhere yet. There is a holding period, and it exists precisely so this can be fixed.

If the IRS is taking your paycheck or freezing your account, here's what's happening and the fastest legal ways to make it stop.

The real timeline of IRS collections — from the first notice to liens and levies — and where you can step in to change the outcome.