IRS wage garnishment or bank levy: act quickly

What a levy is

A levy is the IRS taking your money or property directly to pay a tax debt. The most common are wage garnishment, which takes part of each paycheck until released, and bank levies, which take funds in your account. A bank holds levied funds for a short period before sending them to the IRS, which gives you a narrow window to act.

You usually get warnings first

Before most levies, the IRS must send a final notice of intent to levy and notice of your right to a hearing. You generally have 30 days from that notice to request a Collection Due Process hearing. Missing that deadline narrows your options considerably, so any such letter should reach us the day it arrives.

How a levy ends

• A payment plan or other resolution that the IRS accepts in place of the levy.
• A hardship release, when the levy leaves you unable to pay basic living expenses.
• Full payment of the balance.
• An appeal, through a Collection Due Process hearing, when you are within the deadline.

What we do

We contact the IRS as your authorized representative, find out what is driving the collection action, and propose the resolution that fits your situation. We do not promise a particular result, because that depends on your facts and the IRS’s decision. We do move quickly.

Related

• Offer in compromise
• IRS payment plans
• Unfiled tax returns
• IRS tax liens
• Penalty relief
• Audit and appeals
• Payroll tax problems