Tax Offset

Question: How can you recover funds from a tax offset? I've had my tax refund "garnished" or offset. I had an outstanding student loan for about $9000. I would like to pay it. Just not quite like this. I am in desperate need of these funds (Which they managed to get $3,200 of my refund for themselves). I've heard I can write a letter of hardship or something like this. What options do I have and what is the best possible thing to do so I may see my $3,200 again?

Answer: I work for a student loan company (though not for the collections department). To my knowledge you can't. They give you enough time (ayear before default and however much time before the garnishment) that if you haven't set up payment arrangements by then then that is the only option. My best advice would to set up payment arrangements with the collection agency soon, for the rest of the balance, otherwise they will start garnishing wages as well. Sorry, I wish I had a better answer.

Question: Will I get any notification about tax offset from my tax return, due to defaulted student loan by my spouse? She got a letter from debt collector saying they will garnish her wages, but it dosen't say anything about tax offset. Should we be worried & will we be notified before the tax offset by IRS. We really need the money. Thanks for any input.

Answer: hi what the heck is up with all the spams.. anyway my student loans where also in default, so i too was sooo worried hat my taxes would be taken, i called irs and ask them at 1800 829 1040 they said they didnt have any debt for my ssn( i have since found out that at the irs number they only have offsets for back taxes) so needless to say i didnt have any there. but the treasury offset number is automated and you dont have to talk to anyome just put your ssn in and in second they will tell you if u have any offsets. this number is 18003043107 . They didnt have any for me too my suprise . it has been over a year. So i got my whole refund on 2/5. I will set up payment so i dont ever have to worry about my taxes again. good luck keep us posted

Question: How long does it take to get a tax offset? My taxes have been offset for a debt of 178 dollars. Does anyone know how long it takes to receive the remaining of the money. I got back 8,385 this year. It is for a public assistance program that had to be paid back.

Answer: call 1-800-304-3107, tax offset number . if shouldn't take long, they will deduct the money owed then send you the rest remaining.

Question: how long till i get tax offset refund? my ex-husband filed his taxes on jan. 30. and got his return on feb.9. so i'm wondering how long before i get the tax offset for back childsupport? and who can i call and ask the status of this? i tried that friday and they told me they can't give out that information. by the way i live in michigan if that helps anyone out.

Answer: Contact your State Dept of Child Support Inforcement, they should be able to tell you when they expect the funds

Question: Is there anyway to track Tax offset payments? my ex gave me the paper which included the amount, the date etc is there anyway to see how far along in the process the tax offset payment is? (its offset for child support) My payments are getting deffered for my student loans, will that affect it? I was told that even if i was in defult on student loans it wouldnt matter because its a child support payment ..

Answer: I don't think that they will take a child support payment because of student loan problems, but if you've been receiving TANF, food stamps, etc, the tax check could be retained by the agencies that have been paying these benefits. Good luck!

Question: is there an income tax offset number for new york? I'm trying to find out if I have a tax offset against me in New York state.

Answer: Visit the Department of Revenue for the STATE to find the phone number. IRS has an offset phone number which is 1-800-304-3107, which is for government loans, student loans, and child support, I don't know if it has State information.

Question: Will someone help me with an offset tax question? I filed joint taxes with my husband through H&R Block. I went ahead and took the money now check from them. Our tax refund came to total of $2800. After my spouse use most of our tax refund I receive the offset notice stating that $1725 was owed to the government due to child support. My husband told me he had no other kids yet his ex claims child support on him. I want the portion of my tax refund back. What is the procedure in order to claim my own income tax refund back from an offset because of my husband's irresponsible issue?

Answer: You should file an injured spouse claim to protect your portion of the refund. The problem that you have is you took a refund anticipation loan, you are going to owe a portion of that back Complete the form and mail it in, you complete it as you are the injured spouse, Once the IRS receives it, it will take about 8 weeks to process, They portion they attribute to your income and withholding will be sent out, http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f8379.pdf You need to contact the Bank that handled your RAL as they will want their money back You will want to file the 8379 every year with a joint return to protect your refund in future years

Question: I have a tax offset. I made more than I owe, when will I get the rest of my refund? I recently filed my taxes and have an offset. The ammount on my refund is more than what I owe. I want to know when I will recieve my portion of the refund? Or how long does this process usually take?

Answer: The IRS offsets as much of a refund as is needed to pay off overdue taxes owed by taxpayers and notifies them when this occurs. The Financial Management Service (FMS) offsets taxpayers’ refunds through the Treasury Offset Program (TOP) to pay off past-due child support, federal agency non-tax debts such as student loans and state income tax obligations. Offsets to non-tax debts occur after the IRS has certified the refunds to FMS for payment but before FMS makes the Direct Deposits or issues the paper checks. Refund offsets reduce the amount of the expected Direct Deposit or paper check but they do not delay the issuance of the remaining refund (if any) after offset. If taxpayers owe non-tax debts they may contact the agency they owe, prior to filing their returns, to determine if the agency submitted their debts for refund offset. If the IRS determines at time the taxpayer files the return it will offset the refund, it provides a Debt Indicator on the Acknowledgement File. FMS sends taxpayers offset notices if it applies any part of their refund to non-tax debts. Taxpayers should contact the agencies identified in the FMS offset notice when offsets occur if they dispute the non-tax debts or have questions about the offsets. If taxpayers need further clarification, they may call the Treasury Offset Program Call Center at (800) 304-3107. If a refund is in a joint name but only one spouse owed the debt, the "injured spouse" should file Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation.

Question: is it a definate tax offset if the note that they may take it is in your tax case? in my return it says they may take my return for child support. is this a definate? my ex said that when he filed they said it would be too late to offset them for this year. so they would for next year. if that is the case then why would that note be on my taxes? will they take them anyway?

Answer: YOU BET THEY WILL!!!!!!!

Question: How long does it take to receive a tax offset? It was offset on 4/6 and I received nothing,child support has no info. I am not on public assistance and I line in NY state There is no injured spouse in this case he filed single, I got it one year at the beginning of May.

Answer: It would vary by state and by agency. I was told by a state employee this year that many people never receive it because they receive some sort of state assistance. If the recepient is on any public assistance, any offsets will be kept by the state.

Question: HELP help HELP-How do you find tax offset? Assignment due tomoz-how do you work out tax offset. Please in simple answers coz i've looked at books and stuff-and it doesn't make sense.!!!!!

Answer: That will depend on what tax offset you're talking about...

Question: I am getting a tax offset for child support will it be affected by my school loans ? my ex is behind in child support so they are giving me his tax refund or w/e.. well i am in defult on my loans and they are going to defer them, but will it be too late? will tehy take the money even though its going through child support?

Answer: they probaly can flag the irs and let them know u owe and take the child support check for your loans but if they haven't yet u should get it.

Question: What is a low income tax offset? Since the financial year has just recently ended, I scanned through last years tax return and noticed a section called 'low income offset'. This was what caused me to get such a low tax return back. I was just wondering, what does a low income tax offset mean? Last year was $750. It has risen to $1200 this year. Does this mean I would get a bigger tax return this year?

Answer: If your income is below 60,000 you are entitle to tax offset however it is reduced if you start earning more than 30,000. If you fit in those criterias than yes you might get a bigger return. I've done my taxes online (haven't submitted it yet) and looks like I'll get more money despite having same income as last year and not claiming anything more.

Question: What exactly is a tax offset? i just called the offset hotline and my husband has a $83.00 debt. What exactly is a offset? Will that debt be taken ou the refund check we will be getting back this week? Well my husband is in the hospital right now and he asked me to call for him as well. I didn't think it would hurt because he is my husband.

Answer: An offset is the taking or part or all of your tax refund or rebate to cover certain tax and non-tax debts, such as unpaid child support or unpaid student loans in default.

Question: How long will I wait for my ex's child support tax offset check? The IRS took a few hundred dollars out of my ex's tax refund to pay back child support. He said he filed at the end of January. Approximately when will I receive the check? I live in Ohio if that matters. Thanks! boston...........wow, really???? Bummer...

Answer: I got my ex's return last year. The IRS will hold the return for 120 days after processing his taxes to make sure there are no other offsets to his taxes.

Question: If you contact the IRS tax offset number? If you contact the IRS tax offset number and they name a place that might take some money what are the chances that they might not actually take the money? Has it ever happened to you I know that genius but thanks

Answer: They will take what you owe and send you the rest

Question: I am unemployed and my Tax refund went to an offset from a debt that I owe. How can I get it back? Are there any laws that help people like me who are unemployed from not getting their tax return offset?

Answer: Sorry, you are out of luck.

Question: how do I find out if the government has offset my tax return? My fiancee thinks that his tax return will be offset by the IRS. they've done it in the past, but from some school he went to way back in 1988 for only three weeks. How do we know if they will take it again this year? Is there a website to got to or a phone number to call to check the social security number.

Answer: Call the IRS at 800-829-1040.

Question: I had my Federal Tax offset this year due to child support. I have received a letter from the dept of treasury? The Dept of Treasury Financial Management Service sent me a letter letting me know they took the entire amount of my tax refund. Now my issue is I only owed 1500.00 to back child support but they took my entire 2200.00. How does that work? Do they apply it to future child support. Anyone have this experience?

Answer: They should send you the extra $700 back. Is it possible that at one time you had owed more, and had gotten partially caught up but the records hadn't been updated?

Question: Can tax refund offset for child support be used to pay purge payment set by judge? Boyfriend in jail for non payment of child support if IRS offsets his tax return for child support will he get out? We live in Pa his purge payment is 1400, his tax return is 1169 if I pay the difference can he get out? Or will they take his refund and make him pay the 1400 too?

Answer: You will have to go through the judge, even if you pay it, it doens't mean he is free to go, he is being punished for his criminal nonsupport right now. I would go through my attorney and work out a plea to get him out, that's your only answer. The only way to commute a sentence is through the courts.