Get Access to Every IRS Tax Relief Program You Qualify for in One Place

IRS relief options are the formal resolution pathways the federal government provides for taxpayers who cannot pay their full tax liability. These options include the Offer in Compromise, installment agreements, Partial Payment Installment Agreements, Currently Not Collectible status, penalty abatement, innocent spouse relief, and the IRS Fresh Start Initiative. Clean Slate Tax evaluates every program your situation qualifies for and builds a resolution strategy around the combination that produces the best outcome.

Every IRS Relief Option Explained

The IRS Fresh Start Initiative

The IRS Fresh Start Initiative expanded access to installment agreements and Offer in Compromise for taxpayers who previously would not have qualified. Key Fresh Start provisions include Streamlined Installment Agreements without financial disclosure for balances under $100,000 payable within 84 months, lien withdrawal for Direct Debit installment agreements under $25,000, and more flexible OIC evaluation standards that give more weight to living expenses and future income uncertainty.

Clean Slate Tax evaluates every client under current Fresh Start standards, which are more favorable than the pre-2011 IRS collection standards that many online resources still reference.

Not sure which program applies to you?We investigate your full IRS account and present every program you qualify for before recommending anything. Call 1-888-588-5429 Now

State Tax Relief Programs

New Jersey and most other states offer parallel relief programs for state tax liabilities including installment agreements, offer in compromise options, and hardship determinations. NJ residents with both federal and state tax debt benefit from coordinated resolution that addresses both simultaneously. Clean Slate Tax handles federal and NJ state resolution in a single engagement.

Anthony Surace, CPA, founded Clean Slate Tax with more than 20 years of experience evaluating IRS relief options, Fresh Start eligibility, and federal and state resolution strategy. A Rutgers University graduate and member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the New Jersey Society of Certified Public Accountants, Anthony and his team have helped thousands of clients across the country resolve their IRS and state tax issues. Clean Slate Tax carries a 4.8 out of 5 Google rating. Call 1-888-588-5429 for a free case review.

Common Questions About IRS Relief Options

Is there a deadline for applying to IRS relief programs?

There is no application deadline for most IRS relief programs, but time matters for two reasons. First, penalties and interest continue to accrue every day the balance is unpaid. Second, the Collection Statute Expiration Date continues to run — strategies built around CNC status or PPIA work best when engaged well before the CSED expires. Earlier engagement almost always produces better outcomes.

What if I have been turned down for IRS relief before?

Prior denial does not permanently disqualify you. If your financial situation has changed, if the prior application was improperly prepared, or if new programs are available (as happened with the Fresh Start expansion), reapplication is possible. Clean Slate Tax reviews prior denials and identifies the correct path forward.

Can I apply for multiple programs at the same time?

Some combinations are possible and strategically effective. For example, pursuing penalty abatement simultaneously with an OIC reduces the total balance while the settlement is evaluated. A CDP appeal can stop enforcement while an installment agreement is being negotiated. Clean Slate Tax coordinates multiple relief strategies as a single integrated engagement.