Owe Taxes
IRS Definition
While most taxpayers get a refund from the IRS when they file their taxes, some do not. The IRS offers several payment options for those who owe taxes.
More from H&R Block
Any time you don’t pay the tax balance shown on your federal income tax return in full by the due date, you create a tax debt.
The IRS can charge penalties and interest on that debt, and those will add up until you pay off the tax debt.
The IRS will send you increasingly urgent notices requesting payment. If the IRS doesn’t receive a response, the IRS can begin enforced collection action, such as issuing a levy on your wages or bank accounts, or filing a federal tax lien.
Learn all the options you may have if you owe taxes and can’t pay.
Get help from an IRS expert
H&R Block’s experts can solve any IRS problem, no matter how complex.
Related Information
Learn about the different options when you can't pay or still owe money from a past return from the tax experts at H&R Block.
Liens and levies are tools the IRS uses to collect back taxes. Learn more about each one -- and how to avoid tax liens and levies by working with the IRS.
Learn how to request an IRS payment option, like an extension to pay or an IRS installment agreement, when your business owes taxes and can't pay.
Seriously delinquent tax debt can cause your passport to be restricted. Find out if you could be impacted and learn how to fix the problem.
Get the facts from H&R Block about the four types of IRS penalty relief, and which IRS penalty relief option may be best for your situation.
