What is IRS Form 9297?
IRS Form 9297, titled "Summary of Taxpayer Contact," is a written request to a taxpayer from an IRS Revenue Officer(collections officer) for information, documents, and certain actions. The request comes after the Revenue Officer is assigned your case to pursue potential compliance or enforcement options. It may request bank statements and other financial documents, a completed IRS Form 433 financial statement, or delinquent returns among other things.
What Does Form 9297 Mean?
Form 9297 means that the IRS wants information about your financial situation. The IRS revenue officer assigned to your case uses the details on this form to figure out if you have the means to pay off your tax debt. The form itself is relatively straightforward, but to protect your in come and assets, you may want to reach out to retain representation services before dealing with the IRS on your own. Whatever information you provide to the IRS in this case may cause further issues if you don’t understand your rights.
The IRS sends Form 9297 when it’s getting serious about collecting your tax liability. If you receive this form, you’re not dealing with automated collection notices anymore. A real person called a revenue office is looking at your situation, and they will find a way to resolve the case, whether you cooperate or not.
This form is called a summary of taxpayer contact because it summarizes the information that the revenue officer collects from you. Typically, the revenue officer will mail you this form to fill out on your own, but in some cases, they may call you and ask questions over the phone based on this form. If they want to meet in person, they will send a 725-Brather than showing up unannounced.
Keep in mind that whether you’re dealing with mail or phone calls, you always have the right to legal representation in front of the I RS.
The IRS Revenue Officer Interview
The IRS Revenue Officer may do an initial interview before or after sending a letter including the Form 9297. If the interview is done before the IRS Form 9297 is mailed to you, then the Revenue Officer will typically be seeking key collections information for future levy or lien or other IRS enforcement actions, such as where you bank and where you have real property. If you don't provide a completed Form 433 in response to the Form 9297 or if there are potential trust fund penalties at issue (from unpaid Form 941s), the Revenue Officer will conduct a more thorough interview to complete a draft of the Form 433 for you to sign, which interview will more o less follow the form itself. If trust fund recovery penalties are at issue, the purpose of the interview will be to complete a Form 4180 - here -which will also follow the form.
What Is a Revenue Officer?
A revenue officer is an IRS employee who collects delinquent taxes and secures overdue tax returns from taxpayers. They analyze financial information to see if a taxpayer can afford to pay their tax bill, and they work with taxpayers to set up payment plans. They also have the right to forcibly collect tax debts through federal tax liens, wage garnishments, and levy your assets. They may even be able to take your home.
How to Respond to Form 9297
IRS Form 9297 outlines the information that you need to provide to the IRS. Typically, it requests Form 433-A (Collection Information Statement) as well as the following:
To respond to Form 9297, you simply need to send this information to the IRS. You must respond promptly by the date noted on the letter, or the IRS may pursue collection actions (liens, levies, garnishments, etc.)against you.
Keep in mind, however, that the IRS will use this information to decide how to collect your tax debt. For instance, if the agency sees that you have a lot of assets, it may demand payment in full and expects you to sell your assets.
You should never lie to the IRS — hiding assets when the IRS requests information is considered tax evasion. However, you may want to reach out to an enrolled agent before you respond to this notice so we can advise you on the best way to proceed.
Why Was a Revenue Officer Assigned to My Case?
The IRS usually only assigns revenue officers in the following situations:
Having a revenue officer assigned to your case means that the IRS is serious about collecting your tax debt. The revenue officer’s job is to determine how to collect the tax liability. This can involve learning about your assets using Form 9297 and then issuing tax liens or levies against those assets.
What Happens When the IRS Assigns a Revenue Officer to My Case?
A revenue officer is legally permitted to start enforced collection actions against you, including the following:
If they believe that you have committed tax fraud or evasion, the revenue officer can also initiate an investigation. Once the IRS assigns a revenue officer to your case, you can no longer ignore your tax issue. Things can get very serious, very quickly. To protect yourself, you should reach out to an enrolled agent.
Revenue Officer Versus ACS
When you get behind on your taxes, the IRS can assign your case to a revenue officer or a group of employees in the Automated Collection System (ACS). Here are the differences between the two.
Revenue Officer
When your case is assigned to a revenue officer, they are personally responsible for resolving the case. As a result, cases tend to get resolved faster when they are assigned to an officer. To put it another way, the revenue officer will be diligent about contacting you, setting up arrangements to take care of the tax debt, or pursuing collection actions against you.
Automated Collection System
In contrast, when your case gets assigned to ACS, a number of employees work on your case. They are less likely to call you or help you set up payment plans, offers in compromise, or other collection alternatives. If they can’t resolve your case, they usually just pass it off to the next employee in the queue.
To break it down, you may be able to fly under the radar if the IRS assigns your case to the ACS. You won’t be able to ignore the situation if a revenue officer is working on your case.
In some cases, however, working with a revenue officer can be easier than dealing with the automated system. The revenue officer is personally assigned to your case. They have reviewed the situation, and they may be able to help you find a resolution option.
If your account is in the ACS, the people you call won’t be familiar with your case. As a result, they may provide you within correct information, or they may not be able to help you identify the best resolution option for your situation.
What Happens If I Don't Respond to IRS Form 9297?
If you can demonstrate good faith by producing some of the easier items requested, such as bank statements and pay stubs, the Revenue Officer may give you more time to finish the response. In most cases, being responsive and cooperative is the best route. If neither the source materials nor the Form 433 is produced, the IRS Revenue Officer has the ability to issue a summons to the banks or to force an interview by issuing a summons. A motivated Revenue Officer can force response to a summons, in most cases, through a referral to the D.O.J. for a court order.
When to Talk to an Enrolled Agent About IRS Form 9297
If you receive IRS form 9297, you should reach out to obtain representation in the following situations:
When to Respond to Form 9297 on Your Own
In some cases, you may be completely comfortable responding to Form 9297 on your own. For instance, if you owe less than $25,000 and you agree with the tax liability, you may just want to set up a payment plan.
It’s fine to take a DIY approach to resolve your tax debt if you’re comfortable doing so. However, an enrolled agent can be critical if you want to reduce penalties, apply for a tax relief program such as an offer in compromise, or appeal an incorrect assessment.
Also, keep in mind that revenue officers work for the IRS. Their priority is collecting the tax for their boss (the IRS). An enrolled agent, in contrast, works for you. Their priority is to get you out of tax debt as inexpensively and as painlessly as possible.
Get Help with Form 9297
You don’t have to deal with the IRS on your own. An enrolled agent can help you deal with the IRS, and they can direct you toward the bestoptions for your unique situation.
To learn more, contact us at SL Financial Solutions for a FREE consultation. We’ll start with a conversation about your tax situation. Then, we’ll outline how we can help you and what to expect if you decide to work with us.
Don’t let the IRS take your assets or use other extreme measures to collect your tax debt. Instead, get help today.
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