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Our newsline provides the latest news from the IRS, due dates, reminders, and thoughtful insights on accounting and tax related topics

New Private Debt Collection Program to Begin Next Spring; IRS to Contract with Four Agencies; Taxpayer Rights Protected

9/26/2016

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Today's release from the IRS explains that they will be hiring debt collection agencies to help collect some past due taxes.  In the midst of the many phishing scams that go on where people pretend to be IRS collection agents, please remember that the IRS and their collection agents will never ask for a credit card payment over the phone and will only ask for payment to be made to the IRS, not the collection agent.  When in doubt, hang up and call the IRS yourself.  My office is here if you need help establishing a payment plan or filing an offer in compromise. 

WASHINGTON - The Internal Revenue Service announced today that it plans to begin private collection of certain overdue federal tax debts next spring and has selected four contractors to implement the new program.


  The new program, authorized under a federal law enacted by Congress last December, enables these designated contractors to collect, on the government’s behalf, outstanding inactive tax receivables. As a condition of receiving a contract, these agencies must respect taxpayer rights including, among other things, abiding by the consumer protection provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act. The IRS has selected the following contractors to carry out this program:
  • CBE Group 1309 Technology Pkwy Cedar Falls, IA 50613
  • Conserve 200 CrossKeys Office park Fairport, NY 14450
  • Performant 333 N Canyons Pkwy Livermore, CA 94551
  • Pioneer 325 Daniel Zenker Dr Horseheads, NY 14845
These private collection agencies will work on accounts where taxpayers owe money, but the IRS is no longer actively working their accounts. Several factors contribute to the IRS assigning these accounts to private collection agencies, including older, overdue tax accounts or lack of resources preventing the IRS from working the cases.
 
The IRS will give each taxpayer and their representative written notice that their account is being transferred to a private collection agency. The agency will then send a second, separate letter to the taxpayer and their representative confirming this transfer.
 
Private collection agencies will be able to identify themselves as contractors of the IRS collecting taxes. Employees of these collection agencies must follow the provisions of the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act and must be courteous and respect taxpayer rights.

  
​The IRS will do everything it can to help taxpayers avoid confusion and understand their rights and tax responsibilities, particularly in light of continual phone scams where callers impersonate IRS agents and request immediate payment.

    
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Private collection agencies will not ask for payment on a prepaid debit card. Taxpayers will be informed about electronic payment options for taxpayers on IRS.gov/Pay Your Tax Bill. Payment by check should be payable to the U.S. Treasury and sent directly to IRS, not the private collection agency. 

  

The IRS will continue to keep taxpayers informed about scams and provide tips for protecting themselves. The IRS encourages taxpayers to visit
IRS.gov for information including the “Tax Scams and Consumer Alerts” page.
For more information visit the Private Debt Collection page on IRS.gov.
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L&F Tax & Bookkeeping Services
1295 S. Kihei Road, Suite G
Kihei, HI 96753
(808) 419-7143
Fax (808) 427-3570

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