Beware of the Debt Settlement Tax - What to Look For, What to Do
If you owe money to creditors, you might be thinking about talking to them to negotiate a settlement for your debts, by paying them less than you owe. Be careful, though. You may not have been aware of it, but debt settlement can have a huge impact on your taxes.
If you're settling your debt for less than you ow, the tax laws consider this the same as "earning" money. One example would be if you took out a loan for $10,000 and were unable to pay it back. If you settled for $6,000, you have essentially pocketed $4,000. This really gets the attention of the IRS.
I'm sure that at one point, there was a loophole in the IRS tax laws that allowed for this to happen. Unfortunately, the IRS is quick to get wise about these types of things. Just like so many other tax loopholes, this one has been closed.
Just like in our example above, if you have credit card debt or any other kind of debt, you will likely be held liable for any "profit" that you realize as a result of settling your debt for less than you owe. Keep this in mind when it comes time to prepare your taxes after debt settlement.
Even though this debt settlement tax may sound like a bad thing, you're still better off having settled your debt, even after taxes. In our example, you've realized a $4,000 "gain", but at most you'll have to pay about 30% (depending on your tax bracket). Even after you've paid the tax, though, you still only paid $7,200 in repayment of a $10,000 debt. That's a 28% discount, and is still a huge bargain.
Since the debt settlement tax is so little-known to most people, they usually don't do anything about it until after an IRS audit. Keep it in mind, and don't let this tax take you by surprise.
If you'd like more details on how this tax applies to your specific situation, please consult with a CPA or other tax professional. - 23222
If you're settling your debt for less than you ow, the tax laws consider this the same as "earning" money. One example would be if you took out a loan for $10,000 and were unable to pay it back. If you settled for $6,000, you have essentially pocketed $4,000. This really gets the attention of the IRS.
I'm sure that at one point, there was a loophole in the IRS tax laws that allowed for this to happen. Unfortunately, the IRS is quick to get wise about these types of things. Just like so many other tax loopholes, this one has been closed.
Just like in our example above, if you have credit card debt or any other kind of debt, you will likely be held liable for any "profit" that you realize as a result of settling your debt for less than you owe. Keep this in mind when it comes time to prepare your taxes after debt settlement.
Even though this debt settlement tax may sound like a bad thing, you're still better off having settled your debt, even after taxes. In our example, you've realized a $4,000 "gain", but at most you'll have to pay about 30% (depending on your tax bracket). Even after you've paid the tax, though, you still only paid $7,200 in repayment of a $10,000 debt. That's a 28% discount, and is still a huge bargain.
Since the debt settlement tax is so little-known to most people, they usually don't do anything about it until after an IRS audit. Keep it in mind, and don't let this tax take you by surprise.
If you'd like more details on how this tax applies to your specific situation, please consult with a CPA or other tax professional. - 23222
About the Author:
Sean Payne is just a normal guy who has learned through trial and error (and a lot of advice) how to get out of debt. Discover how to avoid the debt settlement tax at Sean's website, which can be found at http://www.debtpayofftips.com
posted by X - Men @ 7:07 AM
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