New offset hotline verbiage

[Kristi h]

Okay, I always check every year to see if we have an offset on our Social Security numbers. I had 2 offsets in the past 10 years, so I always check because the last one was not expected.

So, the new language says as of today, there are no non tax debts for your Social Security number.

So the new language throws me off.

If I had any sort of offset, it would be taxes. But the hotline does not say I have any tax debt and for certain, no non tax debt.

Should I take this to mean that we are okay this year, provided nothing shows up in the next few weeks?

[Mamaof6]

Kristi, no. All the kids are of age and the case was closed 4 years ago. No balance owed for child support. VERY strange!

[Anonymous]

Has he ran into arrears again, and that is possibly the case that is open?

Lisa, both of mine were federal tax offsets.

[Mamaof6]

My husbands debt was from 10+ years ago for child support that was taken from his 2003 tax return. Have proof and they still state it on the recording….Never have in the past 8 years; why all the sudden now?

[Anonymous]

If an individual owes money to the federal government because of a delinquent debt, the Treasury Department can offset that individual’s federal payment or withhold the entire amount to satisfy the debt. The debtor is notified in advance of any offset action to be taken. Individuals may call (800) 304-3107 with questions about a delinquent debt.

I found this on the IRS fiscal website.

[Mamaof6]

I called on mine and my husbands ssn#. Mine was good. My husbands tell of an offset he had back in 2003! It was back child support that was taken out of his 2003 tax return. Why are they STILL reminding us of this??

[Lisa]

Were they both federal?
My understanding was that the offset number includes state tax offset but not federal. If that’s not the case, I don’t know why mine didn’t show up. Maybe because it was many years old, I guess?

[Kristi H]

Oh and that number you gave is the one I always call.

[Kristi H]

For me, both offsets said it, but one caught me off guard and I didn’t call till wmr said I had an offset.

Both were back taxes from Jackson hewitts error.

Each time it said “your refund has been or will be offset”, but didn’t say the amount.

[Lisa]

I liked that better as well! Except for the year that I didn’t realize it didn’t include federal tax debt.
I wish they’d include ANY debt that could cause an offset.

[Lisa]

Found this on the IRS website-

“o determine whether an offset will occur on a debt owed (other than federal tax), contact BFS’s TOP call center at 800-304-3107 (866-297-0517 for TTY/TDD help).”

So I do believe this confirms the reason for the new wording- info from the hotline doesn’t include federal tax debt. Here’s the link to the full page-
http://www.irs.gov/taxtopics/tc203.html

[Kristi H]

Exactly! Why couldn’t they leave it as is?

“As of today, there are no debts associated with your SSN”…

[Lisa]

i noticed the change of wording as well. I’m thinking it says that because federal tax debt isn’t included in the offset program. A few years back, we were clear on the hotline, then surprised when they took a huge amount for an old (10 years) federal tax debt.
The new wording does bother me, though. It’s like, you have no non-tax debt…. but we aren’t telling you if you have offsets for tax debt.

[Kristi h]

Let me clarify that. It did not specifically say I had any tax debt. It said I had no nontax debt, but items are posted daily. In the past if you had a debt it would say your refund has been or will be offset, Which it did not say.

[Author]

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