Editorial Policy

TaxSettlementCalculator.com publishes free educational content about owing back taxes and the programs available to resolve tax debt. Because this is information people use to make financial decisions, we hold it to a strict sourcing standard.

Where our information comes from

• IRS.gov pages, including the "Understanding your notice" pages for each IRS letter.
• IRS publications such as Publication 594 (The IRS Collection Process), Publication 1 (Your Rights as a Taxpayer) and the Form 656 Offer in Compromise booklet.
• The Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) and the Internal Revenue Code for procedures and legal deadlines.
• Official state revenue agency websites for state-specific pages. If a state rule can't be confirmed on the agency's own site, we leave it out.

Numbers that change

Figures that the IRS updates — interest rates, user fees, payment plan limits and Offer in Compromise fees — are kept in one place and shown everywhere from that single source, so every page updates together. They were last verified on 2026-11-04.

What we will never say

We don't promise outcomes, estimate settlement amounts, or describe relief as "pennies on the dollar." Our calculator shows likelihood bands for programs, not guarantees. Results depend on each person's full financial picture and the IRS's decision.

Review

Each page is checked against the sources above when it's written and whenever the IRS changes a figure or procedure. Each page shows the date it was last updated.

Corrections

If you spot an error, please tell us through our contact page. We review every report and update the page with a new date.

Who we are

We are not a tax firm, law firm, CPA firm or government agency, and we're not affiliated with the IRS. If you request a free review, we connect you with independent tax relief professionals.