IRS tax relief
Wage Garnishment
An IRS wage levy does not need a judge, and it does not stop on its own. It keeps taking from every paycheck until the balance is paid or the levy is released.
You are probably here because
- Your paycheck came in far smaller than usual
- Your employer received a notice and told you about it
- You got a Final Notice of Intent to Levy (LT11 or CP90)
- You have been ignoring IRS letters and the calls have started
What this actually means
A wage levy is continuous. Unlike most creditors, the IRS does not have to go back to court for each paycheck. One levy stays attached to your wages until it is released, satisfied, or the collection period expires.
What you keep is set by a table based on your filing status and dependents, not by what your bills actually cost. For a lot of households the exempt amount is well below what it takes to make rent.
Your employer has no discretion here. Once they receive the levy they are legally required to send the money, and they can be held liable if they do not.
What can be done
Get representation on file first
Form 2848 puts a licensed representative between you and the revenue officer. That alone changes the conversation, and it is what makes everything below possible.
Release for economic hardship
If the levy leaves you unable to cover basic living expenses, the IRS is required to release it. This is documented with a financial statement, not just asserted.
Installment agreement
A levy is usually released once an agreement is in place, because the IRS has what it wanted: a defined way to get paid.
Currently Not Collectible
Where paying anything would create genuine hardship, collection can be paused entirely, levy included.
Fix the compliance problem
Nothing gets released while returns are missing. Filing the unfiled years is often the fastest route to relief.
How fast
Once representation is filed and we can show the IRS a financial picture, a release can move in days rather than months. What slows it down almost every time is missing returns, which is why we start there.
Common questions
Can my employer fire me over this?+
Federal law protects you from being fired for a single garnishment. Protection is weaker if there are multiple. Either way, your employer is not the one to negotiate with. The IRS is.
How much can they actually take?+
More than most people expect. The IRS leaves you an exempt amount based on filing status and dependents, and takes the rest. For many single filers the exempt amount is a few hundred dollars per pay period.
Will paying something make it stop?+
A random payment usually will not. The levy is released by getting into an approved arrangement or proving hardship, not by paying an arbitrary amount.
Every case turns on its own facts, and outcomes depend on your finances and the discretion of the taxing authority. Nothing here is a promise of a particular result.
Let’s talk
Ready to work with a CPA who actually explains it?
Start with a free 30-minute intro call. Bring your questions, your notices, or just a rough idea of what you need. You will leave the call knowing exactly what the next step is and what it costs.