The IRS can sometimes saddle you with a tax debt that is actually the responsibility of your spouse or ex-spouse. If the actions of your spouse caused you to owe taxes and if you were unaware that your spouse or former spouse: failed to report income, reported income improperly, or claimed improper tax deductions or credits, you may qualify for relief. 

 

Requirements that must be met to qualify for Innocent Spouse Relief:

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• You must have filed a joint return that has an erroneous item (such as an understatement of income or incorrectly reported deductions, credits, or property basis) that can be solely attributed to your spouse.

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• You must prove that at the time you signed the return, you did not know (and had no reason to know) that there was an unlawful understatement of tax

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• You must prove that, under your circumstances, it would be unfair to hold you liable for this understatement of tax.

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For this type of tax resolution, it is a good idea to seek the help of a tax professional. Filing for this type of tax relief can be confusing, because it involves proving not knowing something. Proving knowledge is more complicated than simply having to provide financial documents. As an experienced tax expert, the Tax Man can help you build your case.