Legal costs and timelines, in plain numbers. Not a law firm.
Tax Debt, in numbers
IRS tax debt, explained with real numbers.
Every figure sourced and dated. Updated 2026-09-01.
Start with the honest odds: the IRS accepted 21.4% of Offers in Compromise in FY2024, against a ten-year average of 36%. The application costs $205 plus a 20% deposit, both kept even if the offer is denied unless you qualify for the low-income waiver.
The workhorse is the payment plan
Most resolved tax debt goes through installment agreements, with streamlined plans running up to 72 months. Accepted offers totaled $163.4 million in FY2024, which sounds large until you divide it by the number of American taxpayers who owe.
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Sources for every figure on this page
21.4%: IRS FY2024 data via TaxRise: Offer in Compromise acceptance rate (7,199 of 33,591) (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
36%: IRS data 2015-2024 via IRS Solutions: ten-year average OIC acceptance (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$205: IRS: OIC application fee, kept with the 20% deposit even if the offer is denied (low-income waivers exist) (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
$163.4 million: IRS FY2024: total value of accepted offers (published estimate, retrieved 2026-09-01).
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