Installment Agreement (IA) is a tax debt relief program available for taxpayers who owe the IRS a tax liability. In an installment agreement, the taxpayer in debt agrees to make regular monthly payments, either by direct debit payment or payroll deduction, until the tax liability is paid off. There are several IA plans available, and there are certain criteria that a taxpayer must meet in order to qualify for a particular IA program. This SlideShare provides basic information on what an Installment Agreement is, what are the types of agreement that a taxpayer in debt may consider, and the criteria that need to be met in order to qualify for the program.

1. Installment Agreement
Tax Relief Programs 101

2. What is an Installment
Agreement?
An Installment Agreement is a tax debt
relief program that lets a taxpayer who is
in debt with the IRS pay in regular monthly
installments.

3. Four Installment Agreement Options
Available:
○ Streamlined Installment Agreement
○ Complex Installment Agreement
○ Staggered Installment Agreement
○ Partial Payment Installment Agreement

4. Streamlined
Installment
Agreement
This type of installment agreement does not require verification of
income and assets, debts and other liabilities.
CRITERIA
Amount: $25,001 - $50,000
Payment terms: 72 months or x number of
months to pay the tax debt in full by the
Collection Statute Expiration date, whichever
is less.
Payment Method: Direct Debit Payment or
Payroll Deduction preferred, but not
required.
*source: https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-
businesses-self-employed/streamlined-processing-of-
installment-agreements

5. Complex Installment
Agreement
Also known as "non-streamlined installment agreement", this IA
plan requires to gather the income, assets, debts and liabilities,
and allows the taxpayer to propose the installment amount.
CRITERIA
Amount: $50,000 and up.
Payment terms: Payable within 60 months
(5 years) or before the Collection Statute
Expiration Date.
Payment Method: Direct Debit Payment
or Payroll Deduction preferred, but not
required.

6. Staggered Installment
Agreement
Staggered Installment Agreement is pretty
much the same as the Streamlined
Installment Agreement with regards to
benefits and requirements. The only
difference is that the taxpayer in debt has
the advantage of starting out with lower
monthly payments, and will increase in a
higher amount, usually after one year.
The IRS does not always offer this IA.

7. Partial Payment
Installment
Agreement
In this Installment Agreement, the taxpayer in debt agrees to
make monthly payments in order to pay off a fraction of the
outstanding debt amount
CRITERIA
Amount: $10,000 and up
Payment terms:
Payment Method: Direct Debit Payment
or Payroll Deduction is required, unless
unemployed.

8. IMPORTANT
REMINDER!
It is important to seek the help of a tax
professional to get a better understanding
of tax debt relief options and see if an
Installment Agreement is the best
resolution to your tax liability.

9. For more information, visit: