Episode description

You’ve heard the ads: “Settle your IRS debt for pennies on the dollar with the Fresh Start Program!” In this episode, [HOST NAME] of [FIRM NAME] explains what the IRS Fresh Start Initiative really is: a set of 2011–2012 policy changes that made payment plans, lien relief, and Offers in Compromise easier to reach. Then come the spoiler alerts. It’s not a one-time forgiveness of everything you owe, and it’s not a “throw out a number and see if the IRS takes it” deal. If you owe the IRS, this is the episode to hear before you call that number on the billboard.

In this episode (estimated timestamps; update after editing)

• 00:00 Cold open: the “pennies on the dollar” ad
• 01:00 What Fresh Start actually is: three waves of IRS changes in 2011 and 2012
• 02:45 Spoiler alert #1: it’s NOT a one-time forgiveness of everything you owe
• 04:15 Spoiler alert #2: it’s NOT a “throw out a number” plan, and how the Offer in Compromise formula works
• 06:15 Rapid-fire spoiler alerts: not a form, not automatic, not a way around filing, not new
• 07:30 What Fresh Start CAN do: payment plans, liens, offers, and penalty relief
• 09:45 Wrap-up and the biggest spoiler alert of all

Key takeaways

• Fresh Start is a package of IRS rule changes, not a program you apply to.
• Most people who use Fresh Start tools pay their tax in full over time. Penalties and interest keep running until it’s paid.
• An Offer in Compromise is set by a formula: your asset equity plus 12 or 24 months of future remaining income.
• Offers carry a $205 application fee, an upfront payment, and five years of required compliance. Low-income applicants may be exempt from the fee and the payment.
• If you owe $50,000 or less and your returns are filed, you can usually set up a payment plan online without a full financial statement.
• Unfiled returns block nearly every option, so getting current comes first.
• Be wary of anyone who promises to erase your tax debt before reviewing your income, expenses, and assets.

Resources mentioned

• IRS: Payment plans (installment agreements): https://www.irs.gov/payments/payment-plans-installment-agreements
• IRS: Offer in Compromise: https://www.irs.gov/payments/offer-in-compromise
• IRS Form 656 Booklet (Offer in Compromise): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/f656b.pdf
• IRS IR-2012-31, Expanded Fresh Start (Mar. 7, 2012): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/ir-12-031.pdf
• IRS IR-2012-53, Offer in Compromise changes (May 21, 2012): https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-news/ir-12-053.pdf
• Companion blog post: [BLOG LINK]

Get help

Owe the IRS and not sure where you stand? Contact Bryson Law Firm, LLC (www.brysonlawfirm.com) for a review of your full financial picture.

Disclaimer

This episode is for general information only and is not legal or tax advice. Every situation is different, and IRS rules and figures change. Consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.

When you owe the IRS and can't pay in full, the IRS decides what you can afford — and it doesn't use your real budget to do it. In this episode of Talkin' Tax, Jessica Thibodeaux of Bryson Law Firm explains the IRS's allowable living expense standards, walks through the actual figures for Lafayette, Louisiana, and shows why the IRS doesn't have to count your full mortgage, private school tuition, credit card payments, and other expenses above its caps.

We start with how the IRS measures your ability to pay. The IRS uses the Collection Financial Standards whenever it reviews a Form 433-A or 433-F for a payment plan, an offer in compromise, or Currently Not Collectible status. We explain the three groups of standards — National Standards, out-of-pocket health care, and Local Standards — and why the Local Standards for housing and transportation work as hard caps.

Next, we walk through the numbers that apply to Lafayette Parish residents, including the housing and utilities cap that has to cover your mortgage, insurance, property taxes, and every utility bill.

We then cover the expenses the IRS doesn't have to count: mortgage payments above the parish cap, private school tuition, car notes above the standard, credit card payments, and most charitable giving. We also explain the six-year rule and the one-year rule, two exceptions that can let the IRS allow more.

Finally, we follow a hypothetical Lafayette family of four who come up $650 short every month on their real budget — but who, by the IRS's math, can afford to pay about $2,856 a month.

These are the IRS standards effective June 29, 2026, as discussed in the episode. For a family of four in Lafayette Parish, the housing and utilities cap is $2,355 a month, and the National Standard for food, clothing, and other items is $2,176 a month. Transportation follows the IRS's South region: up to $703 a month per vehicle for a loan or lease payment (zero if the car is paid off), plus up to $291 a month per vehicle for operating costs, or $220 a month for public transportation if you don't have a car. Out-of-pocket health care is allowed at $90 per person under 65 and $163 per person 65 or older, plus actual health insurance premiums.

Read the companion blog post on our website at [https://www.brysonlawfirm.com/news/1007-what-the-irs-says-you-can-afford-allowable-living-expenses.html]. The figures in this episode come from the IRS's Collection Financial Standards, including the Louisiana housing and utilities standards, the National Standards for food, clothing and other items, the transportation standards, and the out-of-pocket health care standards. The rules on allowable expenses appear in IRM 5.15.1, and the six-year and one-year rules in IRM 5.14.1.

If you owe the IRS, Bryson Law Firm, LLC can review your finances against the current standards and help you choose the right path, whether that's an installment agreement, an offer in compromise, or Currently Not Collectible status. Contact us at brysonlawfirm.com.

This episode and these show notes are for general information only and are not legal or tax advice. The figures discussed are the IRS Collection Financial Standards effective June 29, 2026, and are subject to change. Please consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.

What is the IRS Employee Retention Credit?

We’ve been getting a lot of questions about this, so we thought we’d make this episode to answer some of them for you. 

You might think you don’t qualify for this credit, but you could be pleasantly surprised! There are a lot of misconceptions out there that we want to clear up, so make sure you tune in to find out if any of those misconceptions are keeping you from compensation that you’re entitled to. 

In this episode, we’re clarifying what the Employee Retention Credit is, how you qualify, and our process at the Bryson Law Firm for filing a claim. We’re taking you through the process step-by-step so that you know exactly what to expect.

Topics covered in this episode include:

• What the Employee Retention Credit is 
• Myths about the Employee Retention Credit that you need to watch out for 
• How the credit is calculated 
• How long it will take to complete the process and receive your credits

Tune in to find out everything you need to know about the Employee Retention Credit. 

Show notes are available at www.brysonlawfirm.com.

Resources Mentioned:

Employee Retention Credit Presentation PDF Guide

Connect on Facebook: www.facebook.com/BrysonLawFirm and LinkedIn: www.linkedin.com/company/bryson-law-firm-l-l-c.