Louisiana Tax Relief: Guide to Resolving Tax Problems with LA

The Louisiana Department of Revenue is the entity responsible for administering state tax laws, collecting state taxes, and using tax revenue to fund various public services.

Installment Agreement Request

If you are unable to pay your state taxes owed in full, you can request to enter into an installment agreement with the Department of Revenue that would allow you to pay your liability in installments over time. The installment agreement cannot exceed six months. During the term of your installment agreement, you must pay all state taxes and file all state tax returns as they become due. Even if you enter into an installment agreement, the Department of Revenue may still file a Tax Assessment and Lien in order to protect its interest.

In order to request an installment agreement, you must complete and submit Form R-19026, Installment Request for Individual Income, to the Department of Revenue. You can mail the form to the Department of Revenue at the following address:

Louisiana Department of Revenue
PO Box 66658
Baton Rouge, LA 70896-6658

For any questions about installment agreements, you can contact the Collections Division by telephone at (225) 219-7448.

Offer in Compromise

If you are suffering from a personal hardship that makes it impossible for you to pay your state tax liability in full, you may be eligible for an offer in compromise. Under Louisiana law, the Secretary of Revenue has the authority to settle a state taxes owed for less than the amount is owed in certain circumstances. In order to be eligible for an offer in compromise, you must show that one of the following circumstances exists in your case:

• There is serious doubt that the Department of Revenue will ever be able to collect the entire state taxes owed from you.
• There is serious doubt that you owe the taxes owed in question.
• The costs to the Department of Revenue of collecting the taxes owed from you would be more than the amount of the liability.

In order to apply for an Offer in Compromise, you must complete and submit Form R-20212A, Offer in Compromise Application, as well as Form R-20212I, Statement of Financial Condition for Individuals. The Department of Revenue provides an Offer in Compromise Program booklet, Form R-2021, which contains all of the necessary forms, instructions, and information about the program.

Aside from an offer in compromise, you can also request other accommodations from the Department of Revenue in order to reduce your tax liability. For instance, you can fill out and submit Form R-20128, Request for Waiver of Penalty for Delinquency, Form R-20130, Request for Compromise of Interest, or Form R-20131, Request for Abatement of Interest to the Department of Revenue. All of these forms request that the Department of Revenue reduce or waive penalties or interest that the Department has assessed against you for unpaid or delinquent taxes, depending on your circumstances.

Audit Protest Bureau

Although many states have formal taxpayer advocate divisions, the Louisiana Department of Revenue does not provide an advocate service. However, the Audit Protest Bureau is an independent division of the Department of Revenue that offers a forum for taxpayers to resolve disputes over tax audits through this administrative process rather than through litigation.

You can contact the Audit Protest Bureau at (219) 225-1641 Monday-Friday between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. You also can complete a Protest Petition, which is a formal request for the Audit Protest Bureau to hear your case.

Our Simple Tax Relief Process