Nebraska Tax Relief Guide: Resolve Back Taxes & Other Problems

When you owe back taxes at the federal level, you’ll have to deal with the IRS, which can be stressful. Each state also has its own tax agency which is responsible for collecting unpaid or unfiled taxes. The Nebraska Department of Revenue works with taxpayers to achieve the best possible resolution when an outstanding tax liability exists. Depending on your situation, you may be able to qualify for a payment plan, waiver of penalties or even a settlement of your Nebraska taxes owed.

Nebraska Payment Agreement

The Nebraska Department of Revenue strongly encourages residents to pay as much as possible towards their taxes owed at the time they file their return. In situations where you can’t pay the full balance due, the DOR will work with you to establish a payment agreement. A short-term payment agreement requires you to make four equal payments over a 90-day period. There’s no paperwork required for this type of agreement. You simply make the first payment either electronically through the DOR payment portal or by sending a check or money order to the Department of Revenue. You then have 90 days to make the remaining three payments.

If you need more time to pay off your taxes owed, you must contact the Revenue Department to set up a payment plan. You’ll need to provide the DOR with your bank account information in order to set up an electronic draft. Payments can be made weekly, biweekly or monthly and interest will continue to accrue until the tax bill is paid in full.

Making an Offer in Compromise

When you don’t think you can reasonably pay down the full amount of your taxes owed, you may need to consider making an Offer in Compromise. With this type of agreement, you propose a settlement of the taxes owed and if the Department of Revenue accepts your offer, the remaining balance is eliminated. In order to make an offer in compromise, you’ll need to submit a written proposal to the Revenue Department explaining why you can’t pay the full balance. Typically, you can make an offer in compromise if you don’t believe you owe the full amount or if your financial situation would make it impossible for the DOR to collect any more than what you’re offering.

Request for Penalty Abatement

In addition to having to pay interest on your taxes owed, the Department of Revenue may levy penalties against you, which can be costly. According to the DOR website, the current penalties are as follows:

• Late filed return: 5% per month of the unpaid tax due
• Late payment: 5% of unpaid tax due
• Partial payment: 5% of unpaid tax due

If you’re facing penalties, you do have the right to request a penalty abatement, which would eliminate some or all of the additional charges. You’ll need to complete Form 21, Request for Abatement of Penalty, and provide the DOR with an explanation of why you failed to pay the taxes in question and why you think the penalties should be waived.

Our Simple Tax Relief Process