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Form 433-A & 433-B Fillable Forms Hub (2010–2025)
Collection Information Statements for individuals and businesses are used by the IRS to evaluate the ability to pay for installment agreements and offers in compromise.
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Who Should Use This Forms 433-A & 433-B Hub?
- Individuals with large tax debt — Use Form 433-A if you owe over $50,000 in federal taxes or are applying for an OIC.
- Self-employed taxpayers and sole proprietors — You must use Form 433-A to disclose business income and expenses; revenue officers commonly require this form even below higher thresholds.
- Businesses seeking debt relief — Use Form 433-B if your business entity owes payroll, corporate, or partnership taxes and needs an installment agreement or Offer in Compromise.
- Partial payment installment agreement (PPIA) applicants — The IRS requires Form 433-A for any PPIA request, regardless of the dollar amount owed.
- Offer in Compromise (OIC) applicants — Individuals file Form 433-A, and business owners with a business interest also file Form 433-B as part of the Form 656 booklet.
- Taxpayers receiving IRS requests — If the IRS requests financial disclosure, complete the specified 433-series form and return it by the deadline.
Who Must File Forms 433-A & 433-B?
The IRS may request Form 433-A or 433-B at any time to assess the complete financial situation of an individual or business before approving debt relief. These forms are not filed on an annual basis — they are submitted on request or as part of a specific IRS program. The form required depends on your entity type and the relief you are seeking.
Form 433-A — Wage Earners & Self-Employed
This is required for individuals, including sole proprietors, who need to document their financial situation for installment agreements, PPIAs, or OIC applications.
Form 433-B — Business Entities
This is required for corporations, partnerships, and LLCs pursuing tax debt resolution, or when a self-employed owner files a 433-A.
Revenue Officer Cases
When a revenue officer is assigned to your account, Form 433-A is required — streamlined thresholds don't apply.
Partial Payment Installment Agreements
A taxpayer requesting a PPIA, where monthly payments won't fully pay the debt before the statute expires, must file Form 433-A.
OIC Applications (Form 656 Booklet)
Individuals file Form 433-A with Form 656; business owners attach Form 433-B to Form 656, found in the IRS Form 656-B booklet.
Currently Not Collectible (CNC) Status
Taxpayers requesting CNC status to halt IRS collection must submit Form 433-A or 433-F to prove financial hardship.
How Forms 433-A & 433-B Work
When you submit Form 433-A or 433-B, the IRS calculates your Reasonable Collection Potential (RCP) — the maximum it believes it can collect. For installment agreements, your payment must cover the balance within 72 months or before the CSED. For an Offer in Compromise, the IRS adds your net asset equity to 12 or 24 months of disposable income to set the minimum acceptable offer. Anything below RCP is rejected, so accurate, fully documented forms are essential.
Select Your Tax Year
Not Sure Which Year to File?
Forms 433-A & 433-B vs. Related IRS Collection Forms
Multiple versions of the 433 series exist for different situations. Using the wrong form will cause rejection or delay. This table clarifies which form applies to your entity type and debt situation.
What Happens If You Don't File Forms 433-A & 433-B
Failing to submit a complete collection information statement doesn't pause your debt — it accelerates collection, and the IRS can take immediate enforcement action without further notice.
Application Rejection and Delay
Incomplete or inaccurate forms will be returned without review, forcing you to restart the entire process. Meanwhile, penalties and interest continue to accrue during the delay, and each resubmission cycle can add weeks or even months to your resolution timeline.
Federal Tax Lien
Unresolved tax debt triggers a Notice of Federal Tax Lien, which is recorded in public records and attaches to all property you own. A lien damages credit, complicates real estate transactions, and follows you until the debt is resolved or the lien is released.
Wage Levy and Bank Account Seizure
After required notices are issued, the IRS can levy wages and seize funds directly from bank accounts. Wage levies are amount-based—the IRS may take a substantial portion of each paycheck until the full balance is collected.
Asset Seizure
In serious delinquency cases, the IRS can seize and sell physical assets, including vehicles and real estate. Seizure is rare but more likely when a taxpayer has significant equity and has not cooperated with collection efforts.
Loss of Relief Options Over Time
Enforcement action makes voluntary resolution significantly harder and dramatically reduces your available options. Acting early preserves access to installment agreements, PPIAs, OIC programs, and CNC status — all of which require active IRS cooperation to successfully obtain and maintain.
Collection Statute Does Not Stop Interest
The IRS has 10 years from the date of assessment to collect. During that entire period, interest compounds daily on the unpaid balance. Delays in resolving the debt substantially increase the total amount you ultimately owe.
Get Help Filing | Find Your Tax Year | Download Latest Forms 433-A & 433-B
Always Use the Correct Year's Forms 433-A & 433-B
The IRS periodically updates the Form 433 series to reflect new reporting requirements. Using an outdated version may cause delays or require resubmission, and older forms may omit now-required disclosures, such as digital asset holdings added in 2024.
To avoid issues, always download forms directly from IRS.gov before filing, verify the revision date in the lower-left corner, and use Form 4506-T to confirm your disclosed balances match IRS records.
Check the revision date. The current revision is printed in the lower-left corner of the form (e.g., "Rev. 2-2025"). The IRS Forms Catalog at IRS.gov shows the most recent revision. If your saved PDF does not match, discard it and download a fresh copy from the IRS website.
Match your IRS transcript numbers. The IRS cross-checks every figure on your collection statement against its own records—W-2s, 1099s, property records, and third-party data. Request a wage and income transcript using Form 4506-T before completing any 433-series form. Unexplained discrepancies between your form and IRS data are the most common trigger for additional scrutiny or rejection.
Include all required attachments. The instructions for Form 433-A and 433-B list specific supporting documents — bank statements, pay stubs, vehicle titles, property deeds, and retirement account statements — that must accompany the form. Missing or incomplete documents will cause your application to be returned without action, resetting your resolution timeline significantly.
Common Situations We See
If any of these sound familiar, you are in the right place. These are the most common reasons taxpayers visit this page.
How to File Forms 433-A & 433-B Correctly
Follow these steps in order. Skipping documentation or submitting it before your transcript review are the most common reasons applications are returned or denied.
- Request Your IRS Transcripts
Request your wage, income, and account transcripts using Form 4506-T. Carefully compare the IRS records of your income and balance against your own records before proceeding further. Since discrepancies between your data and IRS records are a primary rejection trigger, resolving them early prevents costly delays.
- Gather Three Months of Financial Documents
Gather three months of bank statements for each account, six weeks of pay stubs, vehicle titles, property deeds with mortgage statements, recent retirement account statements, and documentation of court-ordered payments. The IRS requires all items to be submitted; missing documents result in the application being returned without review.
- Calculate Monthly Income Using All Sources
List all income sources—wages, self-employment, rental, investments, and retirement distributions. Always report gross amounts before any deductions. The IRS receives income data directly from third-party sources and will verify your reported figures against W-2s, 1099s, and Schedule K-1s filed on your behalf.
- Apply IRS Collection Financial Standards to Your Expenses
The IRS sets national and local expense standards for food, clothing, housing, and transportation, varying by county and household size. You may claim the actual amount or the standard, whichever is lower. Expenses above the standard require documentation proving the excess is necessary, not discretionary.
- Document All Assets at Quick-Sale Value
List all bank accounts, vehicles, real estate, investments, retirement accounts, and business interests. The IRS values assets at quick-sale value — roughly 80% of fair market value — not retail price. Subtract loan balances for net equity. Retirement accounts must be disclosed, though the IRS may treat them differently.
- Sign, Date, and Submit with All Attachments
Both spouses must sign if filed jointly. Submit the form with required documents to the address on your IRS notice or, if part of an OIC, to the address in Form 656-B. Allow 30–60 days for review. Respond to IRS requests within 30 days.
Common Filing Mistakes
- Reporting income lower than what appears on your W-2s or 1099s already in the IRS records
- Claiming housing or transportation expenses above local IRS standards without supporting documentation
- Submitting without three months of bank statements for every financial account you list
- Using Form 433-A for a business entity or Form 433-B for an individual situation
- Calculating asset values at retail price rather than IRS quick-sale value (80% of fair market value)
- Failing to respond to IRS requests for additional information within the 30-day window on the notice
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Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
What is the difference between Form 433-A and Form 433-F?
Form 433-F is a shorter two-page statement used for smaller balances without a revenue officer. Form 433-A is a six-page full financial disclosure required for larger balances, PPIA requests, offer in compromise applications, and all cases involving an assigned revenue officer.
How does the IRS calculate the minimum acceptable offer in compromise?
The IRS calculates your reasonable collection potential—net realizable asset equity plus monthly disposable income multiplied by 12 months (lump sum) or 24 months (periodic payment). Your offer must meet or exceed this figure. Offers falling below RCP are rejected, and the 20% initial payment is nonrefundable.
At what debt level does the IRS require Form 433-A instead of a simpler form?
Streamlined installment agreements are available up to $50,000 without a full financial statement. For amounts above $50,000, Form 433-A or 433-F is typically required. When a revenue officer is assigned to any balance, Form 433-A is almost always mandatory. PPIA and OIC applications always require Form 433-A.
Do I need to include retirement accounts on Form 433-A?
Yes, all retirement accounts must be disclosed. For installment agreements and CNC status, the IRS generally won't require liquidation of retirement funds. For OIC applications, balances factor into the RCP calculation using the quick-sale value methodology, though certain retirement-specific considerations may apply during the review process.
Can I include my spouse’s income on Form 433-A?
Yes, for joint filers or residents of a community property state, both spouses' incomes must be included. The IRS evaluates the entire household's finances. In community property states — including California, Texas, and Arizona — spousal income may be considered for tax liabilities assessed separately.
What expenses does the IRS allow on Form 433-A?
The IRS uses collection financial standards: national standards cover food, clothing, and personal care; local standards cover housing, utilities, and transportation. Expenses within standard limits need no documentation; amounts exceeding them require proof. Court-ordered payments, mandatory payroll deductions, estimated tax payments, and certain healthcare costs are also permitted.