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The Daily Insight

Will I get my taxes if I owe taxes?

Author

Sarah Duran

Published May 16, 2026

In most cases, the IRS will not send a tax refund to individuals owing back taxes. However, if the refund amount exceeds the amount owed, the IRS will send any remaining refund to the taxpayer after the tax debt is settled.

What happens when you owe taxes?

The IRS will provide up to 120 days to taxpayers to pay their full tax balance. Fees or cost: There’s no fee to request the extension. There is a penalty of 0.5% per month on the unpaid balance. Action required: Complete an online payment agreement, call the IRS at (800) 829-1040 or get an expert to handle it for you.

Do owed taxes ever go away?

As a general rule, there is a ten year statute of limitations on IRS collections. This means that the IRS can attempt to collect your unpaid taxes for up to ten years from the date they were assessed. Subject to some important exceptions, once the ten years are up, the IRS has to stop its collection efforts.

What happens if you owe taxes to the IRS?

Owing back taxes to the IRS, will more than likely result in a tax lien * placed on the deceased’s home, car, or any other valuable assets. All these items are apart of their estate and will affect the heirs to the inheritance.

Do you have to pay your spouse’s taxes back if you file jointly?

No. If your spouse incurred tax debt from a previous income tax filing before you were married, you are not liable. However, if you file jointly then any tax refund that you receive may be intercepted to pay off part of the debt. Your spouse cannot receive money back from the IRS until they pay the agency what they owe.

What to do when a deceased person owes back taxes?

When gathering all of the deceased information, you may find out that they owe money. If you rather take matters into your own hands, we wrote an article on what to do when a deceased person owes back taxes . Alternatively, you can hire a tax lawyer who is experienced in handling tax debt and collection efforts.

Who is liable if my husband owes back taxes?

A:If you were married when your spouse incurred the back taxes, then yes. When you file jointly, then you assume “joint and several” liability. That means you’re on the hook for any taxes your husband owes. If you file separately (individually), then you would not be liable because you both assume individual liability.