Sunday, March 10, 2024
HomePopularCan You File Bankruptcy On Business Taxes

Can You File Bankruptcy On Business Taxes

Does Bankruptcy Clear Tax Debt

What do you do with your tax refund before filing bankruptcy and what can you spend it on?

Filing for bankruptcy can clear tax debt depending on the nature and circumstances of your situation. Certain tax obligations may be discharged, forgiven, or managed in a bankruptcy filing. Here are some of the criteria that the IRS will consider when deciding whether or not you or your business is eligible for complete tax forgiveness.

  • The dates you filed your required returns : The IRS is more likely to assist you when they see that you have made an effort to pay your taxes on time.
  • The age of the taxes: The IRS is going to examine the date the returns were last due or meant to be filed.
  • The date of assessment of the taxes.
  • Willfulness: If the IRS has any reason to believe that you willfully attempted to evade payment of the tax by fraud they will immediately dismiss any tax forgiveness through bankruptcy.

Whether or not the IRS will grant tax bankruptcy discharge is directly tied to the above factors as well as any other miscellaneous factors that pertain to the particular chapter you choose to file under.

Your Trustee May Sell Your Assets

You are able to keep:

  • ordinary household goods
  • tools up to a;set amount used to earn an income and
  • vehicle with a value up to a;set amount.;

Your trustee can sell other assets including your house and property.;You must not dispose of any property belonging to the trustee. You must declare any assets you have when you apply for bankruptcy and any you receive during bankruptcy.

If You Declare Bankruptcy Do You Still Owe The Cra

Owing money to the CRA can be stressful. There are many ways you can wind up in tax debt, such as not filing your personal income tax returns, failing to pay taxes on business income, HST payments for the self-employed, or inadequate payroll deductions from your employer if you work multiple jobs.

When you owe the CRA money, they charge penalties and interest on unpaid amounts. There is a late filing penalty of 5% plus 1% of your balance owing each month, and the penalty increases if you repeatedly fail to report income. Once you start owing money, it starts to grow, and theres no hiding from it.

If youre afraid that you are going to owe the government money, dont delay filing your taxes. You will only incur harsher penalties and wind up owing more in the end.

The Canada Revenue Agency can garnish your wages, seize your bank accounts, or even register a lien on your home. Given the broad collection powers available to the agency, the sooner you can act on CRA debt, the better. Fortunately, filing bankruptcy or a consumer proposal can stop CRA collection actions.

A common question we hear at David Sklar & Associates is does bankruptcy cover tax debt in Canada? When you , you can include tax debt, but its not the only way to fix the problem! A consumer proposal provides debt relief from unsecured creditors and includes debt forgiveness from CRA as well.

Also Check: Can You File Bankruptcy On Your Own

Special Rules For Student Loans

Special rules apply to other types of government debt as well. For example, student loan debt isnât usually dischargeable during Chapter 7. Debtors must usually show undue hardship to discharge their education debt. Undue hardship means different things in different parts of the country because the Supreme Court has not ruled on this issue.

Sole Proprietors May Get Help With Personal Debt

Can You File Bankruptcy on Taxes?

While most small business owners will file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, sole proprietors have another option: Chapter 13. With this option, you may be able to list both personal and professional debts in your bankruptcy filing. For example, if you operate your business out of your home, you may be able to include missed rent payments.

Another way Chapter 13 bankruptcy helps sole proprietors is by keeping them in business. You may be able to stay operational as you work down your debt and get out of bankruptcy over time.;

Using the home-based business again, it is much harder to liquidate assets as these sole proprietors would have to sell their houses and their cars to pay off debt, leaving them homeless and otherwise unable to work.;

However, the combination of your personal and professional finances in Chapter 13 bankruptcy may impact your . Chapter 7 bankruptcy is recorded on your credit report for up to 10 years, while Chapter 13 is reported for up to 7 years.;;

In some cases, bankruptcy is unavoidable. If you decide that you need to go this route, make sure you know your options. Be informed about the bankruptcy process and the steps you can take to make it go smoother.;

Read Also: How To File For Bankruptcy For Credit Card Debt

How To Deduct Bankruptcy Loss On Taxes

As any business owner or investor knows, positive returns from extending business credit or purchasing stock are never absolutely guaranteed. If a company you invested in, or extended credit to declares bankruptcy, it’s possible to offset at least part of your loss when filling out your federal income tax return. First, however, you need to clarify the nature of the loss.

Chapter 11: Business Reorganization

Chapter 11 may be a better choice for businesses that may have a realistic chance to turn things around. Chapter 11 business bankruptcy is usually used for partnerships and corporations. It is also used by sole proprietorships whose income levels are too high to qualify for Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

Chapter 11 is a plan where a company reorganizes and continues in business under a court-appointed trustee. The company files a detailed plan of reorganization outlining how it will deal with its creditors. The company can terminate contracts and leases, recover assets, and repay a portion of its debts while discharging others to return to profitability. It presents the plan to its creditors will vote on the plan. If the court finds the plan is fair and equitable, it will approve the plan.

Reorganization plans provide for payments to creditors over some time. Chapter 11 bankruptcies are exceedingly complex and not all succeed. It usually takes over a year to confirm a plan.;

Recommended Reading: What Can They Take In Bankruptcy

Negotiating Debt Outside Of Bankruptcy

If you have substantial valuable assets and decide that filing Chapter 7 won’t work for you, you should assume that creditors will come collecting soon. Being proactive and initiating a debt settlement for less than what you owe could be a good idea. If successful, you’d likely need to sell some property to satisfy the negotiated debt. But you can save money there, too. Not only will this approach avoid the added cost of the trustee’s fee, but you’d likely be able to hold out for a higher price and get more than the trustee would be able to at an auction-type sale.

Debt settlement or bankruptcy lawyers can work with creditors on your behalf, but as a business person, you’re likely an experienced negotiator. Because debt collection methods have changed over the years, you might want to brush up on some of the newer practices.

What About My Tax Refund

Can I File Bankruptcy on Back Taxes?

This question comes up quite a bit. If you anticipate a large refund, talk about this issue with your attorney. It may be a good idea to delay filing until after you receive your tax year refund for the past year. Technically, when consumers file for bankruptcy, all their non-exempt property goes to the trustee. That includes tax refunds. Since the policies vary depending on where you live, you may be able to use the wildcard exemption to exempt the tax return.

Let’s Summarize…

Owing past-due income taxes can be stressful. These bills are often so high that, even if you fall behind a little, you could end up owing a lot of money. Fortunately, if your debts meet certain requirements, filing Chapter 7 bankruptcy can erase past-due income tax debt in one fell swoop.

Read Also: How Many Times Can You File Bankruptcy In A Year

What Are The Requirements For Tax Discharge

There are a number of pre-requisites that have to be met before you can solve your bankruptcy tax debt. In order to be cleared of all income tax debt , the following minimum requirements have to be met:

  • 3 years need to have passed since your returns were last due to be filedthis includes any extensions that you may have received.
  • The returns were filed in a timely manner or its been at least 2 years since the returns were filed.
  • There was no fraud or attempts to avoid and evade paying the IRS .
  • The taxes havent been assessed in the last 240 days.

Sometimes, there are occasional exceptions and ways to get around the above requirements. You shouldnt give up on filing for bankruptcy to absolve yourself of tax debt until you have a qualified professional take a look at your files first. Even if you cant completely get rid of your tax debt through bankruptcy, you may be able to get a partial tax bankruptcy discharge for some of itand set up a payment plan for the rest.

How To File For Corporate Bankruptcy

The general steps for corporations to apply for bankruptcy are the same as the steps for applying for personal bankruptcy and small business bankruptcy:

  • Find and meet with an LIT.
  • The LIT will review your situation and advise you.
  • If the decision to voluntarily declare bankruptcy is made, the LIT will file the necessary paperwork with the OSB, and will notify your creditors that you are filing for bankruptcy.
  • The corporations assets and day-to-day management will be turned over to the LIT, and if applicable to a receiver.
  • Certain creditors may have special claims in priority to other creditors.
  • The corporate assets will be sold and the proceeds will be distributed to its creditors.
  • Your creditors may hold a meeting to request more information about the bankruptcy.
  • The OSB may request an examination of the circumstances of your bankruptcy.
  • The corporation may be discharged from bankruptcy only if all debts owing to creditors have been paid.
  • Read Also: What Does Declaring Bankruptcy Do For You

    Does Bankruptcy Clear State Tax Debt

    State tax debts can sometimes be cleared by filing for bankruptcy. It depends on the type of tax debt that is owed. Many of the same rules apply to state income tax debt and tax debt owed to the Internal Revenue Service , but not all. In this article, you’ll learn about:

    • state rules for wiping out tax debt
    • state taxes that aren’t dischargeable in bankruptcy, and
    • paying off nondischargeable tax in Chapter 13 bankruptcy.

    Be aware that tax liability resulting from business ownership, such as sales, withholding, and franchise tax, have specific rules that vary between states. Youll want to speak with an experienced attorney about your particular case.

    You Go Through The Same Process As Debt Consolidation

    Learn How You Can File Bankruptcy and Keep Your Tax Refund ...

    There is no need to file for bankruptcy right away. The process is complicated and can significantly impact your reputation and business.;

    Instead, start with the basic debt relief and consolidation steps to better understand your financial situation. You will need to do this exercise if you file for bankruptcy, so it wont hurt to do it beforehand.;

    During the debt consolidation process, you review all obligations to determine which debts can be paid immediately, which ones can be combined, and which ones can be delayed. Essentially, you are optimizing your debt repayment plan and finding the best recourse for your business.

    For example, you may be able to use a short term loan to pay off several debts at once, consolidating the obligations into one reasonable low-interest loan.

    Once you have consolidated your debt, you can move forward with selling unnecessary equipment and cutting back on business expenses.

    With these steps completed, you can see whether or not you need to declare bankruptcy. Fortunately, the process should be easier now that your debt is consolidated and your assets are reviewed.;

    Recommended Reading: Can You Buy A Car After Filing Bankruptcy

    Managing Irs Debt With Chapter 13 Bankruptcy

    For taxes that arent dischargeable in a Chapter 7 case , Chapter 13 bankruptcy might be a viable alternative. In a Chapter 13 case, youll propose a repayment plan over three to five years. The monthly amount will depend on the type of debt, the amount you owe, and how much disposable income you have.

    Some debts get special treatment because of their importance, like recent income taxes, child support, and alimony. These priority debts must be paid fully over the course of the payment plan. Nonpriority debts, like older taxes and credit cards, may or may not be paid depending on how much disposable income remains after accounting for your reasonable and necessary expenses. Any nonpriority debts not paid through the plan will get discharged at the end of the case.

    Debt In Chapter 7 Bankruptcy

    A sole proprietor can discharge many debts in Chapter 7, such as credit card balances, medical bills, past-due lease obligations, utility bills, personal loans, and gym memberships, regardless of whether it’s a business or consumer debt. It’s even possible to discharge mortgages, car payments, and other secured debts, but you’ll have to give back the property serving as collateral.

    Bankruptcy doesn’t erase all obligations, however. Common nondischargeable debts include most tax and support obligations, student loans, fines and penalties owed to the government, and debts incurred through fraud.

    Also Check: Is It Better To Settle Debt Or File Bankruptcy

    How Does The Bankruptcy Filing Process Work

    Federal courts handle bankruptcies. To get the ball rolling with bankruptcy, you must file a petition with your local federal bankruptcy court. The petition asks for information like your name and address, debt amounts, number of creditors, and asset value.;

    Once you send the petition, you receive an automatic stay. That means your creditors must stop trying to collect money from you.

    You must also file bankruptcy schedules when starting the bankruptcy process. The schedules list your assets and liabilities, income and expenses, and contracts and leases.

    The type of bankruptcy you file and your business structure affect what happens after filing. In some cases, your business debts are dismissed. But depending on the type of bankruptcy and structure you operate under, your personal assets could be at risk.

    How To Rebuild Your Finances And Credit After Bankruptcy

    Can Cannabis Industry Businesses File For Bankruptcy?

    Your credit will take a big hit after filing for bankruptcy. Most of your assets will be liquified during the bankruptcy process for paying off your debts. So to start a new business, it is essential to rebuild your credit and finances.

    Here are the four most effective steps to help rebuild your finances and credit:

    Also Check: How Long Does Bankruptcy Stay On Credit Report

    Are There Other Ways To Limit My Companys Tax Obligations During Bankruptcy

    You might not be able to discharge all of your business tax obligations, but you may have other options for dealing with your debt if you are behind on taxes when you decide to declare bankruptcy. Sometimes, it makes sense to work out installment payment plans with the IRS or enter into an agreement to pay a reduced amount, called an Offer in Compromise.

    In addition, the CARES Act passed in March 2020 revised the U.S. Bankruptcy Code to make it easier for some business owners to declare Chapter 11 bankruptcy, which has historically not been a realistic option for many small business owners. Under Chapter 11 reorganizations, business owners may be able to extend their timeframe for payment of unsecured tax debts for up to five years.

    The CARES Act bankruptcy code changes are scheduled to expire in March 2021, as of the date of this article. Talk to your attorney to explore whether and to what extent these changes could benefit you if you are planning on filing a bankruptcy petition before these beneficial Chapter 11 code changes expire.

    You Still Have To Pay Off Your Debt

    Your small business is not absolved of debt just because you declare bankruptcy. On the contrary, the courts you work with will prioritize reorganizing your company to ensure the debts are paid.;

    It is very rare that a company declares bankruptcy and has its debt forgiven. Even if creditors accept a loss on your loan or take a smaller payment, you will still be responsible for paying off the new agreed-upon amount.

    Bankruptcy courts work to maximize the amount that you can pay off to help your creditors recoup their losses.;

    This reality is why most financial experts recommend looking for ways to reduce your debt on your own before choosing the more drastic option of filing for bankruptcy. Moreover, by working with creditors and taking a proactive approach to finding a resolution outside bankruptcy courts, you can save your business and credit score.

    Read Also: How Does A Bankruptcy Affect Credit Score

    Dealing With Tax Debt In And Out Of Bankruptcy

    4 minute read ⢠Upsolve is a nonprofit tool that helps you file bankruptcy for free. Think TurboTax for bankruptcy. Get free education, customer support, and community. Featured in Forbes 4x and funded by institutions like Harvard University so we’ll never ask you for a credit card. Explore our free tool

    In a Nutshell

    While bankruptcy isnât always the best solution, discharging an old tax debt through Chapter 7 bankruptcy or paying it off through a Chapter 13 bankruptcy is possible.

    Written by Attorney Andrea Wimmer. Â;

    If you owe federal taxes to the Internal Revenue Service youâre not alone. In 2019 alone, more than 23 million tax returns showed a balance due to the government.If youâre confused because youâve heard that you canât erase tax debts through bankruptcy, thatâs pretty normal, too. Ultimately, even though there are limitations on what kind of tax debt can be discharged in bankruptcy, itâs not impossible.Â;

    Plus, once a bankruptcy case is filed, collections of all debts – including tax debts for the most part – has to stop. This automatic stay remains in effect until the bankruptcy discharge has been entered.Â;

    RELATED ARTICLES

    Popular Articles