Form 656
The official IRS application form for submitting an Offer in Compromise.
Full Definition
Form 656, Offer in Compromise, is the official form used to submit a settlement offer to the IRS. The form requires you to specify the amount you're offering to pay, choose between lump sum or periodic payment options, and provide information about the tax years or periods covered. Form 656 must be submitted with Form 433-A (or 433-B for businesses), an application fee, and an initial payment. The IRS publishes a low-income certification that removes the fee and the initial payment; the current amounts are on the IRS offer-in-compromise page. The IRS reviews the complete package and decides.
What to do next
Check the notice or letter you actually received: the dates and instructions printed on it govern, not this page. The IRS page linked in Sources is the authority on the rule itself.
Sources
- Form 656-B, Offer in Compromise Booklet (Rev. 4-2026) — Internal Revenue Service, retrieved 2026-08-20
Last reviewed 2026-08-20 by Tax Resolution Clarity editorial.
Sourced to primary IRS materials and editorially reviewed. Not reviewed by a tax professional. Not tax advice.
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Where to go next
The IRS publishes the rules this page describes. Your own notice governs your dates.