When Do You Have to Talk?
Unless the IRS issues a collection summons (a legal order to appear at an IRS office), you do not have to reveal the facts or location of your assets or property. It is perfectly legal not to give information to the IRS or to ask to speak with a Tax Professional before answering any questions. The IRS may already know where some of you property or money is since they search public records. Often, however, the IRS doesn’t have a clue – unless you tell them. This holds especially true if your assets are in another state.
The best thing to do is to simply tell the agent that you are calling to make some arrangements to pay them, but feel uncomfortable answering so many personal questions. He may press the issue and say you have to answer or they can go no further. Although reasoning with an IRS agent is difficult (many are simply automatons), you may explain that you are calling to get square and will be happy to give them everything they need but when you fell comfortable. Explain you need to know a few simple questions, like how much you and for if they show any unfiled tax returns. Tell him depending on the amount you may be able to pay in full and that is why you are calling.
There is some information you will need from the IRS to make a deal with them and if you get a stubborn agent, you can excuse yourself from the call and try your luck with the next person who answers the phone. Another is to tell him if that he must the requested information to move forward you will give him false information to meet the requirements. You could inform him that you are an obsessive-compulsive liar and then go forward. These options may very well piss him off, in that case tell him you are only kidding, after all you just stated you could not help lying. It is a quandary to overcome the quandary they created. However, do not do this if you are under oath – not a good idea. If you ask any tax professional, they will tell you IRS agents lie all the time not that it justifies you doing so.
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