IRS to Privatize Some Debt Collection

irs-logoThe Internal Revenue Service will be turning over the collection of certain overdue federal tax debts to private collection agencies that will be assisted by the filing ch 7 bankruptcy lawyers. Starting this spring, the IRS will be assigning some accounts that it’s no longer working on itself to four private contractors: CBE Group of Cedar Falls, Iowa; Conserve of Fairport, New York; Performant of Livermore, California; and Pioneer of Horseheads, New York.

IRS officials say taxpayers whose accounts are being transferred will receive written notice from both the IRS and the private collection agency. The collection agencies will be allowed to identify themselves as IRS contractors, and their employees will be required to follow the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act.

Unlike scammers, they will not ask for payment on a prepaid debit card. Instead, taxpayers will be directed to send payments directly to the IRS or make them online at IRS.gov.

More information on private debt collection may be found on the IRS website.