When Mary S’s* husband Gavin left her for the last time, she thought it was the start of a bright new future. No longer would she have to listen to Gavin’s angry tirades about his business — the rage at his employees who wouldn’t perform as he demanded, the fury at merchandise that didn’t meet his expectations, and the scorn and vitriol he piled upon his customers, first for not buying much when they came by the shop, and then for not coming by the shop at all. If it wasn’t the business that was making Gavin angry, it was something else — a bad night at the casino, more often than not, but if kids acted up, even a little, there was always an ugly scene. She loved Gavin once, but once he was gone, she loved life without him more.

That was, of course, until the IRS started sending notices. Notices about tax debt that she had no idea about. Gavin was apparently less than ethical with his business dealings, and soon Mary was hearing words like fraud from very intent IRS agents who demanded to know when she was going to settle a five-figure tax debt — and hefty penalties on top of that! There was even talk of putting a lien on the family home — the only place Mary had to stay with her children.

Mary was on the hook because she and Gavin had filed married filing jointly. She signed where he told her to sign, and never thought a thing about it. This happens to a lot of spouses, who are unaware of what their partner is doing financially. That’s why there’s the Innocent Spouse Relief provision was implemented. It’s there to protect those individuals who find themselves wrongfully saddled with the fallout from a spouse’s illegal, unethical actions. Under Innocent Spouse Relief, it’s possible you may not owe any tax.

Are you in the same spot Mary was in? Husbands and wives can need the protection the Innocent Spouse Relief offers. You can access Innocent Spouse Relief even if you’re still married — don’t assume this option is not open to you until you check! Contact TaxProblemsRUs and we’ll help you determine if Innocent Spouse Relief is the solution to your tax problems! You shouldn’t have to pay for someone else’s mistake!

Mary and Gavin’s names have been changed to protect their identity.