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TABLE OF CONTENTS Settlement Authority
- The Attorney General, Deputy Attorney General, and Associate Attorney General
- The Assistant Attorney General
- Joint Committee on Taxation
- Trial Section
- Appellate Section
- Solicitor General
- Office of Review
- Deputy Assistant Attorneys General
- United States Attorneys
- Conditions and limitations on settlement authority
- Determination of settlement jurisdiction amounts
- Classification of cases as "Standard" or "Settlement Option" ("SOP")
- Internal Revenue Service authority to settle bankruptcy cases -- the exception to the general rule
- The general rule
- Internal Revenue Service authority to settle bankruptcy cases
- Before or after objection to a proofof claim has been filed
- Before an objection to a proof of claim has been filed
- After an objection to a proof of claim has been filed
- Policy and practical considerations
- Settlement versus litigation: In general
- The need for preparation
- The need for communication with the IRS
- Concessions -- the Trial Attorney's role
- Initial matters to be considered regardless of the likelihood of settlement
- Collection cases and counterclaims
- Refund cases
- Offsets
- Double allowances in other years or with respect to other taxpayers
- Equitable recoupment
- Employment tax cases
- Negotiation
- Basic principles
- Formal settlement discussions
- Settlement conferences with the court
- Partial settlements
- Factors favoring settlement generally, and factors generally rendering settlement difficult or unlikely
- Factors favoring settlement include the following
- Factors disfavoring settlement include the following
- Attorney fees
- Computations
- Interest
- Section 6402 of the Code
- Offer and acknowledgement
- Counteroffers
- Concessions and administrative settlement
- Soliciting the Internal Revenue Service recommendation
- Compromises
- Standard cases
- SOP cases
- Taxpayers and/or periods not in suit
- The 45-day rule
- Concessions
- The offer list
- The offer list and how it is used
- Why the Tax Division cares about the pace of settlement
- What an attorney can do to "stay off the list"
- Settlement and concession memoranda
- Settlement Checklist
- Special considerations on submission of case to Office of Review
- Responsibility of the Assistant United States Attorneys in Tax Division cases
- Acceptance letters and other correspondence
- Issuance of refunds
- Preparation of Forms M-4457 authorizing issuance of refund
- Verifying correctness of the refund check whether the refund is pursuant to settlement or judgment
Offset, Double Allowances -- Mitigation of Limitations, and Equitable Recoupment
- Offset
- Double allowances -- mitigation of limitations (§§ 1311-1314)
- Sections 1311-1314 -- an overview
- Illustration
- Pertinent considerations re applicability of the mitigation provisions
- Where mitigation does not apply
- Equitable recoupment
- The general principle
- Estate tax-income tax interrelationships
- Employment taxes
- General considerations
- Sources of financial information
- Statement of financial condition and other information
- Income tax returns
- Applications for loans
- Taxpayer-owned businesses
- Terms of settlement
- Cash payments
- Collateral agreements
- Contingent payments based on future income
- Waiver of carryover of losses and credits
- Taxpayer's residence
- Alternatives to a collateral agreement
- Waiver of deductions or credits
- Security for amounts due under compromise
- Receipt and monitoring of payments
- Acceptance letters and closing cases after settlement
- When full payment is made
- Default on a settlement
Alternative dispute resolution
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Title Page || Contents || Section I || Section II || Section III
Section IV || Section V || Section VI || Appendices
Table of Cases and Authorities
Uploaded March 30, 1998
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