2026 UPDATE: All guides now verified for OBBBA Compliance and 2026 IRS Local Standards.

E-E-A-T Source Library

Source Registry

Every law, manual section, and administrative ruling used to build the guides and calculators on this site. Updated for 2026.

21 verified sources4 categoriesLast reviewed April 2026

Internal Revenue Code (IRC)

Primary federal tax statutes enacted by Congress. These are the laws — the IRS cannot override them.

SourceOfficial TitleLink
IRC § 6502

Collection After Assessment — Length of Period of Collection

Defines the 10-year Collection Statute Expiration Date (CSED) on all federal tax debt.

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IRC § 6321

Lien for Taxes

Establishes the statutory basis for the creation of federal tax liens upon failure to pay after demand.

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IRC § 6330

Notice and Opportunity for Hearing Before Levy

Grants taxpayers the right to a Collection Due Process (CDP) hearing before the IRS can levy property.

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IRC § 6343

Authority to Release Levy and Return Property

Defines the conditions under which the IRS must release an active levy, including economic hardship and installment agreements.

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IRC § 6672

Failure to Collect and Pay Over Tax

Establishes personal liability (Trust Fund Recovery Penalty) for responsible persons who willfully fail to remit payroll trust fund taxes.

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IRC § 7122

Compromises

Grants the IRS authority to settle tax debts for less than the full amount owed — the legal basis for the Offer in Compromise program.

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IRC § 6159

Agreements for Payment of Tax Liability in Installments

Authorizes installment agreements and defines the IRS's authority to modify or terminate them.

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IRC § 6015

Relief from Joint and Several Liability on Joint Return

Defines the three forms of Innocent Spouse Relief available to taxpayers jointly liable for a spouse's tax errors.

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IRC § 6212

Notice of Deficiency

Governs the issuance of Notices of Deficiency and establishes the 90-day window to petition the U.S. Tax Court.

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Internal Revenue Manual (IRM)

The IRS's internal procedural manual. These are the rules IRS employees must follow when administering the law.

SourceOfficial TitleLink
IRM 5.15.1

Financial Analysis Handbook

Defines Allowable Expenses, Quick Sale Value methodology, and RCP calculation procedures used in our OIC Calculator.

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IRM 5.8.1

Offer in Compromise Overview

Procedural rules for OIC submission evaluation, acceptance criteria, and rejection standards.

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IRM 8.25.1

Trust Fund Recovery Penalty

Defines the TFRP assessment process, responsible person interviews (Form 4180), and penalty contestation procedures.

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IRM 5.12.1

Federal Tax Liens

Standardized protocols for NFTL filing, lien discharge, subordination, withdrawal, and release procedures.

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IRM 5.14.1

Statute of Limitations

Governs CSED computation, tolling event identification, and statute verification procedures.

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IRM 5.16.1

Currently Not Collectible

Defines CNC status criteria, financial analysis requirements, and account monitoring procedures.

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IRM 8.23.1

Collection Appeals Program

Procedures for the Collection Appeals Program (CAP), including eligibility, timelines, and limitations.

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IRM 20.1.1

Penalty Handbook — Failure to File / Pay

Defines failure-to-file and failure-to-pay penalty rates, First-Time Abatement criteria, and reasonable cause standards.

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Public Laws — OBBBA (P.L. 119-21)

Specific provisions of the One Big Beautiful Bill Act affecting tax resolution calculations in 2026.

SourceOfficial TitleLink
P.L. 119-21, § 101

Qualified Overtime Deduction (OBBBA)

Establishes the above-the-line deduction for qualified overtime pay ($12,500 single / $25,000 joint) reducing Monthly Disposable Income in OIC calculations.

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P.L. 119-21, § 203

1099-NEC Reporting Threshold Adjustment (OBBBA)

Raises the Form 1099-NEC reporting threshold from $600 to $2,000 for payments to non-employees, effective tax year 2026.

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Revenue Rulings & Administrative Notices

Real-time IRS guidance on rates, thresholds, and procedural changes. Updated as new rulings are published.

SourceOfficial TitleLink
Rev. Rul. 2026-5

Q2 2026 Federal Interest Rates

Sets the underpayment interest rate at 6% (annual) for Q2 2026 (April 1 – June 30). Used in all daily interest accrual calculations on this site.

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IR-2026 (Pending)

2026 Collection Financial Standards Postponement

IRS announcement delaying the annual update to Collection Financial Standards from April 1 to June 1, 2026. All calculators use the current transitional data.

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