If you owe the IRS back taxes, it could affect your life in more ways than one. Lance S. Cox Attorney at Law is a Cincinnati tax attorney who understands how stressful it can be to owe the IRS a significant amount of money. If you have questions about income taxes or tax preparation, turn to his experienced team for quality legal counsel. Here, Lance S. Cox Attorney at Law explains the repercussions of owing back taxes.

In 2015, Congress passed H.R.22, which became law at the start of 2016. Under Section 32101, states are prohibited from issuing passports to individuals who have a delinquent tax debt of more than $50,000. When the concept of Section 32101 was first proposed in 2012, it was not well received. However, three years later, both Congress and President Obama signed it into law.

For this passport regulation to work, the Department of State must work alongside the Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service. If the IRS notifies the Department of the Treasury that an individual has an excessive delinquent tax debt, the Treasury must then disclose this information to the Department of State. Upon receiving this information, the State is prohibited from issuing or renewing a passport to the individual in question.

If the individual is abroad, the government will permit a limited passport for their return to the United States. Additionally, passports are permitted in emergency circumstances and for humanitarian purposes. Otherwise, the IRS will exercise its right to restrict your travel if you owe more than $50,000 in back taxes.

If you are concerned about losing your passport because you owe back taxes, turn to Lance S. Cox Attorney at Law in Cincinnati, OH. Visit the website to learn more about his areas of practice, and call (513) 528-6000 to schedule an initial consultation with a trusted tax attorney today.