tarry
Oct 11, 2007, 11:29 AM
Can the IRS attach or take any monies from your social secruity retirement checks, for an unpaid debt to the IRS?
AtlantaTaxExpert
Oct 12, 2007, 10:25 AM
If you have other sources of income (other pensions, investments. Dividends, interest earned) and you do not depend on the SS check to pay for the necessities of life, then, yes, the IRS can and will attempt to garnish your SS check to pay back taxes.
However, if you can show that the SS check is needed to maintain your standard of living over a set level (which varies across the country), then the IRS cannot touch your Social Security check.
You have to prove your case, but that is normally not too difficult.