What You Need to Know About IRS Form 8379 – Injured Spouse Allocation
Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) Form 8379 Injured Spouse Allocation is a form that can be submitted with the jointly filed individual tax return when it is anticipated that the refund will be used to offset past-due obligations of the other spouse. By filing this form, the injured spouse (non- debtor spouse) is requesting the IRS to not have his/her share of the refund applied to the other spouse’s debt obligation.
When married couples file a joint individual tax return, under the principle law of joint and several liability, both the taxpayer and spouse are held responsible for the tax liability and certain debts. Some examples of debts susceptible to being seized by the IRS are:
- Federal income taxes
- State income taxes
- Unpaid child support
- Delinquent student loan debt
- Unpaid spousal support
- State unemployment compensation
This form can be filed with the tax return or filed separately. If Form 8379 is filed separately, it is important to remember to attach a copy of all Forms W-2 and 1099’s that report Federal withholding. If not attached this can result in delays for the IRS to process the form.
The due date for filing Form 8379 is three years from the due date of the original tax return (April 15th) or two years from the date the tax refund was applied to the debt obligation. This form must also be filed each year the non-debtor spouse is requesting relief.
If you have any questions regarding this information or belief that you may be entitled to an injured spouse allocation, please contact our office at 757-399-7506 to further discuss your situation.
Ask Kit Kat: Forward Food Team
Hook Law Center: Kit Kat, what is the Forward Food Team, and how does it help animals?
Kit Kat: Well, the Forward Food Team is a project of the Humane Society of the United States (HSUS). It fosters training in preparing food which is meatless, yet tasty. A prime example is its partnership with the U.S. Military. A sweet potato and black bean burrito recipe created by the HSUS has been approved by the Department of Defense (DOD) to be served on military bases. This is a huge achievement for HSUS, because DOD has some very strict nutrition regulations. HSUS also has developed recipes for lasagna and tacos using a plant-based meat substitute. Soldiers are apparently enjoying the food. 90% have reacted positively to the menu changes. Stefanie Heath, a HSUS food and nutrition specialist, says, “As long as it tastes good, they’ll eat it.” In addition, military chefs are being trained in plant-based nutrition on several bases and at Fort Lee, an Army base in Virginia, which is an important culinary training center. Gradually, there will be more and more plant-based options on the menu.
HSUS’ Food Forward also partners with universities, K-12 school districts, hospitals, and other groups to include plant-based menu options. In all, 2000 chefs have been trained nationwide. That translates into 10.3 million animal lives saved. Kudos to HSUS to all the institutions who are willing to experiment with their menu options to provide tasty food which is at the same time animal-friendly. (Kelly L. Williams, “Meatless in the mess hall,” All Animals, March/April/May 2019, p. 11)
