IRS Forms

Form 433-F Instructions: A Line-by-Line Walkthrough (2026)

By Angeline Balsitis, EA · Reviewed by Melissa Ly, Chief Tax Officer · Updated March 19, 2026 · Editorial Standards

What Form 433-F is and when you need it

Form 433-F is the short version of the IRS Collection Information Statement. The IRS uses it to see your full financial picture so it can decide what kind of payment arrangement you qualify for. You can read the official form and its instructions on the IRS About Form 433-F page.

You usually need Form 433-F when:

• You owe more than the streamlined limit and can't pay in full.
• You want a monthly payment lower than what the standard math requires.
• You're asking the IRS to place your account in Currently Not Collectible (CNC) status because paying anything would create hardship.
• The Automated Collection System (ACS) — the IRS's automated phone and notice unit — asks you to prove your finances.

If you owe $50,000 or less and can pay it off within 72 months, you often don't need this form at all — you can set up a streamlined plan online. We cover that path in our guide on what to do when you get a CP14 and can't pay.

Documents to gather before you start

The IRS verifies the numbers on Form 433-F. If your form and your paperwork don't match, the request gets delayed or denied. Pull these together first:

• Your three most recent pay stubs (or proof of self-employment income).
• Your last three months of bank statements for every account.
• Current statements for credit cards, loans, and lines of credit.
• Proof of monthly expenses: rent or mortgage, utilities, insurance, car payments, and out-of-pocket medical costs.
• Recent statements for retirement accounts, investments, and life insurance with cash value.

Form 433-F instructions, section by section

The form fits on one page, but each box has a purpose. Here's what each section is really asking.

Section A — Accounts and lines of credit

List every checking, savings, money market, and online payment account, plus any investment or retirement accounts. Include the bank name, account number, and current balance. Also list credit cards and lines of credit with their limits and balances. Don't leave accounts off — the IRS can see them, and missing accounts look like hiding assets.

Section B — Real estate

Enter any property you own: your home, rental property, or land. You'll show the purchase date, current fair market value, what you still owe, and your monthly payment. The gap between value and loan balance is your equity, and the IRS pays close attention to it.

Section C — Other assets

This covers vehicles, whole life insurance with cash value, and business assets if you're self-employed. List the year, make, value, loan balance, and monthly payment for each vehicle. Again, the IRS is calculating equity.

Section D — Credit cards

Some versions break out credit cards here. List the card type, balance, and available credit. This helps the IRS see your short-term debt load.

Section E — Business information

If you own a business, you'll report its name, accounts receivable, and whether you have employees. Self-employed taxpayers fill this out carefully — business and personal finances get reviewed together.

Section F — Employment and income

Report your job, your spouse's job, and how often you're paid. Then enter gross monthly income from wages, self-employment, Social Security, pensions, and any other source. Use actual, current numbers — not last year's tax return figure if your pay has changed.

Section G — Monthly necessary living expenses

This is the most important section. You list food, housing, utilities, transportation, health care, and other monthly costs. The catch: the IRS doesn't always use your actual spending. For many categories it applies its own Collection Financial Standards — national and local caps on what it considers reasonable. Your income minus these allowed expenses is what the IRS believes you can pay each month.

A simple worked example

Say your gross monthly income is $4,500. After the IRS applies allowable living expenses — housing, food, transportation, and health care under its standards — it calculates $4,050 in allowed costs. That leaves $450 a month. The IRS would generally expect a $450 monthly installment payment. If your real expenses are higher than the standards, you may need documentation to justify going above the caps. This is exactly where good preparation changes the result.

Common mistakes that cost money

• Leaving accounts or assets off. The IRS already has third-party data. Omissions stall your case and damage credibility.
• Using outdated income. Report current numbers your pay stubs back up.
• Overstating expenses you can't prove. Anything above the standards needs documentation.
• Math errors. A wrong total can mean a higher monthly payment than you owe.
• Forgetting to sign and date. An unsigned form is treated as not filed.

How to complete and submit Form 433-F, step by step

1. Download the current form from the IRS website and gather your supporting documents.
2. Fill in each section using accurate, current numbers — accounts, real estate, assets, income, and expenses.
3. Compare your expenses to the Collection Financial Standards so you know where the IRS may push back.
4. Attach proof for income and expenses, and double-check that every figure matches your paperwork.
5. Sign and date the form. Keep a complete copy for your records.
6. Submit it where the IRS told you — by fax, mail, or to the revenue officer or ACS unit handling your account, before any deadline on your notice.

If you've received a Final Notice and a levy is on the table, review the LT11 notice guide first — your 433-F is often the document that stops collection while a payment plan is approved.

Form 433-F questions, answered

This guide is general information, not tax or legal advice for your specific situation. Eligibility for IRS programs depends on individual facts and circumstances; no outcome is guaranteed.

Related: learn more about handling a CP14 you can't pay, the LT11 Final Notice of Intent to Levy, and the CP504 notice — or browse all guides.