Can’t pay right now? Help alleviate your tax burden by using one of these four tried-and-true ways to achieve tax debt relief.

The best choice to repay your tax debt is always with a full payment. But for many of us, writing a large check to obtain tax debt relief is not feasible. However, there are several ways to pay without having the cash in hand.

One option is to obtain funds by borrowing from a bank, often by refinancing your home or a piece of property. You can also pay by credit card, though this is not always recommended because credit cards often have steep interest rates and nasty late fees – use credit cards as a last resort!

Another option is to request a six-month extension from the IRS to repay your tax debt. However, to receive this type of tax debt relief you have to prove financial hardship. As you can imagine, obtaining tax relief through this means requires a decent amount of paperwork.

If you believe you will be able to pay your tax debt with installments over 90 to 180 days, there is a great way to use partial payments without setting up an official program with the IRS. Basically, it works like this: When you file your taxes, include a partial payment of what you can afford. The IRS will contact you in 45 days and tell you how much of a balance you have remaining on your tax debt (they’ll also include interest and a late fee). Then you can send them additional funds. The IRS will repeat the process until they send you a formal notice they are going to institute the collection process – but in the mean time, you’ve bought yourself an extra 90-180 days to pay your tax debt!

Lastly, you can obtain tax debt relief by establishing a formalized payment plan with the IRS. If your tax debt is too great to pay in 180 days, this can be a good option. This requires the completion of two forms – the 9465 and the 433-A. The IRS will examine your income levels, tax debt amount, and other factors then determine if you are eligible for a tax debt installment plan and just how much your payments will be.

The important thing to remember is that there are many ways to become tax debt free. Contact a trained tax professional to see which is right for you.