Generally if one has an asset such as a home, the IRS will expect the taxpayer to borrow against it to pay delinquent taxes. In years past, I have been successful in showing the IRS that a retired couple living on Social Security or other small income cannot borrow against their home. Why? Because they do not have the present income and ability to repay the loan. Therefore I took the position that this asset was worthless to the IRS. However, lately the IRS has begun asking such a couple to take out a reverse mortgage to pay the taxes over time. Not everyone can qualify for a reverse mortgage so many times the IRS will not try to use the home as an asset. Also, IRS almost never tries to seize a primary residence to sell it, because it would not be good public policy to put families “on the street.”