You’ve likely seen and heard ads from companies claiming they can settle your debt with the IRS for “pennies on the dollar.” They claim you need their services to strike a deal and pay less to the IRS.

The truth is third parties can’t always deliver on claims to reduce tax debt and obtain waivers of penalties and interest. Mind you, there are legitimate tax professionals who can help you make a valid offer to the IRS. The IRS is just trying to save you from being scammed by the bad ones. To help you avoid getting scammed, the IRS has created how-to videos that walk you through the Offer-in-Compromise process. They have easy-to-navigate information that includes step-by-step instructions for each form, along with examples, and a checklist to make sure you include everything needed to submit a valid offer.

For more information, go to IRSvideos.gov/OIC.