It’s true. However, these badges aren’t something the federal agency gives out for a job well done. Rather, tax professionals refer to these designations as badges of fraud. As the name suggests, these badges are indicators to the IRS that a taxpayer committed an error with possible fraudulent intent. This puts the taxpayer in danger of having to pay civil or criminal fines. In the most severe cases, prison time is Read More
Not All IRS Audits Are Created Equal
You don’t have to be a tax professional to know that a tax audit is not on anyone’s wish list. Most taxpayers think of an audit as a tremendous invasion of privacy wherein they have to produce documentation of every dollar they’ve ever earned. Some audits do require taxpayers to show numerous financial documents. Chances are, though, that if you are audited, you will never speak face-to-face with an IRS agent, Read More
IRS Liens Can Still Affect Your Credit
In April 2018, the three major credit reporting bureaus announced a shift in procedures: they would cease including federal tax liens on credit reports. This was welcome news to individuals and businesses struggling to pay tax debts. There are still several other ways, though, that tax liens (federal and state) can indirectly affect one’s credit and overall financial wellbeing. What is a Tax Lien? When an Read More
IRS Penalty Relief: First-Time Penalty Abatement
For all the doom and gloom surrounding “the IRS” — a mere mention of the federal agency is enough to make some taxpayers shudder — plenty of people might be surprised about how willing representatives are to help taxpayers settle tax liabilities and penalties. The IRS is typically more lenient toward taxpayers without a long rap sheet. In other words, you’re more likely to receive penalty relief for your first tax Read More
6 Common Deductions Taxpayers Overlook
Because the IRS extended the tax deadline by three months in 2020, it might seem like you were filing your taxes just the other day. However, it’s time to start thinking about paying taxes again, as there is no indication the yearly April 15 deadline will be moved again. Before you file, it’s worthwhile to ponder the deductions available to you. Many taxpayers are not aware of the numerous deductions and credits Read More
Own Cryptocurrency? Be Prepared for a Potential IRS Audit
At the risk of spreading a fear-mongering headline — theoretically, just about any U.S. taxpayer could be audited at any point by the Internal Revenue Service — it is true that cryptocurrency owners may now be at an increased risk of an audit. Recent actions by the IRS have given us clues that it is adding capacity to examine taxpayers who may not have complied with tax reporting requirements of cryptocurrency Read More
Payroll Tax Issues When You Misclassify Workers as Independent Contractors
No one wants to be in trouble with the IRS. Most of the time, you may not even be aware that a specific action could lead to a dispute. One of the most common mistakes is confusing whether a worker is an employee or an independent contractor. Sometimes the lines are blurred and it’s less clear than it should be. Here’s how the IRS defines the two: Employee - An employee is someone who works for you and you Read More
Three Types of IRS Summonses and How to Respond
Few things are more frightening to a taxpayer than receiving a summons from the IRS. You may automatically assume that you’ve been targeted for a criminal investigation when the reality is that the government regularly issues summonses for reasons that have nothing to do with suspicion of misconduct. Below is an overview of three types of summons you may receive from the IRS and how to respond appropriately. 1. For Read More
Practical Guidance on Filing Income Taxes Jointly or Separately
If you’ve recently wed, congratulations! One of the benefits of marrying the love of your life is being able to file one tax return for both of you. Are you still wondering why it’s beneficial to now file income taxes together, though? In this blog, we’ll break it down in an easy-to-understand way, plus we’ll give some essential information on claiming a child as a dependent. Reasons for Filing Jointly vs. Read More
IRS Levies vs. Liens
You might have been warned about the power of the IRS to place a lien on your home, bank accounts, or other assets if you don’t pay your taxes. What’s more, the IRS can seize your assets with a levy to satisfy any tax debts they allege you owe. Liens and levies are two distinct tools used by the IRS to collect on your tax liabilities. This blog will explore the main differences between a federal tax lien and levy and Read More
