Dealing with an IRS tax issue is always a stressful time. There are a lot about taxes that the average person doesn’t know or understand, so it can be particularly daunting when you have to figure out what to do next. Trouble with the IRS can be made even worse if you are having financial problems and have been unable to pay your bills, including outstanding tax debts. Whenever you’re unable to pay your tax debts, Read More
Cancellation of Debt Income
Debt Income Many people receive income without even being aware of it. If you owe a debt, and the debt is forgiven or canceled, the Internal Revenue Code treats this canceled debt as income. Let's say you owe on your credit cards. You reach an agreement to pay a portion of the total amount owed, and the credit card company agrees to forgive the remainder of the debt. You may be taxed on the amount that you were Read More
Taxes to Consider When Opening a Business in Washington State
Your dream to open your own business is nearly upon you. You’ve perfected your business plan, picked an ideal location, paid for the applicable licenses, and handpicked your all-star staff. Your witty radio advertisement on your favorite morning show and the viral marketing you initiated are drumming up loads of interest. Now, the last step before you can open your doors is to figure out the taxes you will need to Read More
How Back Taxes Can Impact Your Credit Score
It’s tax season, and we all know what that means. The time has once again come to figure out what you owe the IRS, and to cross your fingers that you get back something back if you’ve overpaid. While the process is often fairly straightforward, sometimes our tax debts are much higher than expected and we find ourselves falling behind on payments. When this occurs, the taxes that we owe are called back taxes. Back Read More
Facing an IRS Audit? Take These 3 Steps Immediately
Whenever you file your taxes, there is always that part of you that worries about getting audited. This is particularly true if you run a business, because your tax returns are often much more involved and require much more detail than if you are single person who only needs to file a 1040-EZ. So what should you do if you receive the dreaded audit notice from the IRS? What can you do to look better to the IRS during Read More
Understanding Your Options if You’re in Debt to the IRS
Every year, there are a large number of people who can’t afford to pay the IRS all the tax debts that they owe. Even though the quickest solution for your overdue taxes is to pay the full amount right away, sometimes circumstances prevent that from happening. The unfortunate truth about IRS debts is that the interest will continue to accrue on what you owe, even as you pay it down, and the penalties don’t go away. Read More
What Does it Mean if the IRS Selects Me for an Audit?
The IRS has three years to audit tax returns. This means that you might not be in the clear even if it’s been a few years since you filed a tax return and you haven’t heard from the IRS. Generally, the IRS will audit an account if it finds a significant understatement of income. If it does, then it could look back even further than three years, though not by more than six. But what do you do if the IRS selects you Read More
How Do I Remove a Federal Tax Lien on My Property?
A federal tax lien is where the government has a legal claim against your property because you did not pay a tax debt. The purpose of the lien is to protect the government’s interest in all your property, including real estate, personal property, and financial assets. Tax liens are created automatically once the IRS assesses your tax liability, sends you a bill that explains what you owe, and you fail or refuse to Read More
Understanding the 4 Most Common Business & Occupation (B&O) Tax Classifications in Washington State
The Basics The Washington State Business & Occupation (or B&O) tax is a tax that is imposed against a person or company that is engaged in certain business activities. The tax itself is measured by the value of products, gross proceeds of sales, or the gross income of a business and is included in a business’ overhead. Unlike a sales tax, the B&O tax is not imposed on the purchaser or customer. In Read More
Taxing Tips for the Restaurant Employer
In the previous blog about employee tips, we noted that our city is host to many restaurants with tantalizing dishes and wait-staffs that strive to make patrons feel welcome and comfortable; and that we reward the experience at a fine dining establishment with a tip. While that blog post focused upon taxing tip responsibilities for employees, this month, I’d like to discuss the taxing tip responsibilities for the Read More