Tax Problems

November 12, 2024

Wise CEO Kristo Käärmann's hefty tax fine reveals shocking truths about billionaire accountability and the importance of transparency in leadership.

October 15, 2024

GLAAD’s CEO’s lavish lifestyle and spending habits could lead to serious tax trouble. Learn how excessive perks may jeopardize a nonprofit’s tax-exempt status.

September 24, 2024

An Offer in Compromise (OIC) is a program offered by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that allows taxpayers to settle their tax debts for less than the full amount owed.

August 15, 2024

Federal officials have arrested and charged “The Magician” behind the largest tax fraud scheme in U.S. history. Full details here.

August 13, 2024

July 16, 2024

Learn about the different types of IRS audits—Correspondence, Office, and Field Audits. Discover why professional assistance is crucial for navigating the complex and stressful audit process effectively.

June 13, 2024

Discover key lessons from Michael Jackson's $700 million IRS tax dispute. Learn how to avoid common estate planning and tax issues to protect your assets and beneficiaries.

April 30, 2024

Discover the most litigated tax issues and how to avoid them with our expert guide. Learn best practices for compliance and how our tax professionals can help you steer clear of IRS disputes.

April 18, 2024

While the specific details of Tekashi 6ix9ine’s tax issues leading to the seizure have not been fully disclosed, the operation's visibility and targeted items suggest significant tax liabilities.

March 26, 2024

As the IRS meets the intersection of technology and tax compliance, artificial intelligence is becoming a big player at the federal tax agency. Learn more.

March 18, 2024

Discover essential strategies for high-net-worth individuals and corporations to navigate the IRS's increased scrutiny of corporate jet usage.

February 20, 2024

Unlock the complexities of plaintiff awards and their tax implications. Delve into our expert insights to navigate legal settlements and judgments with clarity. Learn about exemptions, reporting requirements, and more.

December 19, 2023

Explore the latest IRS penalty relief measures, offering a lifeline to millions facing back taxes.

December 12, 2023

To protect yourself from IRS tax payment check washing fraud, consider implementing the following safeguards.

October 31, 2023

A key component in promoting the highest degree of voluntary compliance on the part of taxpayers is enforcement of the tax law. By pursuing those individuals and businesses who don't comply with their tax obligations, the IRS is being fair to those who are compliant.

October 3, 2023

Colombian superstar, Shakira, is facing two separate sets of tax evasion charges. Find all the details you need to know here.

September 5, 2023

Recently, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has markedly intensified its efforts to uncover instances of tax evasion, leaving no room for tax dodgers to go unnoticed.

August 29, 2023

To qualify for innocent spouse relief, you must meet all three of the following conditions. Learn more.

July 11, 2023

The chasm between a

June 13, 2023

Some common tax mistakes are more than just a

May 2, 2023

The IRS'

April 13, 2023

Does the IRS target some groups of people more than others? Learn more.

February 19, 2023

The first thing you should do to get back on track with your taxes involves checking on the current status of your account with the IRS.

January 16, 2023

Ponzi schemes are notable because they have little and often no legitimate earnings to speak of, Michael J. DaCorta’s Ponzi scheme is a perfect example.

December 15, 2022

In November 2022, the Chrisleys finished out a trial that would see them sentenced to 12 years for Todd and seven years for Julie. Full story.

November 17, 2022

The IRS has a staggering 99.6% conviction rate when it comes to these tax types of crimes. Learn more.

October 18, 2022

The three steps to applying for an Offer in Compromise.

September 20, 2022

In 2015 Kauapirura allegedly filed a false amended tax return on which she reported roughly hundreds of thousands of dollars in fictitious tax withholdings.

August 17, 2022

If someone were to craft a

July 11, 2022

The word “audit” tends to strike fear in the hearts of American taxpayers, but the truth is that not every audit is a result of a problem, or that the Internal Revenue Service suspects you of wrongdoing.

June 13, 2022

All told, there are a number of notable instances where celebrities ran into issues with their taxes - all of which we can learn a little from.

May 23, 2022

What happens if your spouse turns out to be a tax cheat, and you signed a joint tax return without realizing it. Can you be held responsible? Learn more.

April 19, 2022

Ultimately, it all comes down to the difference between salary and hourly pay employees.

April 19, 2022

Have you ever wondered how long the IRS has to question and assess additional tax on your tax returns? For most taxpayers who reported all their income, the IRS has three years from the date of filing the returns to examine them. This period is termed the statute of limitations. But wait – as in all things taxes, it is not that clean cut. Here are some complications:

March 21, 2022

These IRS interest rate changes will not affect you if you calculate your liability correctly and pay on time each quarter.

February 20, 2022

Even with the delays, the IRS owes you interest on your money. The IRS has administrative time (typically 45 days) to issue your refund without paying interest on it.

January 23, 2022

If your family received advance child tax credit funds, you are not alone in wondering what will come next from Congress for 2022. Learn more.

December 13, 2021

Will increased IRS funding drive more audits?

October 7, 2021

A proposed tax code change would mandate an annual required minimum distribution for retirement accounts exceeding $10 million. Full story below.

September 10, 2021

There is a real need for people to either educate themselves about the audit process or to seek professional help from someone familiar with the IRS. Learn more.

August 18, 2021

There are a variety of issues taxpayers can run into with the IRS. This breakdown discusses 4 of the most common tax problems that will cause you to receive an IRS notice.

July 20, 2021

The IRS had a backlog of more than 35 million tax returns at the end of tax season this year – and many of those people are awaiting tax refunds.

June 8, 2023

Now that most tax refunds are deposited directly into taxpayers’ bank accounts, the dream of opening your mailbox and finding an IRS refund check is all but a thing of the past. However, since the IRS now does most of its auditing through correspondence, an IRS letter can likely increase your heart rate and, in some cases, even ruin your day.

June 22, 2021

If you’re moving to a new state, there are many tax considerations to keep in mind. Learn more about domicile, nexus, state taxes, and more.

May 20, 2021

The IRS has begun issuing notice CP508C to taxpayers with “seriously delinquent” tax debt and the service has resumed its program of notifying the State Department of taxpayers’ unpaid federal debts.

May 18, 2021

Along with benefits for children and families, the American Families Plan also proposes changes to the Treasury and expanded authority over tax preparers for the IRS.

May 11, 2021

We all look forward to receiving our tax refunds, but what if you were expecting a refund and it never arrived? It may be because you have outstanding federal or state debts—and not just tax-related debts. The Treasury Department’s Bureau of the Fiscal Service (BFS) issues federal tax refunds, and Congress authorizes BFS to reduce your refund through its Treasury Offset Program (TOP) to pay:

April 16, 2021

IRS Commissioner Chuck Rettig has announced the US may be losing up to $1 trillion a year in evaded taxes. Among the tax evasion techniques are cryptocurrency, illegal income, underreporting from pass-through businesses, and offshore tax evasion.

March 5, 2021

A case recently heard by the Tax Court was around one’s “tax home” and how it may be affected by how much time you spend in each location and how much income you generate while you’re there.

February 19, 2021

The Department of Labor has announced that there has been up to $63 billion in improper unemployment payments during COVID-19. Unsuspecting taxpayers could be victims of this fraud.

January 21, 2021

Receiving an audit notification can be a scary thing for any taxpayer. Here are some of the tax return red flags that could spark the interest of the IRS.

December 26, 2020

This year might be the year that you need to bring in a tax professional to help address some of the tax challenges that COVID-19 has caused.

November 20, 2020

If you receive an IRS CP2000 notice (also known as an underreporter inquiry) in the mail, don’t panic. First step: contact our office. We’ll help you through the rest.

October 23, 2020

If you filed for an extension this tax season, that extended deadline - October 15th - has now come and gone. Here's what happens if you missed it.

September 23, 2020

When you move to a new state, it’s important to be aware of the implications for your taxes. Learn more about establishing residency, part-year tax returns, and more.

August 20, 2020

Will your COVID-19 work-from-home location affect your taxes? It depends on the state. Here’s a breakdown of how nexus laws evolved during the pandemic.

July 24, 2020

There are bad actors seeking to take advantage of taxpayers and business owners. Here are some common types of fraudulent activities occurring during the COVID-19 crisis.

June 22, 2020

The IRS introduced the People First Initiative in March to help relieve some of the financial impact of COVID-19 on taxpayers.

May 11, 2020

If you owe the IRS money or want to file an amended tax return, you should be aware that paper filings are being piled up and not processed right now.

April 21, 2020

In the time of COVID-19, many Americans are struggling financially. Learn more about your various relief options for your taxes & finances.

February 19, 2020

Received a letter from the IRS? Stop, breathe, and contact your tax professional. Then follow these steps.

January 23, 2020

If this tax season brings you a large, unexpected tax bill, these are the steps you should take to ensure you don’t get into further trouble with the IRS.

December 20, 2019

Unable to pay your tax bill? Don’t panic. Here are the steps you need to take as well as

November 19, 2019

A Notice of Deficiency from the IRS could be a positive or a negative – but either way, it indicates a discrepancy you need to resolve.

October 16, 2019

Running into issues with the IRS is a year-round concern. Let’s discuss three of the most common tax problems for personal income & their potential solutions.

September 19, 2019

Did you know there is a little-known statute of limitations for tax debt collections? Learn more about when this rule kicks in & what conditions must be satisfied.

July 19, 2019

First, don’t panic. Audits are relatively rare, as fewer than 1% of taxpayers grouped by income level will get that dreaded notice on IRS letterhead.

August 21, 2019

The US tax system is complicated for even the most seasoned tax professionals. If you’re using the DIY route, you’re probably wasting valuable time & money.

June 18, 2019

It’s a common conundrum: You want to file your taxes on time, but you anticipate or already know that you will owe money you can’t afford to pay right now. As a result, you put off filing your tax return under the assumption that the IRS can only bill you if they receive your latest outstanding tax return that’s due.

May 16, 2019

There are different types of IRS penalties that can be assessed against you. The most common penalties include those for failing to file a tax return, filing your return late, or accuracy-related penalties if you didn’t correctly state items on your tax return. But were you aware that sometimes, the IRS can issue penalty abatements if you believe you’ve been penalized unfairly?

April 19, 2019

Generally speaking, tax return mistakes are a lot more common than you probably realize. Taxes are naturally complicated, and the paperwork required to file them properly is often convoluted. This is especially true if you're filing your taxes yourself — and all of this is in reference to a fairly normal year as far as the IRS is concerned.

March 20, 2019

If you’re reading this, the chances are high that you’re one of the many, many people who have received a notice from the Internal Revenue Service. Some level of correspondence with the IRS is natural ‒ particularly leading up to and in the immediate aftermath of tax season. But if you’ve received notification that the government is about to file a tax lien or tax levy against you, suddenly you’re talking about an entirely different ballgame.

February 19, 2019

Yes, it’s true that we’re just coming out of the longest government shutdown in the history of the United States. It will take many government agencies — including the Internal Revenue Service — a significant period of time to get back up to speed. But if you think that all this means that the chances of your getting audited are lower than ever, you’re going to want to think again.

January 24, 2019

You know the old line about the inevitability of death and taxes? It’s still true. What isn’t inevitable, however, is the need to pay penalties to the IRS. It happens, but it doesn’t have to, and the main reason that it does is because taxpayers don’t educate themselves about the rules. When you get hit with an IRS penalty, it adds on to a number that you already wish you didn’t have to pay.

December 21, 2018

An Offer in Compromise is an option offered from the IRS to qualifying individuals that allows them to settle tax debt for less than what they actually owe.

November 23, 2018

No matter how hard you try, at some point, you may find yourself facing one or more of the tax issues cited here (or something entirely different that we haven’t included). If that happens to you, contact us immediately for expert professional help.

October 23, 2018

A notification from the IRS is not something to be ignored. The best step is to take a deep breath, read the notice carefully, and if needed, contact our office for assistance.

September 3, 2018

The most recent data from the IRS on individual tax returns indicates that of 131 million returns filed, about 5 million were expected to be amended. This comes to less than 4 percent, but that projection still affects a significant number of taxpayers. Filing an amended tax return can be a hassle that you definitely want to avoid if possible. But there are some situations where you'll have to do so, and it's prudent to seek out the help of a tax advisor who can guide you through the process. Here's why you may need to file an amended tax return.

August 8, 2018

Even if you’re unable to pay your taxes, you need to file a return. Not doing so will eventually lead to a domino effect of negative consequences. Learn more.

July 19, 2018

Taxpayers interested in pursuing an IRS Offer in Compromise generally have three different options available to them under federal law. Learn more.

June 26, 2018

With the 2018 filing season currently behind us, notices have started to appear in mailboxes. While the IRS letterhead strikes fear into the hearts of most Americans, a vast majority of those notices are nothing to fear, since most of them are computer-generated and referring to outstanding tax bills you haven’t paid yet or errors on your tax return that can be easily addressed. Simply getting an IRS notice is not indicative of an audit.

June 19, 2018

This is a common question: How long must taxpayers keep copies of their tax returns and supporting documents?

May 24, 2018

If you have received an IRS envelope from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) in your mailbox that does not contain a refund check, it will probably cause an increase your heart rate likely increased. But Don’t panic, though; most of the issues in these letters can be dealt with simply and painlessly.

May 15, 2018

With tax filing season out of the way, paying off those tax bills that weren't paid by April 18th is the next major concern for people. While there are a few options for payment agreements if you can't afford to write a check for the full amount immediately, there's also the option of paying your tax bill with a credit card. It can be less confusing than navigating IRS payment plans, and if your credit card has a nice rewards program, then it's something to think about.

April 23, 2018

There are a lot of perfectly reasonable reasons for not having filed your income taxes. Many people who fail to file are new to the job market, and never having filed before may simply have been unaware of the requirement to do so. Some people know but are too overwhelmed with other life events, including illnesses, death, or job loss. Whatever your reason and whether you’ve only missed one year of filing or several, there comes a point when you either remember on your own or are prompted for a request for a copy. Now, what do you do? And how much trouble are you in?

April 10, 2018

Alimony is the term used for payments to a separated spouse or ex-spouse as part of a divorce or separation agreement. Since 1985, to be alimony for tax purposes, the payments:

October 10, 2017

Remember those 1099s, W-2s, K-1s and other informational forms you receive each year reporting your interest, dividends, sales, wages, retirement income, IRA withdrawals, health insurance forms and other items having to do with your tax return? Well, the IRS also gets this information and feeds it into its computers. Thanks to modern computer technology, the IRS is able to match that information to what you reported on your tax return, and if something significant is omitted or there’s a discrepancy with the numbers, the IRS is going to send you a letter asking for an explanation or a tax payment. You will also receive correspondence if you don’t file a return and the data the IRS has indicates that you should have filed. It has form letters for just about every possible situation.

December 1, 2016

Most taxpayers do not intentionally incur tax penalties, but many who are penalized are simply not aware of the penalties or the impact they can have on their wallet. As tax season approaches, let's look at some of the more commonly encountered penalties and how they may be avoided.

April 5, 2016

Are you one of the unfortunate Americans that end up owing and cannot pay your tax liability?

December 10, 2015

As the 2015 tax season approaches, you may be getting excited about your potential tax refund.

April 30, 2015

A frequent question from taxpayers is: how long does the IRS have to question and assess additional tax on my tax returns? For most taxpayers who reported all their income, the IRS has three years from the date of filing the returns to examine them. This period is termed the statute of limitations. But wait – as in all things taxes, it is not that clean cut. Here are some complications:

December 29, 2014

When the IRS thinks it has found an issue with your tax return, it will contact you via mail with a CP series notice (most commonly CP2000). Please note that the IRS will never call or e-mail you initially about a tax delinquency. This is a trick used by scammers that has become quite prevalent.

June 11, 2015

If it is not your refund check in the mailbox, that letter from the IRS will probably increase your heart rate a little. Don’t panic; many of these letters can be dealt with simply and painlessly.

May 6, 2014

In recently-released data, the IRS divulged the audit statistics for returns the Service audited in fiscal year 2013. It provides information about the number of returns being audited and where the IRS is focusing their enforcement activities.

May 23, 2013

If you are unfortunate enough to have an unpaid tax liability and wish to put end the constant stream of correspondence from the IRS, there are several possible solutions to help you deal with the circumstances and take advantage of the IRS’s Fresh Start initiative.

December 13, 2012

A little-known provision within the Internal Revenue Manual (IRM) allows for the abatement of late filing and late payment penalties if a taxpayer was in compliance for the prior three years and had not previously had a penalty abated under this “first-time abate” provision. In a recent report, the Treasury Inspector General took the IRS to task for not publicizing and acting on this IRM policy. Abatement of the late filing and late payment penalties can result in some significant savings for taxpayers who are or have been subject to those penalties.

March 20, 2012

The IRS as part of its “Fresh Start” initiative to help struggling taxpayers is making installment agreements available to more people. The Fresh Start provisions also mean that more taxpayers will have the ability to use streamlined installment agreements to catch up on back taxes.

May 15, 2012

It's a moment many taxpayers dread. A letter arrives from the IRS and it's not a refund check. But don't panic; many of these letters can be dealt with simply and painlessly.

March 8, 2012

The IRS has new penalty relief for the unemployed and certain self-employed individuals on failure-to-pay penalties, which are one of the biggest factors a financially distressed taxpayer faces on a tax bill.

March 1, 2012

Don't get caught with your hand in the government's pocket, especially if you are not a U.S. Citizen. Case in point: Mr. and Mrs. Kawashima have been U.S. resident aliens since 1984 and own restaurants in Southern California.