We’ve heard over and over that it’s coming: a “fiscal cliff.” The dramatic phrase has become so common in government circles that it’s become unavoidable. And no one doubts that the expiration of numerous tax cuts at the end of the year could profoundly affect individual income taxes. Taxpayers in […]
Author: Lawrence Brown
In a tax system based on voluntary compliance, it is crucial that taxpayers the IRS offer sufficient security for personal data submitted by taxpayers. If the agency does not keep such data safe from snooping or hacking, it would fairly quickly threaten the integrity of the entire tax system. To […]
Every field of activity has its own peculiar tax considerations. Churches are no exception. In fact, churches, and the clergy who serve them, probably have more unusual tax peculiarities to consider than many other fields. It is fair to ask whether this reasoning applies to tax audits. Are churches more […]
If the Internal Revenue Service puts someone through the stress and round-up-the-records work of an audit, you’d think the agency would conduct the audit in a timely and accurate manner. Unfortunately, according to a new report, that is often not the case. The report was released last week by the […]
IRS audits are hardly an experience that anyone would seek out. For individuals and businesses alike, it can be time-consuming and laborious to satisfy the agency’s scrutiny. Naturally, it can also be stressful, with the potential risk of tax penalties or even criminal tax charges. If, however, an IRS audit is already […]
The tax system is ultimately based on trust. To be sure, the IRS is often aggressive in auditing and investigating taxpayers for failure to file taxes or for alleged errors. So are revenue agents in Texas and other states. For the most part, however, the government depends on voluntary compliance […]
When a business fails to pay its payroll taxes in to the government, it’s a recipe for trouble. As we noted in our July 2 post, the penalties for not paying these employment taxes in to the Social Security trust fund can be substantial. For starters, there may be an employment […]
Common sense sayings often point to an undeniable deeper truth. Consider, for example, the well-worn phrase, “There’s no such thing as a free lunch.” In the tax arena, it might seem at first glance that the Taxpayer Advocate Service is the exception that proves the rule. After all, the TAS […]
The phrase “IRS audit” carries connotations that differ from taxpayer to taxpayer. If you’ve done all you can to file flawless tax returns, notice of an audit might seem like an outrage. Yet a different feeling – one of anxiety – could come if you fear you might have been […]
Summons. The word itself is enough to get virtually anyone’s attention, regardless of how much he or she knows about the law. That is entirely understandable. After all, the word “summons” is a long-standing legal term for requiring someone to appear in a court proceeding. In the context of tax […]