A smart tax strategy means looking for all of the legitimate deductions that may benefit you. Even if some of them seem downright silly, it’s still important to know about the ones that may apply to you. After all, there is big difference between using deductions intelligently, on the one […]
An IRS audit isn’t a criminal proceeding in which the right to confront accusers literally applies. There is still a big difference, however, between face-to-face IRS audits on the one hand, and so-called “corr exams” (correspondence-based exams) on the other. This week, the National Taxpayer Advocate questioned the increasing use of correspondence […]
Marriage means many things – but not always that two people are in complete concert on tax matters. That is why federal law allows an innocent spouse to avoid being held responsible for his or her spouse’s tax problems. Sometimes it takes an experienced tax attorney to convince the IRS […]
For years, the American marketplace has been evolving toward a workforce in which more and more people are not traditional employees. The ranks of contractors, freelancers, consultants and assorted vendors have grown for many reasons, and the downsizing unleashed by the Great Recession only accelerated this trend. There are many […]
Be proactive, Stephen F. Covey urged his readers in “The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People.” Over twenty years after the book’s firs publication, this remains excellent advice. Applying it to tax preparation makes good sense, too. This includes taking all reasonable steps to avoid IRS audits. Some of those steps […]
The IRS is going after assets held in foreign accounts like never before. First it was not one but two iterations of the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI). Coming soon is a new law called the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). FATCA is an offshore account enforcement law passed […]
Small businesses are greatly affected by tax reporting requirements. If the government isn’t careful, compliance with these requirements can become excessively burdensome for business. And that, in turn, can hurt productivity and make small businesses less competitive. In other words, business income taxes involve a fine line. Our tax system […]
The digital revolution is underway everywhere in America. The payment of taxes, and the administration of the tax system by the IRS, are certainly not exceptions to this. In fact, increased use of technology may make IRS tax audits more likely. According to a recent report by the national taxpayer advocate, the […]
Once again it is tax season in the United States. While you have until April 17 to get your tax return submitted to the IRS, the sooner you file, the sooner you will see your return. Despite the monetary incentive, filing taxes is no walk in the park. It can […]
Texans gearing up for April’s tax return filing deadline should be aware of recent modifications made to laws regarding taxes on foreign assets. In 2010, U.S. Congress passed the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA), which changes how the IRS verifies tax return data. IRS agents will now have increased […]