Very often there may be a Ponzi Scheme financial theft, in which certain taxpayers have profited since they made early investments and were paid unusual profits that did not exist. Often taxpayers in Ponzi Schemes that have benefited from the financial loss of others are called upon by a trustee to forfeit the profits made in the Ponzi Scheme. Read More
Tag Archive for taxpayers
With the new Tax Cut & Jobs Act Congress is enacting the biggest tax reform law in thirty years, one that will make fundamental changes in the way you, your family and your business calculate your federal income tax bill, and the amount of federal tax you will pay. Since most of the changes will go into effect next year, there’s still a narrow window of time before year-end to soften or avoid the impact of crackdowns and to best position yourself for the tax breaks that may be heading your way. Read More
Every year, millions of taxpayers ask for an extra six months to file their taxes. These taxpayers should have paid the tax they owed by the April deadline, but those who requested an extension should mark Monday, Oct. 16 as the extension deadline for 2017.
While the deadline normally falls on Oct. 15, that date falls on a Sunday this year so the due date is moved to the next business day. Every year, millions of taxpayers ask for an extra six months to file their taxes. These taxpayers should have paid the tax they owed by the April deadline, but those who requested an extension should mark Monday, Oct. 16 as the extension deadline for 2017. While the deadline normally falls on Oct. 15, that date falls on a Sunday this year so the due date is moved to the next business day. Read More
Unlike private creditors, the IRS has wide discretion to exercise its administrative levy powers. Internal Revenue Code (IRC) § 6331(a) says the IRS can generally “levy upon all property and rights to property.” The IRS must make notice and demand for payment and in most instances provide collection due process (CDP) rights prior to levy. And under IRC § 6334, the IRS is prohibited from levying on certain sources of payments, such as unemployment benefits and child support. But overall, the IRS can cast a large net when it chooses to levy a taxpayer’s property, including funds in retirement accounts.
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It seems that a whole lot of taxpayers are anxious to get their taxes in to the IRS!
I’ve never seen the IRS issue a statement that they have yet to determine the date when they will be accepting tax returns; however, they’ve done just that this year.
Below, I outline various reasons that could be responsible for this sudden frantic rush:
Taxpayers can claim the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) in more than one tax year, so using the audit as an opportunity to educate them about the requirements for claiming EITC is of particular benefit to them and to the IRS. If a taxpayer claims the credit in error but understands why there was an error, he or she can not only become compliant for the year of any audit, but remain compliant going forward. However, audits are expensive for both the IRS and taxpayers, and are intrusive and intimidating for the taxpayer. There are many EITC returns the IRS does not audit but identifies as containing an error. Thus, while the IRS may not have the resources to audit these taxpayers, through other cost-effective approaches, it can educate them about why they appear to have erroneously claimed EITC, and avert future noncompliance.
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has issued an urgent warning about a new scheme targeting taxpayers. The scheme, which IRS Commissioner John Koskinen called “a new twist on an old scheme” involves a bogus email which impersonates the IRS and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) as part of a ransomware scam to take computer data hostage.
The scam email uses the emblems of both the IRS and the FBI. The email urges recipients to click on a link to download a questionnaire allegedly from the FBI. The email implies that the questionnaire is required as part of changes in the law focused on tax compliance. The regs referenced in the email are bogus, and the link doesn’t click through to a questionnaire. Instead, the link downloads ransomware. Read More
In this and next week’s blog, I will discuss my recent Most Serious Problem on Installment Agreements (IAs) and the corresponding Research Study that was published in my 2016 Annual Report to Congress. Today I will focus my concerns on IAs and discuss the results of the study; in next week’s posting, I’ll review the recommendations my office made to address the problems identified in the study and the IRS’s response to our recommendations. Read More
In my first blog on passport issues, I discussed the importance of providing notice to taxpayers prior to certifying their seriously delinquent tax debts to the Department of State (DOS). Once the IRS makes the certification, the DOS must deny the person’s passport application and it may revoke their passport, except in certain emergency and humanitarian situations. Under the IRS’s current policy, the only direct notice prior to the certification is through language buried in the middle of the CDP notice, which was not included at all for taxpayers who received their CDP notices prior to January 2017. This policy impairs due process rights and the taxpayer’s right to be informed and right to challenge the IRS’s position and be heard. Read More
In an earlier blog I discussed my concern about how the IRS’s private debt collection (PDC) program affects taxpayers who are likely experiencing economic hardship. In this blog, I want to share my concern that the IRS is not making good business decisions as it implements the PDC initiative.
Since 2004, Internal Revenue Code (IRC) § 6306 has authorized the IRS to outsource tax debts to private collection agencies (PCAs).
I have always had concerns about outsourcing tax debts to private collection agencies (PCAs). First, I believe tax collection is an “inherently governmental function” within the meaning of section five of the 1998 FEAR Act that should be performed only by federal employees. Second, as a TAS study of the last private debt collection (PDC) initiative showed, the IRS is more efficient at collecting tax debt than PCAs are. Now that Internal Revenue Code (IRC) § 6306(c) requires the IRS to outsource some tax debt, my job is to ensure that its PDC program operates in accordance with the law and respects taxpayers’ rights. Read More
Every American who files and pays federal taxes rarely thinks about taxes this time of year. They are typically enjoying the pleasures of summer. However, there are those who have failed to file. If you are among that group, you know that you never have a moment’s rest. The thought is always gnawing away in the back of your mind. Read More
Current Articles
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