Friday, May 30, 2008

IRS Audit Flags

Root canals and IRS audits are two things that can make you cringe. You'll be able to avoid a root canal if you look after your teeth. Similarly, you'll be able to steer clear of an IRS audit by avoiding certain practices and take care of your financial well-being. The IRS may have to audit you if several red flags appear.

In an audit, the accuracy of your tax returns is determined by the IRS. Certain deductions need to be proven.

You may be shocked by these IRS audit flags:

* Believe it or not, claiming too much in charitable donations may be a flag to IRS auditors. You're likely to be flagged for an audit if you list $2000 when the standard is $500. You should save your receipts and be able to prove all $2000.
* Those who are self-employed may be flagged for too much deductions. The IRS carefully looks for these deductions.
* People who earn over $100,000 are scrutinized more carefully.
* Inconsistencies between this year's return and last year's. Inconsistencies are going to be noticed, even simple ones such as name changes.
* Your income considerably changes. For instance, the IRS will target you for an audit if you just made $20,000 this year when you earned $20,000 last year. Your income may have changed for several reasons. Proving it is necessary.
* The IRS flags incomplete tax returns. You're prone to be audited if your returns have incomplete or illegible answers.
* Inconsistencies between state and federal returns.

You can steer clear of an IRS audit by filing your tax returns accurately. Documentation need to be kept for at least three years. Follow the following tips to steer clear of further issues:

* Do not panic. It isn't an accusation of wrongdoing. It is a review for accuracy.
* Being aware of the audit procedure is vital. For example, know that you have the right to conduct your audit via the mail, you're not forced to meet with the IRS, you're able to question the accuracy of the audit, and you have the right to pay your dues in installments.
* Save documentation to support your claims. Show receipts if you deducted for tools and clothes needed at work.
* If you feel the problems regarding your audit are too complicated, talk to a professional to assist you with your IRS problem.
* Only discuss details about the IRS problem being audited. Your employees should not discuss other matters if your business is being audited.
* People who willingly cheat the system are the ones who normally get penalties. If you made an honest error, chances are the IRS will be forgiving.

Keep calm if you are ever flagged for an audit. Get assistance from a tax attorney.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

How Far Does IRS Jurisdiction Go?

Because IRS jurisdiction is a little unclear, protesters typically attempt to dispute the power of the IRS to avoid paying taxes. To avoid suffering IRS problems in the future, have a look at how wide the jurisdiction of the Internal Revenue Service reaches.

The authority given to legal bodies or political leaders to enforce punishment and address legal situations is known as jurisdiction. The word is typically heard on television shows or movies dealing with crimes.

You'll encounter issues if you're a taxpayer and don't understand your obligation to pay taxes. Those who make income in the United States and US taxpayers are all under IRS jurisdiction.

The IRS, according to Title 26 of the Code of Federal Regulations:

"The Internal Revenue Service is a bureau of the Department of the Treasury under the immediate direction of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue. The Commissioner has general superintendence of the assessment and collection of all taxes imposed by any law providing internal revenue. The Internal Revenue Service is the agency by which these functions are performed."

So the IRS has jurisdiction over all taxes in all states that give revenue for the country, as well as over US citizens living in foreign countries or who earn money in foreign countries and non-residents who earn money in the US. If you fail to pay taxes on capital gains, property, earnings, and more and you are in one of these categories, IRS problems will happen.

There are people who do not fall under the jurisdiction of the IRS. In this excerpt from the case of Economy Plumbing and Heating Co. against The United States, it explains that non-taxpayers are exempt from the IRS's rules and regulations:

"The revenue laws are a code or system in regulation of tax assessment and collection. They relate to taxpayers, and not to non-taxpayers. The latter are without their scope. No procedure is prescribed for non-taxpayers, and no attempt is made to annul any of their rights and remedies in due course of law. With them [non-taxpayers] Congress does not assume to deal, and they are neither of the subject nor of the object of the revenue laws."

You can figure out if you are a non-taxpayer and avoid IRS issues by checking your state's tax website or the IRS website.

Tax protesters insist that the 16th Amendment that provided Congress the authority to collect taxes on income wasn't officially ratified, discrediting the jurisdiction of the IRS. With a majority vote, the 16th Amendment was in fact ratified.

The IRS having no jurisdiction because it is not a government agency is another argument. This is a frivolous argument because the Secretary of the Treasury has authority to administer and enforce internal revenue laws. Because of this power, the IRS was made. Arguments such as these can lead honest people to have serious IRS problems. Taxpayers are in fact under the jurisdiction of the IRS.

IRS problems result from failure to accurately report income or pay taxes. You're under IRS jurisdiction if you're a taxpayer.

Saturday, May 24, 2008

What You Can Benefit from a Tax Lawyer

Even for professionals, tax laws are confusing and confusing. There are laws upon laws and rules and loopholes. There are deductions and different forms to fill out. You are not alone if your tax needs are beyond your understanding. Qualified experts are ready to help you if you require them. Tampa tax attorneys can make the procedure of filing taxes - and grasping them - much simpler.

A Tampa Tax attorney can be a need and a gem in different cases. Here are some of the circumstances where you need a qualified professional:

* If you are under IRS investigation.
* You have real estate and property taxes that you require assistance with.
* If your bank accounts have been levied or your wages have been garnished.
* You have back tax and audit problems that should be handled.
* Because business taxes are more complicated than personal taxes, you need help when building a business.

Though you can always represent yourself, employing an experienced Tampa tax lawyer truly has benefits. A tax lawyer has the ability and knowledge to handle the IRS, which would assist you if it is your first time.

Your rights will be protected. A tax lawyer from Tampa will ensure that the IRS only receives the information they need. Your rights to privacy will be protected. Because they're familiar with the tax laws more deeply, they are in a good position to negotiate.

Your stress levels will be lessened if you employ a tax lawyer from Tampa. The proceeding is no longer an emotional crisis as it becomes a negotiation among professionals.

The IRS would prefer dealing with a tax attorney and not think you're guilty because you hired one. By using your rights to hire a representative to speak for you, a solution could be easily arrived at.

Getting a tax lawyer from Tampa is better than getting other tax professionals. You will enjoy lawyer-client privilege, which ensures that everything you share with your lawyer is private. You also get the benefit of legal analysis. Your lawyer can analyze your particular situation and lay out the best choices for you to pursue. If it becomes necessary to go to court, your attorney is a valuable ally. Tampa tax attorneys are also able to negotiate with the IRS to get the situation resolved in the best possible way for you. They have experience with the tax system that you likely do not.

What should you search for in a tax attorney? First, they must be licensed in your state to practice law. They need to also possess advanced training in tax law, such as a Master's of Law degree in taxation or background in accounting. Many tax lawyers are also Certified Public Accountants (CPAs). Employ a tax attorney from Tampa who has extensive experience. Use Google to find more information.

Sometimes hiring a tax attorney from Tampa is the only solution for your IRS problems. Let someone else take a portion of your stress and deal with the IRS.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

The Consequences of Not Filing Your Taxes

Due to the number of taxpayers, you may feel that what you do will be unnoticed by the IRS. What difference does it make if you do not pay your taxes? You are not right, unfortunately, as the IRS will notice. What happens when you don't file your taxes? Where can you go for assistance - can the IRS help?

For the government, non-payment of taxes is seen as stealing and you could be penalized for this. Depending on your tax status, levels of penalties may vary :

* Filing for taxes late
* Penalties for not filing your taxes at all
* Not paying taxes



Late filing charges the least overdue fees. Only a 5% monthly interest is added to your total tax due. The IRS, however, can charge you up to a maximum of 25% as penalty. Let me illustrate this with an example. Tax returns filed on June when it is due on April 15 are charged with 15% interest.

What should you do if April 15 is fast-approaching, and you still did not file your tax return?

You may contact the IRS if you think you require additional time in filing for your taxes. You can go about this request by filling out Form 4868, Application for Automatic Extension of Time to File U.S. Individual Income Tax Return. If the request is approved, you are given until August 15 to take care of your tax returns. If you require more time, you can use Form 2688. You should process the request for extension or else you will automatically be given with the applicable fees.

You don't buy time to pay for your taxes when you request for an extension. The IRS provisions require that you settle at least 90% of the total taxable amount by April 15 or you will be burdened with a 0.5% monthly penalty. This then leads us to the next type of penalty.

For sure, it is more preferred not to pay the whole amount than not file at all. Let us use the example that you owe $5000. Just paying $1000 gives you a penalty of only 0.5% on $4000, which is a mere $20 a month. This shows then that you need to file and pay in whatever way you can.

Failing to pay your taxes after a couple of months increases the penalty by 1% per month. The IRS may request that you take action to pay, such as mortgaging assets or filing for a loan, if you continue to be delinquent on your taxes. They may need to resort to more serious collection techniques, like wage garnishment or levying bank accounts.

Before situations get that sever, ask for IRS help. They are not the Big Bad Wolf they are occasionally made out to be. You may ask for an extension to pay your taxes (from 30-120 days). You may also be able to come up with a payment plan. IRS assistance is available in different forms: installment plans, temporary delays, or Offer in Compromise. Click on the IRS site for additional information on these options.

The consequence for not even bothering to file your taxes is most critical. You will be charged 5% of the amount you owe, per month. The maximum penalty for this infraction, however, is 25%. Say you owe $5000 and have been five months late in filing. To calculate your penalty, you need to multiply 5000 by 25%. This costs you a whopping $1250 on top of your bill. More importantly, this situation does not make it easy for you to ask for help from the IRS.

The IRS, however, extends its hands to those who repeatedly refuse to file for their taxes. The agency can fill out a return and computes the bills with applicable fees and sends this to the person. This move, on the other hand, eliminates the benefits that a good tax payer is entitled to. If this doesn't work, the IRS can then file for criminal and civil charges against the person.With all these serious consequences, it is next to none to ask help from the IRS so you can arrange for favorable alternatives before your tax obligations goes awry.

Sunday, May 18, 2008

What Tax Deductions Can You Rightfully Claim?

Tax time and understanding our deductions can be a daunting task for some, especially non-accountants and non-tax attorneys. We are torn between taking the standard deductions or itemizing them. Let's try to explain what the usual deductions are, how these are defined, how to identify if you qualify and how to benefit from these. When the water gets unclear, you can always consult an accountant for more specific IRS assistance.

Tax deductions are useful in reducing your total taxable income as they are expenses taken from your gross income. Expenses incurred from a variety of reasons can be considered as tax deductions.

There are two types of deductions: the standard deduction and the itemized deduction. A standard deduction is a single dollar amount that is taken from your gross income to determine your taxable income. This amount differs for married couples, singles and heads of households. The other type, which we will look at more closely, occurs when taxpayers claim for deductions for certain expenses that they have incurred. If you are not sure of the deductions that you can avail of, you can always get IRS or private assistance.

You can also utilize tax credits, which are different from deductions. Certain expenses like having children, adopting children, paying college tuition, and energy efficiency, among others, qualify you to a tax credit. Instructions on your tax forms or those found on the net will help you determine if you are qualified for a certain tax credit. Credits are different from deductions in the sense that the former are deducted from the total taxable income, not the gross income.

Presented hereafter are some of the common tax deductions:

* Professional and business-related association fees
* Costs of job-hunting
* Fees for job agencies
* Fees for professional books and magazines
* Union dues
* Business attire and uniforms
* Home and office expenses
* Legal fees to collect taxable income, such as alimony
* Tax preparation and advice charges
* Costs Incurred from moving to a new job
* IRA set-up and administration fees
* Some legal fees
* Donations to charitable institutions
* Business liability insurance premiums
* Tuition fees for classes taken to perform better in your job

When you are computing your taxes, it is useful to get IRS assistance so you don't overpay your taxes. Should you opt to do it on your own, refer to the IRS booklet, utilize the online tax preparation system and get in touch with the IRS for assistance in your itemization.

How do you qualify for these deductions? If you are doing your taxes in hard copy, then the instruction booklet will have guidelines that will help you identify if you qualify for these deductions. If you go online, the system will help you through the process. A professional tax preparer will also be a useful resource for checking for the deductions you are entitled to. IRS help is also available through their list of miscellaneous deductions posted online.

Claiming for your tax deductions and tax credits are lawful ways of minimizing taxes and augmenting refund. A number of taxpayers actually pay more than they should, thus it is imperative that you have all the necessary information in calculating for your taxes. To reiterate, it is worthwhile to keep in mind that professional services and booklet instructions are readily available to ascertain that your tax settlement experience is a positive one.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

What Deductions Are Considered By The IRS?

When tax time comes, most people find their creative genius. For example, a gentleman built a fallout shelter for fear of a nuclear war. He tried to deduct the costs as a "preventative medical expense." Saying she used a $5000 mink coat to meet clients, a woman tried to declare it as a business expense. The best is a business owner who employed an arsonist to destroy his store. From his taxes, he tried to deduct an arsonist fee of $10,000. Suffice to say, the IRS rejected that deduction.

The common IRS deductions you can take are worthy of a look. Consult a tax lawyer from Tampa to know which deductions the IRS take.

First, let us take a look at common business expenses that are deductible under the IRS rules:

* Home office.
* Job search expenses.
* Education related to your job.
* Union fees for professional organizations and associations that require membership fees.
* Dry cleaning of work uniforms for security guards, nurses, and police officers.
* Expenses incurred in business trips that are not refunded by the company.
* Business tools such as breast implants for an "adult performer."

Deductible work expenses take up a long list. Consult a tax lawyer to ensure you take advantage of the ones appropriate for you. Tax deductibles that are common are:

* Interest on student loans.
* Health premiums that are no less than 7.5% of your income. Because the rules differ for this, contact a tax attorney.
* Vehicles that are fuel-efficient.
* Secured loans mortgage interests.

You can also save money with completely legal uncommon deductions. If you think you qualify for these or other deductions, be sure you check with a tax professional or Tampa tax attorney. You do not want to claim ridiculous deductions, but neither do you wish to miss out on legitimate deductions.

* Expenses incurred by teachers of up to $250 that are not refunded by the teacher's employers can be deducted.
* You can claim up to $4000 in college tuition paid for the year.
* Non-cash charitable donations. These can be stuff for a fundraiser at school or materials to a charity bake sale. They can be deducted when totaled.
* Moving expenses for your first job.
* Natural disaster tax deductions.
* Little snacks for your employees. You can write these little treats off as long as they are not considered compensation for work or wages.

To figure out which deductions you are entitled to, search online. If you utilize an online tax preparation service, you'll often go through deductions to find out if you qualify. You can also check with a Tampa tax lawyer for more help.

Knowing which deductions you're entitled to is vital. On the grounds that he had to learn about wild animals, a dairy farmer's African safari was successfully accepted. A male model who tried to deduct his entire designer wardrobe on the basis that he had to look great everytime was denied. Consult with a tax lawyer from Tampa if you are unsure. You must be careful if you want to have the tax deductions you deserve.