IRS Archives - Page 22 of 26 - Professional Tax Resolution

Category Archives: IRS

Complicated Tax Settlements and Returns Are Our Specialty. We Found This Client $75,000!

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There are many types of accounting, tax and tax settlement service providers. CPAs and accounting firms typically provide tax preparation services to businesses and individuals but rarely devote much effort to actual tax settlements. On the other hand, tax resolution and tax settlement firms focus mostly on settling outstanding tax debt without ensuring that all available tax code benefits have been used on the original tax filings. Professional Tax Resolution combines the expertise of tax settlement professionals and experienced, licensed tax preparers. The first step in any tax settlement case should be to confirm that the reported tax liability is correct and that all available tax code benefits have been utilized. Following that, a tax debt resolution plan can be mapped out.

Jeff F. came to us shortly before the April 15th filing deadline. A successful chiropractor, Jeff had made large tax payments for himself and his corporation for many years. However, he owed a large tax liability for the previous year and had failed to make estimated tax payments for the current year. We told Jeff that we would be happy to prepare his individual and corporate tax returns and suggest a tax settlement option for the balances owed. Although his original tax filings had been prepared by two well established CPA firms, we suggested that we would review them prior to recommending a tax settlement plan just to confirm that the balances owed were correct and that no tax code benefits had been missed.

After reviewing the most recent returns, it appeared that, as expected, the returns had been filed properly. However, one important tax benefit had been overlooked. Jeff’s business is located within an Enterprise Zone that offers specific state tax benefits for companies located within the zone. One of the benefits is a state hiring credit made available to employers meeting certain specific criteria. Companies who qualify but have failed to claim this credit are permitted to amend returns and claim missed credits providing the returns are filed within the statutory amendment period. The vouchering process to obtain these credits is fairly involved and takes several months to complete but we determined that the potential tax benefits were worth the time and expense.

After several months of reviewing employee qualifications we were able to obtain qualifying vouchers and identify over $75,000 in unclaimed state tax credits for prior year’s tax returns. The best news was that the returns fell within the statutory amendment period so the refunds could still be claimed. In addition, the credits would apply to subsequent years so the client would be able to claim as much as $15,000 in tax credits for each year going forward. While these refunds only applied to state tax balances, the client was able to use the past refunds to pay outstanding IRS balances.

Complicated tax settlements are what we do at Professional Tax Resolution. This is yet another example of how a qualified tax settlement firm can provide real solutions to taxpayers faced with a significant amount of IRS tax debt.

IRS Debt – How did that happen? Now what do I do?

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Incurring an IRS Debt

Most people who have IRS debt do not find themselves in that situation due to an unwillingness to pay their fair share of taxes. It is much more common that taxpayers find themselves owing the IRS either due to a mistake on a previously filed income tax return or some unavoidable circumstance such as a lost job, a decrease in earned income or an illness. While the initial IRS debt may have been the result of an unfortunate turn of events or a simple mistake or unreported item, it has often been compounded over time by the addition further taxes, penalties and interest. It is not uncommon for penalties and interest, which are often applied retroactively when the IRS or state tax agency makes an adjustment to a return from a prior year, to account for as much as 50% of an outstanding IRS debt balance. 

Resolving an IRS Debt

The first and most important thing that a taxpayer should do to resolve an IRS debt is to stop avoiding the issue. Taxpayers often think they can simply ignore their IRS debt because collection efforts begin mildly with letters simply stating the outstanding balance. Generally, the IRS has 10 years from the date a tax return is filed to collect an IRS debt. While collection efforts begin with passive techniques such as sending an IRS letter or IRS notice, as the 10 year collection period progresses, the methods get more aggressive. Collection attempts eventually lead to the possibility of filing a lax levy on bank accounts, wage garnishments or the filing of a tax lien. Any of these actions can have a drastic effect on a taxpayer’s credit rating and financial wellbeing. When faced with an IRS debt, a taxpayer may be best served by contacting a tax settlement professional to help resolve the issue.

How a Tax Debt Settlement Firm Can Help

The most obvious way to avoid an escalating IRS debt is to not incur the debt in the first place. While this may seem obvious, it is easier said than done. Mistakes are made and life events occur that are sometimes unavoidable. However once an IRS debt is incurred, it may be a good investment to enlist the help of a qualified professional to resolve the issue. Without professional help, individuals often find themselves overwhelmed by the barrage of letters from the IRS and confusion over how to proceed.

Why Professional Tax Resolution is a Good Choice

There are many different types of tax settlement firms and some, unfortunately, make promises they can’t keep and resort to unethical practices. For this reason, it important to research a potential tax resolution firm in order to select one that is reputable and has had a history of success settling IRS debt issues. To insure that a firm meets these qualifications, it is a good idea to verify their current licensure with the state certification agency and the Better Business Bureau. It is also advisable to review references if any are available. At Professional Tax Resolution, we encourage you to check our licenses, memberships and reviews. Our licensed CPAs and Enrolled Agents represent our clients before the IRS and State agency from start to finish. We work with our clients to prepare all un-filed tax returns, confirm and correct balances as reported by the IRS and provide our clients with the best tax settlement option available.

Haven’t filed your taxes in years? Don’t give up! Some Back Tax Tips.

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Seeking Back Tax Help

Finding back tax help can be so confusing and stressful that some taxpayers simply give up. When attempting to resolve IRS issues, the help of a qualified professional can be invaluable. Yet finding the right person for the job can be a difficult task in itself.  Many types of companies advertise back tax help but some are made up of salespeople and marketing agents who know very little about negotiating with the IRS. Tax law is difficult to understand and the policies and procedures of the IRS are complex so it is important to find a tax professional that is not only honest and ethical but also experienced in providing back tax help. To insure that an individual meets these qualifications, it is a good idea to verify their current licensure with the state certification agency and the Better Business Bureau. A licensed tax professional that specializes in back tax help is required by their profession to meet stringent continuing education requirements in order to stay current with the never ending stream of changing tax regulations. Hiring a tax professional with verifiable credentials is really the only way that you can be sure of the qualifications of the professional you are hiring.

Let a Professional Do the Talking

Many taxpayers contact us only after they have made numerous attempts to resolve their back tax issues on their own.  Very often they seem surprised that the IRS was not very helpful in getting their back tax issue resolved.  While IRS employees are usually very knowledgeable, it is important to remember that it is the job of most IRS agents to collect the tax you owe. Also, the IRS is divided into many unconnected departments so there is a good chance that the person you are talking with does not even know how help you with your issue. At Professional Tax Resolution, we work with the IRS on a daily basis and are familiar with their policies and procedures.  We know how to communicate with them effectively and will negotiate with them on your behalf to resolve your back tax issues.

Avoid the Penalties and Interest

Many taxpayers are very slow to resolve you their back tax issues. If you are one of those people, it is important to remember that back tax balances continue to accrue penalties and interest until the balance is ether paid or a tax settlement is reached. It is not uncommon for penalties and interest to make up more than half of the total balance that a taxpayer owes.  An experienced tax professional will examine all of your tax settlement options including the waiver of penalties and interest and partial payment settlement options where the IRS accepts an amount that is significantly less than the amount actually owed.

Find the Right Professional

When you are in need of back tax help, probably the most important decision you will make is the selection of a tax professional.  At Professional Tax Resolution our CPAs and Enrolled Agents have many years of experience helping taxpayers resolve even the most complicated tax debt situations. Our process will always begin at the source of the problem and follow the solution through to a complete resolution. We encourage our customers to check our memberships, reviews and affiliations for verification of our credentials and our past successes.

IRS Tax Penalties Increased for Failure to File W-2s and 1099s. Yikes!

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When meeting with a new client regarding an outstanding tax debt we generally ask if all required W-2’s and 1099’s and have been filed.  It is not uncommon for the client to casually respond that they need file those also.  They are often surprised to hear of the substantial penalties that apply for the failure to file these information returns.  Since the IRS assesses these penalties on a per return basis the resulting penalties can be very significant when there are numerous documents that have not been submitted.

Under the Small Business Jobs Act, the IRS has implemented higher penalties for failure to file information returns such as a W-2’s or 1099’s. The new penalty structure is designed to encourage businesses to file these returns as soon as possible. The quicker the delinquent returns are filed, the smaller the penalty.

  • First tier penalties have been doubled from the previous amount to $30 per return. These penalties apply to any information return that is submitted after the filing deadline but within 30 days. The maximum penalty for a calendar year has been increased from $75,000 to $250,000 (from $25,000 to $75,000 for small filers).
  • Second tier penalties have been doubled from the previous amount to $60 per return. These penalties apply to any information return that is submitted more than 30 days after the filing deadline but before August 1st. The maximum penalty for a calendar year has been increased from $150,000 to $500,000 (from $50,000 to $200,000 for small filers).
  • Third tier penalties have been doubled from the previous amount to $100 per return. These penalties apply to any information return that is submitted after August 1st. The maximum penalty for a calendar year has been increased from $250,000 to $1.5 million (from $100,000 to $500,000 for small filers).
  • The penalty for intentional failure to file has been increased from $100 to $250 per return.

The new penalty structure applies to information returns that were required to be filed on or after January 1, 2011.

Don’t Bounce Your Tax Check!

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Taxpayers beware! The penalties for bouncing a check to the U. S Treasury Department have recently been increased. Generally, if the IRS extends an existing tax credit or offers a new one, they will make a corresponding change in the tax code to “pay” for the credit. In this case penalties and fees on bad checks have been increased to cover the changes initiated by the Homebuyer Assistance and Improvement Act of 2010 which extended the closing date for home purchases eligible for the homebuyer tax credit.  

The new tax law imposes a 2% penalty on any disallowed check or money order payable to the U.S. Treasury for an amount over $1,250. For bounced payments under $1,250, the fee is the amount of the check or $25, whichever is less. These bad check fees have now been extended to cover electronic payments as well.

In addition to the new penalties which have been imposed on disallowed IRS payments, taxpayers are still subject to the normal penalties and interest that apply to any unpaid tax debt until the obligation is paid in full.  The sum total of interest and penalties owed to the IRS together with bad check fees charged by the issuing bank can turn out to be a significant dollar amount. 

Even with fees like this aside, there is no doubt that the IRS can be intimidating.  Let us help you with your tax problems; call Professional Tax Resolution today for a free no obligation consultation.  (949) 596-4143.