Tag: Public economics

If you owe the IRS and have a refund on your tax return, the IRS will keep the refund and apply it to your unpaid taxes.  The problem is not repaying the debt – you...

When you make a payment to the IRS, it will be automatically applied to your account in a manner that is in the IRS’s best interest. But what is best for the IRS in handling...

I received a great question from a reader about whether Veteran’s disability benefits should be included in the value of an IRS installment agreement or offer in compromise. Although the question is directed to Veterans’ disability...

Your name is signed on a joint tax return, but the signature is not yours.  Your spouse signed your name, but did you agree to it? This becomes a problem if there are taxes owed on...

In today’s difficult economic times, every dollar counts.  An offer in compromise may help, but for many there is a hidden cost – lost tax refunds. Tax refunds increase the amount you pay to the IRS in...

What to expect from the IRS collection division in 2010: 1.     More aggressive IRS tax lien filing practices. IRS Revenue Officers have been instructed to make decisions on the filing of Federal tax liens...

It can be tempting to use payroll tax withholdings as a source of operating capital for your business, especially in troubled times.  But this is dangerous – the IRS can penalize anyone in your business who took part...

A funny thing happened to me on the way to my mailbox today. There was a letter from the IRS.  Sure, I get plenty of IRS mail everyday – I am an IRS defense attorney....

It is common to feel like you are not getting a fair shake from an IRS auditor.   Frustration mounts with perceptions that the auditor is unreasonable.  No matter what you do, the auditor cannot...

If you find yourself in an IRS pickle, there are three IRS employees you are most likely to come face to face with.  Those are Revenue Officers, Revenue Agents and Special Agents.  Here is what...

I received a call from a Wall Street Journal reporter on a story he was writing on an IRS announcement that they might use mortgage interest payments to identify non-filers. It goes like this:  You...

In an unprecedented hiring move, the IRS is bringing on board almost 2.000 new Revenue Officers, starting this fall (2009).  This is a 35% increase in high level IRS collection enforcement staffing. The ramp up...

If you have had trouble paying taxes to the IRS in the past and would like to settle up, the first step is to ensure that you are paying your taxes now.  The IRS will...

I am fortunate that the National Association of Enrolled Agents has invited me to their annual Tax Institute on August 9 -11, 2009 in Baltimore, Md. Here are the outlines for the topics I will...

I often have clients who are very focused on an offer in compromise.  But before we plunge in, the first thing I do is check on how much longer the IRS has to collect the...

In addition to offers in compromise, bankruptcy, and uncollectible (See Part I, above), here are three more solutions to owing back taxes to the IRS: Statute of limitations on collection. The IRS has 10 years to...

In today’s difficult economic environment, expect more businesses to resort to using payroll tax money to stay afloat and a corresponding increase in IRS enforcement measures. With bank lending tight, employee tax withholding is a...