United States persons who have foreign transactions present a number of compliance problems for the IRS. It is difficult for the IRS to know whether taxpayers are simply not paying U.S. taxes on foreign transactions. The IRS officially recognized the significance of its international tax limitations in 2010 when it renamed its large business division…
Tax Articles
Can a Tax Attorney Sign a Form 843?
Taxpayers may find it challenging to obtain a refund from the government, as the courts and Congress have imposed stringent requirements on the refund claims filed by taxpayers. Even minor procedural errors can be detrimental to the claim, resulting in the government gaining an unwarranted windfall. The recent case of Vensure HR, Inc. v. United…
IRS Guidance on Structuring Attorneys Fees
It should not be a surprise to learn that attorneys often hire tax attorneys to help them minimize their taxes. One popular tax savings strategy for attorneys is to structure their contingent fees. A contingent fee is a payment arrangement in which a lawyer provides services on the condition that payment will only be made…
The IRS’s Bank Deposit Analysis
When conducting an audit involving income tax returns, the IRS will almost always check for unreported income. The IRS has specific procedures for conducting this type of income verification. This often involves a bank deposit analysis by the IRS agent. This type of analysis can be used to identify unreported income, but it can also…
Amount of 179D Tax Deduction for Building Designer
Congress often creates tax incentives, but it is up to the IRS and courts to determine their implementation and interpretation. The Sec. 179D tax deduction is an example of this. The statute provides broad concepts but lacks substance, leading to the courts playing a crucial role in determining its implementation and interpretation. The details matter…
Tax Court: Is Diabetes a Disability?
If you find yourself without a job or facing unemployment, one of the options you might consider is taking a distribution from your retirement account. This is especially true if you are disabled and need the income to pay for your living costs or even your medical care. These distributions often result in additional Federal…
About the Monetized Installment Sale
You probably found this by searching for “monetized installment sale IRS” or some similar term. The monetized installment sale is a tax strategy that allows a party to sell an appreciated asset while deferring capital gain tax for an extended period of time and receiving a significant portion of the sale proceeds in cash. The…
The Premium Tax Credit Trap
In an effort to reform health insurance, the government implemented a system where it would make payments directly to insurance companies on behalf of taxpayers through the use of premium tax credits. These credits were a part of the Affordable Care Act and intended to make health insurance more affordable for those who might not…
The Crime-Fraud Exception to the Attorney-Client Privilege
Our laws protect certain communications. This includes communications with doctors, religious advisors, spouses, and even attorneys. When it comes to Federal tax matters, communications with tax attorneys are usually at the forefront. The IRS often seeks information about these communications to help it figure out how the taxpayer structured their affairs. The attorney-client privilege is…
Late-Filed Tax Returns & Excess Collections
Life happens. We all experience it. There are times when life events can result in tax returns being filed late. Our tax laws offer little in way of leniency when this happens. The IRS will assess late filing penalties. Worse yet, amounts that were already timely paid to the IRS may not be refunded to…