From generous estimations to outright lies — what happens when you lie on your taxes? The lure of a lower tax bill or higher tax refund may tempt taxpayers to fudge the numbers on their tax return. However, such maneuvers can come with serious consequences. How serious are the consequences? Not surprisingly, the severity of […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced plans to increase visits to a certain group of taxpayers. The agency’s focus includes those who meet the following criteria: 1) earnings of over $100,000 annually, and 2) failure to file income tax returns. When will the agency begin to implement this new focus? According to a recent […]

Our legal system expects a lot out of small business owners. This system expects these entrepreneurs to follow the rules of their chosen business structure while also making sure they meet all required tax obligations. This is on top of balancing their business plan and making sure they are successful within their market. A failure […]

On February 3, 2020, Florida Attorney General Ashely Moody issued a video consumer alert warning taxpayers to “Watch Out for Tax Identity Theft Scams” and providing tips for Floridians to help them avoid becoming victims of scammers.1 Significantly, the Attorney General noted that a common ploy involves the fraudulent filing of a person’s tax return […]

A new tax enforcement organization is set to ramp up the nation’s ability to keep an eye out for tax evasion. The Joint Chiefs of Global Tax Enforcement, or J5, may sound like something out of the Marvel Universe. In reality, it is a collaborative effort of five major intelligence communities working together to bring […]

Cryptocurrency exchanges, such as Coinbase and Uphold, have begun issuing Forms 1099-Ks, Payment Card and Third Party Network Transactions, to customers. If you receive a 1099-K from a cryptocurrency exchange, then you can be assured that the IRS is fully aware of your reportable cryptocurrency transactions. This is because cryptocurrency exchanges are required to send […]

In December of 2019, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) added two new “Frequently Asked Questions” (FAQs) on its webpage regarding the responsibilities and reporting obligations for charitable organizations that received donations in the form of virtual currencies.1 One of these FAQs imposes an appraisal requirement for large donations of virtual currencies-increasing already existing concerns that […]

Within the newly enacted Further Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2020 (FCAA) is another act-the Setting Every Community Up for Retirement Enhancement Act of 2019 (SECURE Act), which significantly changes retirement plan funding and distribution.[1]This new law increases the age at which account holders are required to take distributions from their individual retirement accounts (IRAs) from 70½ […]

An IRS news release, issued January 22, 2020, warned taxpayers not to fall victim to “ghost” tax return preparers this tax filing season.[1] The IRS reminded taxpayers that a paid tax return preparer is required by law to have a valid Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN). The IRS clarified that a paid preparer must include […]

Tax season is upon us. The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) began accepting tax returns on Monday, January 27. Those putting the finishing touches on their returns may wonder what the IRS looks for when reviewing returns — what exactly triggers an audit? 1) A large income. Unfortunately, the IRS is more likely to conduct an […]