The United States of America filed suit against a taxpayer for his alleged “willful” violation of the requirement to report an interest in a foreign account. The government had already established the taxpayer was required to file a Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR). The court is asked to determine which standard of […]

The Department of Justice recently indicted five individuals for obstruction of the Internal Revenue Service’s (IRS) administration of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). These individuals allegedly agreed to open offshore accounts without collecting required FATCA information. The agency accuses these individuals of scheming to evade reporting requirements. As noted in a recent press […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has provided some guidance for small businesses. The agency recently posted a news release to remind small business owners of a tax credit that is available for those who hire long-term unemployment recipients. What is this tax credit? The Work Opportunity Tax Credit (WOTC) is available for qualified first and […]

Thinking of giving up United States citizenship? You may owe an exit tax. The exit tax, also known as the expatriation tax, is due in certain situations when a citizen of the United States renounces his or her citizenship. The government determines this tax obligation based on one of three tests. A failure of any […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) recently announced the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) will end. The OVDP is currently scheduled to close on September 28, 2018. What is the OVDP? The program began in 2009. It provided an opportunity for those with offshore accounts to voluntarily come into compliance with United States tax laws. Those […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) expects United States citizens and resident aliens to report certain foreign assets. Individuals with foreign assets generally fit one of two categories: either they live and work abroad or live stateside but have foreign financial interests. Tax obligations for those who live and work abroad It is important to report […]

The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) declined to hear a case that questions the constitutionality of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). A group of American expatriates brought the case against the government based on the contention that it violated their Fourth Amendment protections and the law has resulted in financial loss. […]

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) audited approximately 934,000 tax returns in 2017. The IRS conducted 70.8 percent of these audits via a mailed correspondence and 29.2 through a full field investigation. The IRS uses these investigations to determine if taxpayers are correctly reporting income and expenses. In some cases the evidence gathered during an initial […]

The biggest tax tip for 2017 tax filings may come as a surprise. This is because it does not have to do with 2017 taxes. The tax reform passed for 2018 overhauls the system. As a result, the reform could translate to a change in your tax obligations in 2018. Thus, arguably the biggest benefit […]

The United States has taken a hard-line approach on tax compliance for assets held in foreign countries. Those who hold these assets and fail to comply with tax laws face serious penalties. These penalties can include jail time. Part of this effort involves the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). What is FATCA? The law […]