The Internal Revenue Service has electronic procedures for reviewing tax returns for indicia of fraud. Yet by the IRS’ own admission, their fraud detection system may be outdated. The current system was developed in 1994. Called the Electronic Fraud Detection System, the program’s primary goal is to avoid the issuance of fraudulent refunds. The new […]

We should never take it for granted that particular transactions will not have tax consequences. Even the providing of gifts can be subject to IRS tax laws. This is particularly true of gifts between U.S. citizens and citizens of another country. Gifts provided to foreign citizens receive the same treatment as gifts between U.S. citizens. […]

Readers likely know that capital gain must be reported to applicable authorities, such as to state revenue agents or on a federal income tax return filed with the Internal Revenue Service at the federal level. However, tax disputes can arise over the basis used in calculating such gains. In a recent celebrity example, actor Rob […]

In November, tax season may not be on anyone’s mind. After all, the holiday season is just around the corner, so most people are concerned about where they will be travelling for Thanksgiving or Christmas, and whether they have to prepare for extended family to spend time with them. Nevertheless, people are still apt to […]

Although no one wants to be involved in a tax controversy with the Internal Revenue Service, it is important to remember that taxpayers have a judicial remedy available to them. Specifically, IRS civil tax litigation can be brought in one of four different courts, depending on the type of claim. Our law firm has helped […]

The last thing anyone needs after a divorce is trouble with the Internal Revenue Service. However, there are several tax considerations that an individual should heed in order to avoid a post-divorce tax controversy. In particular, an individual should understand how the IRS regards his or her property ownership and liabilities after a divorce. In […]

A recent article serves as an important reminder of the preparation needed to mount a strong position in a tax controversy. For starters, even a simple dispute over an entry on a Form 1040 income tax return can brew into a federal case. That, in turn, requires experience and skill in handling evidentiary and procedural […]

In a recent post, we discussed whether accounting errors might lead to criminal tax charges. Today, we take a closer look at the specific crime of tax evasion. The Internal Revenue Code at Section 7201 defines tax evasion as a willful act and elevates the criminal consequences to a felony. Yet how can willfulness be […]

Some tax preparation and e-filing providers may market their product as a potential safeguard against IRS audits. For example, TurboTax includes a page on its website devoted to the top five ways to avoid a tax audit, one of which is ensuring accurate figures with the help of a program like TurboTax. Such promotional materials […]

An accounting error might lead not only to a tax dispute, but charges of fraud. In a recent example, a corporation offered $1.5 million to settle charges of accounting fraud brought by the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The SEC became involved because of the effect the accounting error had on the corporation’s shareholders. According […]