As a tax attorney, I get frequent calls and emails from people concerned about calls from the IRS.Almost all of these are scams and not real. The IRS post some information on this website about the scammers, but the scammers are too fast in changing...
There is been a long-standing rule that attorneys and clients have a privilege for their communications under most circumstances. This is not true for tax return preparers, accountants and CPAs under many circumstances, particularly where it matters most-when the IRS is attacking a taxpayer for...
This is a scam notice received by clients that looks legitimate. The scam artists have taken the IRS logo and make the letter look like it's really from the IRS. It is not! If you click on the link it asked all kinds of personal...
Prohibiting citizens from traveling abroad was the hallmark of many communist countries such as East Germany, the Soviet Union, Cuba, North Korea and China. Now, the US joins this dishonorable crowd by prohibiting travel by American citizens.Specifically, Congress and the previous Obama administration passed a...
The “manufacturers’ deduction” isn’t just for manufacturersThe Section 199 deduction is intended to encourage domestic manufacturing. In fact, it’s often referred to as the “manufacturers’ deduction.” But this potentially valuable tax break can be used by many other types of businesses besides manufacturing companies.Sec. 199...
Why 2016 may be an especially good year to take bonus depreciationBonus depreciation allows businesses to recover the costs of depreciable property more quickly by claiming additional first-year depreciation for qualified assets. The PATH Act, signed into law a little over a year ago, extended...
Can you defer taxes on advance payments?Many businesses receive payment in advance for goods and services. Examples include magazine subscriptions, long-term supply contracts, organization memberships, computer software licenses and gift cards.Generally, advance payments are included in taxable income in the year they’re received, even if...
Tax season for individuals starts January 23, 2017 for the 2016 return. Unfortunately, most individuals are facing increasingly complex and confusing tax laws. It is not just businesses that are suffering. The National Taxpayer Advocate has called for Congress to simplify the Internal Revenue Code...
Yesterday, the 115th Congress convened.The Republicans are in charge of both the House and Senate and there is been a lot of talk about tax reduction and "tax reform". Does this mean we will get tax simplification? Since President Reagan signed the Internal Revenue Code...
Take stock of your inventory accounting method’s impact on your tax billIf your business involves the production, purchase or sale of merchandise, your inventory accounting method can significantly affect your tax liability. In some cases, using the last-in, first-out (LIFO) inventory accounting method, rather than...