IRS Targets Americans Living In Israel!

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Americans with Israeli bank or other financial accounts could face a tough tax season in 2014 if they do not come forward and disclose their assets to the IRS.  Recently, Israeli banks have come under increased scrutiny by the IRS in regards to disclosing the accounts of their American clients.  In particular, three Israeli banks- Bank Hapoalim, Bank Leumi and Mizrahi Tefahot- are under investigation by the Department of Justice.  To avoid prosecution, many other Israeli banks will begin turning over information as early as July 2014.

The prompt release of U.S. accountholder information by Israeli banks is a result of the IRS’s efforts to fully implement the 2010 Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”) which requires foreign banks and financial institutions to report the assets of their American account holders.  Lack of compliance, banks were warned, would limit their ability to do business in America.  FATCA was passed as part of the U.S. government’s effort to crack down on U.S. tax evaders.  Initially, the IRS concentrated its efforts on Swiss Banks.

This focus has led to an increase in the enforcement of the requirement that Americans and American residents file a Foreign Bank Account Report on every account held abroad that is worth more than $10,000. As the IRS cracks down on offshore accounts and on suspected fraud from overseas, Israel faces extra scrutiny. A recent report issued by the Government Accountability Office found that 4% of the accounts reported worldwide through this program were in Israel, making it the fifth most likely destination for overseas bank accounts.

Israeli banks have increased their efforts to identify clients who are United States citizens and report them to the IRS. A series of prosecutions against American citizens trying to avoid reporting their accounts in Israel and against tax preparers who advised their clients to use Israel as a tax shelter helped drive home the point.  Accordingly, Israeli banks have been urging their American account holders to come forward and disclose their assets under the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI).  In December 2013, Bank Leumi, the largest commercial Bank in Israel, sent out a letter to their American clients to come forward under the program.

Increased enforcement has impacted a wide circle of Americans, mainly Jewish, with ties to Israel. It includes not only those who have immigrated to Israel, or made aliyah, as adults, but also children of American citizens who are citizens themselves but may have never even visited the United States. The law is also relevant to any American who has opened an account in Israel in the past for use during visits to Israel or to help manage rental income in Israel.

Federal tax law requires U.S. taxpayers to pay taxes on all income earned worldwide.  U.S. taxpayers must also report foreign financial accounts if the total value of the accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year.  Willful failure to report a foreign account can result in a fine of up to 50% of the amount in the account at the time of the violation and may even result in the IRS filing criminal charges.

U.S. taxpayers with account holdings should seriously consider coming forward and disclosing their assets to the IRS.  If you have never reported your foreign investments on your U.S. Tax Returns, the IRS has established the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI) which allows taxpayers to come forward to avoid criminal prosecution and not have to bear the full amount of penalties normally imposed by IRS.

If you have never reported your foreign investments on your U.S. Tax Returns, you should seriously consider participating in the IRS’s Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI).  Once the IRS contacts you, you cannot get into this program and would be subject to the maximum penalties (civil and criminal) under the tax law.  Taxpayers who hire an experienced tax attorney in Offshore Account Voluntary Disclosures should result in avoiding any pitfalls and gaining the maximum benefits conferred by this program.

Protect yourself from excessive fines and possible jail time. Let the tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. located in Los Angeles, San Francisco and elsewhere in California qualify you for OVDI.

Description: Let the tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. resolve your IRS tax problems, get you in compliance with your FBAR filing obligations, and minimize the chance of any criminal investigation or imposition of civil penalties.

IRS Guidance Issued On Bitcoin Tax Reporting Requirements

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Bitcoin has been in the news frequently lately, particularly since the collapse of the Japanese-based Bitcoin exchange, Mt. Gox.  Bitcoin is a digital currency and peer-to-peer payment system created in 2009. Since 2009, the use of bitcoins has expanded significantly.  Bitcoins can be bought and sold for various currencies, generally through a series of online exchanges where participants can bid on bitcoins from individuals or buy them at market price from companies.

The unique characteristics of Bitcoin as a digital currency left many questions about tax reporting requirements, such as whether users of Bitcoin must file FinCEN Form 114, Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR).  U.S. taxpayers who have an interest in, or signatory or other authority over a foreign financial account, such as a bank account, securities or other similar foreign accounts must file an FBAR if the aggregate value of the foreign accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year. As of October 1, 2013 the FBAR form must be filed through the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s (FinCEN’s) Bank Secrecy Act E-Filing System on or before June 30th of the year following the calendar year being reported. For example, to report foreign accounts held open in 2013, the taxpayer must file the FBAR by June 30, 2014.

Prior to the Internal Revenue Service’s release of Notice 2014-21 on March 25, 2014, we did not know whether the IRS would treat a virtual currency as currency or property. The IRS has now said – treat it as property. [IRS Information Release IR-2014-36 and Notice 2014-21].  I think that is a good answer. After all, Bitcoin is not used as the currency of any government and generally, are convertible to a currency of a government. For example, you can buy Bitcoin with U.S. dollars and convert it back to U.S. dollars.

So, what does it mean that Bitcoin is property? Here are a few tax examples.

• If you mine Bitcoin, you generate income equal to the value of the Bitcoin when mined. And if you are doing this as a business, you’ll also owe self-employment tax. [See Q&A 8 and 9 of Notice 2014-21].

• If you buy Bitcoin so you can use it instead of dollars, you’ll have some extra recordkeeping to handle. For example, you bought 1 Bitcoin (BTC) when it was worth $700. You later use half of that BTC to buy goods and at that time, 1 BTC is worth $800. You have a $50 gain. A few months later, you use the remaining .5 BTC to buy goods and at the time, 1 BTC is worth $1,000, you will report a gain of $150. The tax principle here is that if your wealth has increased and you cash out that wealth (realize it), you have income. When you can use something you paid $700 for to buy $900 of goods, you have income of $200. This is the same result you’d have if you had converted the Bitcoin back to dollars right before making the purchase of the goods in dollars. [See Q&A 6 and 7 of Notice 2014-21]

• Your employer pays you in Bitcoin. You’ll have income equal to the value of the Bitcoin on the day you receive it. And, yes, the employer will include this income in your W-2. Same answer if you are instead a contractor; it will be included in the Form 1099 your employer gives you. [See Q&A 10-14 of Notice 2014-21]

Federal tax law requires U.S. taxpayers to pay taxes on all income earned worldwide.  The knowing omission of such income can result in a minimum fine of $10,000 and/or potential incarceration of at least 1 year besides the standard civil penalties associated with the increase in tax and interest thereon.  U.S. taxpayers must also report foreign financial accounts if the total value of the accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year.  Willful failure to report a foreign account can result in a fine of up to 50% of the amount in the account at the time of the violation and may even result in the IRS filing criminal charges.

U.S. taxpayers who have bitcoins would benefit from the experienced tax attorneys of the Law Office Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. representing you to avoid the pitfalls associated with failure to comply with the reporting requirements associated with owing bitcoins.

Description: Let the tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. resolve your IRS tax problems, get you in compliance with your FBAR filing obligations, and minimize the chance of any criminal investigation or imposition of civil penalties.

IRS Commissioner Announces The Agency Is On Track To Meet FATCA Deadline Of July 1, 2014 To Enforce Compliance Of Foreign Banks To Disclose U.S. Account Holders To IRS

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Last week, IRS Commissioner, John Koskinen, announced that the agency is right on track in implementing the non-discretionary legislative mandates of the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act, which is more commonly known as FATCA. The significance of this law enacted as part of the Hiring Incentives to Restore Employment Act of 2010, P.L. 111-147, requires foreign financial institutions to tell the IRS about accounts owned by U.S. citizens. Those banks who fail to comply will be subject to 30% withholding on U.S. sourced investments.  With this information, the IRS can do a much better job of combating offshore tax evasion. The Commissioner stated that it is the agency’s goal to make it more and more difficult for Americans to hide their money in a tax haven to avoid paying taxes.  FATCA withholding goes into effect July 1, 2014.

Foreign banks will not want their returns from U.S. investments to be subject to any withholding by the IRS; therefore, if a foreign bank is to keep its U.S. account holders, they will now report U.S. account holders directly to IRS to be in compliance with FATCA.

The net that the IRS has cast will catch not only those wealthy taxpayers with fancy lawyers and accountants but also any average U.S. taxpayer who has undisclosed foreign bank accounts and unreported foreign income.  The Commissioner affirmed that no longer will any U.S. taxpayer be able to hide their money in foreign countries and avoid paying their fair share to support the operations of the government.

Federal tax law requires U.S. taxpayers to pay taxes on all income earned worldwide.  U.S. taxpayers must also report foreign financial accounts if the total value of the accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year.  Willful failure to report a foreign account can result in a fine of up to 50% of the amount in the account at the time of the violation and may even result in the IRS filing criminal charges.

If you have never reported your foreign investments on your U.S. Tax Returns, you should seriously consider participating in the IRS’s Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI).  Once the IRS contacts you, you cannot get into this program and would be subject to the maximum penalties (civil and criminal) under the tax law.  Taxpayers who hire an experienced tax attorney in Offshore Account Voluntary Disclosures should result in avoiding any pitfalls and gaining the maximum benefits conferred by this program.

Protect yourself from excessive fines and possible jail time. Let the tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. located in Los Angeles, San Francisco and elsewhere in California qualify you for OVDI.

Description: Let the tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. resolve your IRS tax problems, get you in compliance with your FBAR filing obligations, and minimize the chance of any criminal investigation or imposition of civil penalties.

2013 U.S. Expat Tax Updates for Americans Living Abroad

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As expats begin the task of gathering documents for their U.S. tax return preparation, here are some important updates to keep in mind.

Foreign Earned Income Exclusion (“FEIE”)

The Foreign Earned Income Exclusion is a valuable tax benefit that adjusts for inflation each year. For tax year 2013 the FEIE was $95,100 and for tax year 2014 it jumps to $97,600. This means you deduct the first $97,600 you earn. For some expats this exclusion alone could eliminate your entire U.S. tax liability. However, it’s important to remember that you must qualify as an expat to beeligible for this exclusion. You qualify via one of two residency tests: the Physical Presence test (“PPT”) or the Bona Fide Residence test (“BFR”). Many expats qualify by the PPT, which requires you to earn foreign income and be outside the U.S. for 330 of any 365 day period. Note that this is not a calendar year, but a rolling 365-day period. To qualify using the BFR, you must be overseas for at least one year and have no intentions of returning to the U.S.

Foreign Housing Exclusion

This is another exclusion available to expats to reduce U.S. tax liability. With this exclusion, you can deduct a certain amount of your housing expenses. For tax year 2013 the base deduction is $15,616 (it is tied to the FEIE each year). Your exclusion amount is prorated based on the number of days you are abroad. Now, if you happen to live in one of the many cities that the IRS deems to have a ‘higher cost of living,’ your exclusion will be even higher. Here is a sample of the increased allowances for some popular cities:

Sydney, Australia – $32,782
Mexico City, Mexico – $47,900
Seoul, Korea – $56,000
Dubai, United Arab Emirates – $57,164
Montreal, Canada – $60,600
London, United Kingdom – $88,200
Hong Kong, China – $114,300
Tokyo, Japan – $117,100

For a complete list of cities with higher allowances, click here: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i2555.pdf

Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”)

If you haven’t heard about FATCA yet, this year you certainly will. FATCA was created to uncover tax cheats hiding U.S. money in offshore accounts. Currently individuals with offshore assets are required to file FATCA Form 8938 if their assets exceed specific thresholds. This form is included with the Form 1040 filing and substantial penalties will be charged by the IRS where the IRS finds you omitted this form. Starting in July 2014, FATCA will require foreign financial institutions to report on the accounts of their American clients. What does this mean? Basically, there is no place for one to hide. If you have offshore assets exceeding the thresholds, you need to report them or your foreign financial institution will! The Form 8938 filing thresholds for expats are as follows:

• Single Filing: $200,000 on the last day of the year or $300,000 at any point during the year
• Married Filing Jointly: $400,000 on the last day of the year or $600,000 at any point during the year

FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Report)
There is a new process for filing your FBAR. The old way of paper filing Form TD 90-22.1 is history. You now need to file FBAR electronically to the US Treasury Department via FinCEN Form 114. The deadline is still the same—June 30th and there are no extensions.

You must file FBAR if you have foreign bank accounts totaling $10,000 or more. Note that this is an aggregate amount over all your accounts and even if you had $10,000 in the accounts on only one day, you will need to file FBAR. Penalties for failing to file can be steep, so if you are required to file, don’t miss the deadline!

The penalties for FBAR noncompliance are stiffer than the civil tax penalties ordinarily imposed for delinquent taxes. The penalties for noncompliance which the government may impose include a fine of not more than $500,000 and imprisonment of not more than five years, for failure to file a report, supply information, and for filing a false or fraudulent report.

Note that the filing threshold is different for the FBAR than for Form 8938 and the FBAR is filed separately from your Form 1040.

Foreign Tax Credit

If you paid or accrued foreign taxes to a foreign government on foreign source income that is still subject to U.S. tax, you may be able to take either a credit or itemized deduction for those taxes. The IRS allows the foreign tax credit so that you are not doubly taxed on the same income.

Taken as a deduction, the foreign income taxes reduce your U.S. taxable income. Taken as a credit, foreign income taxes reduce your tax liability. Most of the time, it is more advantageous to take foreign income taxes as a tax credit.

To claim the foreign tax credit, you need to fill out IRS Form 1116 unless the amount of credit you are claiming is $300 or less ($600 if married filing a joint return).

The laws regarding the foreign tax credit are complex and the application of the foreign tax credit can vary depending on various factors. For example, if you have foreign sourced qualified dividends or capital gains or capital losses that will affect the amount of foreign tax credit you can take.

Also, the U.S. has different tax treaties with other countries that may limit your foreign tax. The tax treaty with each country specifically addresses the type of income for which the tax credit is available and the rate limitation. For example, the tax treaty with the United Kingdom does not allow a tax credit for foreign taxes paid with respect to interest income. Also, the tax treaty with India caps the foreign taxes paid to 15%.

But in all cases, if the foreign income is not recognized on your U.S. tax return, you cannot claim as a foreign tax credit the taxes paid to the foreign county on said income.

Obamacare

In 2014 Obamacare (otherwise known as the Affordable Care Act) came into effect. While this doesn’t impact your 2013 taxes, you need to be aware of the future impact it can have on you.Obamacare requires that every American hold the minimum essential healthcare coverage—those who don’t will pay a penalty on their taxes. If you qualify as an expat (via the PPT or BFR) you are exempt from Obamacare. If you do not qualify (i.e. you are on a shorter-term assignment or haven’t been abroad long enough yet) or you are ineligible for a qualifying U.S. expatriate healthcare policy, you may be subject to the tax. The penalty for 2014 is the greater of $95 per adult and $47.50 per child OR 1% of your family income (defined as income over and above the filing threshold). If you return to the U.S. after being abroad, you will be required to enroll in a qualified policy in order to avoid the tax.

Staying abreast of the latest tax updates is critical for expats, as these updates can certainly save you money and help avoid costly oversights. If you have never reported your foreign investments on your U.S. Tax Returns, you should seriously consider participating in the IRS’s Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI). Once the IRS contacts you, you cannot get into this program and would be subject to the maximum penalties (civil and criminal) under the tax law. Taxpayers who hire an experienced tax attorney in Offshore Account Voluntary Disclosures should result in avoiding any pitfalls and gaining the maximum benefits conferred by this program.

Description: Let the tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. resolve your IRS tax problems, get you in compliance with your FBAR filing obligations, and minimize the chance of any criminal investigation or imposition of civil penalties.

IRS Warning: Beware Email Phishing Scheme Falsely Claiming to be from the Taxpayer Advocate Service

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From time to time the IRS issues consumer warnings on the fraudulent use of the IRS name or logo by scammers trying to gain access to consumers’ financial information in order to steal their identity and assets. When identity theft takes place over the Internet,it is called phishing.

Suspicious e-Mail/Phishing

Phishing (as in “fishing for information” and “hooking” victims) is a scam where Internet fraudsters send e-mail messages to trick unsuspecting victims into revealing personal and financial information that can be used to steal the victims’ identity. Current scams include phony e-mails which claim to come from the IRS Taxpayer Advocate’s Office which lure the victims into the scam by telling them that their case has been forwarded to the Taxpayer Advocate’s Office.

How The Scam Works

Victims will receive an email that appears to be from the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service and includes a bogus case number.The fake emails may include the following message: “Your reported 2013 income is flagged for review due to a document processing error. Your case has been forwarded to the Taxpayer Advocate Service for resolution assistance. To avoid delays processing your 2013 filing contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service for resolution assistance.”

Recipients are directed to click on links that supposedly provide information about the “advocate” assigned to their case or that let them “review reported income.” The links lead to web pages that solicit personal information.

The Taxpayer Advocate Service (“TAS”) is a legitimate IRS organization that helps taxpayers resolve federal tax issues that have not been resolved through the normal IRS channels. The TAS never initiates contact with taxpayers by email, texting or any social media. A taxpayer must contact the TAS directly in order to secure assistance and receive communications from the TAS.

To Report Fraud

Taxpayers who get these messages should not respond to the email or click on the links. Instead, they should forward the scam emails to the IRS at phishing@irs.gov. You may also report the fraudulent misuse of the IRS name, logo, forms or other IRS property by calling the IRS toll-free fraud hotline at 1-800-366-4484.

What You Should Do If You Really Do Have Tax Issues?

The tax attorneys of the Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. located in Los Angeles and California know exactly what to say and handle the IRS. Our experience and expertise not only levels the playing field but also puts you in the driver’s seat as we take full control of resolving your tax problems.

Description: The Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. has helped many people avoid collection action by the IRS and State tax agencies. Working with one of our tax attorneys in Los Angeles or elsewhere in California is the best bet for reducing or eliminating the amount you owe.

KahnTaxLaw on the ESPN Mr. Credit show – March 27, 2014

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Topics Covered:

1. Protect yourself: Scammers targeting taxpayers, including recent immigrants, throughout the country.
2. Types of audits that the IRS conducts and deadline to finish an audit.
3. Top 10 “red flags” that could increase the chance you’ll be targeted for an audit.
4. Will the IRS punish me if I hire a tax attorney? Should I use a national tax practitioner?

Listen to the podcast:

Top Ten Red Flags That Could Trigger An IRS Audit

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The IRS randomly selects tax returns for audit each year.

What sets off alarms at the IRS? Well for one thing it pays to keep in mind these 10 “red flags” that could increase the chance you’ll be targeted for an audit.

1. High income. The audit rate for 2011 tax returns, which was about 1.11% overall, shot to 3.93% for taxpayers with income of $200,000 or more. That’s almost one out of every 25 returns. The IRS tends to chase the “big money,” and while that’s no reason to earn less, you should realize that higher income exposes you to a greater audit risk.

2. Unreported income. The IRS computers match up the income listed on W-2 and 1099 forms with the income reported on individual returns. You’re likely to draw IRS scrutiny if you don’t report all of your taxable income or if you underreport the total, even if an omission is inadvertent. Check your tax forms to ensure the information is correct.

3. Large charitable gifts. Besides providing personal satisfaction, deductions for charitable gifts can offset highly taxed income on your return. But the IRS may become suspicious if the amount you deduct is disproportionate to your income. In particular, make sure that deductions for gifts of property are legitimate and include an independent appraisal when required.

4. Home office deductions. If you qualify, you can write off your direct costs of using part of your home as an office, plus a percentage of everyday living expenses such as property taxes, mortgage interest, utilities, phone bills, insurance, etc. But the basic rule is that you must use the office “regularly and exclusively” as your principal place of business. Simply doing work at home when your main office is elsewhere won’t cut it.

5. Rental real estate losses. Generally, “passive activity” rules prevent investors from deducting losses on rental real estate. But a special exception allows a loss deduction of up to $25,000 for “active participants,” subject to a phase-out between $100,000 and $150,000 of adjusted gross income (AGI). Another exception applies to qualified real estate professionals. The IRS may zero in on taxpayers claiming losses under either exception.

6. Travel and entertainment expenses. This is often a key audit target. IRS agents particularly look for self-employed individuals and other business owners who claim unusually large write-offs for travel and entertainment expenses and meals. Note that the tax law includes strict substantiation rules that must be followed in order to deduct any of these expenses.

7. Business use of cars. Another area ripe for abuse by taxpayers is the use of a vehicle for business purposes. The annual amount you can claim via depreciation deductions for the vehicle, based on percentage of business use, is limited by so-called “luxury car” rules. IRS agents have been trained to ferret out taxpayer records that don’t measure up. Another red flag is a claim for 100% business use of a vehicle, especially if another vehicle isn’t available for personal use.

8. Hobby losses. As a general rule, you can deduct expenses for a hobby only up to the amount of the income it produces. You normally can’t claim a loss for the activity, unless your involvement rises to a level of a bona fide business. Usually, an activity is presumed not to be a hobby if you show a profit in any three out of the past five years, but the IRS can refute this presumption.

9. Foreign bank accounts. The IRS has started clamping down on taxpayers with offshore accounts in “tax havens” in which banks do not disclose account information. Failure to report foreign income can trigger steep penalties and interest. If you have foreign bank accounts, make sure you properly report the income when you file your return.

10. Cash businesses. If you operate a small business in which you’re largely paid in cash—for example, if you own a car wash, restaurant or bar, or a hair or nail salon—the IRS is more likely to examine your return. Past history indicates that cash-heavy taxpayers may underreport their income or, in some cases, not report any income at all. Accordingly, the IRS remains on high alert.

These red flags don’t mean you should shy away from claiming the tax breaks you rightly deserve. But when the IRS knocks on your door you need to be prepared.

Description: The Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. has helped many people minimize or avoid adjustments from IRS audits. Working with a tax attorney is the best bet for minimizing adjustments that would create liability to the IRS.

Top Questions On IRS Audits

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Many people have approached me with questions on IRS audits and so I have taken the most popular questions and laid them out in this blog with my response.

1. I received an IRS Notice informing you that your return has been selected for examination. What should I do?
The fact that your return has been selected for examination, it does not mean or imply that that you have made an error or done something dishonest. Tax returns are selected for audit in a variety of ways including random sampling. The most important thing is not to panic and instead to reach out to a tax attorney for representation. Provide us with your audit letter and the subject tax returns so we may review your situation.

2. Why should I be concerned if an audit is poorly conducted?
A poorly conducted audit can result in large additional tax adjustments and penalties and interest up to as much as 100% of the adjustment. Most local tax preparers are not equipped to represent you in an audit before the IRS. Because we focus on tax representation, we can make sure that your audit is efficiently and effectively handled and attempt to pursue an audit result with little or no additional tax assessments. We can handle everything from simply submitting missing tax documents to representing you in front of an IRS examiner. Let us do the work for you.

3. How is using a tax attorney beneficial during an audit?
Using a tax attorney to help with an audit can significantly increase your chances of getting a better outcome. Many times individuals don’t realize that audits can go both ways, you may actually end up being owed money after an audit. A tax attorney can analyze your situation and find the best approach to take in order to get the best outcome. The IRS actually prefers working with professional tax representatives because it makes their job easier and helps the process move along more efficiently, which can actually result in a more favorable decision.

4. What does your firm do for an audit representation?
Upon filing a Power Of Attorney Form with the IRS or State Tax Agency, we become the primary contact for the tax agency. You will still receive copies of all correspondence sent out by the tax agencies but you will not be receiving any calls or visits from the agent(s). In connection with the audit we will research any issues that are likely to come up, respond to the agent’s arguments by coming up with answers on your behalf, meet with the agent in person if required on your behalf, negotiate and settle taxes owed if you end up owing more money during the audit and cannot pay, and handle any unforeseen issues that may arise during the audit.

5. Why would I not want my original tax preparer to represent me in my appeal (or in my audit)?
One of the most effective defenses to the imposition of penalties and the associated interest on the penalties available to Tax Counsel, is to argue that the taxpayer relied on a tax professional in the preparation of the return at issue. This creates a potential conflict of interest between you and your original tax preparer where your interest is to protect yourself financially and your original tax preparer’s motivation may be to protect his reputation with the IRS. It therefore becomes highly unlikely that even where appropriate to do so, your original tax preparer will throw himself under the bus by admitting his errors in preparing the returns at issue for your financial benefit to his possible detriment with the IRS including the possibility of preparer penalties and detriment to his professional reputation with the IRS. No such conflict exists where you engage Tax Counsel that did not prepare the returns at issue to prosecute your Appeal.

6. How many years worth of returns are at risk during an audit?
Ordinarily, the IRS has three years from a tax return’s due date or filing date, whichever is later. However, this limitation does not apply when there is an allegation of fraud, when no return was filed, or when the taxpayer is charged with a substantial omission or concealment of items of gross income. Because an audit conducted for one tax year can trigger other tax years and can result in scrutiny of other tax deductions not originally stated in the audit letter, you should take this matter seriously and engage an experienced tax attorney to represent you.

7. What will happen if I do not respond to the taxing authorities audit notice?
Because the taxpayer has the burden of proof to prove claimed deductions, failure to respond to an audit notice usually results in the denial of these deductions leading to the charge of additional taxes along with interest and penalties. If left unchecked, an ignored audit notice and failure to pursue any appeal will result in a final assessment. Once an assessment becomes final, the IRS will start the collection process action that can eventually lead to wage garnishments, liens, levies and seizure of property.

8. What is the worst that can happen if I choose to represent myself in an audit?
Tax agents are aggressive by nature and left unchecked could potentially reach a determination that is unreasonable and inconsistent with the applicable facts and circumstances of your case or their determination may be based on erroneous applications of law. An experienced tax attorney will be able counter a tax agent’s aggressive nature, deal with the complex technical issues that arise during an audit and be an advocate on your behalf as to any factual or legal issues that arise during the examination.

Using a tax attorney to help with an audit can significantly increase your chances of getting a better outcome. Many times individuals don’t realize that audits can go both ways, you may actually end up being owed money after an audit. A tax attorney can analyze your situation and find the best approach to take in order to get the best outcome. The IRS actually prefers working with professional tax representatives because it makes their job easier and helps the process move along more efficiently, which can actually result in a more favorable decision.

Description: The Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. has helped many people minimize or avoid adjustments from IRS audits. Working with a tax attorney is the best bet for minimizing adjustments that would create liability to the IRS.

Received A Notice Of Deficiency To Appeal IRS Proposed Adjustments To The U.S. Tax Court? Let us help you

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Before adjustments from an audit can be finally assessed, a taxpayer must be given the right to appeal to the United States Tax Court if the taxpayer should disagree with the findings of the IRS audit. The Appeals Office (or in certain cases the IRS agent) will issue a “90-day Letter” to a taxpayer, which essentially provides the taxpayer with up to 90 days to file a petition with the Tax Court and have his or her case heard by a judge.

At this stage, any professional who is to represent you in Tax Court must be admitted to practice before Tax Court. Requirements for practicing in Tax Court include passing a very difficult income tax exam. Most non-lawyers are not qualified to practice before Tax Court and would, therefore, be unable to provide this kind of tax audit help or represent you. However, a qualified IRS audit attorney can help you.

The United States Tax Court is a Federal court of record established by Congress under Article I of the Constitution of the United States. Congress created the Tax Court to provide a judicial forum in which affected persons could dispute tax deficiencies determined by the IRS prior to payment of the disputed amounts. The jurisdiction of the Tax Court includes the authority to hear tax disputes concerning notices of deficiency, notices of transferee liability, certain types of declaratory judgment, readjustment and adjustment of partnership items, review of the failure to abate interest, administrative costs, worker classification, relief from joint and several liability on a joint return, and review of certain collection actions.
Unlike appeals to other Federal courts, there is no requirement to pay any of the disputed tax liability in order to have your case heard in Tax Court.

The Tax Court is composed of 34 presidentially appointed judge-members. Trial sessions are conducted and other work of the Court is performed by these judges, by senior judges serving on recall, and by special trial judges. All of the judges have expertise in tax law and apply that expertise in a manner to ensure that taxpayers are assessed only what they owe, and no more. Although the Court is physically located in Washington, D.C., the judges travel nationwide to conduct trials in various designated cities.
A case in the Tax Court is commenced by the filing of a petition. The petition must be filed within the allowable time limit. The Court cannot extend the time for filing which is set by statute. A $60 filing fee must be paid when the petition is filed. Once the petition is filed, payment of the underlying tax is ordinarily postponed until the case has been decided.

In certain tax disputes involving $50,000 or less, taxpayers may elect to have their case conducted under the Court’s simplified small tax case procedure. Trials in small tax cases are generally less formal and result in a speedier disposition. However, decisions entered pursuant to small tax case procedures are not appealable.

Cases are calendared for trial as soon as practicable (on a first in/ first out basis) after the case becomes at issue. When a case is calendared, the parties are notified by the Court of the date, time, and place of trial. Trials are conducted before one judge, without a jury. Only those practitioners that are admitted to the Bar of the Tax Court may practice before this court.

Usually a case is settled by mutual agreement without the necessity of a trial. However, if a trial is conducted, in due course a report is ordinarily issued by the presiding judge, setting forth findings of fact and an opinion. The case is then closed in accordance with the judge’s opinion by entry of a decision.

By engaging our tax representation services, you can be assured that your petition and each stage of the litigation process will be persuasive because we know how to present your case with legal argument and tax authority.

Description: The Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. has helped many people minimize or avoid adjustments from IRS by pursuing litigation and negotiations with the U.S. Tax Court. Working with a tax attorney is the best bet for minimizing adjustments that would create liability to the IRS.

Looking To Appeal An Audit Report To The IRS Office Of Appeals? Let us help you

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When taxpayers disagree with the findings of their IRS audits, they may usually appeal to the IRS Office Of Appeals. The IRS agent will issue a “30-day Letter” to a taxpayer, which essentially provides the taxpayer with up to 30 days to file a Tax Protest requesting his or her case be heard by an Appeals Officer.

The Office Of Appeals is independent of any other IRS office and provides a venue where disagreements concerning the application of tax law can be resolved on a fair and impartial basis for both the taxpayer and the government. The Appeals Officer will take a fresh look at the case and consider the strengths and weaknesses of the issues in your case. The advantage of appealing your IRS audit to this level provides us with the opportunity to reach a mutually acceptable settlement without expensive and time-consuming court trials.

Using a tax attorney to help with an appeal can significantly increase your chances of getting a better outcome. Many times individuals don’t realize that appeals can go both ways, you may actually end up being owed money after the appeal. A tax attorney can analyze your situation and find the best approach to take in order to get the best outcome. The IRS actually prefers working with professional tax representatives because it makes their job easier and helps the process move along more efficiently, which can actually result in a more favorable decision.

We will communicate directly with the Appeals Officer and build a persuasive case on your behalf because we know how to present your case with legal argument and tax authority. Of course, if we cannot reach agreement with the Appeals Officer, then we have the opportunity to appeal the case to the U.S. Tax Court.

Description: The Law Offices Of Jeffrey B. Kahn, P.C. has helped many people minimize or avoid adjustments from IRS appeals. Working with a tax attorney is the best bet for minimizing adjustments that would create liability to the IRS