What You Need to Know About the IRS and Tax Audits
The IRS has long been a bogeyman for the American public, and there’s good reason for that. They have the unique ability to do what few other creditors can: taking your home and selling it out from under you. Still, despite its remarkable powers, fear has created mythologies around the agency. People both overestimate and underestimate the IRS’ abilities.
Unfortunately, not being well versed in IRS procedures makes dealing with them that much more frustrating and fear-inducing, and there are very few taxpayers who are up to the task. Between the complexities involved in all aspects of tax audits and the overwhelming stress and emotions that arise when confronted by the agency, even highly capable people find themselves feeling defenseless and intimidated. It is this specific combination that leads to simple acceptance of what the IRS says and being afraid to push back and protect themselves. As wrong as it may seem, this reaction is exactly what the IRS counts on to keep people compliant with tax law. According to a former Commissioner of Internal Revenue, the agency relies on this fear to ensure that people report their income honestly and file and pay their taxes correctly and on time.
There is a real need for people to either educate themselves about the audit process or to seek professional help from someone familiar with the IRS. Ignorance is not an excuse in the face of an audit, and mistakes can lead to additional taxes, penalties, and even seizure of your property if you do not have other assets with which to pay.
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More and more individuals who thought their child-rearing days were over are now raising their grandchildren. It is estimated that 6.5 million children in the United States currently live with at least one grandparent, accounting for approximately 9% of all children nationally and more than half of those not living with their parents.
All too often, taxpayers wait until after the close of the tax year to worry about their taxes and miss opportunities that could reduce their tax liability or financially assist them. Mid-year is the perfect time for tax planning. The following are some events that can affect your tax return; you may need to take steps to mitigate their impact and avoid unpleasant surprises after it is too late to address them. Here are some events that can trigger tax consequences.
The U.S. Treasury recently released the Biden administration’s 2022 Fiscal Year Budget, that includes a general explanation of the administration’s 2022 revenue proposals. The publication is commonly referred to as the “Green Book” and outlines the Biden administration’s tax proposals. Keep in mind these are proposals and will have to be passed by Congress.
Most weddings planned for 2020 were delayed because of COVID, causing a big upswing in the number of weddings in 2021. Although tax issues are the furthest thing from their minds during this big life-changing event, newlyweds should know how tying the knot can affect their tax situation. There are actions they need to take to avoid problems and unfortunate tax surprises. If you are newly married, here’s a checklist of “to do’s” to help you: 
Like many small business owners, you probably find yourself very busy in the wake of the COVID slowdown and are getting back up to speed. But don’t forget about your future.
When you’re in the midst of building or growing a business, the last thing on your mind is what happens if the owner suddenly dies.
The Internal Revenue Service has released a midyear report to Congress that details a significant backlog of tax returns dating back to the end of tax filing season, and many of those returns have yet to be processed. While backlogs are not unusual, this year’s is far greater than in previous years.
With mortgage interest rates low, flipping real estate appears to be on the rise. This activity is even the theme of several popular reality TV shows. House flipping is, essentially, purchasing a house or property, improving it and then selling it (presumably for a profit) in a short period of time. The key is to find a suitable fixer-upper that is priced under market for its location, fix it up and resell it for more than it cost to buy, hold, fix up and resell.
A taxpayer who is in the business of providing family day care in their home may deduct the ordinary and necessary expenses of their business. The two primary deductions include the business use of their home and the cost of providing meals and snacks to children in their care. The following is a rundown on deductible business expenses for home day care providers.