Getting audited by the IRS is no fun. Some taxpayers are selected for random audits every year, but the chances of that happening to you are very small. You are much more likely to fall under the IRS's gaze if you make one of several common mistakes. That means your best chance of avoiding [...]
Small business owners beware: the IRS may scrutinize reporting of credit card transactions more closely after it was criticized for lax enforcement. The IRS' overseer, the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA), recently said the IRS had been missing opportunities to audit tax returns that had large discrepancies between income and the card payments [...]
Is a worker an independent contractor or employee? This seemingly simple question is often the contentious subject of numerous IRS audits. As an employer, getting this wrong could cost you plenty in the way of Social Security, Medicare and other employment-related taxes. Here is what you need to know. As the worker If you are [...]
There are nearly 1,000 different tax forms used by the IRS to report tax obligations. It's no wonder the IRS faces thousands of tax returns with errors each year. Here are some of the most common tax mistakes: Wrong names and Social Security numbers. Taxpayers regularly make common tax mistakes by entering incorrect information for their [...]
Most new businesses start with no thought about legal structure. In the eyes of the IRS, the default structure is a "sole proprietor," in which your business profits are taxed on your personal tax return. This can serve you well to start, but there are several reasons you may want to consider incorporating as your [...]
Your chances of being audited are probably lower than you think. A look at the latest IRS statistics for 2016 reveals some interesting and reassuring facts about the risk of an IRS audit. Audits are becoming less common. The number of individual tax returns the IRS audited fell to a 12-year low last year, to [...]
For handwritten taxpayers, preparing their tax return isn't the problem. It's the fear of an audit. Audits are fairly uncommon, but the IRS may notice your tax return if certain red flags are present. Here are some of the common audit red flags to help you prepare for the possibility of your return being reviewed. [...]
A couple of years ago, the U.S. Treasury released a report highlighting a disturbing level of non-compliance in alimony reporting on tax returns. Since the report was released, the IRS has increased the scrutiny they place on tax returns with these claims. If you file a tax return involving alimony, make sure you know the facts [...]
You may already have big plans for spending your tax refund. Many think of this extra money in black and white terms — you either do something responsible with it or you frivolously spend every last cent of it. Here are a few suggestions for making the most of your tax refund while still having [...]
With the new administration in Washington D.C., tax changes are likely in our future, but the details of those changes are unknown. What we do know about 2017 core tax rates and inflation-adjusted figures will come in handy when you file your 2017 tax return in early 2018. Standard deduction increases. The 2017 standard deduction [...]
