Pete

Why the IRS Cares About Your Cryptocurrency Holdings, and Why Now is the Time to Come Clean

After years of flying under the radar, taxpayers who hold Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin and other cryptocurrencies are finally getting their fair share of scrutiny from the IRS. The tax agency, it seems, has figured out that cryptocurrency is here to stay, and that the mind-boggling returns early adopters have enjoyed could be a boon for government coffers.

The tax agency has also figured out that many holders of cryptocurrency, from the earliest of early adopters to latecomers enticed by ever rising prices and the fear of missing out, could owe a lot on these ethereal assets. The currency may be virtual, but to the IRS the taxes due are all too real.

Note; we encourage all readers facing an IRS tax problem to contact us for a free, no-obligation, confidential consultation. If you think you might owe back taxes on your cryptocurrencies, contact us today.

The Illusion of Anonymity
If you have been skating along under the veil of anonymity and failing to report your cryptocurrency holdings, you might want to rethink your strategy. After years of taking a largely hands off approach, the IRS is catching up in a big way, and the tax agency is pulling out all the stops to recover the money the government is owed.

Many holders of cryptocurrency are under the erroneous impression that their transactions are totally anonymous, and that there is no way for the IRS, or anyone else, to tell how much they hold or how they use their virtual coins. That may be a soothing fiction, but the reality is far different.

The truth is the IRS has a wide range of options at its disposal, from official form filings to subpoenas and legal documents, to pierce the veil of anonymity and find the real world identities of cryptocurrency holders.

Did You Get a 1099-K? So Did the IRS
In some cases, holders of cryptocurrency are finding tax forms in their mailbox. If you receive such a form, you can be sure the IRS received a copy as well.

When you file your taxes, automatic matching programs will compare the amount you claimed with the amount on these automatically generated forms. If there is a mismatch, you will be hearing from the tax agency.

One of the most common forms used to report cryptocurrency holdings and transactions is the 1099-K. For sellers on eBay and some freelancers, this form will already be familiar, but it is being extended into the virtual world as well. If you receive a 1099-K form this year, it is time to come clean with your cryptocurrency holdings.

The Cryptocurrency Question and Your Tax Form
Until now, cryptocurrency holders could, and often did, plead ignorance. They could claim they did not realize their Bitcoin, Ethereum and other virtual holdings were taxable, and they could back up that assertion by saying the IRS never asked them about these assets.

The validity of that excuse may have been questionable, but with the 2020 tax year even that thin veil of supposed ignorance will be gone. Starting in 2020, taxpayers will be asked directly if they bought, sold, transacted or otherwise acquired any cryptocurrency, and they will be expected to answer that question in a truthful manner.

The wording of this question means anyone who holds any type of cryptocurrency would be required to answer in the affirmative. Even so, simply holding virtual coins in a cryptocurrency wallet does not necessarily mean any taxes will be due. Someone who simply holds cryptocurrency but makes no transactions should not owe any taxes, just as a holder of stock does not owe taxes until those shares are sold.

The IRS is getting serious about cryptocurrency, drawn by a combination of past returns, unreported taxes and increased exposure of these alternative forms of payment. For holders of Bitcoin, Ethereum and other forms of cryptocurrency, the days of flying under the radar are over. So make this the year you come clean, so you can enjoy your cryptocurrency without worrying about the IRS.

Our firm specializes in tax resolution and our experts can also help with cryptocurrency tax questions. If you want an expert tax resolution specialist who knows how to navigate the IRS maze, reach out to our firm and we’ll schedule a no-obligation confidential consultation to explain your options to permanently resolve your tax problem.

by Pete

How to Protect Yourself When Paying Taxes - Vital Steps You Need to Take Now

How to Protect Yourself When Paying Taxes - Vital Steps You Need to Take Now

Tax season can be an unpleasant time of year for a lot of taxpayers, especially if you owe money to the IRS or State. The only thing you can do is make the most of it, prepare ahead of time, and pay the lowest amount allowed by law.

Whether you are due a refund or writing a big fat check to the IRS, there are some steps you should take after your return has been filed. Here are three critical steps to take once the tax filing deadline has come and gone.

Step #1 -- Print Off Hard Copies of All Your Forms and Receipts

Even if you save all of your documents on the computer and in the cloud, it is a good idea to print off hard copies and store them in a safe place. From the 1099 forms detailing your interest and dividend payments to the receipts that back up your charitable donations and business expenses, you never know when you will need this information.

You will appreciate having those hard copies on hand if your computer crashes or your cloud storage service fails. It takes only a couple minutes of printing, and those couple minutes could save you weeks of hassle down the road.

Step #2 -- Check Your Refund Status Or Balance Due Online

Even if you file electronically, you cannot expect instant service on your tax refund. It is the IRS after all. Even so, you should see quick action on your return and a notice that it has been accepted. Keeping an eye on your tax refund is one of the best ways to protect yourself and make sure the money you are owed does not end up in the hands of identity thieves.

This is also true if you owe money to the IRS. There have been tax identity theft cases where someone else files a tax return with your social security number, leaving you to deal with the liability or adding on to the amounts you owe.

If you use a tax filing software package, you should receive a notice by email when your return is submitted to the IRS, and another when it has been accepted. Watch your email box carefully and follow up if you do not receive those notifications within a day or two.

Once a week has passed, be sure to check the Where's My Refund page at the IRS.gov website to see where your refund stands. This handy tool provides a real-time picture of your refund status, from the time it is received by the IRS to the minute the money hits your bank account.

If you owe money, log in to your IRS account here https://www.irs.gov/payments/view-your-tax-account and check the balance to make sure it lines up with what you know you owe. If there are discrepancies, contact your tax resolution firm ASAP.

Step #3 -- Prepare for Next Year

You just filed your taxes, and the last thing you want to do is think about filing for next year. Despite this trepidation, now is the perfect time to start getting your ducks in a row for the filing season to come.

Start by looking at your current year's return and think about ways you could have lowered your tax debt. Perhaps you could have given more to your favorite charity. Maybe you could have increased your retirement savings rate. Knowing what you did wrong this year will make it easy to adjust your strategy and save more money going forward.

Nothing can make filing taxes a truly pleasant experience, but dealing with the IRS is something every American needs to do. Now that your tax return has been duly filed and your 1040 form is on its way to the IRS, taking the right steps can save you money down the line, protect you from identity theft and make future tax dealings a little less stressful.

ABOUT NEW ENGLAND TAX RELIEF

Our firm specializes in tax resolution, even if you have years of unfiled tax returns, or owe the IRS over $10,000 we can help! If you want an expert tax resolution specialist who knows how to navigate the IRS maze, reach out to our firm and we’ll schedule a no-obligation confidential consultation to explain your options to permanently resolve your tax problem.

by Pete

How to Stop an IRS Tax Levy

Of all the creditors or companies you might owe money to, the Internal Revenue Service can be the least forgiving about debt. If you don't pay your taxes, the IRS will levy and take possession of your property, including cash accounts, wages, and real and personal property. The IRS will sell non-liquid assets to raise funds to satisfy the debt you owe.

If you’ve received a levy notice from the IRS, it’s time to ACT IMMEDIATELY. Our firm may be able to get your levy released the same day but you must call now for a confidential consultation.

Forewarned Is Forearmed

Unless you don't open your mail or you moved without leaving a forwarding address, you probably won't be blindsided by an IRS levy. You'll receive a "Notice and Demand for Payment" of your tax debt well in advance of any action taken.

If you ignore this notice, the IRS will follow up by sending you a "Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Rights to a Hearing." Now the clock begins ticking.

You have 30 days to pay your tax debt or to contact the IRS to try to stop the levy. Even if you're unaware of the levy proceedings, your employer has a little bit of time to warn you if he receives notice that the IRS plans to take the bulk (up to 90%!) of your paychecks. Your employer doesn't have to begin sending your earnings to the IRS until the next pay period. With any luck, your employer will let you know what's going on within this time frame, so you can take action.

If the IRS levies your bank account, the bank will freeze the money in the account and remit it to the IRS after 21 days. Therefore, you must act quickly to try to have the funds released upon receiving a notice that the IRS has levied your bank account.

Contact A Tax Relief Firm

Now is not the time to do it alone. If you call the IRS, they will often trick you into giving incriminating answers, further distancing you for the tax relief you so desperately need.

They are not your friend. They are there to collect what they believe you owe in taxes. Contact a professional experienced in tax resolution to help you with your case. Would you go to court without a lawyer? Well, it’s the same with the IRS. You need professional representation from a CPA, Enrolled Agent or tax attorney who is also a tax resolution specialist.

Establish Hardship

If the IRS intends to levy your pay or Social Security benefits and you can't come close to making ends meet on what's left, the IRS wants you to contact them. The contact phone number should appear on the levy notice. DO NOT CALL THE IRS (see our note above).
The law requires that the IRS leave you with the total of your tax exemptions for the year plus your standard deduction divided by 52 if you're paid weekly.

Gather your documents and call our firm. We’ll help make the case to the IRS and explain that the levy will cause hardship for you and your family. You'll have to provide documented evidence of this, but if you do, the IRS will release the levy. This doesn't mean you no longer owe the tax. It just means that the IRS will leave your earnings and income alone and work with you to figure out some other way for you to satisfy the debt.

Make Payment Arrangements

We can also ask for payment terms for your tax debt even if the levy won't cripple you financially. If you enter into an installment agreement, the IRS will typically release the levy unless the notice you received specifically states otherwise.

You Can “Settle” For Less Than You Owe

An offer in compromise allows you to settle your tax debt for less than the full amount you owe. It may be a legitimate option if you can't pay your full tax liability, or doing so creates a financial hardship. The IRS considers your unique set of facts and circumstances:

• Ability to pay;
• Income;
• Expenses; and
• Asset equity;

The IRS will generally approve an offer in compromise when the amount offered represents the most they can expect to collect within a reasonable period of time. It’s best to explore all other payment options before submitting an offer in compromise as the Offer in Compromise program is not for everyone. Make sure you hire a tax professional to help you file an offer, and be sure to check his or her qualifications.

The IRS really doesn't want to destroy you financially. It just wants the money it's owed. If you can make some arrangement to pay or prove that you don't owe the tax, or if you legitimately cannot pay it at this time, you may be able to make the levy go away.

Our firm specializes in tax resolution, even if you have years of unfiled tax returns, we can help! If you want an expert tax resolution specialist who knows how to navigate the IRS maze, reach out to our firm and we’ll schedule a no-obligation confidential consultation to explain your options to permanently resolve your tax problem.

by Pete

How Can I Pay My Federal Taxes With Installments or Monthly Payments?

Every year, there are millions of taxpayers who find themselves unable to pay their taxes in full to the IRS. The IRS knows there will be some taxpayers coming up short. The good news is the federal government is happy to work with you. The bad news is, they’re relentless in their collection of back taxes and if left unattended, they can levy your bank account, garnish your paycheck, or put a lien on your property to settle your tax bill.

However, their cooperation comes at a price, called penalties and interest. Here are the steps you need to take if you wish to pay your federal income tax with installment payments.

Before you proceed to navigating the complicated maze that is the IRS on your own, we highly encourage all our readers to speak to a qualified Tax Relief Expert at our office. You can schedule a confidential, no obligation consultation to explore your options for tax relief.

Here are some steps you can take to get on an IRS payment plan if you can’t pay your taxes in full.

File Correctly and On Time

Trying some fancy 1040 shortcuts or inputing fake numbers on your tax return software to bring your tax bill down is not a solution. In fact, it will land you in deeper trouble. First, if you are going to owe tax and be unable to pay, your return will already face higher scrutiny as soon as you request a payment plan. Making deliberate attempts to file a fraudulent return will only compound your problem, and will lead to more serious consequences.

Waiting until after April 15 to file is also a poor plan, because you will only accrue more penalties. Also, filing an extension does not mean you have more time to pay. It simply means you’ll end up paying more with penalties and interest, sinking you deeper into a hole.

So make sure you file on time!

Attach Form 9465 Installment Agreement Request to your 1040 If You Need More Than 120 Days To Pay

WARNING: It’s best to hire a tax relief firm like ours to deal with the IRS directly. In most cases, our clients never speak to the IRS themselves and have our firm represents them every step of the way. One wrong move can put you in deeper tax trouble so it’s best to have the right firm representing you. Also, Not everyone will qualify for an installment agreement. Contact our firm for a consultation today.

Ok, back to Form 9465…

This is the crucial step. If you have a reasonable reason for the delay in paying your taxes, the IRS can work out a 72 month payment arrangement. However, the late filing penalty can be as much as 5% per month of the outstanding tax debt, for each month or part thereof the tax is owed. The penalty is capped at a whopping 25% of the original tax owed. The failure to pay penalty is one-half of one percent (0.5%) each month up to a maximum of 25% as well. The interest is compounded daily, much like a credit card. The IRS charges interest on top of penalties and interest. There is also an administrative fee to set up the monthly payments, depending on how you intend to pay. When you take into account the penalties and interest the IRS can assess, an IRS tax debt doubles every several years if you don’t address it head-on.

Applying for an Installment Agreement Online
Your specific tax situation will determine which payment options are available to you. Payment options include full payment, a short-term payment plan (paying in 120 days or less) or a long-term payment plan (installment agreement) generally 72 months.

You may qualify to apply online if:
1. Long-term payment plan (installment agreement): You owe $50,000 or less in combined tax, penalties and interest, and filed all required returns.
2. If you are a sole proprietor or independent contractor, apply for a payment plan as an individual.

Wait 30 Days For a Reply (if by mail) and Make Sure the Installment Agreement Is Your Best Option

It takes the IRS at least 30 days to process an Installment Agreement Request form. Understandably, after March 31 of each year the processing time is a little longer. During these 30 days, it would be a good idea to pursue other payment options. Plan on paying the late fee penalty and interest when you are comparing the full cost of an IRS Installment Agreement or another loan, such as through a bank or other avenues of credit.

When bank loan interest rates are higher than 6%, the IRS Installment Agreement looks like a fairly good deal. However, tax payers in true financial dire straits due to job loss or other issues need to take pause.

Defaulting on an IRS Installment Agreement is not the same as failing to pay your credit card bill one month. The collections process by the IRS is backed by the federal government, and includes the ability to apply a tax lien against any property owned by the taxpayer.

A delinquent taxpayer should also consider his or her ability to pay next year's tax bill. If the root cause of an inability to meet your tax obligation is recurring, for example related to a small business loss, certainly consider if the business is likely to weather a similar financial situation next year. After all, you can't secure another Installment Agreement if you are already paying one to the IRS. It may be prudent to pay this year's tax with a loan at a higher interest rate if you have the credit available and save the request for an Installment Agreement when you truly have no other option to meet your tax obligation.

Always Keep Careful Records of Forms Filed and Any Correspondence with the IRS

During the entire process of requesting an installment agreement, it is vital a taxpayer keep complete records. If there is communication by telephone, write down the time, date, and the person you spoke with in a log. It is also a good idea to briefly summarize the conversation, especially if there were any specific guarantees verbally given. Save all letters and notices from the IRS with your tax information.

There are a few reasons to keep these records. First, if something should happen to your paperwork, such as it becoming misplaced at the IRS office, you will have a back up to send and prove you complied with filing date requirements. Second, if the IRS fails to follow its own procedures and guidelines you can contact the Taxpayer Advocate Service for help. Finally, just in case your failure to meet your tax obligation turns ugly and leads to litigation, your records are what your legal representation will need to show your effort in paying your tax bill.

Our firm specializes in tax resolution, even if you have years of unfiled tax returns, we can help! You may qualify for the IRS’s debt settlement program called an Offer in Compromise, which can be more advantageous to you than a payment plan. We may be able to settle your entire debt with the IRS for up to 85% off the original amount owed, including penalties and interest, if you qualify. If you want an expert tax resolution specialist who knows how to navigate the IRS maze, reach out to our firm and we’ll schedule a no-obligation confidential consultation to explain your options in full to permanently resolve your tax problem.

by Pete

3 Tax Resolution Strategies the IRS Offers

Taxes are a fact of life, but tax problems shouldn’t be. If you find yourself in tax trouble, the IRS has clear plans for how to proceed in collecting what they believe you owe. After sending you notices, the IRS can garnish your wages, levy your bank account, even put a lien on your property.

However, the IRS also has clear tax relief options for taxpayers. In this article, we’ll give you 3 options the IRS has to resolving your tax debt.

Note, we always recommend getting in touch with a specialized tax resolution professional to help avoid the harsh penalties and interest that accrued on your back taxes. It’s far easier to navigate towards tax resolution, if you have a professional working with you. If you’d like to schedule a no-cost confidential tax relief consultation, contact us here.

Let’s dive in to the 3 tax relief options.

Penalty Abatement (PA) - If I Can’t Afford to Pay My Taxes Why do They Keep Adding Penalties?

The IRS doesn’t like being ignored so this is how they get your attention. They want to be sure you know they are not going away. It’s like they haunt you with their ongoing letters. If you don’t respond to them the penalties they tack on is like a club they keep hitting you over the head with. Penalties are just the beginning of what they can do to your life.

The IRS may provide administrative relief from a penalty that would otherwise be applicable under its First Time Penalty Abatement policy. To see if you qualify, call our firm today or contact us here.

Offer in Compromise (OIC) - Pay Less Than You Owe
You’ve probably seen the tax relief firms advertising this on Radio and TV as a way to settle your tax debt for less than the full amount.

Not everyone qualifies however. It’s important to get expert help so your offer has a higher chance of getting accepted. Before you submit an offer, you must also make sure you’re in compliance, file unfiled tax returns, and structure your offer in a way that the IRS will accept it. Having someone who’s negotiated these offers like our firm is indispensable. Think of it this way; would you go to court without a lawyer? Of course not. Well, it’s the same thing here...you need an experienced IRS tax problem solver to represent you before the IRS.

Get On A Properly Structured Payment Plan
Your specific tax situation will determine which payment options are available to you. Payment options include full payment, a short-term payment plan (paying in 120 days or less) or a long-term payment plan (installment agreement) (paying in more than 120 days).

It’s important to structure your payment plan properly. Our tax resolution firm can help you setup an Installment Agreement (IA) or Partial Payment Installment Agreement (PPIA) depending on your situation

Here’s How We Help You Get Your Life Back
Some people don’t know what returns need to be filed or what they really owe: their personal or business bookkeeping and recordkeeping is a mess or non-existent. After we register our Power of Attorney with the IRS and get you protected, the second step we take is to get all your IRS tax records from the IRS to see where you stand.

After that, with your help, we prepare all your delinquent income tax returns and get them filed with IRS. And lastly, we negotiate the best possible resolution that permanently resolves your IRS difficulties. That may mean doing an Offer in Compromise, a properly structured Payment Plan, Currently Not Collectible Status, Penalty Reduction and more.

Most of this takes place without you ever coming to our offices. We live in a day and age where technology makes it easy for us to represent you no matter where you reside. Of course, you can always come to our offices if you prefer, whatever is more convenient for you.

Believe it or not there are laws that have gone into effect to help financially strapped taxpayer’s today. The IRS announced their “Fresh Start Initiative” which allows more taxpayers than ever before to settle up with the agency. Now is the time to take advantage of these less-stringent, more flexible programs before the IRS changes its mind again.

Schedule a no-obligation confidential consultation to explain your options to permanently resolve your tax problem once and for all.

by Pete

Why Doing Your Own Business Taxes or Resolving Your Own Tax Problem is a Terrible Idea

Running your own business means wearing a lot of hats, from office cleaner and supplies buyer to client schmoozer and payroll maker. But should you add tax preparer to your already long list of duties? What if you have a tax problem with the IRS? What if doing your own taxes creates a tax problem?

We often see small business clients, clients with either a schedule C, or a corporation, partnership or LLC, with payroll and income tax problems, or an audit, simply because they thought they could do it on their own. It’s a bad idea.

If you are used to doing your own taxes when you were an employee or freelancer, you may think that preparing the tax return for your small business will be no big deal. After all, there are plenty of great tools on the market, from expense tracking apps for your smartphone to software like QuickBooks for your laptop. But before you start scanning those receipts and filling out those endless forms, you might want to reconsider.

Note; we encourage all readers facing an IRS tax problem to contact us for a free, no-obligation, confidential consultation. We can also help with unfiled tax returns for previous years, getting your business back into compliance.

Even if you think you can, doing your own business taxes is a terrible idea. Resolving your own tax problem is an even worse idea. Here are some of the reasons you should leave the filing of your business tax returns and resolving your business IRS tax problem to the professionals...

It is Easy to Make a Mistake
Even a small business tax return can span dozens of pages, and many returns are even more complex. With so many figures and so much information, you have literally thousands of opportunities to make a mistake.

Even a small mistake could have big consequences for your small business, and doing your own taxes puts you at risk. At the very least, those inadvertent blunders could mean paying more taxes than you should or cost you in penalties and interest; at worst those errors could trigger an audit and tie your business up for months. If you owe back taxes, the IRS can put a levy on your bank account and put a lien on your property until you pay up.

The Tax Laws Are Always Changing
Our tax laws have had some of the most dramatic changes last year than they had the previous 30 years. The tax code is already one of the most complex documents ever written, with more words than the Bible and complexities at every turn. To make matters even worse, those laws are not static; they are always changing.

Even if you are an expert on the current tax code, that expertise will not last long. Every new year brings a slew of new tax changes, and many of them will directly impact your small business. If you rely on your own expertise and your technological tools, you could miss a vital update that could save your firm money or help you avoid the ire of the IRS.

You Will Be on Your Own in Case of Audit
As an individual taxpayer, your chances of being audited are less than 1%, but as a business owner, filing a schedule C the odds are far higher. The IRS is increasingly setting its sights on the small business community, and that means you have a target on your back.

Even if you do everything perfectly, you have a good chance of being audited sooner or later. And if you prepare your own taxes, you could be on your own when the IRS comes calling.

Audit defense and IRS representation is a specialized skill set which 95% of CPA’s don’t have. We always recommend hiring an experienced and reputable tax resolution firm like ours who deals with the IRS for a living, day-in, day-out.

The Expertise You Gain When Hiring A Pro is Well Worth the Cost
Having your business taxes professionally prepared can be expensive. Depending on the size and complexity of the return, you could pay several hundred dollars to several thousand, to have the work done.

Even so, this is one expense you should be happy to incur. If you do your own business taxes and make a mistake, even a single blunder could cost you many times the fee you’ll pay to have it done right. So do yourself and your business a favor; leave the taxes to the experts.

Running a small business is hard enough. The last thing you want to do is add more tasks to your already busy plate or getting into tax tax trouble. If you are still doing your own business tax returns, it may be time to hand off this vital service to a professional.

Our firm specializes in tax resolution, even if you have years of unfiled tax returns, we can help! If you want an expert tax resolution specialist who knows how to navigate the IRS maze, reach out to our firm and we’ll schedule a no-obligation confidential consultation to explain your options to permanently resolve your tax problem.

by Pete