Tax Preparer Penalties The IRS (and other taxing authorities such as the Franchise Tax Board) may assess accuracy related penalties against taxpayers when taxpayers tax returns contain errors like understated income and disallowed deductions. At times, taxpayers who hired a CPA, accountant, or other tax advisor may find themselves being audited because the return their
Tax Tips
You hit the lottery jackpot! Now what?
Lottery Jackpot We play the lottery jackpot when we are feeling lucky. But how does a winner ensure they stay lucky when they hit it big? Hitting the lottery jackpot might seem like a dream come true: by spending a few dollars and selecting a few numbers, a person can win an enormous amount of
NFTs and Taxes
NFTs and Taxes NFTs, short for Non-Fungible Tokens, have become a hot commodity. Built on the same style of blockchain networks that power cryptocurrencies like Ethereum and Bitcoin, NFTs are unique pieces of virtual art that are easy to buy and sell. What is substantially less easy, though, is understanding NFTs and taxes. Indeed, at
Are Court Settlements Taxed in California?
Are Court Settlements Taxed Often, personal injury settlements only come after an extended period of physical and emotional suffering. The first question people usually want answered when considering a lawsuit is, “Are Court Settlements Taxed in California? Here are answers . . .Once a personal injury case settles, plaintiffs understandably want to collect their rightful
Working From Home – Can You Claim a Home Office Deduction on your IRS Tax Return?
Home Office Deduction John Doe is an accountant for Pizza Palace, Inc. With California under mandatory lockdown, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, John found himself forced to work from home for nearly all of 2020. He created a home office in his spare bedroom where he would work remotely. His friend, Paula Peterson, is a
WHERE’S THE MONEY, LEBOWSKI? CALIFORNIA PROPOSITION 19
THE GOOD THE BAD AND THE UGLY California Proposition 19 Proposition 19, formally titled The Home Protection for Seniors, Severely Disabled, Families, and Victims of Wildfire or National Disasters Act (Prop 19) was narrowly passed by California voters on November 3, 2020, with 51.1% of the total vote. Despite Prop 19’s heartwarming title, its primary
How Are Stock Options Taxed
How Are Stock Options Taxed And How A Little Tax Case Called Altera May Affect Your Paycheck We live in tumultuous times. The COVID 19 Pandemic, murder hornets, politics, and who knows what else are occupying the headlines. Beneath it all lies an important tax case called Altera Corporation v. the Commissioner of the Internal
E-Commerce Sales Tax
E-Commerce Sales Tax The rise of e-commerce has led many online retailers to seek guidance on calculating, documenting, and paying sales and use tax on their online sales. Questions about e-commerce sales tax like, “Do I charge the same sales tax rate for every customer?” or “Am I supposed to charge sales tax relative to
Tax On Cryptocurrency
Cryptocurrency and Capital Gains Tax Bitcoin quietly made its appearance on the world stage in 2014. Initially, cryptocurrencies were merely obscure novelties. They were discussed by niche circles in tech and academia, if at all. It was only with the arrival of significant gains in 2017 that Bitcoin, and the cryptocurrency space as a whole,
Are gambling losses deductible?
Are gambling losses deductible? Any money won gambling is considered taxable by the IRS. Gambling winnings include cash prizes and the fair market value of any item won from lotteries, casinos, racetracks, game shows, etc. If you’ve won big, you may be subject to a rather large tax penalty on those winnings. However, gambling losses