To read part 1 of this post, click here. Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program The IRS reopened the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) in 2012 after taxpayers continued to express interest after the closure of the program in 2009 and 2011. The Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program, also known as the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative, gives taxpayers
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FBAR Requirements
Do you need to file a Foreign Bank Account Report (FBAR)?Taxes are confusing, and international tax laws are even more complex. The IRS has been working diligently to create a better system to bring offshore accounts into compliance, and one way they have done this is through FBAR requirements including Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP)/Offshore
IRS Innocent Spouse Relief Rules
IRS Innocent Spouse Rules What is IRS Innocent Spouse Rules? When a married couple files their annual tax returns, both parties are jointly and severally liable for any unpaid taxes. This is based on the premise that a married couple jointly enjoys any income that is created by either of the parties within the marriage.
What are Informational Returns? | IRS Form 1099
Informational Returns 1099 tax forms are some of the most recognizable tax forms to the average taxpayer. These forms are considered informational tax returns because the IRS requires filers of informational returns to provide this information to individuals they have completed potentially taxable transactions with and also to provide this information to the IRS. This
First Time Penalty Abatement Program
The First Time Abatement (FTA) penalty waiver program is a relatively unknown program that allows taxpayers to request a waiver of failure-to-pay (FTP) and failure-to-file (FTF) penalties that have been applied to past due tax obligations. Introduced in 2001, this program allows taxpayers who have run into trouble with their tax obligations to avoid paying
Orange County Tax Attorney
Orange County Tax Attorney RJS LAW, Southern California’s finest tax law firm, specializes in all areas of civil tax controversy and criminal tax defense. Founded by CEO and principal attorney Ronson J. Shamoun in 2003, we began with the desire to lend a helping hand to our community and solve their problems with integrity and
Beware of Most Recent IRS Scam
We have been noticing a high volume of clients calling us claiming someone from the IRS is threatening to serve a warrant for their arrest immediately if they do not pay, and these calls are almost always a part of an elaborate scam targeting taxpayers. CNN Money published an article warning about these suspicious scams,
How the IRS calculates interest
How the IRS calculates interest Filing a tax return on time and paying any taxes due allows you to avoid having to worry about paying any additional penalties and interest the IRS may charge. However, every year there are taxpayers who find that they are unable to pay their tax obligations on time. These taxpayers
Deduct With Care: These Write-Offs Could Lead to Audits
As a tax law firm we deal with IRS and Franchise Tax Board audits on a daily basis. As we review tax returns and prepare our clients for the audit process, one question comes to mind during many of these interviews: “What was their tax attorney thinking?” Deduct With Care: These Write-Offs Could Lead to
Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights
Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights Have you heard about the Taxpayer’s Bill of Rights? For years the IRS has published different procedures, processes and taxpayer expectations throughout different publications its offered to the public. But just like the Bill of Rights in our constitution, the agency has boiled it all down to ten overarching taxpayer right’s and