IRS to Audit 6,000 Companies to Test Employment Tax Compliance
Source: Bloomberg
By Ryan J. Donmoyer
IRS to Audit 6,000 Companies to Test Employment Tax Compliance
Source: Bloomberg
By Ryan J. Donmoyer
Thinking of hiring a $5000 tax attorney?
HOLD IT.
If you do not qualify for an IRS Offer in Compromise, an attorney CANNOT help you.
Back taxes shutters Jack in the Box
Source: Mercury-Register
A state tax dispute is behind the sudden Jack in the Box closures Thursday.
California – Corporate Income Tax: FTB Has Begun Contacting Return Nonfilers for 2007
The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has begun contacting more than 35,000 companies that did business in California in 2007, but failed to file a California corporation franchise or income tax return for that year. Businesses contacted by the FTB will have 30 days to file their delinquent tax return or show why one is not due. If no such action is taken, the FTB will issue a tax assessment that may include penalties and fees.
The FTB annually reviews more than 5 million income records from government agencies and financial institutions, and matches them against tax records filed to determine whether some businesses have yet to file. Businesses receiving notices from the FTB may obtain more information by calling the FTB at 866-204-7902. Callers should be prepared to provide their 15-digit notice number.
A new IRS revenue procedure updates Rev Proc 2002-44, 2002-2 CB 10, which formally established a mediation procedure for cases at the IRS Appeals administrative level. The new revenue procedure expands and clarifies the types of cases that may be mediated by Appeals. Generally, the program is available for cases in which a limited number of legal and factual issues remain unresolved following settlement discussions in Appeals.
IRS Code Sec. 7123(b)(1) provides the statutory authority for the Appeals mediation program. On July 1, 2002, Rev Proc 2002-44, formally established the Appeals mediation procedure. It modified and expanded the availability of mediation for cases that are already in the Appeals administrative process. Rev Proc 2009-44 supersedes Rev Proc 2002-44.
IRS Back Taxes – IRS Tax Tip
If you are facing financial difficulties and struggling to meet your tax obligations the IRS can help. As the 2009 tax filing season begins, in addition to new credits, deductions and exclusions, the IRS is taking steps to help people who owe back taxes. Here are some areas where IRS can help:
Self-employment tax (SE tax) is a social security and Medicare tax primarily for individuals who work for themselves. It is similar to the social security and Medicare taxes withheld from the pay of most wage earners.
You figure SE tax yourself using Schedule SE (Form 1040). Social security and Medicare taxes of most wage earners are figured by their employers. Also you can deduct half of your SE tax in figuring your adjusted gross income. Wage earners cannot deduct social security and Medicare taxes.
Employee vs. Independent Contractor – Ten Tips for Business Owners
IRS Tax Tip
If you are a small business owner, whether you hire people as independent contractors or as employees will impact how much taxes you pay and the amount of taxes you withhold from their paychecks. Additionally, it will affect how much additional cost your business must bear, what documents and information they must provide to you, and what tax documents you must give to them.
For taxes and fees they each administer, the California State Board of Equalization (BOE) and the Employment Development Department (EDD) have extended relief to qualifying taxpayers and fee payers who have been affected by wildfires in the counties of Los Angeles, Monterey, and Placer. Both agencies have recently extended similar relief for those affected by wildfires in Santa Cruz and Yuba counties, as reported.
An individual who was the chairman, president and CEO (“the CEO”) of a company that resold long distance telephone service had to pay the IRS an assessed penalty plus interest. The term “markup,” in the context of the litigation, referred to the margin between the price at which the company purchased long distance minutes and the higher price at which it resold them. The assessed penalty amount represented the portion of the Code Sec. 4251 communications excise tax collected by the company from its customers on the markup.
In the court’s previous opinion (2006-2 USTC 70,261), it held that the company had an obligation to pay over to the IRS any monies it collected for long distance telephone service even if that service was improperly taxed. Here, the “overwhelming evidence,” indicated that the company did in fact collect the Code Sec. 4251 tax on the markup but failed to remit it to the IRS. Further, the CEO was a responsible person for purposes of Code Sec. 6672. In addition to being the company’s CEO, he was its founder, at times its controlling shareholder, and for a period of time signed many of its checks. Finally, the CEO acted willfully in failing to pay the Code Sec. 4251 tax to the IRS; therefore, he was personally liable for the unpaid taxes. He both knew of his obligations to remit the tax collected on the markup and showed a reckless disregard of the company’s tax responsibilities by failing to do so.