We have handled the following situation many times so I figured I would write a post about it. This is very common.

The bad news. Taxpayer receives CP2000 from the IRS, which is IRS’s proposed changes to the 1040 tax return. IRS has a before (shown on return) and after column (as corrected by the IRS). Typically taxpayer has forgotten to include a 1099, such as a 1099-S from the sale of a home, or perhaps a 1099-MISC as to schedule C income.

Taxpayer is scratching his/her head thinking well no tax is owed since the gain from the sale of my home was less than the principal residence tax exclusion of $250,000 or $500,000 for married couples. True but the IRS wants to see the steps.

Also, you might think that the 1099-MISC income was included in schedule C gross income. True but the IRS wants to see the 1099 tied to gros income and reported with the return. In truth, IRS proposed change would double include that 1099 income since it was already included on your schedule C, but the IRS does not know that.

The IRS does not give taxpayers the benefit of the doubt. Taxpayers must apply appropriate tax rules in their return. The IRS assumes worst case scenario when proposing changes, which must then be disproved by the taxpayer. Give us a call to handle this for you.

If you go at it alone, you would have to correct the return and provide the correct documentation to the IRS. If the IRS accepts your corrections, the assessment will be adjusted correctly and you win, or at least set the record straight.

Breaking News: IRS Changes to the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP)

Date February 9, 2015

Posted by Philip Falco, Attorney, CPA

Philip Falco

IRS Reduces OVDP Penalty to 5% in non-willful offshore compliance cases.

For eligible U.S. taxpayers residing in the United States, the only penalty will be a miscellaneous offshore penalty equal to 5 percent of the foreign financial assets that gave rise to the tax compliance issue.

Other positive changes for taxpayers living in the United States:

Eliminating a requirement that the taxpayer have $1,500 or less of unpaid tax per year;
Eliminating the required risk questionnaire;
Requiring the taxpayer to certify that previous failures to comply were due to non-willful conduct.

The IRS increases its effort to make OVDP accessible to everyone. This is a step in the right direction. The goal is to get taxpayers in compliance.

Non-willful conduct is conduct that is due to negligence, inadvertence, or mistake or conduct that is the result of a good faith misunderstanding of the requirements of the law.

Other good news: If you made an OVDP submission prior to July 1, 2014 you may elect to have your case considered under Streamline so long as a closing agreement has not been executed.

We specialize in Offshore Account Compliance. We represent taxpayers entering the 2012 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative Program (OVDP)

See our page on OVDP / OVDI

Please contact Philip Falco, CPA, Juris Doctor – Honors to discuss these new measures and how they apply to you (303) 626-7000.

Tax Preparation and Planning for Entrepreneurs and High Net Worth Individuals

Date March 10, 2014

Posted by Philip Falco, Attorney, CPA

Philip Falco

Tax Preparation and Planning for Entrepreneurs and High Net Worth Individuals

During Tax season, we perform the most sophisticated tax preparation for you. We optimize shareholder and member basis, losses, gains, carryovers and carrybacks. We ensure that you receive your deductions

Because we are vertically integrated, we provide you with simulated tax returns

If we find an error in your tax plan implementation, we bring it to your attention and provide our tax opinion.

We are vertically integrated. To us this means that we start with the pieces that compose your tax return all the way up to strategic planning, legal planning, and integrate both for you.

After Tax Season
Tax season isn’t the only time to think about taxes. Nearly every business decision you make has a tax consequence, and we believe working with a tax professional year-round can help you make informed decisions to minimize tax liabilities and take advantage of every possible incentive.

It’s absolutely necessary to gain a thorough understanding of your company’s operations, tax elections and methods, not only to prepare an accurate, complete set of returns, but also to find the most effective means to save additional tax dollars and meet your financial objectives.

From implementing tax-saving strategies and reviewing new legislation to evaluating current elections and amending returns, our staff works tirelessly throughout the entire year to find the most effective ways to save you tax dollars and keep more of your hard-earned profits.

We are working on strategies to minimize the new Healthcare (ObamaCare) 3.8% Tax on Net Investment Income. This tax is targeted at high income individuals (married filing jointly in excess of $250,000).

Click here to visit our Tax Preparation Page: Tax Preparation

Email us for a free consultation Phil@ColoradoLegal.com

Or call (303) 626-7000.