Taxes

Last month, for the first time in two decades, the IRS took a critical look at plaintiff lawyer fee deferrals. In its December, 2022, Generic Legal Advice Memorandum (the “GLAM”), the IRS considered and rejected a hypothetical deferral with a particularly bad set of facts (the “Aggressive Deferral”). While such aggressive facts are uncommon, the

The House of Representatives will be holding a vote on a plan that would abolish the IRS! According to a Fox News story by Houston Keene, holding the vote is part of the deal that got the Freedom Caucus to agree to Kevin McCarthy becoming speaker. Representative Earl (Buddy) Carter introduced the Fair Tax Act

One of the happier problems for a tax whistleblower is turning to think about the percentage they may receive as an award from the IRS. Under the statute – 26 USC 7623(b)(1) – a tax whistleblower may receive 15 – 30% of the collected proceeds. For tax whistleblowers the challenge is how do they get

E-filing for individual tax returns (Form 1040) will open on Monday, January 23, the IRS recently announced. The Service will begin accepting and processing returns for tax year 2022. The IRS has used part of the money it received from the Inflation Reduction Act to hire more than 5,000 new telephone assistors and add more

In her 2023 Annual Report to Congress, National Taxpayer Advocate Erin Collins, writes, “We have begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel.” Indeed, earlier this month the IRS announced that it had completed the automatic adjustments of 2020 tax returns related to the exclusion of unemployment income that was passed by

The first Tax Court hobby loss opinion of the year is a taxpayer win. Paul and Patricia Wondries were facing deficiencies totaling $421,503 for the years 2015-2017. The issue was whether their 1,100 acre ranch was being run with the objective of making a profit. Judge Kathleen Kerrigan called it a close case but concluded

The federal government doesn’t often slash its fees, especially not something like an 80% cut, but that’s what’s happening with the fee to hand in your passport for good. It isn’t yet a done deal, but as a result of a lawsuit about the unfairness of the fees, it looks like the current $2,350 fee

Topline The Internal Revenue Service has announced it will begin accepting tax returns on January 23—kicking off the 2023 tax season—and announced other key deadlines for the tax season. Key Facts The IRS has just announced that the start of the 2023 tax season would officially begin on January 23 and is expected to end

Today’s Social Security column addresses questions about when applications for benefits can be submitted, who might and might not be able to receive spousal benefits and whether investment withdrawals affect Social Security disability benefits. Larry Kotlikoff is a Professor of Economics at Boston University and the founder and president of Economic Security Planning, Inc. See

It is easy to write off as mere symbolism the House vote to rescind nearly all the $80 billion IRS funding increase Congress approved last year. After all, the bill passed by House Republicans will be ignored by the Democrat-controlled Senate. And it would be vetoed by President Biden if it miraculously got to his