Entries by Tax Attorney

It’s A Small World After All – Number Of FATCA Compliant Countries Continues To Grow

Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), foreign banks, insurers and investment funds must send the Internal Revenue Service information about Americans’ and U.S. permanent residents’ offshore accounts worth more than $50,000. Institutions that fail to comply could effectively be frozen out of U.S. markets. As of this blog posting, the U.S. has entered […]

When Do You Need to Hire a Tax Attorney?

In a world of CPA’s, tax preparers, enrolled agents, bookkeepers and accountants, it can be confusing to know when to hire a tax attorney. After all, you’re not hiring a tax lawyer to prepare your annual income tax return. So when and why would you need a tax attorney’s services? IRS And State Tax Disputes […]

Israel Becomes The 28th Country To Sign FATCA Accord

Under the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (“FATCA”), foreign banks, insurers and investment funds must send the Internal Revenue Service information about Americans’ and U.S. permanent residents’ offshore accounts worth more than $50,000. Institutions that fail to comply could effectively be frozen out of U.S. markets. The U.S. has entered into intergovernmental Agreements (“IGA’s”) with […]

Be Careful Of What You Say To Your Accountant

Most States recognize an accountant-client privilege where if you tell your accountant something the accountant should not be compelled to reveal what was discussed to the government or third parties. A major exception where this privilege does not apply is where the discussion involves potential criminal actions or criminal issues. In the tax field this […]

What Signs To Be On The Lookout For That You May Be Subject To An IRS Criminal Investigation.

A simple mistake, oversight, or your accountant’s malpractice may trigger an IRS criminal investigation. Specifically, unreported income, a false statement, the use of an impermissible accounting or banking service, or declaring too many deductions are things that could initiate an audit, which could then rise to the level of an IRS criminal investigation. The tax […]

Tales From An X-IRS Agent

It is usually impossible to get the inside scoop of how the IRS is looking at taxpayers but sometimes a retired IRS agent will provide me with some valuable insight. Before I go into this, let’s cover some of the basics about the structure of the IRS. Generally, there are four classes of employees at […]