by Optima Financial Group | Aug 27, 2014 | IRS Collections
You may be under the impression that if you’re being audited, you’ll find out by a strong knock at your front door. Unless you’re in serious trouble, this won’t be the case.
How will you know if you’re being audited?
Short Answer: The IRS will let you know directly.
The only way you’ll know for certain if the IRS is auditing you is if the IRS tells you – either by phone or mail. If your initial contact is by email, it’s likely a scam and you should report it.
Who is most likely to be audited?
According to Bloomberg News, only 1% of all tax returns each year are audited. But there are factors that increase your chances of being targeted for an IRS audit.
- Being rich. 12.5% of all tax returns for those who make over a million dollars a year.
- Mistakes on your tax return. This could be anything from not reporting all of your income, your numbers not matching with your employer-provided W2s, or even math errors on your tax return. Don’t round your numbers.
- Self-employed. The IRS will look at your deductions to see if they are the typical amount for someone in your industry. Travel/entertainment and automobile deductions are watched especially closely. While a home office is no longer an immediate reason to suspect an audit, taking the deduction needs to be backed up with detailed records.
- Large charitable donations. If you only make $20,000 a year and yet donated a substantial amount of money, watch out.
- Your associates. If your business partner in a firm or a close relative is being audited, you could be too.
Types of IRS Audits
There are three types of IRS audits, depending on the complexity of your return, the number of questions the IRS has and the dollar amount involved.
- Correspondence Audit – An IRS tax audit conducted entirely by mail. The IRS likely has a short checklist of questions to ask you about your income, expenses, or itemized deductions.
- Field Audit – The IRS will send an agent to visit you in person in your home or business. They will want to inspect the records you’ve kept.
- Office Audit – You are requested to meet with an agent at their nearest office and bring your paperwork with you to the meeting.
If you are audited there are four things to remember:
- Respond to their letters within the deadline given on the notice. If you need more time, you’re far more likely to get an extension if you ask for it before the deadline’s passed.
- Gather all the documentation you need to answer their questions and provide copies to the IRS. (Never give them your original documents, they aren’t responsible if anything is lost.)
- Bring the right representation. Not your Uncle Bill but a CPA or tax attorney. This is not the time for amateur help or to go it alone.
- Be polite and respectful. But don’t volunteer anything. If the agent wants to expand the audit, you are entitled to more time to answer any new questions that may arise.
An IRS tax audit can be a painful experience but you will get through it with thorough preparation, and if needed, expert help from Optima Tax Relief.
Additional Tax Tips:
The IRS Criminal Investigation Process
What to do during an IRS Audit
What does the IRS look for in an audit?
IRS penalty and interest rates
by Optima Financial Group | Aug 14, 2014 | IRS Collections
Most of the woes associated with the IRS involve money. If you are audited, the most probable outcome is that you will owe more money to the IRS. In the worst case scenarios, an audit results in your owing a lot more money. But you almost never face criminal charges.
An IRS criminal investigation is an entirely different ball of wax. The IRS pursues about 3,000 prosecutions each year for tax fraud and tax evasion. If the IRS launches a criminal investigation against you, you not only face a potentially substantial tax bill, but also possible jail time. One of your first moves should be to obtain the services of a skilled, experienced attorney who specializes in tax law.
The Knock at the Door
Your first encounter with the criminal investigation unit of the IRS may involve a knock on your door, followed by an intimidating encounter with two or more agents dressed much like K and J from the Men in Black movies. By the time this encounter takes place, the IRS has completed several steps of its investigation process and is convinced that the case against you is solid. Your best move under these circumstances is to say absolutely nothing.
Areas of Potential Criminal Prosecution
The IRS website lists the following areas of possible criminal prosecution. Some areas of criminal prosecution such as abusive tax schemes and nonfiler enforcement are more likely to apply to individuals. Others, such as money laundering and employment tax evasion, are more likely to be committed by corporations and criminal operations.
- Abusive Return Preparers
- Abusive Tax Schemes
- Bankruptcy Fraud
- Corporate Fraud
- Employment Tax Evasion
- Financial Institution Fraud
- Gaming Related Fraud
- General Tax Fraud
- Healthcare Fraud
- Insurance Fraud
- Money Laundering
- Mortgage and Real Estate Fraud
- Narcotics Related Financial Fraud
- Nonfiler Enforcement
- Public Corruption
- Questionable Tax Refunds
How Criminal Investigations Are Initiated
Those stories you read about neighbors ratting each other out to the IRS? That actually does happen. The IRS is happy to accept tips about possible tax fraud or tax evasion from family members and associates. A revenue agent or revenue collection officer may also initiate a criminal tax investigation if something about your return seems fishy. A U.S. Attorney or even your local law enforcement department may also provide tips to the IRS about possible fraudulent or criminal tax activity. Social media is also another resource.
Primary Investigation
Of course, the IRS isn’t supposed to go off half-cocked based on an accusation made by someone with a long-standing grudge. Instead, any tips or information is subject to what the IRS calls a primary investigation. The agent makes an initial judgment on whether to proceed with further investigation. If the decision is in favor of pursing criminal charges, the tax agent’s supervisor has the opportunity to sign off on the investigation or stop it in its tracks. If the supervisor gives the go-ahead, then the case is brought to the special agent in charge – the head of the office. That person makes the determination of whether to go ahead with a “subject criminal investigation” based on one or more of the categories listed above.
Criminal Investigation
Once the IRS has obtained the go-ahead, the actual criminal investigation proceeds much like you think it would. The IRS gathers documents and affidavits from third parties, including your family, friends and professional associates to support its case. Other forms of investigation include search warrants, subpoenas of bank records and other financial data and covert surveillance.
Recommendations for Prosecution
After the investigation phase of the process is complete, the IRS special agent and his or her supervisor review the evidence that has been gathered. A determination is made whether to “discontinue” the case or proceed with prosecution. If the decision is made to prosecute, the special agent prepares a report which is reviewed by each of the following four IRS officers, in order:
- The supervisory special agent, aka the front line supervisor for the special agent
- Centralized Case Review – a criminal investigation review team
- The Criminal Investigation (CI) assistant special agent in charge
- The CI special agent in charge
If the CI special agent in charge gives the go-ahead to prosecute, the recommendation is forwarded to either of two final levels of review. Just as with any of the earlier stages of investigation, the IRS may decide that there is insufficient evidence to proceed with an actual prosecution. But once an investigation clears one of the two stages listed below, you are destined to receive that ominous knock on your door.
- The Department of Justice, Tax Division (for tax investigations)
- The United States Attorney (for all other criminal financial investigations)
Guilty or Not Guilty
You might have gathered by now that the IRS is meticulous about pursuing criminal cases against alleged tax cheats, and you would be right. But that does not mean that mistakes never happen or that actual prosecution is inevitable. You have the right to seek a conference with IRS agents at each stage of the process — if you are actually aware that the IRS is pursuing prosecution against you. You also have the right to request dismissal of the case either before or after a grand jury indictment, or to appeal a conviction.
If the IRS Has You in Its Sights
If you know that the IRS will find tax fraud or tax evasion, your best bet is to come clean. If you do so before a prosecution is underway, you can often avoid the criminal process altogether. The IRS allows taxpayers to make voluntary disclosures of unreported income or other tax obligations. The procedures vary according to whether your unlawful tax conduct involves domestic or international maneuvers. Your attorney can provide the best advice on whether – and how to make a voluntary disclosure.
Additional Tax Topics:
IRS Penalty and Interest Rates
What to do during an IRS Audit
by Optima Financial Group | Jun 17, 2014 | Tax News
The bonus depreciation tax break allows businesses to deduct up to 50% of the cost of capital purchases upfront, resulting in big tax savings for business owners. In May 2014, the Ways and Means Committee of the Republican-controlled House of Representatives voted 23-11 – along party lines – to renew and make permanent the tax break designed to encourage corporate business investment.
A Tax Break with a Deficit
But making the depreciation tax break permanent would add nearly $300 billion to the deficit over the next ten years, according to the Wall Street Journal. A measure to make corporate research credits permanent would increase the deficit by another $300 billion. Enacting all the corporate-friendly tax measures proposed or passed by the House would extract approximately $1 trillion from the economy. Despite these added costs to the budget, the sentiment in the House is that business owners need certainty about future tax regulations in order to feel confident about making capital investments.
Related Article: Should We Abolish Corporate Income Taxes?
A Fate Less Certain
The permanent extension of the corporate capital deductions bill is scheduled for a vote by the full House, where it is expected to pass, most likely along party lines as well. But the ultimate fate of the corporate depreciation tax credit is somewhat less certain. A version of the corporate depreciation tax credit bill under consideration in the Democratic-majority Senate limits the extension of the credit to two years. Scheduling a Senate vote for its version of the bill is also being weighed down by partisan battles concerning a number of related and unrelated issues.
The differences between the bills means that the two would have to be reconciled before they could be sent to President Obama’s desk for his signature or veto. It is not known whether President Obama would sign the measure if it passed Congress, although he did sign a similar measure in 2010 that allowed businesses to apply an accelerated rate to deductions for capital expenses on their 2010 federal income tax returns.
Renewing Expired Tax Breaks
In a typical year, Congress passes numerous pieces of legislation designed to renew or extend temporary tax measures that have expired recently. Even in the hyper-partisan atmosphere of the present Congress, many expired tax measures are expected to be renewed eventually. This includes the corporate depreciation deduction. But given that 2014 is an election year, some observers believe that no significant legislation will be passed until after November, when a lame-duck Congress will be at least temporarily freed from the pressures of campaigning.
Related article: 9 Tax Breaks That Could Expire in 2014
by Optima Financial Group | May 20, 2014 | IRS Collections
The Treasury Department has a well-earned reputation for being serious about collecting its due. The mere mention of its taxation arm – the IRS, is sufficient to invoke fear into the most honest of taxpayers. One reason for the trepidation generated by the IRS is that it has a potent arsenal of weapons at its disposal to pursue taxpayers who are in arrears, including tax liens and tax levies.
Many people confuse tax liens and tax levies. While neither is desirable, a tax lien poses much less financial danger to taxpayers than a tax levy does. A tax lien represents an initial attempt by the IRS to collect revenues from taxpayers who have failed to either pay their taxes in full or to contact the agency to discuss viable repayment options. By contrast, by the time the IRS gets around to filing a Final Notice of Intent to Levy and Notice of Your Right to A Hearing, otherwise known as a tax levy, taxpayers are in imminent danger of losing valuable assets such as cars or homes to seizure.
It goes without saying that avoiding the dire consequences of a tax levy is desirable whenever possible. Fortunately, taxpayers who take expedient measures can frequently avoid the hammer of the IRS tax levy. Depending on the personal circumstances involved, it may be possible to dodge a tax levy long enough to contact the IRS with alternative arrangements – or even long term.
1. Request a 120-Day Extension
One of the few absolutely guaranteed ways to avoid a tax levy is to repay what you owe to the IRS in full. If you have a reasonable expectation of being able to repay your tax arrears within 120 days, request an extension from the IRS. Once you have made payment, the lien should be released within 30 days, which will automatically cancel the tax levy.
2. Negotiate an Installment Agreement
Back in the day, the IRS was much less flexible about allowing taxpayers to extend payments over time. In recent years, however, the IRS has changed its stance and actively encourages collaboration between agents and taxpayers. So, if you can pay what you owe within a reasonable time frame, generally six years or less, depending on your total balance in arrears, you may be able to avoid a tax levy by negotiating an installment agreement. If so, act quickly to prevent the actual levy from going through.
3. Extend an Offer in Compromise
An Offer in Compromise is a formal arrangement that allows taxpayers to settle their tax obligations by paying less than the full amount due. The Offer in Compromise process requires taxpayers to demonstrate that attempts to collect the full amount owed would present an undue financial burden or would otherwise be unjust. As might be expected, the standard for qualifying for an Offer in Compromise are strict, and taxpayers would be well advised to seek professional advice before pursuing this path.
4. Demonstrate Non-collectible Status
If paying your back taxes – or the execution of a tax levy – would create severe financial hardship, you can seek what the IRS categorizes as “non-collectible status.” Once your tax debt has been designated as non-collectible, all attempts to process tax levies cease. But the tax lien remains on your record, and you must re-apply for “noncollectable status” on an annual basis.
5. File Chapter 7 or 13 Bankruptcy
Under most circumstances, filing either Chapter 7 or Chapter 13 bankruptcy places an immediate halt on all creditor collection actions, including tax levies. But filing a bankruptcy petition only stops a tax levy for as long as the petition is active. And especially if you file Chapter 7 bankruptcy, you may be required to relinquish personal assets anyway to obtain a discharge.
6. Petition for Innocent Spouse Relief
If you filed a joint tax return with your spouse, you are generally jointly liable for any and all tax obligations. But under limited circumstances, it may be possible to escape a tax levy if you can demonstrate that your spouse is individually responsible for being in arrears with the IRS. Qualifying for Innocent Spouse Relief is tough, with strict requirements in place. If you believe you qualify, you would be well advised to seek the services of a professional in preparing your petition.
7. Appeal the Notice of Levy
If you legitimately believe that the IRS has mistakenly imposed a tax levy against you, it is imperative to contact the agency by phone immediately to request an appeal. You must also follow up the phone call with a written petition to appeal the tax levy. It is your legal right to appeal a tax levy, and doing so will stop the process while your appeal is being processed.
8. Allow the Statute of Limitations to Run
The IRS is limited by statute on the amount of time that a tax lien is allowed to stand. If the statute of limitations expires before the IRS imposes a tax levy, you are officially off the hook. But this is a very risky strategy, especially since the IRS may simply impose a new tax lien against your account. On the other hand, if you can demonstrate that the statute of limitations has ALREADY expired, your odds of escaping a tax levy improve significantly. Do not attempt this approach without expert legal advice.
9. Claim IRS Procedural Error
In most cases, taxpayers receive multiple warnings before the IRS executes a tax levy. But sometimes mistakes are made. If you can demonstrate that you did not receive sufficient notice of a tax levy, or that the IRS committed some other procedural error in assessing your account, you can request a Collection Due Process hearing, which will halt a tax levy for 30 days after the date of the hearing.
10. File a Request through the Collection Appeals Program
If you are not satisfied by the results of an appeal or a Collection Due Process hearing, you may file a petition for under the Collection Appeals Program before a tax levy has been executed. You may also file a petition to recover assets such as bank accounts or wages that were wrongfully seized by tax liens under the Collection Appeals Program. But if seized assets such as a home or a car have already been sold, you are pretty much out of luck.
by Optima Financial Group | Feb 21, 2014 | Tax Relief Solutions
Having an outstanding tax debt is becoming a growing issue that many Americans face. The number of Federal tax liens and levies filed by the IRS has grown significantly in recent years. In 2011, nearly 4 million tax levies were served on third parties, a 456% increase when compared to the same IRS reports from 2001. Similarly, the IRS issued over one million Federal tax liens in 2011, up 145% from a decade earlier.
The IRS is usually relentless in their pursuit of collecting outstanding tax debt. The stress and pressure that is often placed on individuals and families can be overwhelming. Professional tax relief firms can be an incredible source of assistance when it comes to dealing with the IRS (or other State Tax Authorities) regarding back tax amounts owed or a wide range of other tax related challenges. Here are the top 10 benefits of working with one of these organizations.
1. You don’t have to face the IRS alone
One of the major benefits of using a tax relief company is the fact that they have many professionals with different educational backgrounds to help you. By having a wide range of experts who understand how the IRS works (such as attorneys, CPA’s, or other specialists), they are able to put that knowledge to work for you so that you can reach the best possible settlement or solution for your tax problems. After all, when dealing with the IRS or State Tax Authority, you can never have too many professionals working on your side.
2. Reduce the overall balance you owe
The total amount you owe the IRS is often compounded by additional penalties and interest, and may involve more than one tax period or issue. These penalties and interests are automatically assessed to your account by their computer system; however you may not actually have to pay the additional fees.
A professional tax relief firm can evaluate your situation, and depending on the circumstances behind why you owe the debt, can oftentimes have these penalties removed from the total balance owed. This applies to the interest accruing on your balance as well, which can really add up over any length of time.
3. Avoid losing your home or other property from an IRS seizure
In some extreme cases, people have lost their home or other property because of past due tax debts. Although property seizure is one method that the IRS can use to collect amounts owed, it is usually a last resort for them.
However the number of IRS property seizures has increased dramatically in the last decade. In 2011, the IRS conducted 776 property seizures (compared to 234 seizures in 2001), resulting in a 230% increase in this form of enforcement in just 10 years. An experienced tax relief organization can help you avoid becoming one of these alarming statistics.
4. Avoid having your bank account levied
Similar to a property seizure, the IRS can also implement other actions to collect past due taxes. One more common method used is to levy your bank account. This action will occur after the IRS sends several written notices and warnings, yet still takes many people by surprise when they find out their bank account has been cleared out overnight.
According to the IRS, over $55 billion dollars was collected as a result of enforcement actions in 2011, up 63.3% from a decade before. Imagine the nightmare of waking up one morning only to find that the IRS followed through with their threat of levying your bank account, and realizing that the money in your account that you were going to use for bills, rent, or other items, is no longer yours to spend.
But this is just another example of a situation that can be avoided by having a professional tax relief service help you. You should contact them the moment you receive that first threatening letter from the IRS.
5. Stop or prevent an IRS wage garnishment
Garnishing your wages is yet another tool the IRS can implement to collect past due amounts owed to them. This adjustment to your paycheck can be financially devastating to your household income, usually taking somewhere between 30-75% of your NET paycheck before it makes it into your hands.
The IRS legally requires an employer to comply with their collection efforts and the wage order stays in effect until the IRS releases it, usually not until the entire amount owed to them has been collected.
A skilled tax relief firm can appeal to the IRS on your behalf and have the garnishment of your earnings reduced to a more reasonable amount or oftentimes stopped altogether.
6. Settle your outstanding tax debt for much less than you actually owe
Oftentimes the IRS is willing to negotiate with tax payers in regards to outstanding debts that are owed. This is true largely because of the fact that they would rather collect a lesser amount than nothing at all. But entering into a settlement negotiation with the IRS can be risky territory, especially if you are not fully aware of all of your rights or settlement programs that exist to reduce your overall debt.
This is another area where a company that specializes in tax resolution can assist you. By negotiating with the IRS on your behalf, they can usually reach an agreement that not only significantly lowers the total amount you owe, but also makes the terms of payment simple and for a shorter period of time.
7. Get caught up on past returns
It is estimated that 1 in 6 Americans (26 million people) is currently struggling with tax problems. Many people let these problems grow and compound over years and end up failing to file new tax returns, figuring they are already in enough trouble with the IRS as it is. Working with a professional tax relief organization can also offer benefits by helping you get caught up on any back tax returns you may still need to file.
8. Assistance during audits
One nightmare than many people fear is being audited by the IRS. A reputable tax relief firm will stand by you through this process and make sure that everything you need to have is covered. The chances of being selected for an audit are relatively low with only around 1% of tax returns being selected for this process each year. Furthermore, of those returns that are audited, only about an additional 1% of them are for individual tax payers. So while the odds of being audited are low, it is nice to know you have someone on your side if you need them.
9. Avoid dings in your credit score due to unpaid tax issues
While the IRS is not currently providing information to the 3 major credit bureaus about any unpaid taxes you may owe, it is something they have strongly considered recently. Additionally, if the IRS files a lien because of outstanding debt owed, that information could show up on your credit report since it is considered a judgment, and will remain on your credit report for 7 years after you have repaid it or 10 years if you ignore it. This information can definitely affect your overall credit score and sometimes even potential employment.
10. Enjoy a little piece of mind again
The stress and pressure that can be placed on an individual or family because of outstanding tax debt can be so overwhelming and can even cause major problems in the lives of people who are struggling with it. It can seem like the easiest solution is to run and hide from the problem, but let’s face it, the IRS is one powerful and relentless authority and when they want their money, chances are they will find you.
These issues will not go away on their own. The only way to make them disappear is to face them and address them as they arise. Having an experienced tax relief firm on your side to help with all the complicated policies and procedures can help your overall mental health dramatically.
Although facing the IRS and State Tax Authorities can be a very scary and intimidating experience for many people, it doesn’t have to be so difficult. There are many options to help reduce or sometimes eliminate the debt you owe, but trying to handle it on your own can be equally challenging. Working with a professional tax relief firm is often your best bet. These knowledgeable and skilled individuals can help you handle everything necessary to get your tax related problems resolved once and for all.
by Optima Financial Group | Jan 28, 2014 | Tax Planning
If you are eco-conscious, you probably sort your disposables for recycling, wash your clothes in cold water, carry reusable shopping bags to the grocery or perform other environmentally-friendly actions. But did you know that you may also be eligible to receive tax credits and deductions from Uncle Sam? While tax breaks for going green are not nearly as generous as they were in past years, it is still worth your while to investigate possible savings from the IRS for projects that you plan to carry out anyway.
Make Home Improvements
Did you recently replace one or more drafty windows or reinforce the insulation on your home? If so, you may qualify for tax credits through the Non-Business Energy Property Credit, which covers 10 percent of costs associated with purchasing and installing qualified energy-efficient insulation, doors, metal and asphalt roofs and windows.
The credit is also available for non-solar heating, ventilating and air conditioning (HVAC) systems, biomass stoves and non-solar water heaters. A maximum of $200 in credits can be claimed for window installation, with a $500 lifetime limit in total credits. The credit can only be applied to improvements made on your existing primary residence located within the United States. The Non-Business Energy Property Credit expired at end of December, 2013; new projects will not qualify unless Congress votes to renew the credit.
Update to Energy Efficient Appliances
Have you resorted to showering with cold water to save money on your utility bills? Perhaps you should consider installing an energy-efficient solar hot water heater.The Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit covers up to 30 percent of the cost of purchasing and installing a solar hot water heater, along with costs associated with solar electricity arrays, residential wind turbines and geothermal heat pumps.
There is no upper limit to the amount of tax credits you can claim, and the credit is applicable to new and existing residential construction. You can also claim up to 30 percent of the cost of installing residential fuel cells and microturbine systems up to a limit of $500 under the program. The Residential Energy Efficient Property Credit remains in effect through the end of December 2016, so you have plenty of time to make those improvements.
Optima Tax Relief has more about how you can get credit for making your home energy efficient in this post.
Green Up Your Ride
If you missed out on the recent Cash for Clunkers program, you may still have a chance to collect tax breaks for buying an energy-efficient car – as long as the car you buy is either a plug-in hybrid or an all-electric model. The Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicle Credit (IRC 30D) applies to four-wheeled passenger vehicles acquired by individuals and businesses after December 31, 2009. Some two-wheeled and three-wheeled vehicles acquired after December 31, 2011 and before January 1, 2014 also qualify for the program. Tax credits for non-plug-in hybrids, diesel-powered vehicles and alternative fuel vehicles (AFVs) expired at the end of 2010.
You may claim $2,500 for all eligible vehicles. In addition, for a vehicle that draws what the IRS calls “propulsion energy” from a battery with a capacity of at least 5 kilowatt hours, you may claim an additional $417. You may claim an additional $417 for each additional kilowatt hour capacity up to a maximum credit of $7,500.
The IRS will begin phasing out the credit over a one-year period beginning with the calendar quarter following a calendar quarter during which a specific manufacturer sells at least 200,000 qualifying vehicles in the United States. (The clock starts after December 31, 2009). During the first two quarters of the phase-out period, individuals who purchase qualifying vehicles may claim 50 percent of the applicable credit; during the second two quarters of the phase-out period, taxpayers may claim 25 percent of the applicable credit. No credit may be claimed after the end of the phase-out period.
As of January 2014, there is little danger of sales triggering the phase-out stage of the Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicle Credit program. The most popular plug-in electric car, the Chevrolet Volt, has sold approximately 56,000 units since it was introduced to the consumer market in December 2010. (Chevy representatives made an announcement at the 2014 Detroit Auto Show that mass production of the all-electric Volt has been suspended; instead, the car will be reclassified as a “niche” model targeted for specific audiences, much like the iconic Corvette.) The Ford Focus electric model had sold just under 21,000 cumulative units in the United States as of November 2013, according to the IRS website.
How to Claim Your Tax Breaks
To claim tax breaks for home improvements and energy-efficient appliances, file Form 5695, Residential Energy Credits.
To claim tax breaks under the Plug-In Electric Drive Vehicle Credit program, individual taxpayers submit Form 8936, Qualified Plug-In Electric Drive Motor Vehicle Credit along with their federal income tax returns. Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the “stimulus”), individuals who purchase qualified vehicles during 2010 or later may apply the credit toward payment of the Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), if they are subject to the tax. To claim the credit for vehicles purchased for business use, submit Form 3800, General Business Credit.
Going green doesn’t reap the same rewards it used to, but there’s still money on the table if you’ve made any of these changes. Don’t let these tax credits fall through the cracks!
Photos: Flickr, Al.com
by Optima Financial Group | Dec 6, 2013 | Tax Planning
Who wins after every lotto draw? The taxman does, of course! Optima Tax Relief wants to help you save by providing tips for lowering taxes on your lotto winnings.
How Much Are Lotto Winnings Taxed?
Not only is the lottery a tax on people who are bad at math –US lotteries generally only pay out 60% of the money players bet. The chances of winning a large lottery, such as the Powerball, is one in 175 million and the lucky winner actually has to give the IRS and state tax revenue agencies a big chunk of the prize, every time.
How big a chunk? The taxman’s share could be anything from 40% to 60%, depending on how the winner decides to cash in the prize and if they live in a state that taxes lotto winnings. The same applies even if you win a small prize, win on a game show, or participate in a community raffle.
What to do after winning the lottery
So how does paying taxes on lotto winnings work? And if you do happen to win the lottery, what is the smartest way to minimize your tax burden?
Lump Sum Vs. Annuity Payments
The first tax decision lottery winners have to make is whether to receive their prize as a lump sum or have it paid out in yearly installments, called an annuity. If you win a $10 million prize with the New York State Lottery, for instance, you get to choose between $10 million over 26 yearly payments of approximately $250,000 or a lump sum of a little less than $5 million. The full prize is only for those who choose the annual payments.
Those who choose the lump sum get the cash value in bonds that the lottery would have had to buy in order to pay $10 million over 25 years.
From a tax perspective, choosing annual payments will keep you in a much lower tax bracket, which will reduce the amount of tax you have to pay. As of 2013, taxpayers with an income between $183,251 and $398,350 pay 33 cents on the dollar to the IRS. Those with an income of more than $400,000 have to pay nearly 40 cents on the dollar, which doesn’t even include state taxes.
Similarly, business owners whose profits swing dramatically from one year to the next may benefit from spreading taxable income over multiple years.
However, there is a strong likelihood that taxes will continue to go up over time and negate the tax benefit of annuities. Also, if you choose the lump sum, you could invest the entire amount and put those lotto winnings to work, which — if your investments go well — could more than compensate for the higher initial lump sum tax rate.
“When deciding upon a lottery payment option it ultimately depends on the unique situation,” says Harry Langenberg, Managing Partner at Optima Tax Relief, who points out winners of big jackpots will be in the highest bracket either way. “If you’re a wise investor, it makes sense to take it all at once.”
Set Up a Trust
A smart move for lottery winners is to set up a trust. In states that permit it, creating a trust allows you to collect your winnings anonymously, which can avoid a lot of unsolicited attention from scammers and opportunistic long-lost friends and relatives. A well-designed trust can also allow for tax-free growth of assets, as well as reduce estate taxes for married couples.
Trusts are not just a good idea for lottery winners and the ultra-wealthy. Even families with a moderate income can reap the benefits from setting up a trust. For instance, trusts allow you to specify how and when your children inherit your estate, which can help them use their inheritance more wisely. You can also use trusts to provide funds for particular purposes, like for education and health care, or to allocate monies for a favorite charity.
Pay Taxes Like a Millionaire
Sadly, lottery winners often end in financial ruin due to bad investment choices, greedy relatives and friends, misjudging the cost of taxes or the costs of maintaining the stuff they buy. This trap can be avoided by investing all winnings in a low-risk mutual fund and living off the interest. For example, if you invest a $250 million dollar windfall in bonds and a diversified mutual fund, you could easily generate $4 million a year after taxes.
Even investing a more modest $1 million lottery prize could earn you $50,000 a year, assuming your portfolio yields a 5% interest. Earning a living from your investments, as opposed to owning a business or working for a salary is the reason ultra-wealthy people like Mitt Romney and Warren Buffet pay a lower tax rate than their secretaries. Capital gains, or the money you generate from investing in stocks and bonds, are taxed differently than regular income. This is particularly true if you avoid the trap of trying to time the stock market and hold on to your shares and bonds for the long haul. As of 2013, the long-term capital gain tax rate is 15% for taxpayers with incomes in the 25% to 33% tax brackets.
Lottery as Voluntary Taxation
The words of John Fielding, the 18th-century English satirist, hold true today.
A Lottery is a Taxation,
Upon all the Fools in Creation;
And Heav’n be prais’d,
It is easily rais’d,
Credulity’s always in Fashion;
For, Folly’s a Fund,
Will never lose Ground;
While Fools are so rife in the Nation
The quip that lotteries are a taxation on people who are bad at math is not a joke. According to The Tax Foundation, a non-partisan tax research group based in Washington, D.C., lotteries are not just a controversial way to fill state coffers, they are an actual tax. The use of lotteries to finance the government is nothing new. In 1892, A.R. Spofford, Librarian of Congress, described lotteries as the kind of voluntary tax the most reputable citizens would engage in — as part of their civic duty — to help with the financing of schools, hospitals, and courthouses.
Today, lotteries have lost most of their patriotic component, although some lotteries are centered around charities, but they still are a significant component of state revenue. As with property taxes, lottery tax can be avoided altogether by refraining from buying a ticket.
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by Optima Financial Group | Oct 31, 2013 | Tax Planning
What could be better than winning $8.3 million at the World Series of Poker next week?
Not paying taxes on all $8.3 million.
Since a federal court ruling two years ago, there are tax deductions for professional gamblers similar to those for self-employed contractors and small businesses. Expenses like travel, meals, and lodging can be cut from their total income.
This means that if a professional player won $1 million and showed business expenses of $100,000 million during the year – he would only pay taxes on $900,000.
Are You a Professional Gambler?
So how do you prove to the IRS that you’re a professional gambler? Show that you treat the game like a business all year long; that you play to make a profit, not to have fun with your friends.
The federal tax code uses nine guidelines to determine what qualifies as professional gambling, and what doesn’t. Here are a few of those guidelines adapted from an article last year in the Journal of Accountancy.
Gambling Guidelines
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Don’t have an entourage. Since gambling is usually for fun, you have to show that you are not playing for pleasure, but for a living. It is better to go by yourself. If you want family and friends to keep you company, don’t include them in your business expenses.
“Like most tax issues, accurate and proper tax planning is key. With a sensitive issue, such as professional gambling, having your tax strategy be IRS ready will be vital in keeping your winnings in your pocket. Winning against the Internal Revenue Service is possible, as long as you hold the right cards in your hand.” –Andrew Park, Enrolled Agent at Optima Tax Relief.
How to Report Gambling Winnings?
Gambling winnings are reported through IRS Form W-2G. Depending on how much you win and the type of gambling you undertake, you may receive this form directly from the “payer” or organization from which you won the money. If the payer withholds federal income tax from your winnings, you will receive a Form W-2G. This form, according to Robert W. Wood of Forbes.com, works just like a 1099 Interest Form that you receive as part of tax time preparation forms. He reminds everyone the IRS also receives a copy of the Form W-2G and reminds winners to keep it handy for tax time to ensure full compliance!
If gambling winnings do not meet the following thresholds set by the IRS for the respective type of gambling, it must be reported as “Other income.”
Bingo or slot machines: $1,200
Keno: $1,500
Poker Tournament: $5,000 (excluding wager or buy-in amounts)
“Other” gambling winnings: $600
“Other” gambling winnings are those that do not include poker tournaments, slot machines, bingo, and keno – and the payout is at least 300 times the wager amount).
What if My Winnings don’t Meet the Above Thresholds?
No matter how much income is generated from gambling, it must be reported if you receive a Form W-2G or not. If your winnings do not meet the threshold, you must report your income under the “Other Income” line on the Form 1040 U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.
What do I Do if I Lose Money From Gambling?
Gambling losses may be deducted. Deductions are permitted up to the winning amount. Losses must be reported, as an Itemized Deduction, on Schedule A, separately from any winnings.
How are Winnings and Losses Substantiated?
The IRS requires proof of losses and winnings. In case of an audit and to maintain the integrity of your income tax return, the IRS recommends keeping all records related to winnings and losses. Items to substantiate gambling transactions include tickets, receipts, checks, and IRS Form W-2G (if given). Maintaining a notebook or other written documentation is highly suggested to keep winnings and losses separate and organized.
What Expenses Can Be Deducted?
Like most small businesses, professional gamblers can deduct expenses that the IRS considers “ordinary and necessary” to “carrying on any trade or business.” The website ProfessionalGamblerStatus.com provides a long list of tax deductions for professional gamblers you can deduct, ranging from internet connections (if you play online), to flights, car trips, and meals when you travel to tournaments.
List of Possible Deductions
- Internet Costs, if you regularly play online
- Home office expenses
- Tax advice
- Subscriptions to gambling magazines and newspapers
- Gaming fees, chat room fees
- Club membership fees and dues
- Clerical and record-keeping expenses
- Travel and meal costs during tournaments
- Wages paid to relatives or employees for their assistance
You can also deduct money used to hire a poker coach or someone to keep track of your results. The payment just needs to be “a reasonable allowance for salaries or other compensation for personal services actually rendered,” according to the IRS.
To comply with the laws, make sure you don’t look like you’re trying to take advantage of the system. For instance, taking a taxi and flying coach would arouse less suspicion than renting a private jet and a stretched limo. That also applies for high rollers, who are often offered complimentary hotel rooms, buffets, and rides by casinos. Don’t try to pass those off freebies as expenses.
So what if you’re not a professional but you drive 60 miles, eat lunch, and have a great day at the track? Since you’re not a professional gambler, you can’t deduct any expenses. But you still have to pay taxes on your winnings.
Photo: Play Among Friends
by Optima Financial Group | Oct 22, 2013 | Tax Returns
You’re self-employed, which means that you no longer have to punch a clock or make that daily commute to spend the day in a cubicle. However, along with the freedom to set your own schedule comes the responsibility to make sure Uncle Sam gets his cut – and receives what you owe in a timely fashion.
That means either setting aside funds from your earnings to cover your tax obligation next April, or paying quarterly estimated taxes. Regardless of which strategy you take, the IRS has developed a worksheet to use to calculate how much you should set aside – IRS Form 1040-ES: Estimated Tax for Individuals.
Using IRS Form 1040-ES: Estimated Tax for Individuals
The IRS makes it easy (or at least as easy as paying taxes can be) to satisfy your federal income tax obligations by making quarterly estimated income tax payments. To begin making estimated payments, first download IRS Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals from the IRS website. For more details on how to complete the form, download Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax. The form is a PDF document that you can fill in and save with your information at any point.
Expected Wages
To calculate your expected wages for the coming year, obtain a copy of your prior year’s tax returns and locate the figure for your adjusted gross income to use as a starting point to estimate your income for the coming year. Subtract either your itemized deductions from your return or the standard deduction (whichever is larger) from your adjusted gross income. If the resulting amount is negative, adjust the total to zero. The result is an estimate of your wages for the coming year.
Calculate Estimated Tax
Once you’ve finished this calculation, use the included Tax Rate Schedule to calculate your estimated tax and enter the figure on the appropriate line of IRS Form 1040-ES. If you are subject to Alternative Minimum Tax (AMT), include the amount generated from IRS Form 6251 on IRS Form 1040-ES as additional tax. Subtract any credits you’re entitled to, such as the Earned Income Credit or deductions for use of your vehicle for business, medical or charitable purposes. The result is your estimated tax.
Self-Employment Taxes
Use the resulting figure as the starting point to estimate your self-employment taxes. First, multiply your expected wages for the coming year by 92.35%, or .9235, and enter the result on line 3 of IRS Form 1040-ES. Multiply the figure on line 3 by 2.9% or .029 and enter the result on line 4 of IRS Form 1040-ES. Subtract your expected wages for the coming year from $113.700 (the maximum income subject to Social Security taxes). If the result is zero or less, enter 0 on line 9 of IRS Form 1040-ES, and skip to line 10 on the form. If the result is zero or greater, compare this figure to the figure on line 3, and multiply the smaller result by 12.4% or .124 and enter the result on line 9 of Form 1040-ES. Add the figures from line 4 and line 9 together and enter the result on line 10. Multiply the figure on line 10 by 50% or .50 to obtain your estimated self-employment tax.
After you’ve completed all these calculations, add the estimated tax to the estimated self-employment tax. If the result is $1,000 or more, divide the total by four to determine your quarterly estimated payments. If the figure is less than $1,000, the IRS does not require you to make quarterly estimated payments. But before you throw your calculator across the room in frustration for having wasted so much time, consider this: you’ve generated a good estimate of how much you should set aside to cover your tax obligations.
Set Aside Funds
Whether or not you are obliged to make quarterly tax payments, you will still need to set aside funds to cover your income tax obligations. If you have a paid-wage job in addition to self-employment, you can ask your employer to deduct more from each paycheck to make the process automatic. If not, set up a “pay yourself first” account with your financial institutions, and commit to making regular deposits into the account until you collect the funds you need for each quarter.
By following this strategy, you’ll be far less stressed when you file next year’s federal income tax returns. If you still need assistance, feel free to give us a call.
Photo: Philip Taylor PT
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by Optima Financial Group | Oct 14, 2013 | Tax Planning
Think only celebrities and big corporations get away with outrageous tax deductions? We’ve put together a few reasonable ones you can take advantage of next year, and a few of the more outrageous tax deductions for fun.
1. Put your pup to work! Employing man’s best friend to protect your company grounds can offer some leeway with the IRS. Since the animal is considered part of the “protection” or security system for your place of business, some of your pooch’s care costs may be written off come tax time.
2. Enlarging your deduction — taken to the next level. In 1988 a stripper wrote off her breast enlargement surgery as a business expense. At first the tax courts denied her the deduction. Immediately she appealed the decision and sure enough, her implants were considered a business expense allowing her the tax deduction.
3. Getting a prescription for cash. Does your doctor feel you need to drastically improve your health in order to stay alive? Well the IRS wants you alive and kicking in order to keep up with your tax payments. If your doctor signs off on the purchase of remedies in order to drop some weight, you may be able to write the concoctions off as an expense on next year’s tax return.
4. Stick ’em up! No one escapes the IRS when there’s cash involved. Even criminals in the pen must pay tax on their bounty; ironically, they may be able to write off lawyer expenses as a tax deduction. Who are the real criminals here?
5. Smoke and mirrors. Lately, everyone seems to be trying to live a healthier lifestyle. Many smokers have decided to quit, if not for health reasons, then for the steep increase on cigarette taxes. Smoking cessation devices, patches, or other quit-smoking aids can indeed be written off at tax time. Take advantage of this and you may see some payback for cigarette taxes you paid last year.
6. Music to your ears. Signing junior up for clarinet lessons may not be such a bad idea after all. If your child has an over-bite it is scientifically proven that playing certain wind instruments can correct the problem. Junior practicing clarinet may keep you up at night, but writing off that lesson can help you sleep like a baby during tax time.
7. Moving on up. You made it. You finally got that big promotion and are moving to the city to rake in the dough and live the high life. As many people already know, you can write off your moving expenses when relocating for a job. If you have pets, moving can become a bit more costly especially if there is a plane ride in your pup’s future. Since this is considered a moving expense, you pet’s airfare is a write off as well.
At Optima Tax Relief we can help you take advantage of some of these legal, but outrageous tax deductions. Contact us for more information on how to keep more cash in your pocket and out of the IRS’s hands.
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