Michael Raanan, EA
Santa Ana, CA
Male, 35
My tenure with the largest and most powerful collection agency in the world, the IRS, began fresh out of college and with much surprise. Following an extensive interview process and a cross-country flight to the West Coast, I found myself in Los Angeles with the unenviable task of getting delinquent taxpayers back into tax compliance. After approximately 8 years of service, I left, and now find myself (very literally) on the other side of the table helping taxpayers resolve their IRS disputes.
Having worked inside the IRS certainly does provide a tax professional with a better understanding of the agency's policies and procedures. It should be noted, however, that the most important element in choosing a tax practitioner is how well that person's professional experience matches up with the specific tax service that is needed. For example, a taxpayer with back taxes owed to the IRS would likely be in better hands with a tax professional (ex-IRS or not) that specializes in handling tax relief work - as opposed to a tax preparer or attorney. Similar to the legal field, the tax and accounting field is broken down into many specializations and niches. Taxpayers should place skills and experience at the top of their priority list.
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The IRS has options for taxpayers that are faced with severe financial and personal hardship, most notably the Currently Not Collectible program. If, after a financial review by the IRS, the agency determines that a taxpayer cannot make any payments towards a tax liability, they will place the account in CNC status and cease all collection efforts. It should be noted that the tax liability will continue to accrue penalties and interest and that the IRS still has the right to resume collection efforts in the future should the facts and circumstances of the taxpayer's case change.
Related: Getting Help from the IRS Taxpayer Advocate Service: http://bit.ly/1hMZmAi
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In general, the tax code allows us to deduct medical and dental expenses that are more than 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income. As with all things taxes, there are many nuances and exceptions to this rule, so it is always best to have a qualified tax professional review the specific facts of your tax situation.
Related:
1) Publication 502 Medical and Dental Expenses
http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p502.pdf
2) Facts About Medical and Dental Expenses
http://www.landmarktaxgroup.com/7-important-tax-facts-about-medical-and-dental-expenses
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Businesses that fail to make Federal Tax Deposits (payroll taxes) have been and still are a priority for the IRS. This is because the employer is responsible for taking an employee's withholding and turning it over to the government during each payroll - the IRS calls this "trust fund" money.
If the IRS gets wind that a business-taxpayer is not making its required Federal Tax Deposits, they will usually assign the Collections case to a Revenue Officer at a local IRS office in an effort to get the taxpayer back on track and in compliance again. This often entails having the business catch up on all current payroll taxes and establishing a payment plan for the back taxes if it cannot full pay. The Revenue Officer may also need to file a lien to protect the government's interest.
Depending on the amount of unpaid "trust fund" taxes, the IRS may assess a civil penalty against the person(s) responsible for not paying the taxes. This means they will assess a liability against that person's social security number, at which time a business liability has also become (in part) a personal liability. This civil penalty is called a Trust Fund Recovery Penalty. In cases where outstanding trust fund taxes and a Revenue Officer are involved, it is highly advisable to consult with a qualified tax resolution professional.
Related:
1) What to Know About Payroll (Trust Fund) Taxes
http://bit.ly/19i2VKn
2) 10 Facts About the IRS Collection Process
http://bit.ly/1q96URn
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Should you have a specific question about the 1099, you are welcome to post it here or contact me directly.
Related: Taxable vs. Non-Taxable Income: http://bit.ly/1hthb7Q
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In general, if an installment ageement defaults due to an IRS administrative error (i.e. not including all periods in the payment plan) then the agreement can often be reinstated without delay. The speed at which this occurs depends on a few factors including which IRS office set up the initial installment agreement - Service Center vs. Local IRS Office.
For further assistance with your specific tax matter, you are welcome to contact me anytime.
T. 1 (714) 382-6780
E. michael (at) landmarktaxgroup.com
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A Revenue Officer is the last line of collection for the IRS when it comes to back taxes. A collection case is generally assigned to a RO at the IRS office closest to where the taxpayer lives. Although the IRS Service Center generally does not work collection cases over $250K, a RO has no such limits. A RO is generally assigned a collection case based on his/her Grade level. As such, ROs work collection cases from a few thousand dollars in back taxes to multi-million dollar cases. If favorable, taxpayers can request their IRS tax case to be transferred from the Service Center to a local RO. This decision should be made with a qualified tax representative and should always be based on the facts and circumstances of the case.
Related:
1) 11 Tips for Taxpayers Who Owe Money to the IRS
http://bit.ly/18hk5ce
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