Category Archives: IRS

Disaster Relief Extension Impacts Millions in Illinois; Expect IRS to Give Relief to North Carolina Shortly

The IRS announced this morning that tax deadlines have been postponed in several counties in Illinois due to recent severe weather in the Chicagoland area: The IRS is offering relief to any area designated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency … Continue reading

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Don’t Touch the Duct Tape!

Yesterday, I had to call the IRS to obtain an address to mail a return to (it had to go to a special address), and discuss collection activities for another client. Unfortunately, the IRS computer system crashed.  (It came back … Continue reading

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Creative Math, IRS Style

One of our clients made a mistake on his payroll tax deposits: He shorted the IRS $4,590. He realized his mistake, and immediately made a correcting payroll tax deposit (albeit late). There’s a penalty for this, and it’s 10% (based … Continue reading

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The Case of the Missing $632,825.18

The story you’re about to read is true. The names (and dollar amounts) have been changed to protect the innocent. John and Mary Smith, long-time clients, filed an amended return for the 2017 tax year years ago. It took some … Continue reading

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Why Did the IRS Send Me a $1.87 Refund?

In mid-June I received mail from the IRS.  That’s not unusual; I receive a lot of mail from the IRS (generally, correspondence for clients).  But this was different: it was a check for $1.87.  Here’s the check: Now, I wasn’t … Continue reading

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Is IRS Correspondence Broken?

As a tax professional with quite a few clients, our clients receive IRS notices. Much of this correspondence (not all, but a large portion) has to be responded to.  My three most recent cases are making me think there are … Continue reading

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The “Joy” of 1959 Technology

Clients of ours (call them John & Betty) just received their IRS refund.  It was off by $1,250, exactly the amount of an estimated tax payment they made.  They made that payment using IRS Direct Pay (and I saw their … Continue reading

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An Identity Protection Unit Saga: Part 6

When last we left the saga of my client and his tax year 2020 refund, we were waiting for a call from the Taxpayer Advocate Office.  Well, we received the callback and my client’s refund check was issued last Friday.  … Continue reading

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Bozo Tax Tip #4: The $0.68 Solution

With Tax Day fast approaching it’s time to examine yet another Bozo method of courting disaster. And it doesn’t, on the surface, seem to be a Bozo method. After all, this organization has the motto, Neither rain nor snow nor … Continue reading

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Bozo Tax Tip #5: Procrastinate!

Today is April 8th. The tax deadline is just seven days away. What happens if you wake up and it’s April 15, 2024, and you can’t file your tax? File an extension. Download Form 4868, make an estimate of what … Continue reading

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