IRS Finally Says Sorry for Seizing Small Businesses Bank Accounts

Small businesses face a tough battle in general, but when they have the IRS breathing down their necks it makes it that much more difficult to find success. Things are even more difficult when the IRS decides seize some of these business’s bank accounts. At least now the tax agency is apologizing for its actions. According to reports, after serious and consistent pressure from Congress, the IRS recently said sorry to several small business owners for taking control of their bank accounts. So why did the IRS takes these measures in the first place? Apparently these companies were guilty of structuring their deposits to barely avoid federal reporting requirements, even though they weren’t doing it with malicious intent. According to the law, any bank withdrawals and deposits greater than $10,000 must be reported to the IRS. It is also considered a felony to structure such transactions to avoid that law. In reality, these laws are actually in place to prevent drug dealers from transferring large sums of money to other countries. However, these seizures by the IRS reportedly cost the small companies who were affected tens of thousands of dollars to remedy. In apologizing the IRS also said that it would be changing its policy in order to protect small businesses from having their accounts seized when they obtain their money legally.

Posted in

Will Fewer Audits Lead to More Cheating?

There’s an old saying that cheaters never prosper. Of course, there are probably many people who have gotten away with cheating that would beg to differ. When it comes to taxes, however, it’s always best to avoid cheating. Surely, some people do get away with it, but if you ever get caught it could cost…

Could a Trust Be a Good Way for the Wealthy to Save on Taxes?

When you think of trusts, what comes to mind? While many people think of a financial account that is set up as part of an estate plan, there are a couple of little-known trusts that taxpayers, especially the wealthy, can use to help them save on their tax bill. These trusts are perfectly legal and…

How to Avoid Tax Preparation Scams

With so much to do and so many other important things to worry about, many people will be looking for help over the coming weeks and months with their income tax returns. While some people might just choose the first name they see to file their taxes, whom you choose can actually make a big…

What Steps Lead to an Effective Estate Plan?

Do you have an estate plan? A lot of people don’t, for a lot of different reasons. Some people would rather not discuss their death under any circumstances, other people think they are too young to worry about an estate plan, while others just don’t know, or aren’t, sure where to begin. However, it’s a…