IRS Instructions as Clear as Mud, Even to the IRS
Tax time is just around the corner and that means it will be time once again to comb through all the jargon that is IRS tax forms. Many taxpayers have long bemoaned tax forms and instructions as just plain confusing and in some cases, downright sinister. However, even though filing taxes on your own accord can be a risky proposition, as long as you stick to the code and follow the IRS’s instructions carefully and exactly, you should be OK, right? Well, not necessarily.
What? How could that possibly be true? The fact is tax instructions don’t actually fall under the tax law. So, in reality, you could even follow the instructions on a tax form with exactness and still end up with an error. Of course, the IRS would understand if that happened to you, right? Well, not exactly. Many taxpayers have used this argument to no avail. In most instances, the courts side with the IRS and rarely hold the agency to what is written in its forms and instructions.
That’s because, unfortunately, according to legal precedence, the only things that hold up in court as tax law are regulations, official statutes and judicial decisions. That means even if you fill out your tax forms incorrectly and it’s the IRS’s fault, you will still be held accountable for those mistakes. It doesn’t seem fair that the IRS is ultimately not responsible to write correct instructions, but nevertheless when it comes to the IRS there isn’t too much that does seem fair.
Obama Looking to Stick the Wealthy With Even More Taxes
His second term in office is winding down, but President Obama would still like to raise taxes on high net worth individuals before he checks out of the White House at the beginning of next year. Although the president has already taken several measures to raise the effective tax rate on the wealthy, he is…
Which Tax Breaks Help High Net Worth Taxpayers the Most?
It’s no secret that the United States government generally taxes high net worth individuals at a much higher clip than those in the lower- and middle-income brackets. However, despite that fact, there are still many provisions in the tax system, if used properly, can help wealthy earners save on their taxes. So what are some…
Tax Preparers Get Busted for Fraudulent Practices
Every tax season is full of stories and tales of people who go to great lengths to avoid paying taxes. In addition there are dozens of reports of unscrupulous tax preparers that get caught trying to cheat the system: either their clients or the IRS, or both. We want to share a few of those…
Entrepreneur Think Deductions, Deductions, Deductions!
Are you an entrepreneur looking for a tax break? Entrepreneurs have a lot on their plate, including living with the financial risk of their entrepreneurial efforts. That’s why it’s so important for any entrepreneur to be aware of any and all deductions come tax time. There are dozens of deductions to be had, but the…