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.
Late Obamacare Forms Could Be Big Problem for Taxpayers
While you may or may not like Obamacare, the fact is the president’s health care plan has caused problems at tax time since its inception. Apparently, this year is no different. According to a recent report, because of a delay in new tax forms for the health law this year, many taxpayers are facing more…
Don’t Forget About These Important Tax Write-Offs
The saying goes that it’s the small victories that count. That saying can be especially true during tax time when for many taxpayers any chance to save even a few dollars more is considered a positive. Plus, when you add up enough of the small victories they can equal a significant reward. With that in…
Have You Heard About These New Income Tax Changes?
February is almost over. Can you believe it? That means the annual income tax return deadline is fast approaching. If you still haven’t done your taxes then there are some important changes you should know about. Hopefully, if you’ve already filed, then you were aware of these changes beforehand. If not, and you think they…
Tell Me Your Value Equation
Every company feels like it has what it takes to make a difference in its customer’s lives. No matter what product or service they offer their clients, all companies feel like they can do it better than anyone else. So what makes one company stick out from another? Is it how much money that company…