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.
Will Your Tax Refund Be Delayed?
It’s only January, but because the calendar has turned to 2015, that means the tax season is officially here. While most people don’t file their taxes in January, there are a few early birds who go after the first worms of the year, so-to-speak. Although it’s often a good idea to make sure the IRS,…
Are You Looking To Invest for Growth?
What kind of investor are you? There are many types of investment strategies and each person will follow the strategy that best fits his or her plan. At GROCO, we can help all kinds of investors, including those who are investing for growth. When it comes to long-term growth, the total return on your investment…
Not Living on the Earth? You Still Have to Pay Your Taxes on Time
You gotta hand it to the IRS for being thorough. They’ll leave no stone unturned in an effort to make sure that every taxpayer files their return. That’s even true of very big stones, otherwise known as asteroids. In other words, even if an astronaut wanted to hide behind an asteroid or a moon rock,…
With Gas Prices Down, Could Gas Taxes Be Going Up?
Rich or poor, young or old, no one likes high gas prices – with the possible exception of oil and gas companies. In any case, the recent drop in gas prices around the country has no doubt brought some relief to just about everyone in America, including big corporations that own large fleets of vehicles.…