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 stories with you, which come from Accountingtoday.com. The first tale comes from Latham, NY, where a 52-year-old tax professional has pleaded guilty to false returns. The preparer admitted to preparing 16 returns that contained all kinds of false information, from false deductions for unreimbursed employee expenses to energy efficiency credits. The false returns were submitted between 2008 and 2011. He could face as much as three years in prison and a fine of $100,000.
Elsewhere, the Justice Department has asked a federal judge to permanently bar three Liberty Tax Service franchises in South Carolina after they allegedly prepared false returns in order to give their clients’ refunds a boost. According to the complaint, one franchise filed returns that included a “bogus ‘arts and crafts’ business on one of its client’s return and a bogus ‘hair care’ businesses on another’s.”
Meanwhile, another preparer, in Louisiana, will be spending two years behind bars and another year of supervised release, along with paying a hefty fine of more than $225,000 after he was convicted of filing a false personal income tax return and preparing bogus returns for many of his clients.
These are just a few examples of dishonest tax preparers that are out there. So now that tax season is in full swing, make sure you choose a tax preparer you can trust.
How to Raise Children That Become Entrepreneurs
How to Raise Children That Become Entrepreneurs By Lauren Hidden Ever since my kids can remember, I’ve worked from home. Sometimes I have to remind them that I’m not sitting home playing with their toys or eating bon-bons when they’re at the babysitter or at school, but for the most part they “get it”. As…
Transferring Assets to a Second Spouse (and to children from the first)
Transferring Assets to a Second Spouse (and to children from the first) Elizabeth and Thomas Carr (names fictitious), both in their late 60s, each have one child from a prior marriage. During the 30-plus years of their marriage, they each have accumulated an estate of over $5 million. The full $1.5 million credit against estate…
The Roth IRA Advantage: A Closer Look
The Roth IRA Advantage: A Closer Look Since its debut in 1997, the Roth IRA, naturally enough, has been sold mainly as a retirement account. To be sure, the prospect of a stream of tax-free income to support a comfortable retirement is a powerful stimulant. To earn that freedom from taxes, you do have to…
Classification of Accepted Patterns of Reorganization
Classification of Accepted Patterns of Reorganization The seven acceptable patterns of reorganization may be classified into three categories: Acquisitive, Divisive, Re-capitalizing. Acquisitive reorganizations Type “A,” “B”, “C,” and acquisitive D, in which one Corporation acquires another corporation’s stock, assets, or some combination of both. Divisive reorganization Type D involves the division of one corporation into…