Using a Tax Shelter? IRS Says Beware

Umbrella,For,Hiding,Piggy,Bank,Savings,Account,From,Tax

People look for many different ways to save on taxes, or even to avoid paying some of the taxes they really do owe. However, despite taxpayers’ best efforts, the IRS is always on the prowl and if you’re using unscrupulous means to avoid paying taxes there is a good chance you will get caught, including employing what the IRS calls “abusive tax shelters and structures.”

According to IRS Commissioner John Koskinen taxpayers should stay away from anyone who promotes or sells phony tax shelters whose only purpose is to avoid paying taxes that are owed. These schemes can end up costing taxpayers much more in penalties, interest and back taxes, said Koskinen.

Koskinen added that these types of schemes “have evolved from simple structuring of abusive domestic and foreign trust arrangements into sophisticated strategies that take advantage of the financial secrecy laws of some foreign jurisdictions and the availability of credit/debit cards issued from offshore financial institutions.”

If you want to save on taxes legally your best bet is to work with a highly capable accounting and tax firm, like GROCO, which knows how to utilize every legal tax measure available in order to get you the best refund possible. Give us a call or contact us online and make sure you avoid the perils of getting involved with the wrong kind of “tax help.”

Posted in

If You’re Using Airbnb for Some Extra Cash Don’t Forget About Taxes

Have you heard about the latest craze in hospitality? It’s the idea of renting out your home for a night or two, or perhaps even slightly longer, to someone looking for a place to stay other than a hotel. The leader in the industry is Airbnb, which works much like Uber, the personal cab driver…

If You’re Going to Argue About Taxes Your Argument Better Be Good

Lets face it a lot of taxpayers make mistakes on their tax returns. It’s also true that there are plenty of other taxpayers that willfully falsify their returns in order to save on their total tax bill. Some people even go as far as to simply skip out on filing a return all together. You…

Another Tax Scam Is Upon Us – Beware of Back Taxes Bullies

No one likes a bully. Bullies can wreck havoc on their victims. From swirlies to stealing lunch money, bullies are a big problem. The same can be said for tax bullies, except they want to steal a lot more than your lunch money. There have been several recent reports from different locations around the country…

Consider Taxes and Choose Your Retirement Location Carefully

Last week we discussed the best and worst states to retire in when it comes to taxes. So what kinds of factors actually play a role in coming up with those numbers? Choosing a place to call home when you retire is important and there are many factors that can play a role in where…