The Minnesota Department of Revenue (MDR) generally has 3.5 years from the date a tax return was due to assess additional tax. If the MDR audits a taxpayer’s return and increases the tax liability, how much time does the taxpayer have to appeal and contest the additional assessment? Below are the general time frames within [...]
New IRS Test Criteria for Streamlined Installment Agreements: Liabilities Up to $100,000 Eligible for Streamlined Installment Agreement The IRS recently extended its test program for streamlined installment agreements to allow individual taxpayers with up to $100,000 in assessed tax, penalties, and interest to apply for streamlined installment agreements. This article addresses some of the benefits [...]
I am often asked how long do I have to maintain records to protect myself against actions by the Internal Revenue Service? Along with that question comes the question about whether the IRS has the burden of proving a taxpayer owes the tax (assuming it met its burden when first assessing the tax) if many [...]
The IRS appears to be more serious about pursuing and prosecuting companies that do not pay their employment taxes. The IRS’s first step to address this problem with unpaid employment taxes is to contact these companies as early as possible, hoping this early intervention will prevent the misuse of withheld taxes from ever occurring. Sixty-nine [...]
The U.S. Supreme Court recently refused to hear an appeal from the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in Knappe v. United States of America, 713 F.3d 1164 (9th Cir., 2013), cert denied, 134 S. Ct. 422 (2013). The issue was whether an estate could rely on the advice of a CPA as to when a [...]
This is the fourth article in a series dedicated to using Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 as protection for businesses that have been using independent contractors, in good faith, but are now facing an IRS or State of Minnesota audit of that practice. Section 530 may be 34 years old, but it [...]
This is the third article in a series dedicated to using Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 as protection for businesses that have been using independent contractors, in good faith, but are now facing an IRS or State of Minnesota audit of that practice. Section 530 may be 34 years old, but it [...]
Substantiating business expenses is a common problem for many businesses going through an audit with either the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Minnesota Department of Revenue (MDR). In previous blog articles, we addressed the four steps (step 1, step 2, step 3, step 4) to substantiating most business expenses. This article will focus on [...]
This is the second article in a series dedicated to using Section 530 of the Revenue Act of 1978 as protection for businesses that have been using independent contractors, in good faith, but are now facing an IRS or State of Minnesota audit of that practice. Section 530 may be 34 years old, but it [...]
Substantiating business expenses is a common problem for businesses going through an audit with either the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) or the Minnesota Department of Revenue (MDR). In previous blog articles, we addressed the first, second, and third steps of a four step process in an IRS or MDR substantiation audit. This article will [...]