Real estate blog entries tagged with taxattorney by Kent Brown, Your IRS Tax Attorney (Strong & Hanni)

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taxattorney: Trump, Musk, and the IRS: Surviving the Tax Season Rollercoaster - 03/13/25 05:31 PM

Salt Lake City — Tax season is here, and if you're feeling like you're caught in a whirlwind of confusion, you’re not alone. Between President Trump, Elon Musk, and the IRS making headlines, it’s hard to know where to look. Add in changes to tax laws and, well, you might feel like you need a seatbelt just to survive filing this year. But don’t worry, we’ve got you covered. Here’s the lowdown on the chaos and how to handle it.
What’s All the Fuss About?
Let’s start with the basics: The IRS has been dealing with a lot. Between ever-changing tax laws, mounting … (1 comments)

taxattorney: IRS FILING TIPS AMID WORKFORCE REDUCTIONS - 03/10/25 09:09 AM

IRS FILING TIPS AMID WORKFORCE REDUCTIONS:
Salt Lake City, Utah - Tax season is stressful enough without the added chaos of IRS workforce reductions. With recent reports of the IRS cutting thousands of jobs, taxpayers are left wondering: Will my refund be delayed? Will my tax issue fall through the cracks? The good news? You can take steps to stay ahead of the game and ensure your return is processed smoothly.
Beat the Rush: File Early!
With fewer IRS employees on hand, the earlier you file, the better. Procrastination might seem tempting, but waiting until the last minute increases your chances of delays, errors, … (2 comments)

taxattorney: The IRS Is Shrinking – But Not Going Away!!!! - 03/06/25 12:24 PM

Salt Lake City -- The Trump Administration’s proposal to cut the IRS workforce by 50% by the end of the year has set the stage for massive changes in how the agency operates. Bloomberg reports that over 2,000 Employees—those who answer the phone for the IRS—have already been let go, retired early, or accepted severance packages. While many agree that a reduction in the IRS workforce is necessary, there are significant implications for taxpayers.
The immediate consequence of these cuts will be longer wait times for IRS services. As a result, taxpayers will experience more frustration and delays when dealing with the … (4 comments)

taxattorney: IRS Workforce Cuts: What It Means for Taxpayers - 03/03/25 08:36 PM

Salt Lake City, Utah - The IRS is cutting 7,000 employees, and taxpayers everywhere are wondering—will this mean fewer audits, investigations, and collections? Or is the IRS shifting focus? Here’s what you need to know.
Will There Be Fewer Audits?
Fewer IRS agents may mean fewer random audits, especially for middle and lower-income taxpayers. But don’t get too comfortable, the IRS is prioritizing high-income earners, corporations, and those with complex tax returns. They’re also using artificial intelligence and data analytics to catch tax fraud, meaning targeted enforcement could increase.
IRS Collections: A Slowdown or a Shift?
With fewer employees handling collections, taxpayers who owe the … (1 comments)

taxattorney: Tax Liens and Levies - An Explosion in IRS Enforcement - 02/08/25 10:37 AM

The IRS is undergoing a significant transformation, and many are closely watching its impact on tax enforcement. As new strategies emerge, it seems the enforcement landscape may shift dramatically, particularly in terms of automated systems and the growing number of non-filers being drawn into the IRS’s net.
For years, tax professionals have seen an uptick in non-filer cases—individuals who haven't filed their taxes in years, often due to financial struggles or neglect. Sorting out their debt typically requires careful negotiation and oversight by skilled auditors, which can be time-consuming and complex.
However, with the administration's plan to reduce the IRS’s in-person audit capacity, … (1 comments)

taxattorney: WHAT’S UP WITH S-CORPORATIONS AND REASONABLE COMP PART - 1 - 03/16/24 11:44 AM

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – When it comes to IRS priorities and enforcement, Subchapter S-Corps and their owners/shareholders are at the top of its list. In a Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration Report in 2021, the IRS reported that it will begin to turn up the heat on S-Corp owners who take little to no compensation. Why, with the federal government running financial shortfalls, the IRS has been charged with going after compensation tax so that the government can work on filling its coffers.
It's obvious why S-Corp owners want to take as little income as wages as possible, and … (0 comments)

taxattorney: ERC MORATORIUM – WHAT DOES THAT MEAN? - 10/22/23 08:52 AM

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – I previously wrote about the IRS’s announcement on September 14, 2023 of the processing moratorium the IRS was placing on the Employee Retention Credit (“ERC”) claims. The IRS announced that it will not be processing any newly filed ERC claims until it works through its backlog of more than 600,000 claims. The IRS stated it estimates it will not be processing claims until next year.
The moratorium does not mean that the IRS is shutting down the ERC program. The IRS does not have the power to do that; only Congress and the President can do that. … (1 comments)

taxattorney: IRS ORDERS IMMEDIATE STOP TO ERC PROCESSING THROUGH YEAR’S END - 09/15/23 03:21 PM

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – When it comes to the Employee Retention Credit (the “ERC”), it seems like every time I start a multi-part analysis of the ERC something changes. Yesterday, the IRS published a notice informing taxpayers that the IRS has imposed a moratorium on processing new claims for the ERC through year’s end so that the IRS can add more safeguards to prevent future abuse and to protect businesses from predatory tactics. In addition, the IRS announced that it will be working with the Justice Department to pursue fraud fueled by aggressive marketing. Here is the link to the … (0 comments)

taxattorney: EMPLOYEE RETENTION CREDIT 5 MYTHS – MYTH NO. 1 - 09/10/23 08:54 PM

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – If you are a business owner applying for the ERC, you may have been guaranteed $26,000 per employee by a third-party ERC preparer. The IRS recently cautioned taxpayers applying for the ERC to do so with their eyes-wide-open as to those to-good-to-be-true promises. It is important to get it right as to whether your business is eligible for this tax credit. The IRS recently published a 72-page training guideline for its tax examiners. So, time to sharpen your pencil and understand the five new myths about the ERC.
MYTH NO. 1: If you were affected by COVID … (2 comments)

taxattorney: EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX CREDIT RISKS - 08/26/23 02:46 PM

EMPLOYEE RETENTION TAX CREDIT (“ERC”) RISKS:
SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH – I have blogged a lot about the ERC and potential risks and problems associated with the ERC and unscrupulous third-party tax credit preparers. The IRS sent out a notice informing taxpayers that the IRS is entering into a new phase of ERC work and audits. See: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-commissioner-signals-new-phase-of-employee-retention-credit-work-with-backlog-eliminated-additional-procedures-will-be-put-in-place-to-deal-with-growing-fraud-risk
Ever since the ERC became widely available, there has been a boom in third-party preparers making overly promising claims about businesses’ eligibility for the ERC credit and leading taxpayers to claim credits that they may not have been eligible for. Starting in September of … (0 comments)

taxattorney: IRS PROBLEMS WITH NEW FUNDING AND THE ERC - 08/18/23 04:33 PM

Great article published by the Wall Street Journal about the IRS, the IRS's current problems in processing the ERC and ERC audit issues. Enjoy.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/irs-new-funding-covid-pandemic-federal-policy-law-ppp-werfel-erc-employee-retention-credit-3eef45b2?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalinkhttps://www.wsj.com/articles/irs-new-funding-covid-pandemic-federal-policy-law-ppp-werfel-erc-employee-retention-credit-3eef45b2?reflink=desktopwebshare_permalink
Tax problems are legal problems, and we solve both. If you or someone you know has an issue with paying their federal or state taxes and needs help to end their IRS nightmare, please contact Kent Brown at Strong & Hanni by either phone at (801) 532-7080 or email at: kbrown@strongandhanni.com or go to https://activerain.com/profile/kbrowndad for additional information, or my personal Strong & Hanni webpage at: https://strongandhanni.com/attorneys/attorney-kent-brown/

… (1 comments)

taxattorney: WHAT HAPPENS IF I AM AUDITED AND I HAVE RECEIVED THE ERC? - 08/13/23 08:39 PM

Salt Lake City, Utah – Over the last few months I have blogged about the ERC and ERC mills that have been aggressively targeting taxpaying business owners. I have also blogged about tax audits and what does that mean if a taxpaying business owner has received the ERC. Today, I want to talk about the tax audit process.

Our office has been contacted by various taxpayers recently about the taxpayer receiving a tax audit letter from the IRS. If the taxpayer has received the ERC, it has been amazing to me to see the taxpayer panic. The panic comes from concerns … (1 comments)

taxattorney: PROBLEMATIC ERC CLAIMS CAN MEAN PROBLEMS LATER - 07/08/23 02:09 PM

Salt Lake City, Utah - In my last Blog I discussed the steps that most taxpayers are taking to make an ERC Claim. The purpose of this post/blog is to finish up that outline. Currently if a taxpayer is making an ERC Claim, the taxpayer is amending its past payroll tax returns to claim the ERC. In my outline I left off with the Taxpayer receiving a percentage of the ERC after the ERC Mill received its share of the refund. Below is a continuation of what we are seeing when it comes to problematic amended payroll tax returns:
After the … (0 comments)

taxattorney: ERC CONTINUED – THE IRS CONTINUES TO WARN TAXPAYERS ABOUT THE ERC! - 07/06/23 06:03 PM

Salt Lake City, Utah - In my last Blog I provided an outline of what we are seeing when it comes to problematic ERC Claims. I had planned to finish up the outline I had prepared this evening, but I then viewed a post on LinkedIn by the IRS and thought that I should pass it along instead.
In its most recent LinkedIn Post the IRS informed all who care to listen that the “Employee Retention Credit encouraged employers to keep employees on the payroll despite COVID-related economic hardships.” It then advised taxpayers “Beware of ERC offers beyond IRS guidelines, as … (1 comments)

taxattorney: ERC CONTINUED – PROBLEMATIC ERC CLAIMS CAN MEAN PROBLEMS LATER - 07/02/23 09:34 AM

Salt Lake City, Utah - In my last Blog I discussed ERC Insurance options in protecting yourself in the event of a problem with an ERC Claim. Today, I want to discuss what could happen if you an ERC Claim problem.
Currently if a taxpayer is making an ERC Claim, the taxpayer is amending its past payroll tax returns to claim the ERC. What we are seeing is that some of the ERC Claims being made are valid claims, some of the ERC Claims are filed by and ERC Mill and would be considered abusive, and in certain situations, some ERC Claims … (0 comments)

taxattorney: ERC CONTINUED – ERC INSURANCE - 06/29/23 07:22 AM

Salt Lake City, Utah - In my last Blog I discussed what I call the “Holy Grail” that most ERC Companies use to achieve ERC eligibility. Most ERC Mills couple the Supplier-Based Partial Suspension with the OSHA Position. Today I want to discuss “ERC Insurance”.
There are certain insurance companies that are willing to underwrite what is called “Tax Insurance”. Not surprisingly, a taxpayer who makes a claim for the ERC can also obtain Tax Insurance so that if the taxpayer has a tax problem with the ERC, the insurance company will cover the tax risk. In a nutshell, Tax Insurance is:
Designed … (2 comments)

taxattorney: ERC CONTINUED – THE HOLY GRAIL FOR ACHIEVING ERC ELIGIBILITY - 06/26/23 08:18 AM

Salt Lake City, Utah - In my last Blog I briefly discussed the “OSHA Position”. Today I want to look at what I call the “Holy Grail” that most ERC Companies use to achieve ERC eligibility. Most ERC Mills couple the Supplier-Based Partial Suspension with the OSHA Position.
Think back to when COVID restrictions started to subside. In nearly all states, including California and New York, social distancing requirements lapsed by July 1, 2021, which just so happens to coincide with the first day of the last potential ERC quarter for businesses (except for “recovery startup businesses”). Because of the lifting … (0 comments)

taxattorney: IRSnews FOR A FATHERS DAY TAKEOVER - 06/16/23 05:28 PM

#FathersDay #IRS #TaxTips4Dads #FathersDayTakeover - Who are they trying to kid, the last thing I want to think about on Father's Day is any Tax Tips, the IRS Taking Over Father's Day, or the IRS. I just want to spend Father's Day with my Family, and to try and find some peace and relaxation. If you or someone you know has an issue with paying their federal or state taxes and needs help to end their IRS nightmare, please contact Kent Brown at Strong & Hanni by either phone at (801) 532-7080 or email at: kbrown@strongandhanni.com or go to my personal … (0 comments)

taxattorney: ERC CONTINUED – THE OSHA POSITION - 06/16/23 04:21 PM

Salt Lake City, Utah - In my last Blog I briefly discussed three supply-chain disruption or impact questions. The purpose of this Blog is to discuss the “OSHA Position”. Under one of the IRS Notices, the following language was used to define “governmental orders”:
Orders, proclamations, or decrees from the Federal government or any State or local government may be taken into account by an employer as "orders from an appropriate governmental authority" only if they limit "commerce, travel, or group meetings (for commercial, social, religious, or other purposes) due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)" and relate to the suspension of … (0 comments)

taxattorney: ERC CONTINUED – SUPPLIER-BASED PARTIAL SUSPENSION – THREE AREAS OF EMPHASIS - 06/11/23 05:43 PM

Salt Lake City, Utah - In my last Blog I briefly discussed that most taxpayers who have claimed the ERC did so based on one of two concepts. The first is supply-chain disruption or impact and the second is CDC/OSHA restrictions or modifications. In speaking with prospective clients who have made a claim for the ERC based on supply-chain disruption, I have heard from the prospective clients that “I was told I was eligible because of supply chain disruption for all eligible quarters.” To be eligible based on supply-chain disruption, here are a few considerations:
Knowledge of the supplier's “full or … (0 comments)

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