Category: Austin

If your tax return is incorrect and you have pending tax litigation with the IRS, can you argue that the tax return is incorrect? What if the time period for filing an amended tax return is still open? Should the court consider the new argument or should it rely on the incorrect tax return? The……

Can the IRS reach an interest in real property held in a land trust? If so, what happens if the taxpayer sells the property? Can the IRS recoup the land from the new buyer or is the IRS limited to the proceeds received? The court addresses this in United States v. Harold, No. 2:18-cv-10223 (S.D.……

It can be difficult to be a tax preparer. The rules change just about every year. The IRS has increased its focus on identifying and punishing tax return preparers. This includes criminal sanctions for the tax return preparers. The enforcement actions often do not factor in the realities of the tax preparation business. The recent……

If you file an extension for an estate tax return and pay the tax before the extended due date, can the IRS impose penalties for late payment? The court addresses this in Estate of Agnes R. Skeba v. United States, No. 3:17-cv-10231 (D.N.J. 2019). Facts & Procedural History The taxpayer is an estate. It’s estate……

Taxpayers get behind on their taxes as they do every other type of liability. It happens. But owing the IRS unpaid taxes can be more than a civil problem. Non-payment can lead to criminal tax evasion charges. The United States v. Connerton, No. 3:17-cr-47 (D. Conn. 2019), case provides an opportunity to consider the “affirmative……

What happens when someone inherits money from their parents, but they also owe the IRS? Can the IRS collect on the inherited assets? What if the taxpayer only inherited a fractional interest in the property? Can the IRS foreclose on the property to pay the back taxes? The court considered this in United States v.……

Dealing with unpaid taxes and the IRS bureaucracy can be challenging. Sometimes the key is to get in front of the right person at the IRS. But the IRS often refuses in-person meetings. The Roberts v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2019-117, case provides an example of this. It involves the taxpayers request for an in-person collection……

If you owe back taxes but the Federal government owes you for some other matter, can the IRS offset the unpaid taxes with the amount the government owes you? The answer is more complex than one would think. The court addresses this in Tartt v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2019-112. Facts & Procedural History The taxpayer……

Taxpayers are able to dispute a tax liability before the IRS can take certain collection actions. But what if the IRS does not afford the taxpayer with a genuine opportunity to dispute the liability as required by law? The court addresses this in Dood v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2019-107. Facts & Procedural History The taxpayer……

Retirement account distributions typically trigger sizable tax liabilities. These liabilities often go unpaid, which results in unpaid tax debts and IRS collection enforcement actions. With careful planning, sometimes these taxes can be avoided. Tax on Retirement Account Distributions Most distributions from retirement accounts trigger income taxes. This includes distributions from IRAs and 401(k)s. The idea……