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The IRS manages to lose a lot of mail. To be fair, some of the mail is likely lost before it even gets to the IRS. When this happens, can the taxpayer lose out on their rights? The court revisits this issue in Baldwin v. United States, 17-55115 (9th Cir. 2019). Facts & Procedural History…
Tax Articles
Time Frame for IRS Whistleblower Claims
The IRS is slow in making awards to whistle blowers. It can take years just to get the final rejection letter from the IRS. This can be very frustrating for informants. In the Whistleblower 769-16W v. Commissioner, 152 T.C. 10 (2019), case, the IRS asked the court to send the case back to the IRS…
The Limits of the IRS’s Levy
If the IRS issued a levy notice to a third party to attempt to collect a tax debt, the third party is generally obligated to pay over to the IRS any money owed to the taxpayer. But how long does this obligation continue? Does it apply to future payments that the third party becomes indebted…Continue…
Using the CDP Hearing to Challenge Tax Penalties
There are times when it is important to pick the right method of approaching a problem with the IRS. The VICA Technologies v. Commissioner, T.C. Summary Opinion 2019-7, case provides an example of contesting penalties in an IRS collection due process hearing. Facts & Procedural History The taxpayer was assessed a Sec. 6698(a) penalty for……
IRS Pursuit of Additional Taxes After Bankruptcy
One of the benefits of bankruptcy is that it provides some certainty as to what is owed. If successful, the bankruptcy process can provide debtors with a fresh start. But things get complicated when taxes are involved. The recent Breland v. Commissioner, 152 T.C. 9 (2019), case provides an example whereby the IRS was allowed……
Tax Refunds for Equitable Innocent Spouse Relief
Innocent spouse relief can provide a remedy for spouses who file joint tax returns. This relief is particularly useful if the innocent spouse can obtain a tax refund for amounts previously paid. But not all innocent spouse requests can result in refunds. One has to be careful what they ask for. The Henry v. Commissioner,…
Does an IRS Appeals Protest Count as a Refund Claim?
Taxpayers generally have to submit refund claims to recoup taxes paid to the IRS. The law generally says that these claims have to be in writing, but not necessarily on the IRS’s official forms. Taxpayers submit a number of documents to the IRS. Written protests submitted to the IRS are an example. Can such a…
Did You Update Your Address With the IRS?
The IRS relies heavily on the U.S. Postal Service to deliver notices to taxpayers. Many of these notices are received by taxpayers. This often comes up when the taxpayer has changed addresses. When the taxpayer does this and the address change is reported to the IRS, should the IRS have to update its records and…
Is IRS Manger Approval Required for Computer Generated Penalties?
The IRS and the courts have invalidated penalties where the IRS fails to obtain IRS manager approval before assessing the penalty. It has done so in cases where the penalties are manually assessed by IRS personnel. But what about penalties that are automatically assessed by the IRS’s computers? The court addresses this in Atl &…
Can Gambling Losses be Deducted as Casualty Losses?
If a taxpayer cannot deduct gambling losses given the restrictions on gambling losses, can they deduct them as casualty losses instead? What if the gambling loss are attributable to prescription medications known to cause compulsive gambling? The court addresses this in Mancini v. Commissioner, T.C. Memo. 2019-16. Facts & Procedural History The taxpayer diagnosed with…
