by admin | Apr 3, 2012 | Back Taxes, IRS Tax Debt, IRS Tax Problem, Tax Help
If you are a TAX MASTERS client and need immediate tax help to resolve your IRS tax problem call Fresh Start Tax LLC. “A ” Rated by the BBB!
We will offer a free tax consult and a major discount. 1-866-700-1040. Do not be ripped off again!
TaxMasters is gone and left some major players holding the bag.
The writing was all over the wall on this one. The word on the street, the last of the big 3 to be taken down.With hundreds of complaints and AG filings everyone in the industry knew this was coming, it was only a matter when. You cannot falsely advertise and get away with it.
TaxMasters was one of the big three that advertised heavily on TV, Cable …… and it seems almost on every station.
The airwaves were full of tax attorney Patrick Cox telling people he could settle their tax debt for cheap. Thousands bought the pitchman’s adds and they are now all holding the bag.
The biggest loser on this was not the television show but CNN with a $2.6 million owed to them. Sad!
According to reports filed and Janet Novak, ” TaxMasters’ unsecured creditors are unlikely to see much, if any, cash. In its new filing, TaxMasters listed just $1.7 million in assets. Moreover, according to the Texas Attorney General, last Friday a Travis County Texas jury returned a $195 million verdict against TaxMasters and Patrick Cox, its founder and CEO, for 110,383 violations of the Texas Deceptive Trade Violations Act. Some $113 million of that total is a refund of client fees, and another $81 million is civil penalties. TaxMasters’ clients typically owe the Internal Revenue Service large amounts of back taxes they can’t pay and may be facing IRS enforcement actions, such as liens and levies. The Texas AG charged in its lawsuit that TaxMasters misled potential customers, both in its advertising and in its customer contacts, about its policies—for example, failing to disclose that it wouldn’t start work on a case until a customer paid in full for its services, even it meant missing important IRS deadlines.
According to TaxMasters’ restated first quarter 2011 financial report—the last quarter it has reported to the SEC—the company had $13.1 million in quarterly revenues, and spent $4.1 million on advertising during those three months. “The Company believes advertising is the engine that drives sales,’’ the report states. TaxMasters’ best known ads featured the red-bearded Cox assuring potential clients that his staff of tax pros, including former IRS agents, had helped “many good people just like you.”
The bottom line, large companies cannot manage all the work that comes in. There advertising dollars far exceeds there personnel to work these cases. Also, many of the calls TaxMasters received were based on deceptive advertising and offering to settle for pennies on a dollar. While true, few taxpayers get there cases settled.
So who got stuck footing the advertising bill?
In addition to CNN, TaxMasters’ 20 largest listed creditors include:
News Corp.’s Fox News Channel (owed $938,414);
Houston advertising firm Maxximedia (owed $1,326,676);
American Express (owed $679,497);
The Radio Network Westwood One, now a part of Dial Global (owed $676,000);
History Channel (owed $653,820);
MSNBC (owed $259,441);
Yahoo (owed $196,475);
Dial Global’s Weather Channel (owed $172,233);
The Discovery Channel (owed $136,850)
and Disney’s ESPN (owed $94,265).
If you have an IRS tax issue, owe back taxes, unfiled tax returns, tax problems, owe IRS – call us today to get your problem permanently resolved.
by admin | Apr 3, 2012 | Innocent / injured Spouse, IRS Tax Problem, Tax Help, Tax Lawyer
The IRS are changing the rules about Innocent Spouse and injured Spouse cases making it much easier for cases to be accepted.
For many years IRS has played hardball regarding Innocent and Injured Spouses cases.
With a host of taxpayer complaints IRS has lighten some of the requirements to get these cases through the system. The complaint worked.
As former IRS Agents and Managers we have worked hundreds of cases.
To see if you qualify for Innocent or Injured Spouse tax relief call us today. 1-866-700-1040.
The New Rules have changed making it easier to qualify for innocent or injured spouse. These new rules are a breathe of fresh aire because the old rules favored the Internal Revenue Service.
Contact us at freshstarttax.com
News about the new program for Innocent Spouses:
The Internal Revenue Service announced that it will extend help to more innocent spouses by eliminating the two-year time limit that now applies to certain relief requests.
After a thorough review of both injured and innocent spouses cases these are the results:
- The Internal Revenue Service will no longer apply the two-year limit to new equitable relief requests or requests currently being considered by the agency.
- A taxpayer, whose equitable relief request was previously denied solely due to the two-year limit, you may reapply using IRS Form:
- 8857, Request for Innocent Spouse Relief,
- The IRS will not apply the two-year limit in any pending litigation involving equitable relief, and where litigation is final, the agency will suspend collection action under certain circumstances. The change to the two-year limit is effective immediately, and details are in Notice 2011-70, posted on IRS.gov. This policy change will become operational in the fall and more guidance will be forthcoming.
Injured or Innocent Spouse Tax Relief
You may be an injured spouse if you file a joint tax return and all or part of your portion of a refund was, or is expected to be, applied to your spouse’s legally enforceable past due financial obligations.
Here are some facts about claiming injured spouse relief:
1. For you to be considered an injured spouse; you must have paid federal income tax or claimed a refundable tax credit, such as the Earned Income Credit or Additional Child Tax Credit on the joint return, and not be legally obligated to pay the past-due debt.
2. Special rules may apply in community property states.
For more information about community property status and the factors used to determine whether you are subject to community property laws, see IRS Publication 555, Community Property.
3. If you filed a joint return and you are not responsible for the debt, but you are entitled to a portion of the refund, you may request your portion of the refund by filing Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation.
4. You may also file form 8379 along with your original tax return or your may file it by itself after you receive an IRS notice about the offset.
5. You can also file Form 8379 electronically.
If you file a paper tax return you can include Form 8379 with your return, write “INJURED SPOUSE” at the top left of the Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ. IRS will process your allocation request before an offset occurs.
6. If you are filing Form 8379 by itself, it must show both spouses’ Social Security numbers in the same order as they appeared on your income tax return. You, the “injured” spouse, must sign the form.
7. Do not use Form 8379 if you are claiming innocent spouse relief.
Instead you should file Form 8857, Request for Innocent Spouse Relief. This relief from a joint liability applies only in certain limited circumstances.
In 2011 the IRS eliminated the two-year time limit that applies to certain relief requests. IRS Publication 971, Innocent Spouse Relief, explains who may qualify, and how to request this relief.
To see if you qualify for Innocent or Injured Spouse relief call us today. 1-866-700-1040
Innocent or Injured Spouse Tax Relief – New Tax Rules – IRS Tax Relief – Former IRS – Apply today
by admin | Mar 28, 2012 | Back Taxes, Income Tax Preparation, IRS Tax Problem, Representation, Tax Help
This comes as a great surprise to many expecting their IRS tax refund. The IRS sends a notice telling you they have used their right to offset to pay old debts such as State Tax Debts, Child Support or even Student loans.
If this happens to you I would suggest calling us at Fresh Start Tax, 1-866-700-1040 to permanently resolve your IRS tax matter and get tax relief.
Most taxpayers in this situation may qualify for an offer in compromise or a tax debt settlement. By calling our office we can find out if you qualify.
Here are the rules and regs regarding tax refunds that may be applied to offset certain debts
The Department of Treasury’s Financial Management Service, which issues IRS tax refunds, can use part or all of your federal tax refund to satisfy certain unpaid debts.
Facts you what to know about tax refund offsets:
1. If you owe federal or state income taxes, your refund will be offset to pay those taxes first. If you had other debt such as child support or student loan debt that was submitted for offset, FMS will apply as much of your refund as is needed to pay off the debt and then issue any remaining refund to you if a tax refund is applicable.
2. You will receive a notice from the IRS if an offset occur. The offset will occur each and every year to the problem is resolved.
The tax notice will include the original refund amount, your offset amount, the agency receiving the payment and its contact information. If the information about the exist debt is incorrect, we suggest you contact them directly to resolve the problem.
3. If you believe you do not owe the debt or you are disputing the amount taken from your refund, you should contact the agency shown on the notice, not the IRS.
4. If you filed a joint return and you are not responsible for the debt, but you are entitled to a portion of the refund, you may request your portion of the refund by filing IRS Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation.
You should attach IRS tax form 8379 to your original Form 1040, Form 1040A, or Form 1040EZ or file it by itself after you are notified of an offset. Form 8379 can be downloaded from the IRS website at www.irs.gov.
5. You can file Form 8379 electronically. If you file a paper tax return you can include Form 8379 with your return, write “INJURED SPOUSE” at the top left of the Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ. IRS will process your allocation request before an offset occurs.
6. If you are filing Form 8379 by itself, it must show both spouses’ Social Security numbers in the same order as they appeared on your income tax return. You, the “injured” spouse, must sign the form.
You should not attach the previously filed Form 1040 to the Form 8379.
Send the Form 8379 to the IRS Service Center where you filed your original return only so the documentation may be matched.
7. The IRS will compute the injured spouse’s share of the joint return. Contact the IRS only if your original refund amount shown on the FMS offset notice differs from the refund amount shown on your tax return.
8. Follow the instructions on Form 8379 carefully and be sure to attach the required forms to avoid delays.
If you are looking for quality tax relief from a professional tax firm, call Fresh Start Tax LLC today.
by admin | Mar 27, 2012 | IRS Penalties, IRS Tax Advice, IRS Tax Problem, Tax Help
IRS Penalty Tax Relief by Former IRS Agents and Managers – Call us today for details an immediate IRS tax representation.
Get the tax help and get rid of your tax problem today.
Tax Relief to Farmers Affected by MF Global Bankruptcy
The Internal Revenue Service announced today that it will provide penalty relief to farmers who incur estimated tax penalties because they did not timely receive Forms 1099 from MF Global or its court appointed trustee, and were unable to file their 2011 calendar year tax return by March 1, 2012.
The IRS also today provided the affected farmers with instructions on how to apply for this penalty relief. you can call our offices for details and representation requirements.
The Farming Industry
Usually farmers can avoid an estimated tax penalty if they file their returns and pay the full amount of tax shown on their return by March 1, 2012.
An individual is a farmer for these purposes if two-thirds of the individual’s total gross income for the taxable year or the preceding taxable year is from farming. This rule and the relief being provided also apply for fishermen.
MF Global filed for bankruptcy on Oct. 31, 2011, after revealing that hundreds of millions of dollars in customer money was missing.
While the court appointed trustees are working to untangle MF Global’s financial records, the IRS understands that the magnitude of the records and the associated untangling delayed the issuance of Forms 1099 in a timely manner.
Many former customers of MF Global did not receive their Forms 1099 by March 1, 2012 and the penalties are racking up.
While the IRS has been advised that former customers have recently received their 1099s, the delay in mailing the Forms 1099 may have affected the ability of many farmers to file their 2011 calendar year return by March 1, 2012.
If a taxpayer has an underpayment of estimated tax, all or part of the penalty for the underpayment may be waived if the IRS determines that the underpayment was due to a casualty, disaster or other unusual circumstance and it would be inequitable to impose the penalty.
To request a waiver of the estimated tax penalty, complete Form 2210-F, Underpayment of Estimated Tax by Farmers and Fisherman.
As stated in the instructions to Form 2210-F, a short statement should be attached to the form stating that you received a late 1099 from MF Global. At the top of your Form 2210-F, write “MF Global”. Taxpayers should be aware that the Form 2210-F and accompanying Form 1040 cannot be submitted electronically. In the case of farmers who have filed their tax returns and an estimated tax penalty is assessed, please contact the IRS, identify this relief and the penalty will be abated.
While this situation could possibly racking up thousands of dollars in penalties, let us get you tax relief today.
Call Fresh Start Tax, 1-866-700-1040. Speak directly to a tax expert.
We offer a full range of IRS tax representation services.
by admin | Mar 27, 2012 | Representation, Tax News
Need professional tax help to prepare your tax return. You should be using former IRS Agents who know all the possible rules and regs to get you the most favorable tax position.
There are certain Tax Rules can affect Your child’s investment income. Check with us to make sure your tax return is not flagged for a IRS tax audit.
Many parents may not realize that there are tax rules that may affect their child’s investment income.
Four Major Rules that may apply:
1. Investment Income.
Children with investment income may have part or all of this income taxed at their parents’ tax rate rather than at the child’s rate. Investment income includes interest, dividends, capital gains and other unearned income. Call us to check for other types of unearned income.
2. Age requirements.
The child’s tax must be figured using the parents’ rates if the child has investment income of more than $1,900 and meets one of three age requirements for 2011:
1. Was under age 18 at the end of the year,
2. Was age 18 at the end of the year and did not have earned income that was more than half of his or her support, or
3. Was a full-time student over age 18 and under age 24 at the end of the year and did not have earned income that was more than half of his or her support.
3. Form 8615 To figure the child’s tax using the parents’ rate for the child’s return, fill out Form 8615, Tax for Certain Children Who Have Investment Income of More Than $1,900, and attach it to the child’s federal income tax return.
4. Form 8814.
When certain conditions are met, a parent may be able to avoid having to file a tax return for the child by including the child’s income on the parent’s tax return. In this situation, the parent would file Form 8814, Parents’ Election To Report Child’s Interest and Dividends.
If you need any tax help help for any tax matter or IRS situation call us today.
Fresh Start Tax 1-866-700-1040
