2006 List of Tax Scams Released by IRS
Every year, the IRS issues a list of tax scams. The goal is to alert taxpayers to the lack of merit of certain strategies as well as letting everyone know the IRS will not accept them.
2006 Scams
The IRS has kicked out its annual list of highly dubious tax scams for 2006. Promoters often make these strategies sound credible, but they simply aren't. If a taxpayer attempts to use one of the scams, the IRS will audit and aggressively attack the taxpayer as well as try to identify the promoter for prosecution.
The 2006 list of scams contains most of the traditional claims. There are, however, three new areas being targeted by the IRS. They and a few others are highlighted in the following list.
Two new schemes have worked their way onto the list in 2006. In recent months IRS personnel have noted the emergence of the two scams--"zero wages" and "Form 843 tax abatement"-- in which filers use IRS forms to claim that their tax bills have been wrongly inflated.
Also high on the list in 2006 is "phishing," a favorite ploy of identity thieves. Over the past few years, the IRS has observed criminals working through the Internet, posing even as representatives of the IRS itself, with the goal of tricking unsuspecting taxpayers into revealing private information that can be used to steal from their financial accounts.
1. Zero Wages
A new addition to the list, the zero wages scam is designed to create a log jam in the system. A taxpayer is supposed to file a tax return with no wages claimed and notice of challenges to any W-2 or 1099 wage reports. In essence, the idea is to not pay taxes while the IRS tries to figure out what is going on. Ultimately, the goal is to get the IRS to accept a zero income tax return, which of course requires no payment of taxes.
2. Form 843 Tax Abatement
The tax abatement strategy is very creative. It is typically used for taxpayers who have failed to file taxes for a few years. In such a situation, the IRS will often assess taxes to the individual based on a variety of factors. The strategy is to abate this assessment and pay not tax by challenging the assessed amount as being calculated incorrectly. The IRS says it doesn't fly, but it is a very creative strategy.
3. Identity Theft/Phishing
This isn't so much a tax reduction scam as a nightmare wherein identity thieves try to obtain information from taxpayers by acting as IRS agents. Often they send out email as though they are from the IRS. The IRS never sends emails to taxpayers, so don't respond to these emails. If you're not sure, call the IRS and ask them if there is a problem. You can reach the IRS at 800-829-1040.
4. Credit Repair Companies
You see these companies everywhere. Some are legitimate while others are not. The ones that are not charge high fees and do almost nothing other than putting taxpayers on some kind of a payment plan. The IRS is currently revoking the tax-exempt status of many credit repair companies.
5. Offshore Strategies
A traditional area of angst for the IRS, offshore strategies continue to be closely watched. The IRS is hyper sensitive to such strategies and tries to shut them down. In 2005, 68 individuals were charged and convicted for promotion offshore tax scams and thousands of taxpayers were audited with nightmarish results. If you want to go offshore, make sure you get qualified advice from a tax professional and attorney. Don't buy something off a web site.
There is a fine line between tax evasion and tax avoidance. Tax avoidance is legal while tax evasion is criminal. If you wish to pursue advanced tax planning, make sure you do so with the advice of a tax professional that is going to defend the strategy to the IRS.
Richard A. Chapo is with BusinessTaxRecovery.com - obtaining tax refund recovery for overpaid small business taxes. Visit BusinessTaxRecovery.com to read more business tax articles.
Article Source: http://www.ArticleGeek.com - Free Website Content
More Resources
Unable to open RSS Feed $XMLfilename with error HTTP ERROR: 404, exiting
More Taxes Information:
Related Articles
Donating Cars To Charity - New Tax Rules
On June 3, 2005, the IRS released guidance on charitable deductions for donated vehicles. The American Jobs Creation Act (AJCA) radically changed the amount of the deduction taxpayers can claim for their donated car.
Access to E-records by Taxing Authorities: A Case for Pakistan (Part II)
All tax authorities to e-commerce transactions should investigate the record retention requirements of each other's respective jurisdictions.In September 1998 Revenue Minister Dhalinal of Canada;"?Interpretation Circular 78-10RS and 779R (Book and Record Retention/Destruction) will be revised to explain the Department's views with respect to the electronic environment.
About Income Taxes; Tidbits
1812The first attempt to impose an income tax on America occurred during the War of 1812. After more than two years of war, the federal government owed an unbelievable $100 million of debt.
Fraudulent Tax Shelters - KMPG Goes Down Hard
In the largest criminal tax case ever filed, KMPG has copped a plea to using fraudulent tax shelters to bilk the government out of 2.5 billion dollars.
Highlights of IRS List of 2005 Tax Scams
Each year, the IRS lists various scams taxpayers get caught up in. The top 2005 scams include several that manipulate laws governing charitable groups, abuse credit counseling services or rely on refuted arguments to claim tax exemptions.
Six Urban Myths About Taxation
Six Urban Myths - Taxation"I am proud to be paying taxes? I could be just as proud for half the money." - Arthur Godfrey Temporary Taxation in Canada In 1917, the Income War Tax Act (7-8 George V, Chap.
Tax Time Tune Up
Excerpted from the new book, "How to Do Space Age Work with a Stone Age Brain" TMThe complete article with pictures and sample Auto Log is available at www.organize.
Car Donation: An Easy Way to Support Your Favorite Charity and Get a Tax Deduction
Most people look forward to getting their tax return, but one of the downsides to filing taxes is that you may find yourself owing the taxman come April 15. What do you do when you realize that you not only owe money, but you owe more than you can pay at the time?The answer is: charitable deductions.
Home Based Business Tax Deductions
Running a home based business reaps many wonderful tax deductions that other businesses some times may not claim. Unfortunately to many small business owners end up paying the government taxes every year because they are unaware or several small business deductions that are available.
The Seven Deadly Tax Sins: Commonly Missed Deductions
It's that time again, the April 15 tax deadline is looming large. If youre like most people, you havent gathered all of your tax records, let alone filled your return.
Some Folks Pay A Lot Less Tax Than Others On Very Same Income-Did You Pay Too Much Tax In 2004?
Someone once remarked, "Next to being shot at and missed, nothing is quite so satisfying as an income tax refund." There's no question that saving money in taxes is high on everybody's list of financial priorities, especially small-business owners.
Business Tax Loophole: Leasing Assets To Your Corporation
While there are many equally valid reasons to incorporate, saving money on taxes is a consideration that can yield relatively immediate results. Leasing assets to your corporation is a tax strategy you should absolutely consider if you already have a corporation or are thinking about forming one.
Understanding Basic Tax Terms
If your like many, you don't always understand what people are talking about when it comes to Taxes. It's important to know the main tax terminology, especially when tax season comes around.
IRS Offer-in-Compromise, Hype or Hope?
"Settle for Pennies on the Dollar! IRS debts settled for $20Wipe out the Penalties with an Offer"-such is the language of Offer-in-Compromise promoters. What they fail to tell you is that one has to qualify for an Offer and few taxpayers will be able to meet the tough standards for an OIC.
Tax Investigation - What You Need To Do
The knock on the door from a Tax Inspector is something that every taxpayer fears. Your immediate thoughts will be "Have I been honest with my tax returns or not".
Back To School - Educators Deduct School Expenses
As teachers and students head back to school following a glorious summer, it's time to remind teachers to organize 2004 school expenses. Under a temporary tax code change, teachers can deduct certain school-related expenses from adjusted gross income.
What Is Tax Law?
The federal tax code is complex. This complexity generally arises from two factors: the use of the tax code for purposes other than raising revenue, and the feedback process of amending the code.
Tax Records - What You Should Keep And For How Long
Many taxpayers are confused about how long they should keep tax records. The term "tax records" refers to your tax returns and the documents that support the information in the returns.
How to Reduce the Estate Tax Using the A-B Revocable Living Trust
In a past article I relayed the plight of the widow who stated:"I didn't realize what an A-B Revocable Living Trust meant and that it had to be divided between the survivor and the deceased spouse and that I am limited as to what I can use from his share."She told me that she only learned of this after her husband passed away.
How to Check the Status of Your Tax Refund Online
So, you were pleasantly surprised to learn that you are getting a refund on your taxes. Congratulations! The question for most taxpayers expecting a return is, "Where is my refund?"Check Your Refund Status OnlineThe easiest way to check on your refund is to ask the IRS through IRS.