Archive for the ‘Voluntary Disclosure’ Category

Tax Help Guide: How to Avoid an IRS Audit When Uncle Sam’s After You

Wednesday, February 24th, 2010

With the April 15th deadline fast approaching, taxpayers need to stay vigilant about what they report (and don’t report) on their tax returns in order to avoid being audited by the IRS or incurring heavy IRS penalties.
CNNMoney released an article recently that outlines several helpful tips for taxpayers to heed in order to prevent getting audited by the IRS. It’s important for taxpayers of all income brackets to realize that
[Read More]

Offshore Banking & FBAR Defense Division Launches as IRS Cracks Down on Overseas Tax Evasion

Thursday, December 10th, 2009

Recently, more than 14,700 Americans with secret offshore accounts took the IRS up on their offer of tax amnesty for voluntary disclosure before the October 15th deadline, generating “billions of dollars” in new revenue for the IRS. Based on this success, the IRS has hired 800 personnel in the United States and bulked up their offices overseas to smoke out more tax revenue from offshore hiding places.
Taxpayers need to be
[Read More]

The IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program is Over for Those Hiding Money Overseas - Reducing IRS Penalties is Still Possible with Help from a Tax Professional

Tuesday, October 27th, 2009

The IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program ended on October 15th.  For U.S. taxpayers who have been hiding money in Zurich, expect indictments and harsh prison sentences from the IRS.

By Michael Rozbruch, Certified Tax Resolution Specialist
———————————-
For the more than 4,450 U.S. taxpayers who have bank accounts in Switzerland and haven’t told Uncle Sam, time’s up.
In an unprecedented settlement with the Swiss government and Swiss bank UBS, the Department of Justice and Internal Revenue
[Read More]

Reduce Your Chances of Criminal Prosecution: Don’t Miss The Extended Deadline For Voluntary Disclosure This Thursday-October 15th

Tuesday, October 13th, 2009

This Thursday’s deadline for Amnesty has many wealthy Americans with foreign bank accounts nervous and scrambling to get tax help from their tax attorneys. Don’t miss your chance of significantly reducing your likelihood of facing criminal prosecution–if you have foreign bank accounts (either with UBS or some other foreign bank) with funds that you have not paid taxes on, get tax help now before it’s too late.
The issue started this
[Read More]

Swiss Bank Account Information to be Turned Over to IRS: Tax Evaders Trying to Shelter Money May Consider IRS Voluntary Disclosure Program

Monday, September 28th, 2009

The end is near for U.S. taxpayers who are using the world’s most famous tax haven to shield assets and avoid paying Uncle Sam his due.  If you have an offshore account where you’ve been evading taxes, you should be worried!  Did you know that the IRS is offering an extension to the voluntary disclosure program to come clean about undeclared income?
By Michael Rozbruch
———————————-
In one of the latest — and
[Read More]

Offshore Account Holders Must Act Now for Tax Amnesty to Avoid Severe IRS Penalties and Criminal Prosecution

Wednesday, September 23rd, 2009

There been lots of tax news and buzz about the extension of the tax amnesty period for offshore account holders. But something that has not been in the spotlight quite as much is how you will need expert tax help to take advantage of this so-called leniency from the IRS.
Brian Compton, my associate and the President of Tax Resolution Services, was recently interviewed by Rob Lever from the international publicationÂ
[Read More]

Tax Help For UBS Account Holders Seeking IRS Tax Relief For Tax Evasion Charges

Tuesday, August 25th, 2009

It’s official–UBS, the Swiss Banking Giant has reached a deal with the US Government and the Swiss Government to release around 4,450 names of American account holders suspected of tax evasion.
The US Government estimates there to be $18 billion hidden in these offshore accounts–giving the IRS plenty reason to scrutinize and audit both the innocent and guilty in the upcoming months.
If you have a UBS account and have not paid
[Read More]

Tax Help for UBS Clients: All Overseas Bank Accounts More Vulnerable to IRS Scrutiny

Monday, August 24th, 2009

Hope everyone had a great weekend! CNBC.com reporter Mark Koba quoted me in a recent article about last week’s agreement by Swiss bank UBS to name US account holders. This is being seen as a watershed, leaving many wealthy Americans with foreign accounts scrambling to figure out what to do
Anyone who has not checked the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR) box on Schedule B of form
[Read More]

IRS Will Stop at Nothing for U.S. Names of Swiss Bank Account Holders Who May be Guilty of Tax Evasion

Friday, August 21st, 2009

As Swiss bank UBS and the Swiss government consider reneging on a deal to turn over 52,000 names of U.S. clients, Justice Department warns criminal prosecution may be next step
By Michael Rozbruch
———————————-
For those who follow tax compliance news, February was a big month.
That’s when the U.S. Department of Justice announced a deal with Swiss bank UBS.
The U.S. government agreed to waive criminal prosecution — federal prosecutors suspected the Swiss bank
[Read More]

Offshore Account Holders Can Still Seek Amnesty from Criminal Prosecution and Lower IRS Penalties Till September 23

Thursday, August 13th, 2009

UBS and the U.S. and Swiss governments are nearing a settlement over the Swiss bank’s forced disclosure of 52,000 names of  U.S. clients suspected of tax evasion.
While the final form of agreement is not yet in place, there are many implications for U.S. taxpayers, including innocent offshore account holders who did not use their Swiss accounts to evade taxes. They may be heavily investigated, so it will be
[Read More]

UBS Settlement Update: What Foreign Bank Account Holders Need to Know to Avoid Civil and Criminal IRS Penalties

Friday, July 31st, 2009

UBS has just struck a deal with the US Government to give up 52,000 names of Americans who have Swiss bank accounts. In the upcoming weeks, we can expect to see many guilty tax evaders being charged with heavy IRS penalties as well as innocent account holders who will need to defend themselves. (Read more about the latest UBS settlement.)
It is not uncommon for American businesspeople to hold foreign bank
[Read More]

Treasury Aims to Increase Voluntary Compliance Rate To Close Tax Gap and To Help Quicken Economic Recovery

Wednesday, July 15th, 2009

The Obama Administration has given the IRS more financial and human resources to restrict tax evasion for the next couple of years–making it more difficult for tax cheats to escape unscathed. In an effort to bridge the enormous tax gap (most of which can be attributed to underreported income–$285 billion), the U.S. Treasury is working with the IRS to accomplish a number of stricter regulatory goals that would result in
[Read More]

Tax Help for Those “Guilty Till Proven Innocent”: Learn How New Tax Laws and IRS Enforcement Initiatives Could Affect You

Friday, June 19th, 2009

In an effort to curtail corporate financial irresponsibility, the Obama administration has been working fervently to control white-collar tax cheats. The media has successfully portrayed the businesses that have overseas bank accounts as “suspicious” and potentially guilty of tax evasion.  In 2001, there was a $345 billion tax gap–most of which can be accounted for by the underground economy of tax evaders who have strategically utilized foreign tax havens and
[Read More]

Voluntary Disclosure Offers Income Tax Relief and Chance to Avoid Criminal Prosecution to Off Shore Account Holders

Thursday, May 14th, 2009

The IRS has announced a six-month Voluntary Disclosure program that offers lower penalties to those who come forward and pay taxes due on the secret holdings in offshore accounts. Until now, the IRS could impose penalties of at least 50% for all years in which an account wasn’t disclosed. In some cases, that could exceed the value of the offshore holdings.
The announcement comes amid a U.S. legal battle to
[Read More]

IRS Announces Revised Voluntary Disclosure Terms for Taxpayers with Offshore Accounts

Friday, March 27th, 2009

The IRS announced new voluntary disclosure practices for offshore account holders. Voluntary disclosure can help taxpayers avoid prosecution for possible tax evasion and reduce taxes, penalties, and interest owed.  The IRS offers leniency for voluntary disclosure and Americans with IRS tax problems should take advantage of this policy to mitigate legal problems later.
While taxpayers can participate in the voluntary disclosure program before the IRS has initiated a civil or criminal
[Read More]