Save Money and Reduce Your IRS Bill With Simple Year-End Tax Tips

December 11th, 2008

In this troubled economy, tax planning has never been more important, and small businesses and individuals can get started on trimming taxes now, before the end of the year.
I recently blogged about the things taxpayers can do before December 31, 2008 to reduce the tax bill due on April 15, 2009.
It has been a bad year for many, so it’s crucial to employ financial strategies that can help alleviate potential
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Tips for Preparing Your 2008 Tax Returns – Michael Rozbruch on KTLA’s Pacesetters

December 10th, 2008

Please tune in to KTLA’s Pacesetters on Sunday, December 14 at 6:00 am. I will be discussing How To Prepare Your 2008 Tax Returns with host Ray Gonzales. I will be sharing my expert tax strategies to help you minimize your tax liability.
I will share advice for taking advantage of popular tax breaks and knowing whether to take standard or itemized deductions. Additionally, we’ll talk about how charitable giving, capital
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Suspicious IRS Email Warning – Don’t be a Victim of Identity Theft and Avoid this Phishing Scheme

December 8th, 2008

I want to warn everyone about a new email tax scam that has been circulating. It is targeted at  “non-resident aliens” who are asked to fill out 2 official-looking IRS forms that are attached and fax them back to a 646 area code number.
The email header reads:

From: Internal Revenue Service [mailto:nonereply@irs.gov]
Subject: please see the attachment
According to the IRS web site:
A bogus IRS letter and Form W-8BEN (Certificate of Foreign
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Brazilian Racing Star Faces U.S. Tax Evasion Trial

December 5th, 2008

Brazilian race-car driver and “Dancing with the Stars” winner Helio Castroneves faces a tax-evasion trial in March 2009 in a Miami federal courtroom.
Castroneves, 33, a two-time winner of the Indianapolis 500, pleaded not guilty in October and is free on $10 million bail.
Federal prosecutors charged the driver-turned-dancer with one count of conspiracy and six counts of tax evasion, alleging he failed to report $5.5 million in income from 1999 to
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The IRS Steamroller Just Getting Started – Tax Evasion and Tax Cheats Beware!

December 3rd, 2008

Have you been naughty or nice? Uncle Sam wants to know — and he’s doing a lot to find out!
By Michael Rozbruch
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For U.S. taxpayers cheating here and there — or maybe just about everywhere — on their taxes, this news should send a chill up the spine.
Federal prosecutors in Miami have indicted not Joe Six-Pack for tax evasion — but Joe Six-Pack’s boss’ boss’ boss.
Raoul Weil, a senior executive of
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Software Designer Gets 21 Months for Tax Evasion and Tax Conspiracy

December 2nd, 2008

Fayez Damra, aka Alex Damra, was sentenced to 21 months custody and three years supervised release. He was also fined $50,000 and ordered to pay $274,389 in restitution to the IRS.
Damra, 43, who resides in Henderson, Nev., was convicted by a jury of conspiring to defraud the United States in connection with an alleged conspiracy in which Fayez distributed funds from his computer software design corporation, known as Applied Innovation
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Strictly Business – Insider Tax Tips and Advice for Entrepreneurship and Business Development

December 1st, 2008

Tune in to Strictly Business on BlogTalkRadio.com on Thursday, December 4 at 12:00 PM to learn about what you can do if you are a business owner or individual struggling to overcome your tax burdens.
Stop looking over your shoulder in fear of the IRS! Obtain the knowledge to be proactive in finding solutions to break free from the crushing burden of financial woe.
I will be discussing some insider secrets of
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Georgian National Pleads Guilty to Tax Evasion Charge

November 30th, 2008

Vitali Popkov, a 31-year-old Georgian national living in Morrow, Ohio, pleaded guilty to one count of committing income tax evasion and one count of aiding and abetting marriage fraud.
Popkov admitted that he operated Mirage Cleaning Services of Cincinnati from September 2003 to December 2007. His company contracted with area businesses and hotels to provide cleaning services.
From January 2004 to December 2007, Popkov paid wages totaling $2.7 million to his employees
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Property Investor Receives 6 Months for Failing to File a Tax Return

November 27th, 2008

Robert A. Huff was sentenced to six months in prison, to be followed by one year of supervised release, for failing to file a 2001 tax return. Huff in 2001 and 2002 was self-employed in various real estate business activities in the greater Cleveland, Ohio, area. In his written plea agreement, Huff acknowledged that he had gross receipts of approximately $283,142 in 2001 and $405,064 in 2002 and that he
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Tax Resolution Client of the Month: Offer In Compromise Settlement

November 26th, 2008

Every month I choose a very special Client Of The Month.  It’s my way of acknowledging good friends and saying “thanks” to those who support me and my business with referrals, word of mouth and repeat business.
 This month’s Client Of The Month is Jessika Cardinahl.
Ms. Cardinahl owed close to $105,000, to the IRS when she contacted us. Our Tax Professionals negotiated a $900.00 (that’s right…Nine Hundred!) Offer In Compromise settlement
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Voluntary Disclosure Can Help Holocaust Survivors Targeted by IRS

November 25th, 2008

The IRS has is reportedly going after the relatives of Holocaust survivors and refugees who hid money in Switzerland before World War II broke out.
Reports out of Zurich indicate the Swiss government has agreed to give the IRS information about some overseas accounts for people trying to avoid U.S. banking laws. The development stems from a U.S. Justice Department investigation of UBS’ alleged courting of wealthy Americans for such
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Va. Man Faces Prison Again for Tax Evasion Charge

November 24th, 2008

A Virginia man may be headed back to prison for tax evasion.
Richard C. Menner, 48, of Glen Allen, Va., was convicted on five counts of filing a false federal tax return and one count of obstruction of justice following a three-day jury trial.
Menner was previously convicted in federal court in 1998 on five counts of failing to file his individual income tax returns for tax years 1991 through 1995 after
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Save Money With These Important Year-End Tax Planning Strategies For Small Businesses and Individuals

November 23rd, 2008

Earlier this month, I discussed financial planning and tax strategies for alleviating potential IRS tax increases on Financial Lifeline Radio with Dave Harbison and John March.
For 2008 tax planning, the most important thing to do is income and deduction management. That is, try and shift as much income as you can into 2009. Now if you’re a wage earner, that is kind of hard.
But if you’re self-employed or an
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Tax Problem FAQ: Are Tax Attorneys the Only Professionals Allowed to Represent Taxpayers Before the IRS?

November 22nd, 2008

There are actually only 3 persons permitted to practice before the IRS – represent taxpayers at Appeal Hearings, Audits and Appeals that are held administratively and in the civil arena (per IRS Circular 230).
Those three persons are an Attorney, CPA or Enrolled Agent (EA). Certified Actuaries can also represent taxpayers in some cases.
In addition to being a Certified Tax Resolution Specialist (CTRS), I have been an active licensed
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Bailout Bill Includes Tax Breaks for Average Americans But Not Enough AMT Relief

November 21st, 2008

A recent article on MSN talks about how The Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 includes several tax breaks that could help you. Sure, the $700 billion measure is directed at rescuing the nation’s devastated financial system, but it may also offer a little help to the average American.
Many of the provisions extend, as expected, tax breaks that had expired at the end of 2007. Others provide disaster relief, primarily
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