Tag Archives: Tax return (United States)

IRS Announce That All Legal Same-Sex Marriages Will Be Recognized For Federal Tax Purposes

22 Sunday Sep 2013

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August 29, 2013

Ruling Provides Certainty, Benefits and Protections Under Federal Tax Law for Same-Sex Married Couples

The U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) today ruled that same-sex couples, legally married in jurisdictions that recognize their marriages, will be treated as married for federal tax purposes. The ruling applies regardless of whether the couple lives in a jurisdiction that recognizes same-sex marriage or a jurisdiction that does not recognize same-sex marriage.

The ruling implements federal tax aspects of the June 26 Supreme Court decision invalidating a key provision of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act.

Under the ruling, same-sex couples will be treated as married for all federal tax purposes, including income and gift and estate taxes. The ruling applies to all federal tax provisions where marriage is a factor, including filing status, claiming personal and dependency exemptions, taking the standard deduction, employee benefits, contributing to an IRA and claiming the earned income tax credit or child tax credit.

Any same-sex marriage legally entered into in one of the 50 states, the District of Columbia, a U.S. territory or a foreign country will be covered by the ruling. However, the ruling does not apply to registered domestic partnerships, civil unions or similar formal relationships recognized under state law.

Legally-married same-sex couples generally must file their 2013 federal income tax return using either the married filing jointly or married filing separately filing status.

Individuals who were in same-sex marriages may, but are not required to, file original or amended returns choosing to be treated as married for federal tax purposes for one or more prior tax years still open under the statute of limitations.

Generally, the statute of limitations for filing a refund claim is three years from the date the return was filed or two years from the date the tax was paid, whichever is later. As a result, refund claims can still be filed for tax years 2010, 2011 and 2012. Some taxpayers may have special circumstances, such as signing an agreement with the IRS to keep the statute of limitations open, that permit them to file refund claims for tax years 2009 and earlier.

Additionally, employees who purchased same-sex spouse health insurance coverage from their employers on an after-tax basis may treat the amounts paid for that coverage as pre-tax and excludable from income.

How to File a Claim for Refund

Taxpayers who wish to file a refund claim for income taxes should use Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return.

Taxpayers who wish to file a refund claim for gift or estate taxes should file Form 843, Claim for Refund and Request for Abatement. For information on filing an amended return, see Tax Topic 308, Amended Returns, available on IRS.gov, or the Instructions to Forms 1040X and 843. Information on where to file your amended returns is available in the instructions to the form.

Future Guidance

Treasury and the IRS intend to issue streamlined procedures for employers who wish to file refund claims for payroll taxes paid on previously-taxed health insurance and fringe benefits provided to same-sex spouses. Treasury and IRS also intend to issue further guidance on cafeteria plans and on how qualified retirement plans and other tax-favored arrangements should treat same-sex spouses for periods before the effective date of this Revenue Ruling.

Other agencies may provide guidance on other federal programs that they administer that are affected by the Code.

Revenue Ruling 2013-17, along with updated Frequently Asked Questions for same-sex couples and updated FAQs for registered domestic partners and individuals in civil unions, are available today on IRS.gov. See also Publication 555, Community Property.

Treasury and the IRS will begin applying the terms of Revenue Ruling 2013-17 on Sept. 16, 2013, but taxpayers who wish to rely on the terms of the Revenue Ruling for earlier periods may choose to do so, as long as the statute of limitations for the earlier period has not expired.

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IRS Tax Tip: Eight Tips for Taxpayers Who Receive an IRS Notice

07 Sunday Oct 2012

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Receiving a notice from the Internal Revenue Service is no cause for alarm. Every year the IRS sends millions of letters and notices to taxpayers. In the event one shows up in your mailbox, here are eight things you should know.

1. Don’t panic. Many of these letters can be dealt with very simply.

2. There are a number of reasons the IRS sends notices to taxpayers. The notice may request payment of taxes, notify you of a change to your account or request additional information. The notice you receive normally covers a very specific issue about your account or tax return.

3. Each letter and notice offers specific instructions on what you need to do to satisfy the inquiry.

4. If you receive a notice about a correction to your tax return, you should review the correspondence and compare it with the information on your return.

5. If you agree with the correction to your account, usually no reply is necessary unless a payment is due.

6. If you do not agree with the correction the IRS made, it is important that you respond as requested. Respond to the IRS in writing to explain why you disagree. Include any documents and information you wish the IRS to consider, along with the bottom tear-off portion of the notice. Mail the information to the IRS address shown in the lower left corner of the notice. Allow at least 30 days for a response from the IRS.

7. Most correspondence can be handled without calling or visiting an IRS office. However, if you have questions, call the telephone number in the upper right corner of the notice. When you call, have a copy of your tax return and the correspondence available.

8. Keep copies of any correspondence with your tax records.

For more information about IRS notices and bills, see Publication 594, The IRS Collection Process. For information about penalties and interest charges, see Publication 17, Your Federal Income Tax for Individuals. Both publications are available at IRS.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).

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IRS Tax Tip: Ten Reasons Why You Should Become a Trained and Certified Tax Volunteer

25 Tuesday Sep 2012

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The Internal Revenue Service is seeking community volunteers to provide free tax help to qualified individuals during the tax filing season.

Managed by the IRS, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs are community based partnerships that provide free tax return preparation for low-to-moderate income taxpayers, seniors, people with disabilities and those with limited English skills. If you are looking for a way to help in your community, then consider becoming a tax volunteer. People helping people – it’s that simple.

Here are 10 things the IRS wants you to know about becoming a community volunteer for VITA or TCE.

1. No previous experience is required. Volunteers receive specialized training and – if tax preparation is not preferable – have the option of serving in a variety of other roles.

2. If you are fluent in a language other than English, you can help those who do not speak English understand their tax return.

3. IRS provides free tax law training and materials needed to prepare basic individual income tax returns.

4. Volunteers become familiar with deductions, allowable expenses and credits that benefit eligible taxpayers, such as the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit and the Credit for the Elderly.

5. The hours are flexible. Volunteers generally serve an average of three to four hours per week from mid-January through the tax filing deadline, which is April 15, 2013.

6. Volunteer sites are generally located at community and neighborhood centers, libraries, schools, shopping malls and other convenient locations.

7. Most VITA/TCE sites offer free electronic filing for both federal and state tax returns.

8. As a tax volunteer, veterans (and non-veterans alike) may choose to help military personnel and their families.

9. Volunteers will become part of an established program that has helped community members file tax returns at no charge for more than four decades.

10. You can make a difference as a tax volunteer.

Last year nearly 99,000 community volunteers answered the call and made a difference by preparing over 3.3 million tax returns for free at more than 13,000 locations nationwide. Anyone can volunteer for this exciting, educational and enjoyable experience. Sign up to become a tax volunteer and see what a difference learning about taxes and helping others makes in your life.

Additional information about becoming a VITA or TCE volunteer is available on IRS.gov by typing the key words “tax volunteer” in the search box. Those interested must submit Form 14310, VITA/TCE Volunteer Sign Up, by email through the IRS website.
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Special Tax Benefits for Armed Forces Personnel

19 Thursday Jul 2012

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US flag(Photo credit: Mad-Loïs)

IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2012-04

Military personnel and their families face unique life challenges with their duties, expenses and transitions. The IRS wants active members of the U.S. Armed Forces to be aware of all the special tax benefits that are available to them.

 

Here are 10 of those special tax benefits:

1. Moving Expenses If you are a member of the Armed Forces on active duty and you move because of a permanent change of station, you may be able to deduct some of your unreimbursed moving expenses.

2. Combat Pay If you serve in a combat zone as an enlisted person or as a warrant officer for any part of a month, all your military pay received for military service during that month is not taxable. For officers, the monthly exclusion is capped at the highest enlisted pay, plus any hostile fire or imminent danger pay received. You can also elect to include your nontaxable combat pay in your “earned income” for purposes of claiming the Earned Income Tax Credit.

3. Extension of Deadlines The deadline for filing tax returns, paying taxes, filing claims for refund, and taking other actions with the IRS is automatically extended for qualifying members of the military.

4. Uniform Cost and Upkeep If military regulations prohibit you from wearing certain uniforms when off duty, you can deduct the cost and upkeep of those uniforms, but you must reduce your expenses by any allowance or reimbursement you receive.

5. Joint Returns Generally, joint income tax returns must be signed by both spouses. However, when one spouse is unavailable due to military duty, a power of attorney may be used to file a joint return.

6. Travel to Reserve Duty If you are a member of the US Armed Forces Reserves, you can deduct unreimbursed travel expenses for traveling more than 100 miles away from home to perform your reserve duties.

7. ROTC Students Subsistence allowances paid to ROTC students participating in advanced training are not taxable. However, active duty pay – such as pay received during summer advanced camp – is taxable.

8. Transitioning Back to Civilian Life You may be able to deduct some costs you incur while looking for a new job. Expenses may include travel, resume preparation fees, and outplacement agency fees. Moving expenses may be deductible if your move is closely related to the start of work at a new job location, and you meet certain tests.

9. Tax Help Most military installations offer free tax filing and preparation assistance during and/or after the tax filing season.

10. Tax Information IRS Publication 3, Armed Forces’ Tax Guide, is an excellent resource as it summarizes many important military-related tax topics. Publication 3 can be downloaded from IRS.gov or may be ordered by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
Link:

IRS Publication 3, Armed Forces’ Tax Guide (PDF)

Tax Relief for Victims of Tropical Storm Debby in Florida

19 Thursday Jul 2012

Posted by in Income Tax, Small Business

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i guess i'll drive around, then

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IRS Notice 2012-28

 

Victims of tropical storm Debby that began on June 23, 2012 in parts of Florida may qualify for tax relief from the Internal Revenue Service.

 

The President has declared Baker, Bradford, Clay, Columbia, Duval, Franklin, Hernando, Highlands, Hillsborough, Manatee, Nassau, Pasco, Pinellas Suwannee, Taylor, Union and Wakulla counties a federal disaster area. Individuals who reside or have a business in these counties may qualify for tax relief.

 

The declaration permits the IRS to postpone certain deadlines for taxpayers who reside or have a business in the disaster area. For instance, certain deadlines falling on or after June 23, and on or before Aug. 22, have been postponed to Aug. 22, 2012.

 

In addition, the IRS is waiving the failure-to-deposit penalties for employment and excise tax deposits due on or after June 23, and on or before July 9, as long as the deposits are made by July 9, 2012.

 

If an affected taxpayer receives a penalty notice from the IRS, the taxpayer should call the telephone number on the notice to have the IRS abate any interest and any late filing or late payment penalties that would otherwise apply. Penalties or interest will be abated only for taxpayers who have an original or extended filing, payment or deposit due date, including an extended filing or payment due date, that falls within the postponement period.

 

The IRS automatically identifies taxpayers located in the covered disaster area and applies automatic filing and payment relief. But affected taxpayers who reside or have a business located outside the covered disaster area must call the IRS disaster hotline at 1-866-562-5227 to request this tax relief.

 

Covered Disaster Area

 

The counties listed above constitute a covered disaster area for purposes of Treas. Reg. § 301.7508A-1(d)(2) and are entitled to the relief detailed below.

 

Affected Taxpayers

 

Taxpayers considered to be affected taxpayers eligible for the postponement of time to file returns, pay taxes and perform other time-sensitive acts are those taxpayers listed in Treas. Reg. § 301.7508A-1(d)(1), and include individuals who live, and businesses whose principal place of business is located, in the covered disaster area. Taxpayers not in the covered disaster area, but whose records necessary to meet a deadline listed in Treas. Reg. § 301.7508A-1(c) are in the covered disaster area, are also entitled to relief. In addition, all relief workers affiliated with a recognized government or philanthropic organization assisting in the relief activities in the covered disaster area and any individual visiting the covered disaster area who was killed or injured as a result of the disaster are entitled to relief.

 

Grant of Relief

 

Under section 7508A, the IRS gives affected taxpayers until Aug. 22 to file most tax returns (including individual, corporate, and estate and trust income tax returns; partnership returns, S corporation returns, and trust returns; estate, gift, and generation-skipping transfer tax returns; and employment and certain excise tax returns), or to make tax payments, including estimated tax payments, that have either an original or extended due date occurring on or after June 23 and on or before Aug. 22.

 

The IRS also gives affected taxpayers until Aug. 22 to perform other time-sensitive actions described in Treas. Reg. § 301.7508A-1(c)(1) and Rev. Proc. 2007-56, 2007-34 I.R.B. 388 (Aug. 20, 2007), that are due to be performed on or after June 23 and on or before Aug. 22.

 

This relief also includes the filing of Form 5500 series returns, in the manner described in section 8 of Rev. Proc. 2007-56. The relief described in section 17 of Rev. Proc. 2007-56, pertaining to like-kind exchanges of property, also applies to certain taxpayers who are not otherwise affected taxpayers and may include acts required to be performed before or after the period above.

 

The postponement of time to file and pay does not apply to information returns in the W-2, 1098, 1099 series, or to Forms 1042-S or 8027. Penalties for failure to timely file information returns can be waived under existing procedures for reasonable cause. Likewise, the postponement does not apply to employment and excise tax deposits. The IRS, however, will abate penalties for failure to make timely employment and excise tax deposits due on or after June 23 and on or before July 9 provided the taxpayer makes these deposits by July 9.

 

Casualty Losses

 

Affected taxpayers in a federally declared disaster area have the option of claiming disaster-related casualty losses on their federal income tax return for either this year or last year. Claiming the loss on an original or amended return for last year will get the taxpayer an earlier refund, but waiting to claim the loss on this year’s return could result in a greater tax saving, depending on other income factors.

 

Individuals may deduct personal property losses that are not covered by insurance or other reimbursements. For details, see Form 4684and its instructions.

 

Affected taxpayers claiming the disaster loss on last year’s return should put the Disaster Designation “Florida/Tropical Storm Debby” at the top of the form so that the IRS can expedite the processing of the refund.

 

Other Relief

 

The IRS will waive the usual fees and expedite requests for copies of previously filed tax returns for affected taxpayers. Taxpayers should put the assigned Disaster Designation in red ink at the top of Form 4506, Request for Copy of Tax Return, or Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return, as appropriate, and submit it to the IRS.

 

Affected taxpayers who are contacted by the IRS on a collection or examination matter should explain how the disaster impacts them so that the IRS can provide appropriate consideration to their case.

 

Taxpayers may download forms and publications from the official IRS website, irs.gov, or order them by calling 1-800-TAX-FORM (1-800-829-3676). The IRS toll-free number for general tax questions is 1-800-829-1040.

 

Related Information

 

Disaster Assistance and Emergency Relief for Individuals and Businesses
Recent IRS Disaster Relief Announcements

 

Source:  IRS Webiste

 

Job Search Expenses Can be Tax Deductible

19 Thursday Jul 2012

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IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2012-06

 

Summertime is the season that often leads to major life decisions, such as buying a home, moving or a job change. If you are looking for a new job that is in the same line of work, you may be able to deduct some of your job hunting expenses on your federal income tax return.

Here are seven things the IRS wants you to know about deducting costs related to your job search:

1. To qualify for a deduction, your expenses must be spent on a job search in your current occupation. You may not deduct expenses you incur while looking for a job in a new occupation.

2. You can deduct employment and outplacement agency fees you pay while looking for a job in your present occupation. If your employer pays you back in a later year for employment agency fees, you must include the amount you received in your gross income, up to the amount of your tax benefit in the earlier year.

3. You can deduct amounts you spend for preparing and mailing copies of your résumé to prospective employers as long as you are looking for a new job in your present occupation.

4. If you travel to look for a new job in your present occupation, you may be able to deduct travel expenses to and from the area to which you travelled. You can only deduct the travel expenses if the trip is primarily to look for a new job. The amount of time you spend on personal activity unrelated to your job search compared to the amount of time you spend looking for work is important in determining whether the trip is primarily personal or is primarily to look for a new job.

5. You cannot deduct your job search expenses if there was a substantial break between the end of your last job and the time you begin looking for a new one.

6. You cannot deduct job search expenses if you are looking for a job for the first time.

7. The amount of job search expenses that you can claim is limited. To determine your deduction, use Schedule A, Itemized Deductions. Job search expenses are claimed as a miscellaneous itemized deduction and the total of all miscellaneous deductions must be more than two percent of your adjusted gross income.

For more information about job search expenses, see IRS Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions. This publication is available on www.irs.gov or by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
Links:

  • Schedule A, Itemized Deductions (PDF)
  • Publication 529, Miscellaneous Deductions (PDF)

IRS Offers Tips on How to Fix Errors Made on Your Tax Return

19 Thursday Jul 2012

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1040 - US Tax Return

1040 – US Tax Return (Photo credit: 401(K) 2012)

 

IRS Summertime Tax Tip 2012-05

 

If you discover an error after you file your tax return, you can correct it by amending your return. Here are 10 tips from the Internal Revenue Service about amending your federal tax return:

 

1. When to amend a return Generally, you should file an amended return if your filing status, number of dependents, total income, tax deductions or tax credits were reported incorrectly or omitted.  Additional reasons for amending a return are listed in the instructions.

 

2. When NOT to amend a return In some cases, you do not need to amend your tax return.  The IRS usually corrects math errors or requests missing forms – such as Forms W-2 or schedules – when processing an original return.  In these instances, do not amend your return.

 

3. Form to use Use Form 1040X, Amended U.S. Individual Income Tax Return, to amend a previously filed Form 1040, 1040A, 1040EZ, 1040NR or 1040NR-EZ.  Make sure you check the box for the year of the return you are amending on the Form 1040X.  An amended tax return cannot be filed electronically.

 

4. Multiple amended returns If you are amending more than one year’s tax return, prepare a separate 1040X for each return and mail them in separate envelopes to the appropriate IRS processing center (see “Where to File” in the instructions for Form 1040X).

 

5. Form 1040X The Form 1040X has three columns. Column A shows original figures from the original return. Column B shown the changes you are making.   Column C shows the corrected figures. There is an area on the back of the form to explain the specific changes and the reasons for the changes.

 

6. Other forms or schedules If the changes involve other schedules or forms, attach them to the Form 1040X.  Failure to do this will cause a delay in processing.

 

7. Additional refund If you are amending your return to get an additional refund, wait until you have received your original refund before filing Form 1040X.  You may cash that check while waiting for any additional refund.

 

8. Additional tax If you owe additional tax, you should file Form 1040X and pay the tax as soon as possible to limit interest and penalty charges.

 

9. When to file Generally, to claim a refund, you must file Form 1040X within three years from the date you filed your original tax return or within two years from the date you paid the tax, whichever is later.

 

10. Processing time Normal processing time for amended returns is 8 to 12 weeks.

 
Links:

 

  • Form 1040X, Amended Federal Income Tax Return (PDF 117K)
  • Instructions for Form 1040X (PDF 45K)

 

YouTube Videos:

 

Amending My Return –  English | Spanish | ASL
 

IRS Tax Tip: Injured or Innocent Spouse Tax Relief

13 Friday Apr 2012

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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 seven facts about claiming injured spouse relief:

1. 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 apply in community property states. For more information about 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’re 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 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 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, file Form 8857, Request for Innocent Spouse Relief. This relief from a joint liability applies only in certain limited circumstances. However, 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.

For complete information on Injured and Innocent Spouse Tax Relief, visit IRS.gov.
Links:

  • Publication 555, Community Property (PDF)
  • Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation (PDF)
  • Instructions for Form 8379, Injured Spouse Allocation (PDF)
  • Form 8857, Request for Innocent Spouse Relief (PDF)
  • Instructions for Form 8857, Request for Innocent Spouse Relief (PDF)
  • Publication 971, Innocent Spouse Relief (PDF)

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Innocent Spouse

IRS Tip: Ten Tips on a Tax Credit for Child and Dependent Care Expenses

09 Friday Mar 2012

Posted by in Tax Credits

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Ten Tips on a Tax Credit for Child and Dependent Care Expenses

If you paid someone to care for your child, spouse, or dependent last year, you may qualify to claim the Child and Dependent Care Credit when you file your federal income tax return. Below are 10 things the IRS wants you to know about claiming the credit for child and dependent care expenses.

1. The care must have been provided for one or more qualifying persons. A qualifying person is your dependent child age 12 or younger when the care was provided. Additionally, your spouse and certain other individuals who are physically or mentally incapable of self-care may also be qualifying persons. You must identify each qualifying person on your tax return.

2. The care must have been provided so you – and your spouse if you are married filing jointly – could work or look for work.

3. You – and your spouse if you file jointly – must have earned income from wages, salaries, tips, other taxable employee compensation or net earnings from self-employment. One spouse may be considered as having earned income if they were a full-time student or were physically or mentally unable to care for themselves.

4. The payments for care cannot be paid to your spouse, to the parent of your qualifying person, to someone you can claim as your dependent on your return, or to your child who will not be age 19 or older by the end of the year even if he or she is not your dependent. You must identify the care provider(s) on your tax return.

5. Your filing status must be single, married filing jointly, head of household or qualifying widow(er) with a dependent child.

6. The qualifying person must have lived with you for more than half of 2011. There are exceptions for the birth or death of a qualifying person, or a child of divorced or separated parents. See Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses.

7. The credit can be up to 35 percent of your qualifying expenses, depending upon your adjusted gross income.

8. For 2011, you may use up to $3,000 of expenses paid in a year for one qualifying individual or $6,000 for two or more qualifying individuals to figure the credit.

The qualifying expenses must be reduced by the amount of any dependent 9. care benefits provided by your employer that you deduct or exclude from your income, such as a flexible spending account for daycare expenses.

10. If you pay someone to come to your home and care for your dependent or spouse, you may be a household employer and may have to withhold and pay Social Security and Medicare tax and pay federal unemployment tax. See Publication 926, Household Employer’s Tax Guide.

For more information on the Child and Dependent Care Credit, see Publication 503, Child and Dependent Care Expenses. You may download these free publications from www.irs.gov or order them by calling 800-TAX-FORM (800-829-3676).
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IRS Tax Tip: Seven Tips to Help Taxpayers Avoid Phony Refund Schemes Abusing Popular College Tax Credit

05 Monday Mar 2012

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Seven Tips to Help Taxpayers Avoid Phony Refund Schemes Abusing Popular College Tax Credit

The Internal Revenue Service offers the following seven tips to help taxpayers avoid an emerging scheme tempting senior citizens and other taxpayers to file tax returns claiming fraudulent refunds.

These schemes promise refunds to people who have little or no income and normally don’t have a tax filing requirement.

Promoters claim they can obtain for their victims, often senior citizens, a tax refund or nonexistent stimulus payment based on the American Opportunity Tax Credit, even if the victim was not enrolled in or paying for college.

Con artists falsely claim that refunds are available even if the victim went to school decades ago. In many cases, scammers are targeting seniors, people with very low incomes and members of church congregations with bogus promises of free money.

A variation of this scheme also falsely claims the college credit is available to compensate people for paying taxes on groceries.

These schemes can be quite costly for victims. Promoters may charge exorbitant upfront fees to file these claims and are often long gone when victims discover they’ve been scammed.

Taxpayers should be careful of these scams because, regardless of who prepared their tax return, the taxpayer is legally responsible for the accuracy of their tax return and must repay any refunds received in error, plus any penalties and interest. They may even face criminal prosecution.

To avoid becoming ensnared in these schemes, the IRS says taxpayers should beware of any of the following:

  • Fictitious claims for refunds or rebates based on false statements of entitlement to tax credits.
  • Unfamiliar for-profit tax services selling refund and credit schemes to the membership of local churches.
  • Internet solicitations that direct individuals to toll-free numbers and then solicit social security numbers.
  • Homemade flyers and brochures implying credits or refunds are available without proof of eligibility.
  • Offers of free money with no documentation required.
  • Promises of refunds for “Low Income – No Documents Tax Returns.”
  • Claims for the expired Economic Recovery Credit Program or for economic stimulus payments.
  • Unsolicited offers to prepare a return and split the refund.
  • Unfamiliar return preparation firms soliciting business from cities outside of the normal business or commuting area.

In recent weeks, the IRS has identified and stopped an upsurge of these bogus refund claims coming in from across the United States. The IRS is actively investigating the sources of this scheme, and its promoters can be subject to criminal prosecution.

To get the facts on tax benefits related to education, go the Tax Benefits for Education Information Center on this website.

Links:

YouTube Videos:

Tax Refund Scams – English | Spanish | ASL

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Choosing a Tax Preparer