Fair market value (FMV) is the price that property would sell for on the open market. It is the price that would be agreed on between a willing buyer and a willing seller, with neither being required to act, and both having reasonable knowledge of the relevant facts. Source: IRS Publication 561 This definition is …
Category: Audit
A Guide to Tax Record Retention
Before you close this year's tax file there is still some work to do. If the IRS or state revenue department selects your return for review, you will need to be prepared. Here is what you need to do now: Keep a copy of your Form 1040 indefinitely. Do not toss or destroy any of your …
Understanding the Tax Gap
Voluntary tax compliance is measured While more and more legislation is introduced that penalizes all of us for doing things wrong on our tax returns, please remember that at its origin, tax collection in the U.S. is a voluntary. In other words, the tax code is defined, we are given due dates, and the government …
Does Your Mileage Log Travel the Distance?
The tax code allows deductions for qualified miles driven for business, medical, moving and charitable purposes. But to claim this deduction you must keep adequate records of actual miles driven. During an audit, this is an often disallowed deduction, despite the fact that you actually drove the distance claimed. How can you make sure this …
Avoid Name Mismatch Audits
Tip Category: The Audit If you were married, divorced, or changed your name for any reason during the past year, do not forget to file to change your name prior to preparing next year's tax return. The IRS automatically conducts a name match on the first few letters of your last name. The problem If …
Understanding Tax Terms: Contemporaneous Records
Everyone needs to know what this means! If you have problems getting to sleep at night and you turn to the IRS tax code for help, you might find some vocabulary that is very foreign to you. One of the more uncommon words used by the IRS is the term "contemporaneous." So what does it mean and …
Continue reading Understanding Tax Terms: Contemporaneous Records
Play the Match Game. Or Else…
A great tip to stay out of the audit spotlight. Tip Category: The Audit One of the best audit tips available can be summed up in one simple word – Match. Spend a minute or two pretending you work for the IRS. What would you do to identify tax returns worth auditing? If you suggest matching information …
Don’t Fall for These 5 Audit Myths
Tip Category: The Audit When it comes to the perception of IRS audits, conjecture reigns supreme. The combination of the complex tax code and a government agency with the full authority to enforce it leads to some pretty wild ideas. Here are five audit myths that, if believed, can cost you during an audit: Myth 1: Audits …
Seeing Inside the Mind of the IRS
Using the IRS Audit Technique Guidelines (ATGs) Tip Category: The Audit While most of us are never audited, when it happens we can often feel overwhelmed. Remember that the IRS auditor performs these audits every day. They know what to look for, and may ask leading questions that are easy to answer incorrectly. Here are some …
Audit Proof Your Tax Return
Tip Category: The Audit. No one likes the stress involved when your tax return is under the audit spotlight. Here are some ideas to avoid some of the more common audit triggers. Report everything that has an informational tax return. If you are like most Americans, you will receive numerous 1099s and W-2s in the mail. The …
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