Many taxpayers wince when they think about paying and filing their taxes, but there’s one area of taxes that won’t make you cringe: deductions! Most of us would like to pay less in taxes, and claiming deductions is one way to do just that.
Let’s examine some of the most easily missed tax deductions and how you can use them to your benefit during tax season and all year ‘round. Read more
Assignment of income allows you to assign part of your income directly to another person. While there are several valid reasons to assign your income to someone else, many taxpayers mistakenly believe that it can help lower their taxable income. While assignment of income allows you to divert income, you cannot divert taxes.
In this article, we’ll provide some examples of failed attempts at avoiding income taxes through the assignment of income and the valid reasons someone might want to assign income to someone else. Read more
Tax identity theft is a growing concern. In 2018, tax fraud ranked second for the most frequent type of identity theft — only behind credit card fraud. The IRS is always working to improve security and minimize tax identity theft cases. Last holiday season, the IRS warned taxpayers that the increase in shoppers makes December a shopping season for identity thieves too.
Identity thefts use a variety of tactics and schemes to steal your money. For instance, one method is to use stolen credit card information, social security numbers, and other personal information to file a fraudulent tax return and steal your refund.
In this article, we’ll take a look at popular tax scams, how the IRS is improving tax identity security, and steps you can take this holiday season to protect yourself from tax identity theft. Read more
Recently, a grand jury indicted former Mayor Catherine Pugh in federal court on 11 different counts, three of which were tax crimes: one count of conspiracy to defraud the United States and two counts of tax evasion. Within days, she pled guilty to four charges.
At S.H. Block Tax Services, we believe there are valuable lessons for all Marylanders on what not to do with your taxes. Read more
Federal tax laws are continually changing, and it’s becoming harder to optimize your tax return. While recent tax changes have eliminated some of the breaks and deductions available to taxpayers, there are still ways you can legally reduce your tax obligation. In this article, we’ll discuss five tips for lowering your 2019 tax bill and how S.H. Block Tax Services can help. Read more
If you are self-employed, and travel away from home on business, you can deduct certain expenses, like meals or lodging, that you ordinarily could not. If you have employees who travel, and you reimburse them for travel expenses like food and incidentals (e.g., you can also use the per diem rates so long as you reimburse the employee at the per diem rate. Read more
The deadline to submit your fourth quarter estimated tax payment is due on January 15. If you’re worried about forgetting the deadline amid the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, you can schedule your estimate tax payments in advance.
In this blog, we discuss how paying estimated quarterly taxes ahead of the deadline can save you time, stress, and money — and also how an experienced Maryland tax lawyer can help if you’re struggling with tax liabilities. Read more
For many individuals and companies, taxes are something you only worry about in March and April as you rush to file and cross your fingers for a large return. If this sounds familiar, it’s time to look into year-long tax planning.
Tax-planning is the practice of considering how your taxes affect your overall financial situation and goals. By organizing tax-related documents as you acquire them (or by working with a bookkeeping service), you can tax plan all year long and stay on top of your financials.
Keep reading to learn how organizing your tax documents and strategizing your taxes year-round is both easy and highly beneficial for all taxpayers. Read more
If you’ve been wrongly accused of tax fraud or tax identity theft, you’re not alone. The IRS has been cracking down on tax scams, and while their efforts have drastically decreased instances of legitimate fraud, they’ve also managed to accidentally catch innocent taxpayers in their web.
Keep reading to learn more about IRS efforts to decrease tax fraud, how to help legitimize your tax actions, and what to do if you’ve been wrongly accused. Read more
Receiving any notification from the IRS can be stressful, but receiving a notice that you’re being audited is enough to make anyone panic. The IRS conducts audits for any number of reasons — and not necessarily because you have done anything wrong. However, even if you are sure that you have nothing to worry about, you still need to take an IRS audit seriously and consider hiring a tax attorney if you think there is anything the IRS could misconstrue.
In this article, we’ll provide a little background on why the IRS may have chosen you for further scrutiny and then offer six tips for surviving your tax audit. Read more
