Stand Up to the IRS

by Daily, Frederick W.

• ISBN13: 9781413313284
• ISBN10: 1413313280
• Edition: 11th
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2012-03-03
• Publisher: Ingram Pub Services

Summary

IRS Bills? Get the information and strategies you need to deal with the taxman. Named a "Best Tax Book" by Entrepreneur.com The Internal Revenue Service is the taxpayer's worst nightmare, and for good reason -- a tax bill or other notice can come out of nowhere and wreak havoc on your life. But now you can confront America's most intimidating government agency with confidence. Stand Up to the IRSreveals the tactics used by IRS and how to deal with them. This book even contains confidential forms used by IRS agents during collection interviews and audits. Use Stand Up to the IRSto: file a late return work out a long-term payment plan get a Taxpayer Assistance Order settle your tax bill for pennies on the dollar stop collection efforts avoid property seizures protect your assets determine if bankruptcy offers a solution learn what to say when you face an auditor appeal the auditor's decision This edition is completely updated with the latest rules, regulations and tax numbers. Plus, Stand Up to the IRSalso shows you how to go to Tax Court, if it's ever needed.

Author Biography

Frederick W. Daily is an expert tax attorney with over 35 years of experience. He has been interviewed on ABC's "Good Morning America," CNN's "Burden of Proof" and NPR's "Marketplace," and regularly appears in the New York Time's, the Wall Street Journal, Newsweek, Time and other news outlets. Daily is the author of Tax Savvy for Small Business and Surviving an IRS Tax Audit, both published by Nolo.

Table of Contents

Your Companion for Dealing With the IRS	p. 1
Inside the IRS: What You Need to Know About IRS Operations	p. 3
IRS Inefficiency	p. 7
Communicating With the IRS	p. 9
Rules of the Game Tax Laws	p. 13
Interpreting the Tax Code	p. 14
Self-Assessment of Income Taxes	p. 15
Winning the IRS Game	p. 16
Filing Tax Returns	p. 19
How Long Must You Worry About Not Filing a Tax Return?	p. 20
Consequences of Not Filing	p. 21
It's Better to File Before the IRS Contacts You	p. 26
What Will Happen When You File Late	p. 30
Requesting an Extension to File	p. 34
Filing a Return When You Can't Pay What You Owe	p. 35
Filing a Tax Return When You Live Out of the United States	p. 36
Reducing the Chance of an Audit When Filing	p. 36
Amending Tax Returns	p. 38
A Word About "Aggressive" Tax Filing	p. 39
Winning Your Audit	p. 43
How Long Do I Have to Worry About an Audit?	p. 46
What to Expect at an Audit	p. 48
Do I Have to Learn Tax Law to Win My Audit?	p. 48
Audit Selection Why Me, O Lord?	p. 49
When the IRS Increases Your Tax Bill Without an Audit	p. 59
Types of IRS Audits	p. 68
How an Auditor Approaches an Examination	p. 85
Preparing for an Audit	p. 88
Who Should Attend the Audit?	p. 92
How to Act at an Audit	p. 93
Finishing Audits	p. 107
Serious Audit Problems	p. 118
Appealing Your Audit Within the IRS	p. 129
Pros and Cons of Appealing an Audit	p. 131
How to Appeal an Audit	p. 132
How the Appeals Office Works	p. 138
Preparing for an Appeals Hearing	p. 139
Meeting the Appeals Officer	p. 142
Presenting a Case to an Appeals Officer	p. 143
Negotiating a Settlement	p. 144
Should You Hire a Tax Professional for Your Appeal?	p. 150
If You Don't Settle on Appeal	p. 151
Going to Tax Court: No Lawyer Necessary	p. 153
Tax Court Facts	p. 155
Small Tax Cases People's Court	p. 156
Regular Tax Court Cases Over $50,000	p. 173
Other Federal Courts Paying First Is Required	p. 174
Bankruptcy Court	p. 176
Appealing to Higher Courts	p. 177
When You Owe the IRS: Keeping the Tax Collector at Bay	p. 179
When You Can't Pay Your Tax Return	p. 184
Getting Time to Pay After the Tax Bill Comes	p. 185
IRS Tax Billing Process	p. 186
IRS Automated Collection System	p. 188
Revenue Officers Frontline Collectors of the IRS	p. 195
Offers in Compromise Settling Tax Bills for Pennies on the Dollar	p. 218
Using the Bankruptcy Code to Stop the IRS	p. 236
Protecting Your Assets From the IRS	p. 243
Suspending Collection of Your Tax Bill	p. 244
IRS Enforced Collection: Liens and Levies	p. 247
Federal Tax Liens	p. 249
Tax Levies	p. 256
Dealing With the IRS Levy Process	p. 257
Assets the IRS Can't or Won't Seize	p. 258
Avoiding a Levy	p. 262
Getting a Tax Levy Released	p. 267
IRS Sales of Levied Assets	p. 269
The Taxpayer Advocate: A Friend at the IRS	p. 277
Who Qualifies for Help From a Taxpayer Advocate?	p. 278
Contacting the Taxpayer Advocate Service	p. 281
Emergency Help: Taxpayer Assistance Orders	p. 282
Family, Friends, Heirs, and the IRS	p. 289
It's a Family Affair	p. 290
Owning Property Jointly	p. 297
Death and Taxes	p. 299
Fraud and Tax Crimes: Do You Really Have to Worry?	p. 307
How People Cheat on Their Taxes	p. 308
If You Are Caught Cheating	p. 309
IRS Criminal Investigations	p. 315
If You Are Prosecuted	p. 322
Small Business/Self-Employed: When IRS Trouble Comes	p. 327
Self-Employed You're a Prime Audit Target	p. 328
Employees or Independent Contractors?	p. 329
Payroll Taxes IRS Dynamite	p. 334
The Dreaded Trust Fund Recovery Penalty	p. 336
Cash Transactions Over $10,000	p. 344
Penalties and Interest	p. 347
Penalties Added to Tax Bills	p. 348
Interest on Tax Bills	p. 351
Understanding Penalty and Interest Notices	p. 351
Reducing or Eliminating Penalties and Interest	p. 352
Designating Late Tax Payments	p. 360
Help Beyond the Book: Tax Professionals and Tax Information	p. 363
Finding and Using a Tax Professional	p. 364
Tax Pros for Serious Audits	p. 370
Hiring a Tax Return Preparer	p. 372
Researching Tax Questions	p. 373
When You Owe State Income Taxes	p. 379
The IRS and State Taxing Authorities	p. 380
Does Your State Have a Taxpayer Bill of Rights?	p. 381
State Time Limits to Assess and Collect Income Taxes	p. 381
State Tax Collection Departments	p. 382
State Tax Bills	p. 382
When All Else Fails, Try Your Political Connections	p. 385
The Taxpayer Bill of Rights	p. 387
Taxpayer Bill of Rights I	p. 388
Taxpayer Bill of Rights II	p. 390
Taxpayer Bill of Rights III	p. 392
The 25 Most Frequently Asked Questions	p. 399
Glossary of Tax Terms	p. 411
Index	p. 421
Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved.