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IRS passport certification

How to Contest an IRS Passport Certification of Seriously Delinquent Tax Debt

An IRS passport certification of seriously delinquent tax debt can cause the passports of U.S. taxpayers living overseas to be revoked or not renewed, leaving you scrambling to avoid disrupting your life in another country. Here is what you can do to… Read More
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Is the FAST Act’s Passport Certification Constitutional?

Can the government restrict your ability to travel overseas if you don’t pay your taxes? Is the 2015 FAST Act’s passport certification process constitutional? One doctor challenged the law, but he may have filed his lawsuit a bit too soon. 20 Yea… Read More
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Categories: Tax / IRS Penalties
Lawsuit

Plaintiff Tries to Dismiss His Own FBAR Lawsuit and Fails

Why would you file a lawsuit against the IRS just to turn around and ask the District Court to dismiss it? A combination of impatience, new precedent, and personality changes left a Plaintiff looking for a way out of the Federal Court of Claims. Inte… Read More
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Emergency fund

Inherited Secret Emergency Account Caused Willful FBAR Violations, Appeals Court Says

Is there ever a good reason to hide something from the IRS? A recent opinion from the U.S. Federal Circuit Court of Appeals suggests that even the best of reasons won’t matter if a taxpayer is later found to have willfully failed to file FBAR forms… Read More
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searching for files in a filing cabinet

One Form, One Non-Willful FBAR Penalty, Circuit Court Says

How many penalties can the IRS assess for a single missed form? That was the question before the Ninth Circuit Court recently in United States v Boyd. At least where an accurate FBAR report was filed late, the Court ruled that the one form and one vi… Read More
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woman reviewing tax documents

Can the IRS Impose FBAR Penalties if You Don’t Owe Taxes?

Many retired U.S. taxpayers don’t owe taxes at the end of the year. If their income from pre-tax retirement accounts and Social Security is offset by medical expenses or other allowable deductions, they may not have enough income to report, or any… Read More
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Judges Gavel on Cash

Do You Have to Pay Taxes on Out-of-Court Settlements?

Thousands of lawsuits settle out of court every year. These settlement agreements cover everything from slip and fall injuries to employment disputes. Figuring out whether you have to pay taxes on lawsuit settlements isn’t easy, or automatic. Here… Read More
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stack of dollars

High-Income Taxpayers: Get Your Taxes Filed On Time, or Else, IRS Says

Individuals and households earning more than $100,000 often have more complicated tax situations than their lower-earning counterparts. That could be especially true this year, as many wage-based employees are finding themselves working from home and… Read More
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Categories: IRS Debt Collection
amount you owe

IRS Tax Installment Agreements: What You Need to Know

The amount taxpayers owe the IRS for unpaid taxes and penalties can add up quickly. Past-due penalties and statutory interest can turn even a modest unpaid tax debt into a significant problem, even for couples making a comfortable living. IRS tax ins… Read More
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Categories: IRS Debt Collection
legal documents

IRS Says Due Process Only Requires Written Response, Not a Hearing

What opportunity should you have to dispute an IRS penalty before it is assessed? Should you be able to take the government to court? What about an administrative hearing by the IRS Appeals Office? In a recent motion to dismiss a taxpayer’s complai… Read More
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