The IRS Audit Blog

Posts Tagged ‘irs’

Question: Are legal fees tax deductable?

I am helping my mother in law do her taxes and noticed in her past returns that the person who did her taxes previously wrote off her legal expenses for her divorce 2 years ago. This past year she had more expenses related to the divorce because her ex is taking her to court to try to change their divorce decree.

In looking at Publication 504 on the IRS web site, it mentions that you cannot write off legal fees related to a divorce unless the expense was related to tax advice.

Even though she wrote off the expenses in years past (which I think may be trouble if she ever gets audited), is she able to write off the legal fees this year?

Answer: The only way you are able to deduct legal expenses is if they are paid in an attempt to collect or produce taxable income. As for divorce, tax advise that the bill specifies how much is for advice to collect taxable alimony would be deductible.

Check out page 200 of the IRS Pub 17 I have linked below.

Laura H – H&R Block – Senior Tax Advisor 5
**This advice was prepared based on our understanding of the tax law in effect at the time it was written as it applies to the facts that you provided.

Tax advice: Taxes on a Roth IRA conversion

Raphael Tulino is the spokesman for the IRS in the Orange County/San Diego area, and he’s volunteered to answer your tax questions … Q. Is there something in the new tax code that says that the tax on the funds taken from a traditional IRA and…

Behind H&R Block’s Freebie Tax-Prep Offer

As tax season begins, the hard-pressed filing service has a new strategy: Give it away for free

RP2012 – Daily HR1207/S604 -7/27/09 – Email/Fax/Phone Bomb! – Contact List

Question: How can i send an email to the IRS?

My ex-wife filed us married and together after forging my name. She had already filed for separation, and didnt have a power of attorney for taxes till she forged my signature while i was deployed to Iraq. I had already filed separately, but she went back and filed as together. She owed money to the IRS from before we were married in the first place. Anyhow, a California Judge ruled in my favor ordering she pay the money owed to the treasury and i was not at all responsible. I was in the Marine Corps, my taxes always get payed and i always get a refund. This was decreed in 2004 from the 2002 tax year. I was deployed to Iraq when were separated and she forged my name to file us again. Well, copies of the divorce were sent to the IRS but they still coninue to try to get money from me and im tired of it. I have sent them an innocent spuse form and talked to them several times on the phone. Im fed up and would like to sue the IRS if possible, but im in Germany now, to call is expensive.

Answer: You’ll never get anywhere suing the IRS. And e-mails are sure to get a non-response. You’d better communicate in writing via certified mail.

Mile Markers

MIAMI Last IRS defendant sentenced Former Key West resident Danilo Suarez, 49, was sentenced to five years’ prison Friday for helping spearhead an IRS scam from the Monroe… read more

Teens Hospitalized from Smoking Legal Marijuana Substitute (Fake Weed)

Question: What is the number for the IRS customer service?!?

I am so frustrated..I keep trying to call the IRS number off of their website and it is all automated. I just want to talk to a representative, but there are no prompts for that. Anyone know of a number I could call to speak to a representative?

Answer: What are you calling about?
Balance Due 1-800-829-0922 1-800-829-8374 1-800-829-7650;
Tax Law 1-800-829-1040
Refund Inquiry 1-800-829-1954
and many more phone number, but without knowing your issue, just call one of these number and they will refer you to the correct phone number.

Tax advice: A wager on gambling winnings

Raphael Tulino is the spokesman for the IRS in the Orange County/San Diego area, and he’s volunteered to answer your tax questions … Q. My wife and I have questions about what the IRS required for our gambling wins and losses. I recently won…

URGENT ALERT: Feds Seizing Sovereign Indian Land, Outrageous Demands – Crow Creek, SD

Question: i need to file a tax extension?

i am so confused by my taxes as a first time filer….
i am filing as an independent with no dependents or anything complicated like that:

i was employed by two places for 2007.
place 1:
-was only for a total of 5 months (and i no longer work there) where i made about 3,500 and they took out taxes plus i had them withhold maybe $400 ontop of that.

place 2:
-has been since april 2007 to now and i made approximately $8000 and since i was a contractor at the place, there were no taxes withheld or taken out of that amount.

i am planning to itemize (for gas and some of my cell phone bill and other miscellaneous things) so i think i’ll be using the 1040 form when i actually file…but right now i have NO IDEA how to file for the extension. i tried to use the withholding calculator on the IRS website but i am completely lost.
this shouldn’t be that complicated, right???
there’s warnings about not just writing down some amount and figuring it out later.

help!!!!!

Answer: Form 4868 will give you an extension of time to file your tax return, but if you owe any tax, it is due with the form 4868. In other words, you still need to pay any tax due by April 15th , all the extension does is let you file the return later. you will need to estimate how much tax you owe and send that amount along with the form 4868.

Forreston High School Announces Illinois State Scholars

Forreston High School Principal, Travis Heinz is pleased to announce that six students have been recognized as “2011 Illinois State Scholars”.

Tax Tips with Irwin R. Schyster