FTC warns on summer job scams

School’s out for the summer, and many college students are hoping to earn money. That makes them a prime target for job scams, warns the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). Scammers post ads for virtual jobs that may appear to be posted by the student’s college or a local business. That generally means applying online and […]

The tax consequences of selling mutual funds

Do you invest in mutual funds or are you interested in putting some money into them? If so, you’re part of a large group. According to the Investment Company Institute, 116 million individual U.S. investors owned mutual funds in 2023. But despite their widespread use, the tax rules involved in selling mutual fund shares can […]

TIGTA reports on the IRS goal of focusing on high-income taxpayers

Has the IRS changed its focus on auditing high-income taxpayers? The Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) recently looked. In 2020, the U.S. Treasury set a goal to audit at least 8% of individual returns filed each year with incomes exceeding $10 million. The IRS later modified that approach, stating that most of those […]

IRS offers some users of syndicated conservation easements a settlement

Some taxpayers that participated in syndicated conservation easements (SCEs) and are currently under IRS audit may have a chance to settle. The IRS has sent letters with offers that include settlement details and timelines. The offers require income tax and penalty concessions. If letter recipients refuse the offers, they’ll continue to be audited by the […]

End purchase order chaos with a structured approval process

Whether hiring contractors, buying equipment or paying vendors, many businesses struggle with the procurement process. Here are some tips for streamlining your company’s purchase order (PO) approval process. Benefits of a formal workflow POs create legally binding agreements between buyers and vendors. For example, your business might outsource a function, such as payroll or marketing, […]

FinCEN cuts US Banking ties to Iraq’s Al-Huda Bank

U.S. financial institutions generally are prohibited from doing business with foreign institutions that the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) has named as conduits for terrorist financing. FinCEN recently severed ties with Iraq’s Al-Huda Bank because investigators found it had used access to U.S. dollars to support terrorists. Also, the bank’s chairman was determined to have […]

National Taxpayer Advocate Issues reports on filing season

National Taxpayer Advocate Erin M. Collins recently issued to Congress her mid-year report assessing the current state of the IRS. In a nutshell, the report says that the tax filing season “generally ran smoothly” this year. However, it also flagged some challenges. They include delays in issuing refunds to identity theft victims, providing misleading information […]

What is the future of taxation?

Currently, the tax community is navigating great uncertainty primarily for two reasons: the outcome of the national election in November and the fact that most individual provisions of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act are set to expire after Dec. 31, 2025. At that time, tax rates are scheduled to go up, and some provisions […]

Do you get your tax information from Tik Tok?

Tik Tok is wildly popular with many people, but the IRS isn’t a fan. On its 2024 “Dirty Dozen” list of tax scams, the IRS included “bad tax information” on social media sites, such as TikTok. Specific areas of concern include bad advice about the fuel tax credit, the sick and family leave credit and […]

Student Loan Forgiven?

If you or a family member is fortunate enough to have a student loan forgiven, will the amount forgiven be taxable? Generally speaking, forgiven debt constitutes taxable income. However, certain forgiven student debt is currently exempt from federal tax through 2025. In addition, most states exempt student debt relief from their income tax, but there […]