Having Tax Trouble Does Not Make You A Bad Person!

You don’t often hear about the emotional side of dealing with the IRS or state tax authorities — yet the truth is that our emotions play a huge role in creating and resolving tax issues! There are any number of reasons that people get into difficulties — from not understanding what has to be filed or paid, to not knowing that someone you trusted failed to perform tasks they said they were going to, to plain old human error.

Guess what? None of that makes you a bad person. Many times, it’s the burden of shame, guilt, or distress that keeps us from acting — yet these emotional roadblocks actually make the problem worse, not better. Every day we don’t act to resolve a tax situation is a day that the IRS or state tax departments counts against us.

At Matthew J. Previte CPA PC, we’re not going to judge you. We aren’t going to tell you you’re a bad person because you didn’t file your taxes on time. It happens. A very, very small percentage of tax issues are caused by people who willfully intended to deceive the tax authorities or avoid paying — the vast majority of individuals find themselves handling situations that got out of control, one simple mistake snowballing into the next until they can’t see the way out.

We know the way out. We’ll work with you to find a way to resolve your tax issues with the IRS. We understand that life happens and that the important thing is NOT assigning blame — it’s fixing the problem in the fastest, most efficient way possible to give you peace of mind and remove a huge stress from your life.

Put down that guilt. Put down the shame. You don’t need to keep carrying it anymore: you can call us and start solving your tax problems today!

Do You Have Unfiled Tax Returns?

Gain Peace of Mind – No Matter How Late You Are

People fail to file their tax returns for all sorts of reasons. Regardless, failing to file your tax returns is a criminal offense. Citizens who do not file can be prosecuted and punished with potential jail time, one year for each year not filed. Why risk potentially losing your freedom for failing to file your tax returns!
Sometimes the IRS will file returns for you after they have repeatedly requested you file your returns. When the IRS files your returns for you, they are filed in the best interest of the government, usually with little or none of the deductions you are entitled to. You have the right to file an original return no matter how late it is! If you haven’t filed in a few years or many years, we can help, no matter how late your returns are. Let us give you the peace of mind you deserve by helping you get in compliance with the law.

Call us today at (508) 655-1500 to schedule an appointment with one of our licensed tax professionals and soon you will be sleeping like a baby!

How to File Delinquent Tax Returns without Income Info

how-to-file-delinquent-tax-returns

People often come to our Massachusetts tax resolution office to resolve their tax problems, such as filing many years of delinquent tax returns. Unfortunately, they sometimes lack the necessary information to prepare their returns. Thankfully, we know how to navigate the IRS maze and get our clients back on track. This video, “IRS Tax Problem Resolution”, explains how we gather the missing information needed to prepare and file their original tax returns and bring them back into compliance, often saving them money too. Below are the main points of interest:

If a client is missing W-2s or 1099 statements for interest, dividends, the sale of stock, or 401k or retirement plan distributions from previous years for example, we can generally get 95% of the taxpayer’s income information from the IRS. We can also sometimes go to other outside third parties to get it. Here are four steps we take to gather the missing pieces of the puzzle:

  • We file a power of attorney with the IRS to find out which year’s tax returns were filed and which were not.
  • We request income transcripts from the IRS for any of years with no tax return on file.
  • Since the IRS income transcripts do not contain state tax withholding information, we often contact current and previous employers’ payroll departments or their outside payroll service to get copies of the W-2s or payroll ledger printouts showing the state tax withholding data.
  • For business owners who have no bank statements or canceled checks, we can request copies of those documents from their bank. Generally, banks will keep information up to 5 or 6 years. If the bank no longer has the records, we can often use forensic methods and business ratios to reconstruct the business’ income and expenses using whatever business and personal records the client does have.

NOTE: It is always better to file your own original tax returns, even if imperfect, than let the IRS assess substitute tax returns, since the IRS will almost always over-inflate the amount of tax owed.

People often ask how far back they will need to file their taxes. If the IRS has not assessed anything, generally you only need to go back and file the last six years of tax returns, even if you haven’t filed in 7 or 10 or 20 years or more.

IMPORTANT NOTE: There are exceptions to this. So check with a licensed tax resolution specialist for specifics in your case. Another point that people often overlook is regarding refunds. A tax return must be filed in order to receive a refund. You have three years from the original due date, including extensions, or two years after the date the money was paid to claim a refund. After that you forfeit your refund.

The bottom line is this: Filing a reasonably accurate yet imperfect return is much more advantageous to the taxpayer than having the IRS file one for you. It almost never will be in your favor and will generally have you owing more taxes AND you may be entitled to a refund!

It’s never too late to come out from the shadows and file a tax return. Get help from our qualified Massachusetts tax resolution professionals who can help you gather the information needed to file and take that heavy weight off your shoulders. Don’t worry about what information you are missing – contact us right away! We can help you!