Tax Penalties Archives - Pearlman Law

21 10, 2015

Allan Pearlman Radio Interview: Tax Tricks, Trips and Traps

By Allan|2020-02-12T14:20:16-05:00October 21st, 2015|Audits, IRS Collection, IRS Enforcement, Penalties, Tax, Tax Penalties, Tax Problem Solving|0 Comments

People and the news devote lots of attention to important dates like April 15th — tax return filing day — and October 15th — the second filing deadline for all the taxpayers who got automatic extension of the April 15th deadline. In fact for many of us, the IRS and other taxing authorities demand attention on many other occasions throughout the year.

And because there can be tax problems, tax controversies, tax disputes with the IRS that come up at any time, attorney Jack Tuckner, the host of a politics and current events oriented radio talk show, invited me in to talk about tax controversies — collection issues, audits, offshore tax issues, voluntary disclosures, offers in compromise, and similar issues.

So, on Tuesday afternoon, October 20th, 2015, far, far away from April 15th, and after the October 15th deadline has passed, I met with Jack Tuckner and his partner in radio, Deborah O’Rell, to talk about the IRS and New York State’s Department of Taxation and Finance on there weekly show, Women’s Rights in the Workplace on the Progressive Radio Network, PRN.fm.

The original plan was to discuss the inner workings of the IRS, and how tax payers might best protect themselves from the eager claws of the government for a half hour. But before we knew it a whole hour went by.

The Women’s Rights in the Workplace show describes our conversation like this:

“Did you know that your wages can be garnished, your bank accounts and home can be seized, and even your driver’s license can be revoked due to back taxes? Join Jack & Deborah as they welcome to the show good guy tax attorney Allan R. Pearlman, who’ll provide insight, tips and “secrets” to avoid getting into boiling hot water with the taxman.”

The whole discussion, warts and all, is here:

6 04, 2013

Letter from the Editor (Post-Mayan Apocalypse Fizzle): A New Life for the Newsletter, Life, Law & Taxes

By Allan|2020-02-12T14:20:17-05:00April 6th, 2013|IRS News, Tax, Tax Crimes, Tax Penalties, Tax Policy, Tax Problem Solving|0 Comments

(From the vault: A slightly different version of this post was published in the paper newsletter, sent to subscribers through the regular U.S. mail, in January 2013, on the occasion of the paper newsletter being revived to monthly publication, after a hiatus.)

It has been a while since the last edition of the through-the-regular-snail-mail Life, Law and Taxes, was completed and mailed out to you.

(more…)

4 01, 2013

Florida Dentist’s False Statement on Tax Return = Tax Fraud; Maybe Prison

By Allan|2020-02-12T14:20:17-05:00January 4th, 2013|Tax Crimes, Tax Penalties|0 Comments

Stick-to-False-Teeth Dept:

A Florida dentist faces up to three years in prison after pleading guilty to making a false statement on a federal income tax return.

(more…)

28 12, 2012

Hollywood Nut to Hollywood Nut: Here’s $100K, Now Pay Your Taxes!

By Allan|2020-02-12T14:20:18-05:00December 28th, 2012|Interest on Tax Due, IRS Collection, Tax Penalties|1 Comment

In a moment of apparent clarity and largesse, actor Charlie Sheen, a recent star of the television hit comedy, Two and a Half Men, and now starring in Anger Management, gave controversial actress Lindsay Lohan $100,000 to help pay down her blockbuster-sized tax debt.

Sheen and Lohan worked together recently, filming Scary Movie 5. According to TMZ, which first reported this story, Lohan used Sheen’s money for its intended purpose: paying Uncle Sam’s meaner cousin, the IRS.

Lohan, whose off-screen personal dramas have sometimes out shown her considerable talent as an actress, allegedly owed the IRS $233,904 in back taxes for 2009 and 2010, TMZ reported.

With Sheen’s gift, Lohan has substantially reduced the tax debt TMZ says she has (what a big bite she got to take out of that balance due!), though interest and penalty continue to accrue on that part which is still unpaid and past due.

15 04, 2011

With Tax Day Approaching, Make Your Tax Bill Smaller

By Allan|2020-02-12T14:20:18-05:00April 15th, 2011|Tax Penalties|0 Comments

There’s still time to keep more of your money yours, and have Uncle Sam and the IRS say “what’s yours is mine” to less of your hard-earned income.

As you probably know by now, Tax Day, which is usually April 15th every year, this year is three days later, on Monday April 18th. So the annual day of tax reckoning for most of us is this coming Monday.

This fast approaching deadline made me think of something that all too many taxpayers do. And by doing it, they unnecessarily harm themselves and cause themselves to have a bigger tax bill than they’d otherwise have.

And I’m going to share with you an easy, inexpensive, and legal way to keep a whole lot of money in your own pocket and out of Uncle Sam’s pocket.

(more…)

20 11, 2009

Wesley Snipes’ Lawyers Argue Appeal of Tax Conviction

By Allan|2020-02-12T14:20:19-05:00November 20th, 2009|Tax Crimes, Tax Penalties|0 Comments

The Associated Press reports that oral argument on Wesley Snipes’ appeal of his conviction on three misdemeanor charges of failure to file tax returns was heard by the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit, in Atlanta today. See Wesley Snipes Appeals 3 Tax Convictions in Georgia. (http://sn.im/tc2fn)

12 10, 2009

Confess Now or Forever Hold Your Peace? Time Running Out for Offshore Account Disclosure

By Allan|2020-02-12T14:20:19-05:00October 12th, 2009|IRS Enforcement, IRS Power, Tax Crimes, Tax Penalties|0 Comments

The almost-overnight sensation of the IRS offshore account voluntary disclosure program is about to close.

After the deadline was extended three weeks ago, from September 23rd to October 15th (see https://pearlmanlaw.wpengine.com/irs-extends-voluntary-disclosure-deadline-for-secret-offshore-account/), the final deadline is now only days away. See also the New York Times article, “Tax Evaders Face Choice: Pay or Pray” by Lynn Browning.

While touting itself as a program by which taxpayers with unreported income in foreign bank accounts can “come in from the cold,” avoid criminal prosecution, and pay a penalty which is stiff, but not as severe as the penalties a taxpayer would be subject to outside the program, what seems to get lost in the discussion of this program is the fact that taxpayers who seek to participate are required to confess to a tax crime, waive their 5th Amendment right against self incrimination before knowing whether the Government will commit not to pursue criminal charges against them.

That is a danger of this program. Still, news accounts plus telephone conversations with IRS employees working in its criminal investigation division report that thousands of taxpayers are lining up to participate, submitting written disclosures in order to get that promise not to prosecute and the stiff but less horrible than otherwise penalty structure.