Showing posts with label IRS. Show all posts
Showing posts with label IRS. Show all posts
Amazon.com: IRS Secrets You Should Know eBook: Lance Wallach: Books
Lance Wallach
National Society of Accountants Speaker of the Year and member of the AICPA faculty of teaching professionals, Wallach is a frequent speaker on retirement plans, financial and estate planning, and abusive tax shelters.
He is also a featured writer and has been interviewed on television and financial talk shows including NBC, National Pubic Radio's All Things Considered and others,Lance authored Protecting Clients from Fraud, Incompetence and Scams published by John Wiley and Sons, Bisk education's CPA's Guide to Life Insurance and Federal Estate and Gift Taxation,
as well as AICPA best-selling books including
Avoiding Circular 230 Malpractice Trap.
National Society of Accountants Speaker of the Year and member of the AICPA faculty of teaching professionals, Wallach is a frequent speaker on retirement plans, financial and estate planning, and abusive tax shelters.
He is also a featured writer and has been interviewed on television and financial talk shows including NBC, National Pubic Radio's All Things Considered and others,Lance authored Protecting Clients from Fraud, Incompetence and Scams published by John Wiley and Sons, Bisk education's CPA's Guide to Life Insurance and Federal Estate and Gift Taxation,
as well as AICPA best-selling books including
Avoiding Circular 230 Malpractice Trap.
Testimonials...
"Mr. Wallach, thanks so much for taking the
time to talk to me ..today about VEBAs.
Any information you can send me would be
helpful. Hopefully, we can work together in
the future as interest in VEBAs increase."
time to talk to me ..today about VEBAs.
Any information you can send me would be
helpful. Hopefully, we can work together in
the future as interest in VEBAs increase."
Corman G. Franklin
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy
U.S. Department of Labor
Office of the Assistant Secretary for Policy
U.S. Department of Labor
Protect your clients – and yourself – from all kinds of financial chicanery and stupidity with this vital new book
It doesn't matter if a financial error was made because of malice or ignorance – the end result is that you lose money. Luckily, you don't have to sit idly and take it. If you have Protecting Clients from Fraud, Incompetence and Scams, you can identify and avoid the dysfunctional sectors of the financial industry, steer clear of the fallout from the Madoff Era, and guide your clients to real, healthy, sustainable returns. This powerful book
- Pinpoints dysfunctional sectors within the financial industry and offers advice against frauds and scammers
- Shows how a team approach to asset management can ward off financial predators
- Offers practical strategies and tools to combat client risk for Risk and Asset Management
Offering insightful information to protect your clients from all sorts of frauds and incompetence, this essential guide equips you with tips and techniques to spot the red flags of fraud and prevent it before it starts.
IRS Secrets You Should Know
Including
Tax, Insurance, and Cost Reduction Strategies for Small Business
Just one of these ideas from the book will save you thousands:
IRS red flags and how to audit proof your tax return
Why your retirement plan is an audit target: how to upgrade it
The only way to deduct estate and business succession plan costs
Turn your life insurance into a tax deduction
Reduce health insurance, workers’ comp and other insurance costs
Discover the only deductible benefit plan where money comes out tax free, even before retirement
Protect assets from creditors while obtaining a tax deduction
Why the IRS has turned your accountant into a tax collector, and what to do about this
Seven best new tax reduction ideas
Use a captive insurance company to reduce taxes and costs
And much more!!!
Books can be purchased here
Amazon.com: Lance Wallach: Books, Biography, Blog, Audiobooks, Kindle
Investment News - Lance Wallach - 412i and 419 plan litigatation
- Investment News
Financial advisors who have sold certain types of retirement and other benefit plans to small businesses might soon be facing a wave of lawsuits — unless Congress decides to take action soon.
For years, advisors and insurance brokers have sold the 412(i) plan, a type of defined-benefit pension plan, and the 419 plan, a health and welfare plan, to small businesses as a way of providing such benefits to their employees, while also receiving a tax break.
However, in 2004, Congress changed the law to require that companies file with the Internal Revenue Service if they had these plans in place. The law change was intended to address tax shelters, particularly those set up by large companies.
Many companies and financial advisors didn't realize that this was a cause for concern, however, and now employers are receiving a great deal of scrutiny from the federal government, according to experts.
The IRS has been aggressive in auditing these plans. The fines for failing to notify the agency about them are $200,000 per business per year the plan has been in place and $100,000 per individual.
So advisors who sold these plans to small businesses are now slowly starting to become the target of litigation from employers who are subject to these fines.
“There is a slew of litigation already against advisors that sold these plans,” said Lance Wallach, an expert on 412(i) and 419 plans. “I get calls from lawyers every week asking me to be an expert witness on these cases.”
Mr. Wallach declined to cite any specific suits. But one advisor who has been selling 412(i) plans for years said his firm is already facing six lawsuits over the sale of such plans and has another two pending. “My legal and accounting bills last year were $864,000,” said the advisor, who asked not to be identified. “And if this doesn't get fixed, everyone and their uncle will sue us.”
Currently, the IRS has instituted a moratorium on collecting these fines until the end of the year in the hope that Congress will address the issue.
In a Sept. 24 letter to Sens. Max Baucus, D-Mont., Charles Boustany Jr., R-La., and Charles Grassley, R-Iowa, IRS Commissioner Douglas H. Shulman wrote: “I understand that Congress is still considering this issue and that a bipartisan, bicameral bill may be in the works … To give Congress time to address the issue, I am writing to extend the suspension of collection enforcement action through Dec. 31.”
But with so much of Congress' attention on health care reform at the moment, experts are worried that the issue may go unresolved indefinitely.
If Congress doesn't amend the statute, and clients find themselves having to pay these fines, they will absolutely go after the advisors that sold these plans to them.
Before you buy you should know section 79 Plan history
Section 79 Scams and Captive Insurance HistoryWhen trying to understand how a product becomes a target of government scrutiny it helps to know its history.
In the case of plans that fall under Internal Revenue Code Section 79, that history is complex.
Insurance companies, agents, financial planners, and others have pushed abusive 419 and 412i plans for
years. They claimed business owners could obtain large tax deductions. Insurance companies, agents and
others earned very large life insurance commissions in the process. Eventually, the IRS cracked down on the
unsuspecting business owners. Not only did they lose the tax deductions, but they were also fined, in addition
to being charged penalties and interest. A skilled CPA with extensive IRS experience could usually eliminate
the penalties and reduce the fines. Most accountants, tax attorneys and others have been unsuccessful in
accomplishing this.
After the business owner was assessed the fines and lost his tax deduction, he had another huge, unforeseen
problem. The IRS then came back and fined him a huge amount of money for not telling on himself under IRC
6707A. If you participate in a listed or reportable transaction, you must alert the IRS or face a large fine. In
essence, you must alert the IRS if you were in a transaction that has the possibility of tax avoidance or
evasion. Not only must you file Form 8886 telling on yourself, but the form needs to be filed properly, and
done every year that you are in the plan in any way at all, even if you are no longer making contributions.
According to IRC 6707A Expert Lance Wallach, "I have received hundreds of phone calls from business
owners who filed Form 8886, usually with the help of their accountants or the plan promoter. They got the fine
for either improperly filing, or for making mistakes on the form."
"The IRS directions about preparing the form are vague, especially if the form is filed late. They presume a
timely filing. In addition, many states also require forms to be filed. For example, if you work in New York State
and manage to properly fill out the Federal form, but do not file the State form, you may still get fined," says
Wallach, adding that he only knows of two people that know how to properly prepare and file the forms,
especially forms being filed late. As an expert witness in such cases, Lance Wallach’s side has never lost.
The result of the all of the above was many lawsuits against insurance companies, including Hartford, Pacific
Life, Indianapolis Life, AIG, and Penn Mutual, to name just a few. Agents, accountants, and attorneys were
also successfully sued.
Read the whole thing here
In the case of plans that fall under Internal Revenue Code Section 79, that history is complex.
Insurance companies, agents, financial planners, and others have pushed abusive 419 and 412i plans for
years. They claimed business owners could obtain large tax deductions. Insurance companies, agents and
others earned very large life insurance commissions in the process. Eventually, the IRS cracked down on the
unsuspecting business owners. Not only did they lose the tax deductions, but they were also fined, in addition
to being charged penalties and interest. A skilled CPA with extensive IRS experience could usually eliminate
the penalties and reduce the fines. Most accountants, tax attorneys and others have been unsuccessful in
accomplishing this.
After the business owner was assessed the fines and lost his tax deduction, he had another huge, unforeseen
problem. The IRS then came back and fined him a huge amount of money for not telling on himself under IRC
6707A. If you participate in a listed or reportable transaction, you must alert the IRS or face a large fine. In
essence, you must alert the IRS if you were in a transaction that has the possibility of tax avoidance or
evasion. Not only must you file Form 8886 telling on yourself, but the form needs to be filed properly, and
done every year that you are in the plan in any way at all, even if you are no longer making contributions.
According to IRC 6707A Expert Lance Wallach, "I have received hundreds of phone calls from business
owners who filed Form 8886, usually with the help of their accountants or the plan promoter. They got the fine
for either improperly filing, or for making mistakes on the form."
"The IRS directions about preparing the form are vague, especially if the form is filed late. They presume a
timely filing. In addition, many states also require forms to be filed. For example, if you work in New York State
and manage to properly fill out the Federal form, but do not file the State form, you may still get fined," says
Wallach, adding that he only knows of two people that know how to properly prepare and file the forms,
especially forms being filed late. As an expert witness in such cases, Lance Wallach’s side has never lost.
The result of the all of the above was many lawsuits against insurance companies, including Hartford, Pacific
Life, Indianapolis Life, AIG, and Penn Mutual, to name just a few. Agents, accountants, and attorneys were
also successfully sued.
Read the whole thing here
Dont Give the IRS Every Last Drop
By Lance Wallach
Have you seen the commercials where certain companies advertise that they can settle an IRS debt for “pennies on the dollar”? Usually the offer is too good to be true. Besides, you never want to have the problem in the first place.
The chances of an individual being audited have approximately doubled since 2000. So you need to be careful with your tax return.
IRS officials say research has shown that tax “noncompliance” typically is highest among people who work for themselves, who deal in large amounts of cash, who don’t have taxes withheld from their pay and whose income isn’t reported separately to the IRS, such as by their employer.
Dont Give the IRS Every Last Drop
Transfer Pricing
The IRS dedicates enormous resources toward dealing with taxpayer’s who are involved with any form of transfer pricing. The transfer pricing provisions of IRC 482 address four general types of transactions between commonly owned or controlled parties.
1- Use or transfer of tangible property
2- Services
3- Loans
4- Use or transfer of intangible property (especially cost sharing agreements)
Use of tangible property: When one member of a controlled group rents or leases property to another member of the group, the price paid for use of such property must equal an arm’s length amount. Per Treas. Reg. 1.482-2(c )(2)(i), the arm’s length amount is determined by reference to the amount that would have been charged between independent parties for use of the same or similar property under similar circumstances.
Big Trouble Ahead For Many 419 Welfare Benefit Plan and 412i Retirement Plan Participants
- Big Trouble Ahead For Many 419 Welfare Benefit Plan and 412i Retirement Plan Participants
Aug 25, 2010
By Lance Wallach
Business owners and professionals who have adopted 419 welfare benefit plan arrangements are in serious trouble. The IRS has attacked these arrangements as "listed transactions." Business owners who engage in a "listed transaction" must report such transactions on IRS Form 8886 every year that they are participating in the transaction, and you are participating even in years when you do not make any contribution. Internal Revenue Code 6707A imposes severe penalties ($200,000 annually for a business and $100,000 per year for an individual) for failure to file Form 8886 with respect to a listed transaction. Tax Court, according to both the IRS Appeals Office and its own decisions, does not have jurisdiction to abate or lower any penalties imposed by the IRS. Complaints caused Congress to impose a moratorium on collection of Section 6707A penalties. On June 1, 2010, the moratorium ended, and the IRS immediately began sending out notices warning of possible imposition of 6707A penalties. When you get this notice it should be taken very seriously.
Accountants were required to properly prepare and file Form 8918 (if they signed and/or prepare tax returns and got paid). The penalty for accountants for not properly filing the forms is $100,000, or $200,000 if they are incorporated.
Businesses that were in some 419 welfare benefit plans or some 412i retirement as well as some Captive Insurance and Section 79 Plans, were supposed to properly file under IRC Section 6707A each year with the IRS. Either the taxpayer or the accountant was responsible, though the ultimate, primary obligation falls on the taxpayer. The IRS has just begun sending the notices referred to above to participants in many of these plans. This is in addition to any IRS audit you might have had or currently may be having. The large 6707A fine has nothing to do with any other IRS audit. The 6707A fine is for not having properly filed under 6707A with your returns. You are required to file each year with your tax return.
Not only were you required to file with your Federal return, but many states also require protective filings. Some participants in these types of plans have already received notices from the IRS. You must act immediately if you wish to avoid possible huge IRS penalties and interest that could put you out of business for good.
THE STATUTE OF LIMITATIONS IS NOT RUNNING. This means that the IRS can fine you at any time in the future for anything regarding past or present participation in an abusive 419 welfare benefit plan or an abusive 412i retirement plan. There is still time to avoid the IRS penalties and interest. You need to take action immediately and find out right away if the plan you are participating in is abusive by consulting with a professional and experienced 419/412i plan expert.
Most accountants do not know how to properly prepare the appropriate forms. Accountants or other advisors will probably be fined as material advisors. This means that you may be subject to a large fine. Once you get the large fine, the IRS claims it is not subject to an appeal.
You should have filed protectively for every year your entity participated in the plan. Once again, for every year after 2003, the penalty for not properly filing is $200,000 a year for corporations and $100,000 a year for individuals. For example, it is possible an employer in the plan since 2004 could be subject to over one million dollars in penalties solely as a result of the failure to file. For all years in the plan, the Statute of Limitations will not begin to run until after the form is properly filed. In addition, certain individual plan participants should also file for every year of plan participation. Once again, none of this has anything to do with any other audit that you may currently be involved in or may previously have experienced.
It is abundantly clear that taxpayers who receive notices from the IRS regarding Section 6707A penalties should take these letters extremely seriously. These notices do not lend themselves to "do-it-yourself eye surgery".
Read more: ArticlesBase Under Creative Commons License: Attribution
About the Author:
Lance Wallach, National Society of Accountants Speaker of the Year and member of the AICPA faculty of teaching professionals, is a frequent speaker on retirement plans, financial and estate planning, and abusive tax shelters. He writes about 412(i), 419, and captive insurance plans. He speaks at more than ten conventions annually, writes for over fifty publications, is quoted regularly in the press and has been featured on television and radio financial talk shows including NBC, National Pubic Radio's All Things Considered, and others. Lance has written numerous books including Protecting Clients from Fraud, Incompetence, and Scams published by John Wiley and Sons, Bisk Education's CPA's Guide to Life Insurance and Federal Estate and Gift Taxation, as well as AICPA best-selling books, including Avoiding Circular 230 Malpractice Traps and Common Abusive Small Business Hot Spots. He does expert witness testimony and has never lost a case. Contact him at 516.938.5007, wallachinc@gmail.com, or visit
www.taxadvisorexperts.org
No Shelter Here: Beware of These Insurance Plans | Remodeling
No Shelter Here: Beware of These Insurance Plans | Remodeling
During the past few years, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) has fined many business owners hundreds of thousands of dollars for participating in several particular types of insurance plans.
The 412(i), 419, captive insurance, and section 79 plans were marketed as a way for small-business owners to set up retirement, welfare benefit plans, or other tax-deductible programs while leveraging huge tax savings, but the IRS put most of them on a list of abusive tax shelters, listed transactions, or similar transactions, etc., and has more recently focused audits on them. Many accountants are unaware of the issues surrounding these plans, and many big-name insurance companies are still encouraging participation in them.
Can You Recover Money from 419 and 412i Plans? - HG.org
Can You Recover Money from 419 and 412i Plans? - HG.org
Welfare Benefit Plan Fraud: What Remedies Are Available? If you’ve been the victim of a 419 Welfare Benefit Plan scheme and now find yourself owing the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) taxes on something you were told was going to be tax deductible, it’s important to know what remedies might be available to you.
Remedies for abusive tax shelter schemes
Lance Wallach says that there are remedies for those who have been injured by an insurance company’s abusive tax shelter schemes. He predicts that we’ll see a huge spike in the number of people getting audited by the IRS.
Lance Wallach says that there are remedies for those who have been injured by an insurance company’s abusive tax shelter schemes. He predicts that we’ll see a huge spike in the number of people getting audited by the IRS.
How to Beat the IRS
Go to this blog to find helpful advice, articles, and contacts that will assist you with all problems dealing with Life Insurance, section 79 problems, Captive Insurance Plans, and 419 Welfare Benefit Plan Audits. This blog also has in depth information about Offshore accounts and form 8886 listed transactions.
Click the link to go to the blog: How to Beat the IRS
Click the link to go to the blog: How to Beat the IRS
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)