Tag Archives: Due Date

What the government shutdown does NOT mean

The government shutdown does not mean you get out of paying your taxes.  All payments are due in full on their regularly scheduled dates.  While it might be nice if no taxes were collected during the shutdown, unfortunately it simply does not work that way.

It’s enough to make you think they are just yanking our chains.  Cue the official IRS statement:

Due to the current lapse in appropriations, IRS operations are limited. However, the underlying tax law remains in effect, and all taxpayers should continue to meet their tax obligations as normal.

Individuals and businesses should keep filing their tax returns and making deposits with the IRS, as they are required to do so by law. The IRS will accept and process all tax returns with payments, but will be unable to issue refunds during this time. Taxpayers are urged to file electronically, because most of these returns will be processed automatically.

No live telephone customer service assistance will be available, however most automated toll-free telephone applications will remain operational. IRS walk-in taxpayer assistance centers will be closed.

While the government is closed, people with appointments related to examinations (audits), collection, Appeals or Taxpayer Advocate cases should assume their meetings are cancelled. IRS personnel will reschedule those meetings at a later date.

Automated IRS notices will continue to be mailed.  The IRS will not be working any paper correspondence during this period. Here are some basic steps for taxpayers to follow during this period.

How does this affect me? 

  • You should continue to file and pay taxes as normal. Individuals who requested an extension of time to file should file their returns by Oct. 15, 2013.
  • All other tax deadlines remain in effect, including those covering individuals, corporations, partnerships and employers. The regular payroll tax deadlines remain in effect as well.
  • You can file your tax return electronically or on paper –– although the processing of paper returns will be delayed until full government operations resume. Payments accompanying paper tax returns will still be accepted as the IRS receives them.
  • Tax refunds will not be issued until normal government operations resume.
  • Tax software companies, tax practitioners and Free File will remain available to assist with taxes.

What IRS services will be available?

  • For taxpayers seeking assistance, only the automated applications on the regular 800-829-1040 telephone line will remain open.
  • The IRS website, www.IRS.gov, will remain available, although some interactive features may not be available.
  • The IRS Free File partners will continue to accept and file tax returns.
  • Tax software companies will continue to accept and file tax returns.

Tax On Wheels, LLC is open and available to assist you.  Please contact us at 803 732-4288 if we can help you in any way.

IRS Gives Additional Time to Taxpayers and Preparers Affected by Hurricane Sandy; File and Pay by Nov. 7

WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today announced it is granting taxpayers and tax preparers affected by Hurricane Sandy until Nov. 7 to file returns and accompanying payments normally due today.

The relief applies to taxpayers and tax preparers in an area affected by Hurricane Sandy or otherwise impacted by the storm that hit the Mid-Atlantic and Northeastern United States this week.

This relief primarily applies to businesses whose payroll and excise tax returns and payments are normally due today. No action is required by the taxpayer; this relief is automatic. Regular federal tax deposits are due according to current rules. However, the IRS notes that if taxpayers or tax practitioners receive a penalty notice for this period, they can contact the IRS at the number on the notice to request penalty abatement due to reasonable cause on account of the storm.

IRS expects to grant additional filing and payment relief as qualifying disaster declarations are issued by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Details will be posted on the Tax Relief in Disaster Situations page on IRS.gov.

New IRS Fresh Start Initiative Helps Taxpayers Who Owe Taxes

The Internal Revenue Service has expanded its “Fresh Start” initiative to help struggling taxpayers who owe taxes. The following four tips explain the expanded relief for taxpayers.

Penalty relief Part of the initiative relieves some unemployed taxpayers from failure-to-pay penalties. Penalties are one of the biggest factors a financially distressed taxpayer faces on a tax bill.The Fresh Start Penalty Relief Initiative gives eligible taxpayers a six-month extension to fully pay 2011 taxes. Interest still applies on the 2011 taxes from April 15, 2012 until the tax is paid, but you won’t face failure-to-pay penalties if you pay your tax, interest and any other penalties in full by Oct. 15, 2012.

1. The penalty relief is available to two categories of taxpayers:

* Wage earners who have been unemployed at least 30 consecutive days during 2011 or in 2012 up to this year’s April 17 tax deadline.

* Self-employed individuals who experienced a 25 percent or greater reduction in business income in 2011 due to the economy.

To qualify for this penalty relief, your adjusted gross income must not exceed $200,000 if married filing jointly or $100,000 if your filing status is single, married filing separately, head of household, or qualifying widower. Your 2011 balance due can not exceed $50,000.

Taxpayers who qualify need to complete a new Form 1127A to request the 2011 penalty relief. The new form is available on www.irs.gov or by calling 1-800-829-3676 (TAX FORM).

2. Installment agreements An installment agreement is a payment option for those who cannot pay their entire tax bill by the due date. The Fresh Start provisions give more taxpayers the ability to use streamlined installment agreements to catch up on back taxes and also more time to pay.

The new threshold for requesting an installment agreement has been raised from $25,000 to $50,000. This option requires limited financial information, meaning far less burden to the taxpayer. The maximum term for streamlined installment agreements has been raised to six years from the current five-year maximum.

If your debt is more than $50,000, you’ll still need to supply the IRS with a Collection Information Statement (Form 433-A or Form 433-F). You also can pay your balance down to $50,000 or less to qualify for this payment option.

With an installment agreement, you’ll pay less in penalties, but interest continues to accrue on the outstanding balance. In order to qualify for the new expanded streamlined installment agreement, you must agree to monthly direct debit payments.

You can set up an installment agreement with the IRS through the On-line Payment Agreement (OPA) page at www.irs.gov

3. Offer in Compromise Under the first round of Fresh Start in 2011, the IRS expanded the Offer in Compromise (OIC) program to cover a larger group of struggling taxpayers. An Offer in Compromise is an agreement between a taxpayer and the IRS that settles the taxpayer’s tax liabilities for less than the full amount owed.

The IRS recognizes many taxpayers are still struggling to pay their bills so the agency has been working on more common-sense changes to the OIC program to more closely reflect real-world situations.

Generally, an offer will not be accepted if the IRS believes that the liability can be paid in full as a lump sum or through a payment agreement. The IRS looks at the taxpayer’s income and assets to make a determination regarding the taxpayer’s ability to pay.

4. More information A series of eight short videos are available to familiarize taxpayers and practitioners with the IRS collection process. The series “Owe Taxes? Understanding IRS Collection Efforts,” is available on the IRS website, www.irs.gov.

The IRS website has a variety of other online resources available to help taxpayers meet their payment obligations.  See also Offer in Compromise and The What If’s of an Economic Downturn.

Please feel free to contact Tax On Wheels, LLC at 803 732-4288 if we can assist you with this or any other tax issue.

http://youtu.be/cny6o-ahhRU

Change in filing deadline for South Carolina income tax returns

The South Carolina Department of Revenue (SCDOR) will honor the April 17th individual income tax filing deadline set by the Internal Revenue Service.

Since April 15, 2012 falls on a Sunday, and Emancipation Day in Washington, DC (a DC-only holiday) is observed on Monday, April 16th, the official filing deadline will move to the following business day which is Tuesday, April 17th.

SCDOR will honor the federal due date but will not change forms to reflect the April 17th deadline. This deadline applies to any income tax return or payment normally due on April 15th; it also applies to the deadline for requesting a tax-filing extension.

South Carolina taxpayers who file and pay electronically have until May 1, 2012 to do so without penalty or interest being assessed. The May 1st deadline does not apply to federal returns or to SC taxpayers who file paper returns.