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 Deadlines Looming - See TaxMama's 2004 Calendar April 30 - Payroll & Sales Tax Returns Due June 15 - 2nd Estimated Payment Due (personal) - Personal Income Tax Returns Due (overseas) July 15 - Partnerships and 1041s Due or extensioin  Dear Family, IRS is pushing really hard on the audit issue. (See IRS News for more information.) One of the areas they're looking into is criminal activity by tax preparers. So, let's talk about that for just a moment. First, let's talk about the real crooks, those who cook up a scheme to deliberately falsify tax returns. If anyone offers to put fake or average numbers on your tax return - run. You're going to get caught. Let's face it, if you learned they were doing this, how hard do you think it is for IRS to learn about them. When IRS looks at them, they also audit all the returns that preparer has filed. Most of us don't deal with people like that. Most taxpayers, I really believe, are essentially ethical. But, sometimes, you get hit with a really big, unexpected bill. Then what? You push your Tax Pro to go beyond the law to find ways to reduce that bill, just this once. It can't hurt. No one will notice. IRS WILL. Though, if you're reading this, you're not the sort of person who'd be doing anything that hurtful - to yourself or your pro. But you have friends and family who do behave this way. Here's how you can help them avoid embarrassing themselves, endangering their Tax Pro, and save lots of money in the process. It's simple, really. You might want to try this, too. CALL A TAX PROFESSIONAL NOW, TO SCHEDULE AN APPOINTMENT TO DISCUSS YOUR FINANCIAL AND TAX ISSUES THIS SUMMER. If you do it now, it will be on your schedule, and theirs. If you tell them some of your concerns, in advance, you'll have time to dig out everything you need to bring, so you can ask the right questions. And they'll have time to research some of the issues for you. Bonus! Once you know what you need to do to legally reduce your taxes, you'll have several months to implement the plan. Let's face it, as my friend Pam pointed out yesterday, there are so many legal ways to cut taxes or to get refunds from prior years. Why does anyone need to cheat? All you need to do is PLAN. The House passed a budget. It's meaningless, until the Senate passes theirs. And the Senate passed a bill that would cut out tarrifs on foreign companies doing business in the U.S. Those are extra taxes companies from affected countries used to pay to bring their merchandise into the US. For us, until now, it means Microsoft's and others' prices were able to remain competitive, while imported products cost us more. Watch prices go down on imports. We'll need that with gasoline going up. Hugs to all. And Happy Birthday to Mindy! Eva Rosenberg, EA Your TaxMama is watching ... out for you.  |
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