IRS Sends Large Tax Bills for 2021 Unemployment Benefits While some were able to return to work in 2021, approximately 25 million people received unemployment benefits and didn’t withhold taxes. The IRS is now looking to collect back taxes for the $325 […]
How to Protect Yourself from Tax Fraud?
You’ve always filed your income tax returns electronically in the past. Your returns were less vulnerable to calculation errors and you received your tax refund much quicker than you did filing paper returns. But this year, when you attempted to e-file your […]
April 2022 Sees IRS Interest Rates Increase
As of April 1, 2022, the IRS raised its interest rates for the quarter. These changes apply to quarterly taxpayers, such as corporations and self-employed filers. The IRS announced the new rates as follows: How higher IRS interest rates affect your liability […]
IRA Hardship Withdrawal: Everything You Need to Know
If you’re facing financial hard times, your retirement funds begin to look like a good source of much-needed cash. In cases of dire emergency, you may indeed be able to make withdrawals from those funds before you reach retirement age. However, the […]
Optima Newsletter – October 2021
The IRS recently signed contracts with three private-sector collection agencies, taking effect Thursday, Sept. 23, 2021. Taxpayers that are behind on payments toward their debts may be contacted by one of the new agencies. Here’s what you need to know: Read More […]
Tax Evasion, Fraud & the Statute of Limitations
Tax evasion and fraud is not just a problem for white-collar crime criminals. Filing your taxes, particularly if you have considerable assets or run your own business, can be terribly complex. This means that the line between an aggressive – but legal […]
Reducing Taxes on Your Holiday Bonus
As the spirit of generosity is in the air, companies and employees need to know that holiday bonuses are considered supplemental wages and subject to taxes. Holiday bonuses are viewed by the IRS as compensation, just like paychecks, so taxes need to […]
How to Report Foreign Income to the IRS
You may live or work abroad, but if you’re an American citizen or legal permanent resident, Uncle Sam still wants his rightful share of your income. Even if you reside outside the United States and receive earnings from a source located outside […]
How Renting Out Your Home Affects Your Taxes
If you have decided to dive into the sharing economy by renting your home or part of it out — whether it’s through a service like AirBnB or independently — you need to be aware of how the rental income will affect […]
What Does IRS Code 9001 Mean?
There are still many IRS terms and codes that are a mystery to the average taxpayer. Tax terms can be confusing, whether you’re a first-time tax filer or have been filing tax returns for years. IRS Code 9001 is a common error […]