Today, Optima Tax Relief Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, talks about the Child Tax Credit, breaking down what it is and who qualifies. What is the Child Tax Credit? The child tax credit is a tax benefit provided by the IRS to parents […]
Ask Phil: Failure to Pay and Failure to File. Which is Worse?
Today, Optima Tax Relief Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, talks about the common IRS penalties: failure to pay and failure to file, including what each are, and which one is worse for taxpayers. Failure to Pay Penalty The failure to pay penalty is […]
Ask Phil: What’s on Phil’s Tax Radar?
Today, Optima Tax Relief Lead Tax Attorney, Phil, talks about his three takeaways from the current tax landscape. IRS Interest Rates Could Increase For much of the pandemic, we saw IRS interest rates hold steady. For example, the interest rate accumulating on […]
Ask Phil: What If I Can’t Afford to Do My Taxes?
Today, Phil discusses what options you have if you cannot afford to do your taxes. If you can’t afford to do your taxes, you can check to see if you’re eligible for free tax preparation. You can check out these two sites […]
Ask Phil: Tips To Avoid Levies & Liens
Today, Phil gives his top tips on how to avoid IRS levies and liens. Tip #1: Don’t Owe the IRS Avoiding owing the IRS begins with responsible financial management and proactive tax planning. First, maintain accurate records of all income and expenses […]
Ask Phil: What is a Tax Attorney?
Today, Phil explains what a tax attorney is, including what it takes to become one and how they can help you with your tax issues. What is a Tax Attorney? A tax attorney is a legal professional who specializes in tax law. […]
Ask Phil: What is FinCEN?
Today, Phil discusses the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, also known as FinCEN. If you’ve never heard of the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network, you aren’t alone. FinCEN is a bureau of the United States Department of the Treasury. The Financial Crimes Enforcement Network’s […]
Ask Phil: Top 5 Tax Tips for 2024
Today, Phil discusses his top 5 tax tips for 2024. Tax Tip #5: Gather Your Tax Documents Early Most tax forms, including your W-2s and most 1099s, should be sent to you by January 31. However, there are some tax documents that […]
Ask Phil: Welcome to the 2024 Tax Season
Today, Phil discusses the 2024 tax season, including penalty relief and who qualifies for it. The IRS is providing $1 billion in penalty relief to nearly 5 million 2020 and 2021 tax returns. To qualify, you must owe less than $100,000 on […]
Ask Phil: What are Gift Taxes?
Today, Optima Tax Relief’s Lead Tax Attorney, Phil Hwang, discusses gift taxes, including how they work and who is responsible for paying them. The government imposes gift taxes on the transfer of property, money, or assets from one person to another without […]