Comprehensive Tax & Legal Solutions

Mockensturm, Ltd. Legal Blog

Intentionally paying your federal tax bill late?

Most of the time, paying your taxes on time is the best strategy. The Internal Revenue Service takes a dim view of late payments and it charges interest and penalties for that late payment. In addition, you still must file your income tax return on time or request an...

Tax planning for 2017

With the beginning of a new presidency and with Congress in Republican control, it seems likely that there could be more changes made to the Internal Revenue Code than in an average year. There have been major tax proposals made that could result in significant...

For FATCA Streamlined compliance, answer carefully

The Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) has been in effect for more than two years. The law, which has revolutionized tax compliance for American citizens with overseas accounts, was passed in 2010. During that time, the IRS has been extraordinarily successful...

No substitute for experience with taxes

The tax code is very large and complex. That is no surprise to anyone who has seen the volumes of the tax code in a law office or a library. And it is no surprise that understanding how it works and how all of the parts fit together is a lifetime’s occupation. If you...

Six reasons why you might get audited

A tax audit sounds like everyone’s worst nightmare. An IRS audit can take years and thousands of dollars. Although there is no perfect equation that will result in a tax audit, there are certain red flags that will raise your chances of getting one. If you find...

Strict compliance with the tax code means just that

One of the more difficult concepts of tax law is that for the most part, it is arbitrary. While there is some narrative that follows from the idea that tax is typically owed on “all income from whatever source derived,” the devil is in the details and if you gaze on...

What’s a John Doe summons

In most cases when a law enforcement agency wants information, it can use a summons, for instance, if it wants additional information from a taxpayer concerning details of their tax returns from specific years. A summons typically is issued by a court for an...

What is reasonable compensation? Pt. 2

Last week, we looked at the factors the Tax Court uses to determine if compensation paid to employee/owners of a company qualify as “reasonable.” In a case involving a concrete contractor, the court found that the five-factor test supported the company’s assertion...

What is reasonable compensation? Pt. 1

When a company pays employees, it is presumed to some degree, that it pays them only enough to prevent them from leaving and going to work elsewhere. This equation changes when the company is controlled by the individual being paid. The IRS often suspects owners are...