SweepstakesFilter: My wife (a Canadian like myself) recently won a large number of travel rewards points from an American chain of hotels. Help us determine if the prize is worth keeping considering what we'll have to pay in taxes to the IRS. [more inside]
posted by stungeye on Sep 25, 2009 - 6 answers

Greetings all! My brother, two sisters, and I formed an LLC to administer the ownership of my mom's house when she died. Each of us is has a 25% partnership interest. The LLC was formed in 2005. Well, it turns out my brother has tax debts to the IRS dating back to 2002, and now the IRS wants to put mom's house on the auction block. [more inside]
posted by luciosilla on Aug 26, 2009 - 46 answers

Baby-sitting employer wants to pay under-the-table, but also claim the Child Care Credit using my SSN as a care provider... isn't this asking for trouble? [more inside]
posted by DeucesHigh on May 3, 2009 - 11 answers

I can't pay my taxes right now, but according to the IRS's information form on payment plans, if I can pay within 120 days I don't need a installment plan -- which would charge interest. The form requests that I call the IRS to notify them and get more information. However, I haven't been able to get through on their phone line for the last week, and now it's the 15th. What should I do? [more inside]
posted by foxy_hedgehog on Apr 15, 2009 - 11 answers

Are IRS tax liens part of the public record? If so, is there a public database where I can access current/historical liens against individuals? [more inside]
posted by raz5 on Apr 13, 2009 - 6 answers

Taxfilter: Why does the (US) federal government bother with payroll deductions? [more inside]
posted by Rykey on Mar 4, 2009 - 25 answers

Will the stimulus law affect my tax filling? [more inside]
posted by photomusic86 on Feb 24, 2009 - 3 answers

I filed my taxes online about two or three weeks ago, and completely forgot about a mutual fund I own. Or rather, I remembered it, but because I didn't take anything out of it or put anything into it, I didn't think anything of it. Of course, I forgot about the dividends. So, today I get my Form 1099-DIV from Goldman Sachs, and find that I received $71.04 in total ordinary dividends. What should I do? My taxes were filed electronically and I've already received my state refund. Should I just sit on it and if I'm questioned by the IRS, pay the $10 or whatever in extra taxes? Will I get fined a huge amount if I don't alert them now? If I do alert them, how would I go about doing that? Asking anonymously because I feel like an idiot.
posted by anonymous on Feb 19, 2009 - 8 answers

Should I be paying US taxes? I moved to the UK when I was 14 (1991), and have never drawn an income in the United States, don't maintain a credit card, bank account, address, etc. However, I am still a US citizen, as well as a UK resident (soon to become citizen). A (paranoid and not informed) parent is worried that I'm going to end up in prison for tax evasion. I certainly don't earn enough money that I can afford to be taxed in two countries. Any information is greatly appreciated.
posted by anonymous on Sep 8, 2008 - 12 answers

Gambling and the IRS: I've been honing my poker skills and I think I'm ready to take my game to the next level: professionally. If I begin making gains at both casinos and online, what is my duty in terms of declarations and bookkeeping while filing my taxes?
posted by Christ, what an asshole on Aug 5, 2008 - 12 answers

Any word if the IRS will rate the 2008 mileage rate because of the rapid increase in gas prices? [more inside]
posted by GuyZero on Jun 9, 2008 - 4 answers

Can my great aunt make a $12,000 gift to me, my wife, and each of our two kids (for $48,000 total) without incurring the gift tax? [more inside]
posted by Duluth?! I Hardly Know Her! on May 4, 2008 - 12 answers

How to find a company's Federal Tax ID # (in a hurry!) [more inside]
posted by lattiboy on Apr 15, 2008 - 6 answers

So a friend's just received a bonus from her employer, but the bonuses seem excessive. (The taxes from that bonus exceed the total of taxes that were paid for the entire year.) Is there anything that can be done? [more inside]
posted by leo. on Apr 14, 2008 - 14 answers

Foreign Money Tax Filter: This is likely a silly question, but please humor me. Money sat in an interest-friendly account overseas for 20 years, was finally all withdrawn this year.... [more inside]
posted by paperlanterns on Apr 13, 2008 - 5 answers

Paying US back-taxes: should I go for an installment plan or pay it all now, and pay off the credit card companies instead? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Feb 26, 2008 - 8 answers

What proof do I need to claim the Colorado Alternative Fuel Vehicle Credit on my taxes? [more inside]
posted by cschneid on Feb 17, 2008 - 1 answer

I haven't filed (US and NJ) taxes in... hm. Possibly ever. I'd like to fix that, but have no idea what I made and when, and how to start. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Jan 17, 2008 - 16 answers

Tax question/advice re: UK IT worker moving to US [more inside]
posted by potsmokinghippieoverlord on Nov 18, 2007 - 4 answers

U.S. tax question: Does married filing separately result in the same tax obligation as if a couple living together were filing as single? Does having a child create differering results?
posted by hodyoaten on Oct 8, 2007 - 5 answers

I am a sole proprieter in CA and hiring my wife as an employee. I am having a lot of trouble figuring out the process. I know that the CA EDD is the state agency, and the IRS is the federal agency that we use to make this happen- but neither place states very clearly what to do to tell them that I am hiring her. [more inside]
posted by Chuck Cheeze on Apr 9, 2007 - 4 answers

You are an employee of a non-profit organization. You drive a lot. Your non-profit organization re-imburses you 13c per mile--no it's not a lot, but we all must suffer for the cause. But something you hear bothers you. [more inside]
posted by lockse on Dec 1, 2006 - 12 answers

Is there a law requiring you to pay Income Tax? I saw this video over at youtube, from The FreedomtoFacisim.com website. They say that Income tax is illegal and there are no laws. They even mention that the 16th admendment isn't valid via the supreme court. Ok, are these guys wackos? IRS has guns, so they make the rules, thats all I know.
posted by IronWolve on Nov 5, 2006 - 30 answers

tax-audit-filter: how can i find a reliable and inexpensive tax representative in the washington d.c. area, for help with a surprise audit? of course there's [more inside]
posted by garfy3 on Sep 4, 2006 - 1 answer

Help me with my scary tax problem. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Sep 4, 2006 - 12 answers

I don't think my boss is paying his payroll taxes... should I be concerned? [more inside]
posted by risk on Jun 17, 2006 - 25 answers

I haven't filed last year's taxes yet because I'd been told Uncle Sam didn't mind you filing late, if he owed you (I'm due a tax return, rather than owing taxes). Now, I want to file an extension on this year's taxes, without having sent in last year's. Will doing this trigger the IRS to send thugs to my house? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Apr 13, 2006 - 5 answers

How can I best avoid an IRS audit? My occupation may complicate things: I’m a professional in the adult entertainment industry with a job that is legal (but often perceived as illegal) and an entirely cash-based business. [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Mar 11, 2006 - 20 answers

In 2001, my .com finally imploded in the week after September 11th, when our few remaining clients went out of business. For another couple of years the corporation continued to exist, with me as sole employee, though it was only an after-hours interest -- I've long since moved on from doing anything with this corporation. It's existed only on paper for the past two years while I've paid the IRS, out of my own pocket, some payroll taxes (941 withholdings) that my accounting errors led me to underpay. They (and I) have just noticed that I forgot to file for the Q3 2001. It seems that I paid $6,000 to employees in that final quarter, so I figure my business owes the IRS another couple of thousand dollars in taxes. Now what? I don't have a couple of thousand dollars to throw at this, and the corporation's bank account is all but empty. Can I bargain with the IRS? Will they give me any bonus points for coming forward and telling them about this? Is my moral obligation to personally pay this debt sufficient that I should just buck up and set up a payment plan? What happens if, worst case, I just shut down the corporation? [more inside]
posted by anonymous on Nov 24, 2005 - 14 answers

My parents asked me to become a cosigner on their house purchase (they don't have enough credit to get the house themselves). I am fully willing to accept the financial responsibility, but am wondering if there are any hidden caveats (especially with regard to IRS) that I should be aware of? [more inside]
posted by blindcarboncopy on Mar 5, 2005 - 14 answers

Estate Tax Filter
I've been trying to figure out how much someone can inherit before having to pay a whole mess of taxes on the money. I've been trying to use the IRS Estate and Gift Tax page but am just as confused as before. Can anyone help me out?
posted by fenriq on Feb 7, 2005 - 7 answers

TaxFilter: A co-worker and I both recently relocated and received a relocation allowance. Anything above the cost of the move (excess reimbursement) we were allowed to keep. I know that the excess is taxable income. My co-worker feels that the relocation allowance is like our Meals and Incidental Expenses per diem, we didn't spend all of the allowance, so we get to keep the balance treating it as non-taxable income.

How can I simply explain the difference between a per diem and an excess reimbusrment to him? I've showed him relevant IRS documentation such as Publications 17 and 521 to no avail.
posted by Fat Guy on Feb 5, 2005 - 5 answers

I've recently started a company, structured as a 'C' Corp, to sell my consulting/contracting services. One of the reasons I'm working as a 'C' corporation is so I can have the company pay all medical expenses. I've read from the web and various IRS publications that as long as the Medical Reimbursement Plan is offered to all employees equally (no problem there) then it can be paid for by the company and written off on the corp taxes. But in order to make the MRP legit what, other then limiting medical expenses to those listed as acceptable by the IRS, do I need to do? Special records? Outside plan administrator?
posted by dirtylittlemonkey on Apr 6, 2004 - 3 answers