Avoid Summertime Tax Scams

Ah, summertime! Warm days, rest and recreation and…tax scams. Thieves don’t stop victimizing unsuspecting taxpayers with their scams after April 15. Identity theft, phone and phishing scams happen year-round. Those three top the IRS’s ‘Dirty Dozen’ list of tax scams this year. Here’s some important information you should know about these common tax scams:

Inherited IRAs Not Excluded From Bankruptcy Estate – Supreme Court Clark v. Rameker (Sup Ct. 6/12/14) 113AFTR 2d 2014-889

When and individual files for bankruptcy, they may exempt particular categories of assets from the bankruptcy estate.  One such category includes certain retirement funds.  The question presented is whether funds contained in an inherited individual retirement account (IRA) qualify as retirement funds within the meaning of this bankruptcy exemption.  The Supreme Court holds that they…

Final Circular 230 Regulations Eliminate Covered Opinion Rule Among Other Changes

IRS has issued final Regs that make various changes to Circular 230, the rules on practice before IRS.  The most significant items in the final Regs are the elimination of complex rules governing “covered opinions” and expansion of the requirements for written advice.