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Check These Lines Before Signing That Bottom Line: Wolters Kluwer, CCH Examines Common Tax-Filing Blunders to Avoid(RIVERWOODS, ILL., January 2014) – Preparing all necessary forms and documentation before filling out a Form 1040 return can be challenging in any tax season, especially since numbers for all qualifying credits and deductions need to be crunched and calculated accurately. Honest mistakes do happen, but those attempting to purposely exaggerate a few details or bend the rules in their financial favor could be looking at serious legal penalties – including tax evasion charges, fines and even a prison sentence. CCH, a part of Wolters Kluwer and a leading global provider of tax, accounting and audit information, software and services (CCHGroup.com), highlights a checklist of common mistakes and potential blunders taxpayers need to know – before winding up in hot water with the IRS. “Some may think they’re automatically entitled to certain tax breaks, but it pays to check with a professional preparer or trusted resource to know for sure about expected credits, deductions or new rules regarding specific taxpayer benefits,” said Wolters Kluwer, CCH Principal Federal Tax Analyst Mark Luscombe, JD, LLM, CPA. “IRS investigators will dig deep to determine if a mistake was simply an oversight that can be easily corrected or an intentional attempt to avoid paying taxes.” Checklist of frequent errors to avoid: ___ Not paying taxes on unemployment, wages, tips or other income – Those receiving unemployment benefits are expected to pay taxes on all government financial support they receive. And those in the work force are expected to report all of their income – whether it comes in the form of wages or tips. All investment income, including interest, dividends and capital gains, also needs to be reported and may be subject to different tax rules. ___ Not paying taxes on household help – Taxpayers who hire a nanny or other household workers are required to withhold and pay FICA taxes if cash wages totaled $1,800 or more in 2013. They also must report and pay the required employment taxes for domestic employees on Schedule H, Household Employment Taxes, with the tax amount then transferred to the appropriate line on their Form 1040 or 1040A. ___ Not reporting gifts given over $14,000 – When someone receives a gift, its value is excludable from their gross income, meaning it’s not taxable to them. However, if they later sell it or receive any other income from the gift, that amount is taxable. Taxpayers giving gifts in excess of $14,000 as a single filer or $28,000 as a split gift by joint filers have two options to satisfy their tax obligation: Pay taxes on the amount above the limit or apply it against their lifetime gift tax exemption ($5,250,000 in 2013, up from the $5,120,000 limit for 2012). ___ Inflating the value of charitable donations – The IRS expects people donating items to qualified charitable organizations to use fair market value in determining what each item is worth. For non-cash donations of more than $500, a written description of the donated property must also be furnished and non-cash donations of more than $5,000 must be appraised. Additionally, cash donations of any amount require proof, such as a cancelled check, credit card statement or receipt from the charity. And contributions of $250 or more also require a letter from the organization specifying the name of the donor, the amount given and the date received. ___ Exaggerating business expenses – The IRS pays close attention to fraudulent tax abuses such as inflating business expenses or attempting to write-off personal and family expenses under the guise of a home-based business, where deductions are clearly invalid or where a business doesn’t exist. For expenses to qualify as business deductions they must be ordinary and necessary expenses paid or incurred in carrying on a trade or business. Taxpayers must have proof to legitimize business deductions such as receipts. Sole proprietorships may claim business expenses on Schedule C, Profit or Loss from Business. Partnerships and joint ventures generally report expenses on Form 1065 or 1065-B. ___ Under-withholding of taxes – Generally, income tax follows a pay-as-you-go approach, meaning taxpayers must pay taxes on income they earn during the year it’s earned. This is done through preparing a Form W-4 so your employees can withhold the correct amount or by paying estimated taxes on a quarterly basis. Under-withholding results in owing back taxes as well as a possible penalty, which is typically interest on the amount under-withheld. ___ Not paying taxes on income earned abroad or from offshore accounts – Taxpayers must report worldwide income, within and outside of the United States, on their tax returns. That includes income from foreign countries and applies even if you didn’t receive Forms W-2, 1099 or their foreign equivalents. Those who don’t report all taxable income from overseas business transactions or offshore accounts could face civil and criminal penalties. ___ Not reporting income from gambling or illegal schemes – Form 1040, line 21 and Schedule A, line 28 on Form 1040 tax returns are intended for reporting various financial gains and losses. Whether you had a lucky night at the casino or financially benefited from an illegal transaction, such as a Ponzi scheme, embezzlement or other types of fraud, line 21 is the taxpayer’s opportunity to tell all. For those who choose not to report gambling winnings or ill-gotten gains, they could be facing income tax evasion charges down the road. ___ Not filing a tax return – Ever since the federal income tax began in 1913, there have been many legal challenges to the system that have fallen short. Most people are required to file a federal income tax return. Income thresholds for those who must file range based on age and filing status. For single filers under age 65 for 2013, returns must be filed if they earn $10,000; returns must be filed for married couples under age 65 filing jointly if their income is $20,000 or more. Not filing a tax return when required is considered income tax evasion with penalties including paying back taxes, interest, possible fines and potentially serving a prison sentence in the most serious cases. Other common mistakes on tax returns:
2014 Filing Deadline Remains April 15Despite the IRS delaying the start of the current tax season – pushing the date to when it would start processing returns to January 31, the tax filing deadline day still remains midnight on Tuesday, April 15. As usual, taxpayers can request a filing extension until October 15, but they must file that request and still pay any tax due (using IRS Form 4868) by April 15. About CCH, a part of Wolters KluwerCCH, a part of Wolters Kluwer (CCHGroup.com) is a leading global provider of tax, accounting and audit information, software and services. It has served tax, accounting and business professionals since 1913. Among its market-leading solutions are The ProSystem fx® Suite, CCH Axcess™, CCH® IntelliConnect®, Accounting Research Manager® and the U.S. Master Tax Guide®. CCH is based in Riverwoods, Ill. Follow us on Twitter @CCHMediaHelp. Wolters Kluwer (www.wolterskluwer.com) is a market-leading global information services company. Wolters Kluwer is headquartered in Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands. Its shares are quoted on Euronext Amsterdam (WKL) and are included in the AEX and Euronext 100 indices. --###-- nb-14-16
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