OIC Mills Take Advantage of Taxpayers
On 9/19/24, the IRS issued a warning to taxpayers regarding OIC (Offer in Compromise) Mills that are taking advantage of taxpayers. OIC Mills promoters claim that their services are necessary to resolve taxpayer unpaid taxes owed to the IRS while charging excessive fees, often with no results. The promoters utilize aggressive marketing schemes that make […]
Model 1 FFI’s Obtain Extension of Relief
IRS issued Notice 2024-78 on 10/28/24 providing the extension of temporary relief for FATCA Model 1 Financial Institutions (FFI’s) regarding the reporting of U.S. Taxpayer Identification Numbers. This means that the temporary relief outlined in Notice 2023-11 is extended, in accordance with the procedures and requirements specified in this Notice 2024-78, for certain FFI’s that […]
Pass-Through Entities are Under Scrutiny by IRS
On 10/22/24, the IRS announced that is has officially commenced operations of the newly established pass-through field operations unit within its Large Business and International (LB&I) division, which was announced last fall. This initiative aims to enhance the efficiency of audits conducted on pass-through entities. The establishment of a new unit dedicated to overseeing the […]
IRS IP PIN for the 2025 Tax Season
On 10/23/24, the IRS released Notice IR-2024-278 to encourage all taxpayers to sign up for an IRS IP PIN (identity protection personal identification number) to safeguard their identity and help protect against tax-related identity theft. The IRS states that the IP PIN, which is exclusively known to the individual and the IRS, serves to verify […]
Tax Year 2025 IRS Inflation Adjustments
On 10/22/24, the IRS released the annual inflation adjustments for tax year 2025 that will impact taxpayers when they file their 2025 returns in 2026. Following are the main items for tax year 2025: Standard Deductions Marginal Rates Alternative Minimum Tax Exemption Amounts Earned Income Tax Credit For qualifying taxpayers who have three or more […]
TD Bank gets $1.3 Billion Penalty from FinCEN
On 10/10/24, FinCEN assessed a record $1.3 billion penalty against TD Bank for BSA violations. This unprecedented penalty should function as a cautionary message and a warning to all financial institutions. All financial institutions should critically evaluate whether they have developed and sustained a well-structured BSA/AML and CFT compliance program. The risk assessment process of […]
BOI FAQs 10/3/24
On 10/3/24, FinCEN published twenty five (25) new updates to the BOI FAQ webpage. The BOI FAQs 10/3/24 address: access to BOI reports, third party service providers, entity conversion, identifications, community property and exemptions. FinCEN’s last update to the BOI FAQ webpage was on 9/10/24. Business owners ought to understand the importance of keeping up […]
An ITIN is Not Valid Identification Outside the Federal Tax System
An ITIN (Individual Taxpayer Identification Number) is a tax processing number issued by the IRS to foreign nationals and others who have federal tax reporting or filing requirements and do not qualify for Social Security Numbers (SSNs). ITINs are issued regardless of immigration status because both resident and nonresident aliens may have a U.S. filing […]
Hurricane Helene and Milton IRS Relief
On 10/11/24, the IRS announced that it is ready to provide tax assistance for taxpayers affected by Hurricane Helene and Milton that devastated Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina and South Carolina, and parts of Tennessee and Virginia. Assistance applies to individuals and businesses. IRS the tax-related assistance for taxpayers that need to recover from Hurricane […]
Pig Butchering Crypto Scams Rising
Pig Butchering Crypto Scams are scams which resemble the practice of fattening a hog before slaughter. “Victims invest in supposedly legitimate virtual currency investment opportunities before they are conned out of their money. Scammers refer to victims as “pigs,” and may leverage fictitious identities, the guise of potential relationships, and elaborate storylines to “fatten up” […]
Mail Theft-Check Fraud
Back on February 27, 2023, FinCEN issued (in close collaboration with the United States Postal Inspection Service) an Alert on Nationwide Surge in Mail Theft-Related Check Fraud Schemes Targeting the U.S. Mail. Then, on 9/9/24, FinCEN issued a Financial Trend Analysis related to mail theft-check fraud incidents based on Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) data filed […]
BOI Reporting Companies Get More FinCEN Clarification
On 9/10/24, FinCEN updated its BOI FAQs page by adding four new FAQs that provide more clarity to BOI Reporting Companies. The new FAQ’s address the areas of companies that cease to exist, foreign companies that stop doing business in the U.S. and beneficial owners. The last FinCEN update to BOI FAQs was on 7/24/24. […]
