Los Angeles California Tax Attorney Blog

Torrance Tax Attorney - The Internal Revenue Service today urged IRS taxpayers who need additional time to complete their tax returns to submit their requests for an automatic extension electronically by April 15.

The IRS tax extension gives taxpayers until Oct. 15 to file the IRS tax return. An IRS tax extension does not give the IRS taxpayer an extension of time to pay. Those who owe taxes can make a payment when they file the extension either by mailing a check or by several electronic payment methods, such as electronic funds withdrawals from bank accounts and credit card payments.

Some IRS taxpayers can wait until after April 15 to file a return, pay any taxes due and make IRA contributions for 2007. As a general rule, those eligible get the extra time without having to ask for it. Eligible IRS taxpayers include:

Members of the military serving in Iraq, Afghanistan or other combat zone localities. Normally, the postponement is until 180 days after the service member leaves the combat zone.
Disaster-area taxpayers in four states affected by recent floods, storms and tornadoes. The postponement is until May 6 in parts of Illinois, May 19 in parts of Georgia and parts of Missouri and May 27 in parts of Arkansas.

IRS expects to receive 10.3 million extension requests during 2008 compared with 10 million extensions received during 2007. The IRS expects to receive almost 2 million extension requests electronically this year.

Taxpayers can get an automatic six-month extension of time to file their tax returns by filing Form 4868, Automatic Extension of Time to File.

It is also important for extension filers to remember that Oct, 15 is not only the due date for their tax returns, it is also the last date on which a return can be filed that will result in an economic stimulus payment. Taxpayers who file earlier, however, will get their economic stimulus payments sooner.

If you are experiencing tax problems or facing potential criminal investigation by the IRS, you may consider speaking with a tax attorney in the south bay area.

IRS Selects Tax Attorney From Los Angeles California

Los Angeles Tax Attorney – Internal Revenue Service Tax Attorney Donald L. Korb has selected David Hasen as the 2008-2009 Professor in Residence.

The IRS professor in residence reports directly to the IRS chief counsel and provides tax advice and assistance on a wide array of tax related legal issues within the scope of his or her legal expertise.

Hasen has been an assistant professor at the University of Michigan Law School since 2002. Also during the spring 2008 term, he has been a visiting faculty member at the University of Southern California - Los Angeles, Gould School of Law. Previously, he taught as a visitor at Hastings College of the Law in California concerning IRS tax problems.

Hasen has written about the taxation of financial instruments, the tax consequences of unwinding transactions and the taxation of advance payments. Hasen worked as an associate in the tax law groups of national tax law firms based in San Francisco. He holds a J.D. from Yale Law School, a Ph.D. from Harvard University and a B.A. from Reed College.

The IRS Office of Chief Counsel revived its Tax Professor in Residence program in 2006 after being dormant since the late 1980s. The program provides some of the nation's top tax legal academicians the opportunity to contribute to the development of IRS' legal tax policy and IRS tax administration.

Los Angeles Tax Attorney — The Internal Revenue Service today reminded IRS taxpayers and tax lawyers that information about the economic stimulus payment is available in Spanish. Many IRS taxpayers in throughout Los Angeles, San Diego, Orange County, San Jose, Oakland and San Francisco who speak Spanish can now obtain all IRS payment plan information in their native language.

Information also is available for Spanish-speaking retirees, disabled veterans and low-wage workers who normally do not have a tax filing requirement but must file a tax return this year to receive an economic stimulus payment. All stimulus payment details are available at Centro de Información Sobre los Pagos de Estímulo Económico.

Starting in May, the IRS will issue economic stimulus payments of up to $600 ($1,200 for married couples) for people who have an adjusted gross income of less than $75,000 in adjusted gross income ($150,000 for married couples). There also is a payment of $300 for each qualifying child younger than 17.

People who normally do not pay IRS taxes because their income is too low or nontaxable also may be eligible. People in this category must have at least $3,000 in qualifying income from, or a combination from, earned income, nontaxable combat pay and certain benefits from Social Security, Veterans Affairs and Railroad Retirement Board.

To be eligible, people cannot be dependents or eligible to be dependents on another’s tax return. Eligible people must also have a valid Social Security number. IRS taxpayers with Individual Taxpayer Identification Numbers are not eligible.

Most taxpayers just need to file a tax return as usual. The IRS will take care of the calculations. However, the eligible retirees, disabled veterans and low-income workers who normally do not file a return, must file a Form 1040A and write “economic stimulus payment” across the top.

Newly translated information includes the Package 1040A-3, an 8-page package of instructions, a sample Form 1040A and a blank Form 1040A. It contains everything needed to file a return immediately. Also, Free File – Economic Stimulus Payment is now available in Spanish.

If you are in the following areas, you may also contact a tax lawyer for further information:
Alhambra Arcadia Artesia Beverly Hills Burbank Calabasas Carson Cerritos Chatsworth Culver City Diamond Bar Downey El Monte El Segundo Gardena Glendale Hacienda Heights Harbor City Hermosa Beach Hollywood Industry La Canada Lakewood Lancaster Lawndale Lomita Long Beach Los Angeles Malibu Manhattan Beach Marina Del Rey Montebello Monterey North Hollywood Northridge Norwalk Palmdale Pasadena Pomona Rancho Palos Verdes Redondo Beach Rolling Hills Rosemead San Dimas San Fernando San Gabriel San Marino San Pedro Santa Clarita Santa Fe Springs Santa Monica Sherman Oaks Studio City Torrance Valencia Van Nuys West Covina West Hollywood West Los Angeles Woodland Hills

Los Angeles Tax Attorney — The Internal Revenue Service is requesting membership nominations from Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego, San Jose and Oakland area tax attorneys and tax advisors for the Information Reporting Program Advisory Committee. The deadline for submitting applications to the IRS is May 30, 2008.
Established in 1991, IRS’ Adivsory Committee provides recommendations to IRS leadership on a wide range of information reporting and administration issues. The committee presents a report to the IRS commissioner each year at a public meeting in the fall.

In order to effectively advise the IRS commissioner and executives, members are drawn from substantially diverse backgrounds. Members include representatives of the taxpaying public, the tax professional community, small and large businesses, colleges and universities, state tax administrations, banks, insurance, foreign financial institutions and the payroll community.
"IRPAC plays an important role in the nation's tax system," said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. "The group's broad knowledge of information reporting is invaluable to our tax administration efforts."

IRPAC is comprised of up to 35 members who are appointed to three-year terms by the commissioner. Each year, approximately one-third of the membership terms expire. Nominations are currently being accepted for up to six appointments that begin January 2009.
Interested parties may nominate themselves or a qualified person for membership. All nominees must complete an application and federal tax check waiver form. In addition, FBI background checks using fingerprints and, if applicable, practitioner checks are required of all nominees.

Orange County Tax Attorney — National Taxpayer Advocate Nina E. Olson announced today that the IRS will accept applications for a part-year Low Income Taxpayer Clinic (LITC) matching grant from qualified organizations that will provide IRS tax services to qualified taxpayers in the following areas: Los Angeles, California; Central Oregon; Boise, Idaho; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Reno and Las Vegas, Nevada; St. Louis, Missouri; Brownsville and Laredo, Texas; Southwest Florida; New Mexico; Colorado; Mississippi; and Northeast Pennsylvania.

The supplemental application period for this grant will run from March 24, 2008, until April 24, 2008. The grant will cover the balance of the 2008 grant cycle (the 2008 grant cycle runs January 1, 2008, through December 31, 2008), and successful applicants may be eligible for a regular full-year grant for the 2009 grant cycle.

LITCs are qualifying organizations that provide representation for free or for a nominal charge to low income taxpayers involved in tax disputes with the IRS. They also provide education on taxpayer rights and responsibilities to taxpayers for whom English is a second language.

The LITC grant program is a federal program that is administered by the Taxpayer Advocate Service. The Taxpayer Advocate Service is an independent organization within the IRS whose employees assist taxpayers who are experiencing economic harm, who are seeking help in resolving tax problems that have not been resolved through normal channels, or who believe that an IRS system or procedure is not working as it should.

The program is now in its tenth year and continues to expand. To date in 2008, the LITC Program Office has awarded LITC grants to 154 organizations in all 50 states, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and Guam.

To be considered for a supplemental 2008 LITC grant, a qualifying organization must be in a position to provide qualified services to taxpayers in the aforementioned areas. Qualifying organizations can apply for matching grants for the remainder of the 2008 grant cycle if they either provide representation for free or for a nominal fee to low income taxpayers involved in tax disputes with the IRS or provide education on taxpayer rights and responsibilities to taxpayers for whom English is a second language.

Examples of qualifying organizations include: (1) clinical programs at accredited law, business or accounting schools, whose students may represent low income taxpayers in tax disputes with the IRS, and (2) organizations exempt from tax under I.R.C. § 501(a) which represent low income taxpayers in tax disputes with the IRS or refer those taxpayers to qualified representatives.

As noted, the supplemental application period will begin March 24, 2008.

Applications for grants must be electronically submitted or postmarked by April 24, 2008. Grant decisions will be made by June 1, 2008, and funds awarded can only be used for the remainder of the 2008 grant cycle. Grant funds may be awarded for start-up expenditures incurred by new clinics during the grant cycle.

Taxpayers with IRS tax problems in the following communities may contact tax attorney here.: Aliso Viejo Anaheim Brea Buena Park Costa Mesa Cypress Dana Point East Irvine El Toro Foothill Ranch Fountain Valley Fullerton Garden Grove Huntington Beach Irvine La Habra Ladera Ranch Laguna Beach Laguna Hills Laguna Niguel Laguna Woods Mission Viejo Monarch Beach Newport Beach Newport Coast Orange Placentia Rancho Santa Margarita San Juan Capistrano SantaAna Seal Beach Tustin Westminster Yorba Linda