While no one enjoys doing so, everyone has to pay taxes. For many people, taxes are automatically withheld from their paychecks by their employer, and their primary concern is filing their annual tax return. However, paying taxes can become more complicated for small business owners and those who are self-employed. These individuals should be sure to understand the best way to meet their tax obligations in a way that allows them to maintain financial security.

Concerns for Self-Employed Taxpayers

A person is considered self-employed if he or she is the owner of a sole proprietorship, if he or she works as an independent contractor, or if he or she otherwise operates his or her own business. People who are self-employed will not only need to file an annual tax return if they earn a net income of at least $400 in a year, but they must also make estimated tax payments on a quarterly basis.

Tax fraud is common in the United States; however, this type of activity often goes unreported or undiscovered. Tax fraud not only affects the government’s ability to obtain funds used to provide essential services to citizens, but fraud can also take the form of tax scams that seriously harm many individuals. If you suspect that a person, business, or organization is committing tax fraud, you should understand the steps you can take to report this fraud to the IRS.

Reporting Tax Fraud

Depending on the type of fraud, there are different methods of reporting information to the IRS:

U.S. taxpayers who own assets held in foreign countries are required to report the assets to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and pay taxes on income from the assets. For taxpayers who have not met their reporting requirements, the IRS has provided a variety of methods for compliance, including the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP). However, the IRS has announced that the OVDP will end September 28, 2018.

Offshore Tax Compliance Options

The current version of the OVDP, which was instituted in 2014, allows taxpayers with undisclosed foreign assets to become compliant with IRS requirements, thus minimizing the civil penalties they are required to pay and avoiding the possibility of criminal prosecution for tax evasion. This program is meant to allow those who have willfully failed to report foreign assets to achieve compliance and pay any taxes that are owed, as well as applicable penalties. 

People and organizations can violate tax laws in the United States in a variety of ways, thus leading to disputes with the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) regarding tax assessments, collections, or other issues. After the IRS makes a decision following an audit or sends a notice of a collection action, taxpayers may be able to contest the decision through the IRS Office of Appeals. One method to begin the tax appeal process is by filing a written protest.

Requirements for a Written Protest

When the IRS makes a decision about the taxes a person owes or the methods of collecting payments, it will send a notice to the taxpayer. The taxpayer can then file a formal written protest that should include the following information:

Every person must pay taxes. No matter one’s job, income level, or the amount of assets owned, most people are unhappy with the amount that the government takes. But while there are many ways to legally minimize the amount of taxes a person is obligated to pay, some people take additional, illegal steps to evade paying taxes. 

Tax fraud is a crime that can result in serious consequences; however, many people also fall prey to tax scams that promise to substantially reduce or completely eliminate the taxes a person must pay. In order to avoid criminal prosecution for tax evasion, it is important to recognize and avoid these abusive tax schemes. 

Types of Abusive Tax Schemes