Taxes

Roni Deutch Scam One of Many

While Roni Deutch sales reps boast of a 99% success rate, barely 10% of their clients are actually granted a reduction in their tax bills. Based on these figures, it is expected that the total fees paid by clients greatly exceeds the total reductions in income taxes approved. California’s Attorney General labeled what has been called by many the Roni Deutch scam as a “heartless scheme” that swindled money from those with tax problems. Tax Lady Roni Deutch has aired hundreds of television commercials claiming that she has decades of experience in negotiating reductions in income tax bills. Continue reading

Refund Anticipation Loans Harder to Come By

The Internal Revenue Service has scored one for the disadvantaged tax filer. The IRS announced that it will no longer supply banks with the information they need to determine the likelihood that a tax filer will actually receive their refund. Continue reading

How to Claim Residential Energy Tax Credit

In this current political, cultural, and economic environment of energy conservation, the IRS passed the Residential Energy Tax Credit to help those households which purchase items that are more energy efficient. The push to these more energy conscious products is two-fold; for one, they help decrease utility bills for the household over the long-run, and also decrease the amount of energy used, allowing a greater amount of energy to be conserved. Continue reading

How to Get Help with an Audit

Taxpayer Advocate Service (a division of the IRS)

The Taxpayer Advocate Service (TAS) is an independent organization within the IRS whose role is to represent taxpayers with difficulties resolving their tax issues through normal IRS channels. TAS is a free-of-charge service which was established in 2002 to address “grass-roots” issues (those raised by the TAS panelists and the general public) and improve the customer service of the IRS. Continue reading

American Opportunity Tax Credit

College expenses, like costs in many other sectors, are steadily rising and it is becoming more and more difficult to cover these expenses. Books, tuition, and computers are just a few of these rising costs that make school so expensive. We can try and save money but, larger economic factors are makes it difficult to control education costs. For instance choosing to go to school in-state to lower tuition or choosing a state institution instead of a private institutions, are good ways to save money, however these strategies are not enough when tuition prices are rising everywhere. Luckily, there is a new tax credit to make this situation a little easier to bear. Continue reading

What is the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC)?

The federally funded Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) is a refundable tax credit, aimed at supporting lower and middle class American families. Typically, a household with one qualifying child can receive a maximum credit of approximately $3,043, while any household with two qualifying children can receive a credit of up to $5,028.1 Continue reading