When love crosses borders, tax complexity often follows. I know this from first-hand experience having married a Swiss national almost 4 decades ago. When U.S. citizens marry foreign nationals who are not U.S. tax residents a host of U.S. tax rules can upend marital bliss by causing tax compliance complexities that are often difficult to … Continue reading A Complicated U.S. Tax Life: Foreign Spouses And Community Property
Tag: foreign assets
Corporate ‘Loans’: The Debt v. Equity IRS Challenge And Tax Nightmares
Lenders who advance cash to corporations often do so with a clear expectation: the company will repay the principal and will pay interest, and the borrower will report interest income. Yet for U.S. taxpayers the moment of truth comes much later, sometimes years after the money has left the bank—when the IRS, or a court, … Continue reading Corporate ‘Loans’: The Debt v. Equity IRS Challenge And Tax Nightmares
WEBINAR – Back By Popular Demand FBAR, FBAR, FBAR!
Learn all about FBAR and expand services to your clients with confidence. Maybe even land Pope Leo XIV as a new client since his Holiness probably has to file FinCEN Form 114 for the Vatican Bank's accounts. Understand your own compliance risks and what to do if you are not compliant. This is the FBAR … Continue reading WEBINAR – Back By Popular Demand FBAR, FBAR, FBAR!
Understanding Joint Ownership And Estate Tax: Deep Dive Into The Rules
When it comes to estate planning, how you hold property with others can have significant tax implications after you have passed on. Internal Revenue Code Section 2040 governs how joint ownership of property with right of survivorship is treated for federal estate tax purposes. The rules can catch even the most astute investors off guard. … Continue reading Understanding Joint Ownership And Estate Tax: Deep Dive Into The Rules
Offshore Tax Evasion: U.S. Clients Of Trident Trust Target Of IRS John Doe Summons
The Department of Justice and the Internal Revenue Service have recently reaffirmed their strong commitment to pursuing offshore tax evasion through the use of powerful investigative tools. One such tool is the IRS John Doe Summons. On Dec. 23, 2024, the United States District Court for the Southern District of New York granted the IRS authority … Continue reading Offshore Tax Evasion: U.S. Clients Of Trident Trust Target Of IRS John Doe Summons
Bitcoin Jesus Challenges Constitutionality Of Expatriation “Exit Tax”
Roger Ver, an early Bitcoin investor renowned as “Bitcoin Jesus” for his evangelism of cryptocurrency since 2011, now finds himself in a legal maelstrom. Ver, a controversial figure in the blockchain world, was arrested in April 2024 in Spain on U.S. criminal charges stemming from allegations of mail fraud, tax evasion, and filing false tax … Continue reading Bitcoin Jesus Challenges Constitutionality Of Expatriation “Exit Tax”
IRS Tax Records, Foreign Assets: When (And What) To Keep Or Toss
Many people face the dilemma of what to do with old tax returns and supporting paperwork, often wondering when it’s safe to discard them. However, determining the right time can be tricky, especially for taxpayers with foreign assets. Those with overseas financial interests must pay particular attention for several reasons, including expanded statutes of limitation … Continue reading IRS Tax Records, Foreign Assets: When (And What) To Keep Or Toss
11th Circuit Holds FBAR Penalties Are Subject to the Excessive Fines Clause: A Significant Taxpayer Weapon
A recent decision from the 11th Circuit in United States v. Isac Schwarzbaum brings a major development in FBAR (Foreign Bank Account Reporting) penalties and their relationship with the Eighth Amendment's Excessive Fines Clause. The court's holding that FBAR penalties are subject to this constitutional protection under the Excessive Fines Clause is significant, offering taxpayers … Continue reading 11th Circuit Holds FBAR Penalties Are Subject to the Excessive Fines Clause: A Significant Taxpayer Weapon
IRS Increased Audits Of The Rich: A Flop In Finding Noncompliance
My article copied below first appeared on Forbes July 12, 2024 – link here. You can follow me on Forbes for free. ~~~~~ The June 20, 2024 report by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration came as a shock to many. The TIGTA report explained that to meet an audit quota set in 2020, … Continue reading IRS Increased Audits Of The Rich: A Flop In Finding Noncompliance
Mr. Taxman @IRS: Looks Like My Money, But It Really Isn’t…
The Department of Justice and the IRS are champing at the bit to nail former defense contractor, Douglas Edelman, and his French wife Delphine Le Dain. They were charged with schemes to defraud the United States and evade taxes on more than $350 million using a complicated nominee arrangement. "Oh Mr. Taxman, I know it looks like my … Continue reading Mr. Taxman @IRS: Looks Like My Money, But It Really Isn’t…









