If you have a dispute with the IRS, it may make it all the way up to the US Tax Court. This is the court where you as the taxpayer file a lawsuit against the IRS saying that what the IRS claimed in its audit was incorrect and that your claims are valid. The US Tax Court is unlike most courts in that it doesn’t determine guilt or innocence, but simply resolves a disagreement between the IRS and a taxpayer. Learning Read More

If you have been notified by the courts that you need to come in to testify as a witness to a crime or other event, you need to take it very seriously. Many people make the mistake of assuming that speaking as a witness is a minor task that can’t really cause any problems. The reality is, however, that witnesses have a variety of obligations to the court, and if you don’t meet them, it can cause serious legal Read More

For nearly a decade, the IRS had a program known as the Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Program (OVDP) in place to help taxpayers minimize penalties and avoid criminal liability when they voluntarily reported hidden offshore bank accounts. While this was considered by many to be an effective program, the IRS ended it in September of 2018. In November of 2018, the IRS announced what is considered to be the replacement Read More

Getting an audit notice from the IRS is every taxpayer’s worst nightmare. It makes sense that such a notice would cause some anxiety and concern. Remember that an audit notice can happen for a number of reasons. From random selection to actual cause, getting a notice doesn’t necessarily mean that something is wrong. There are three main types of audits with varying degrees of involvement. So, if you’ve received a Read More

The right to a trial by jury in criminal cases is guaranteed in the United States by the Sixth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The process of jury selection is called voir dire and involves the random selection of jurors from a jury pool, followed by the subsequent selection of 6 to 12 jurors depending on the type of case and whether the case is in federal court or state court. During voir dire, generally the Read More

The phrase, “You are under arrest,” is never something you want to hear. But unfortunately, getting arrested happens, and regardless of the reason - whether you’re arrested during the alleged commission of a crime or at some other time under suspicion of one - there’s never going to be a time when you feel fully prepared. However, one of the most important things that you can do is to learn as much as you can about Read More

If you have an outstanding debt with the IRS, it’s important to keep in mind the options that are available to you. This is particularly true if the IRS has already embarked on its collection process, such as by filing a bank levy, sending a notice of a federal tax lien, or by seeking to garnish your wages. But, what happens if you dispute the amount that you owe? What steps can you take to remedy the issue? If you Read More

There are several reasons why the IRS might choose to audit you, from random selection to an actual problem related to specific activity (e.g. financial activity that doesn’t match up to what you reported on your return). Regardless of the reason, facing an IRS tax audit can be daunting. If you have received a notice from the IRS that your tax returns are being audited, the first thing to do is contact an experienced Read More

You often hear about people who have opened offshore accounts for illegal or less-than-savory reasons. However, there are many legitimate reasons for having a financial account outside of the US. For instance, banks in the US may not necessarily be the most secure, and we all know what happens when the economy tanks. Regardless of the reason for maintaining offshore accounts, there are complex rules and regulations Read More

Getting convicted of a misdemeanor crime is no big deal...right? Well, not really. Like with felonies, some are worse than others, but all are things that should be taken very seriously. A misdemeanor is still a crime and, even though it might not be the worst crime, it’s still a crime nonetheless. But what does it really mean when you get convicted of a misdemeanor and how badly can it affect your future? The answer Read More