Six Sigma Accounting LLC

02/03/2016

Phishing Remains on the IRS “Dirty Dozen” List of Tax Scams for the 2016 Filing Season
IRS YouTube Video:
• Phishing-Malware: English | Spanish | ASL
• Taxes. Security. Together. – English
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service today warned taxpayers to watch out for fake emails or websites looking to steal personal information. These “phishing” schemes continue to be on the annual IRS list of “Dirty Dozen” tax scams for the 2016 filing season.
Criminals pose as a person or organization you trust and/or recognize. They may hack an email account and send mass emails under another person’s name. They may pose as a bank, credit card company, tax software provider or government agency. Criminals go to great lengths to create websites that appear legitimate but contain phony log-in pages. These criminals hope victims will take the bait to get the victim’s money, passwords, Social Security number and identity.
"Criminals are constantly looking for new ways to trick you out of your personal financial information so be extremely cautious about opening strange emails," said IRS Commissioner John Koskinen. "The IRS won't send you an email about a tax bill or refund out of the blue. We urge taxpayers not to click on any unexpected emails claiming to be from the IRS."
Scam emails and websites also can infect your computer with malware without you even knowing it. The malware can give the criminal access to your device, enabling them to access all your sensitive files or track your keyboard strokes, exposing login information.
Compiled annually, the “Dirty Dozen” lists a variety of common scams that taxpayers may encounter anytime but many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their returns or find people to help with their taxes.
Illegal scams can lead to significant penalties and interest and possible criminal prosecution. IRS Criminal Investigation works closely with the Department of Justice (DOJ) to shutdown scams and prosecute the criminals behind them.
The IRS has teamed up with state revenue departments and the tax industry to make sure taxpayers understand the dangers to their personal and financial data as part of the “Taxes. Security. Together” campaign.
If a taxpayer receives an unsolicited email that appears to be from either the IRS or an organization closely linked to the IRS, such as the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS), report it by sending it to [email protected]. Learn more by going to the Report Phishing and Online Scams page.
It is important to keep in mind the IRS generally does not initiate contact with taxpayers by email to request personal or financial information. This includes any type of electronic communication, such as text messages and social media channels. The IRS has information online that can help protect taxpayers from email scams.
Each and every taxpayer has a set of fundamental rights they should be aware of when dealing with the IRS. These are your Taxpayer Bill of Rights. Explore your rights and our obligations to protect them on IRS.gov.
Additional IRS Resources:
• Report Phishing and Online Scams
• www.irs.gov/identitytheft
• IRS and Partner Statements on the October 2015 Security Summit Meeting
• IRS Fact Sheet 2016-1: IRS, States and Tax Industry Combat Identity Theft and Refund Fraud on Many Fronts
• IRS Fact Sheet 2016-2: IRS, States and Tax Industry Urge Taxpayers to Join the Effort to Combat Identity Theft
• IRS Fact Sheet 2016-3: IRS Identity Theft Victim Assistance: How It Works
• IRS Fact Sheet 2016-4: How New Identity Security Changes May Affect Taxpayers for 2016

Identity theft places a burden on its victims and presents a challenge to businesses, organizations and government agencies, including the IRS. Tax-related identity theft occurs when someone uses your stolen Social Security number to file a tax return claiming a fraudulent refund.

12/29/2015

St Mary's Food Bank also qualifies

12/29/2015

https://yoto.org/2015-arizona-tax-credit-donation/

12/29/2015

If you live in AZ and you itemize (own a home with a mortgage), make sure you make your year end tax credit donations. You can do 400 to public schools and 400 for the the AZ Charitable Tax Credit (Half for single). You actually get a return on your investment for this. You get a dollar for dollar credit on your state and also a deduction on your federal. Call me if you have any questions 480-203-8079. It's a no brainer!
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08/26/2015

Issue Number: HCTT-2015-52
Inside This Issue
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Aug. 25, 2015 File As Soon As Possible to Maintain Eligibility for Advance Payments of the Premium Tax Credit
The IRS is sending letters to taxpayers who received advance payments of the premium tax credit in 2014, but who have not yet filed their tax return. You must file a tax return to reconcile any advance credit payments you received in 2014 and to maintain your eligibility for future premium assistance. If you do not file, you will not be eligible for advance payments of the premium tax credit in 2016.
If you receive a Letter 5591, 5591A, or 5596, you are being reminded to file your 2014 federal tax return along with Form 8962, Premium Tax Credit. The letter encourages you to file within 30 days of the date of the letter to substantially increase your chances of avoiding a gap in receiving assistance with paying Marketplace health insurance coverage in 2016.
Here’s what you need to do if you received a 5591 or 5591A letter:
• Read your letter carefully.
• Review the situation to see if you agree with the information in the letter.
• Use the Form 1095-A that you received from your Marketplace to complete your return. If you need a copy of your Form 1095-A, log in to your HealthCare.gov or state Marketplace account or call your Marketplace call center.
• File your 2014 tax return with Form 8962 as soon as possible, even if you don’t normally have to file.
• If you have already filed your 2014 tax return with Form 8962, you can disregard the letter.
Here’s what you need to do if you received a 5596 letter:
• Read your letter carefully.
• Review the situation to see if you agree with the information in the letter.
• Use the Form 1095-A that you received from your Marketplace to complete Form 8962. If you need a copy of your Form 1095-A, log in to your HealthCare.gov or state Marketplace account or call your Marketplace call center.
• File your 2014 tax return with Form 8962 as soon as possible, even though you have an extension until October 15, 2015, to file.
• If you have already filed your 2014 tax return with Form 8962, please disregard this letter.
For more information, see the Affordable Care Act Tax Provisions for Individuals and Families page on IRS.gov/aca.
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The Affordable Care Act contains comprehensive health insurance reforms and includes tax provisions that affect individuals, families, businesses, insurers, tax-exempt organizations and government entities. These tax provisions contain important changes, including how individuals and families file t…

08/25/2015

Have you done your tax planning for 2015 yet? Now is the time to get with your tax professional to do a projection so you can minimize your taxes. If you are in a low income year you may want to delay deductions. If you are in a high income year you probably want to accelerate deductions. Knowing what income tax bracket you are in is key. If you don't have a tax professional or are unhappy with your current professional I would be happy to give you a free consultation for any questions you might have. Have a great day!

08/22/2015

Scam Phone Calls Continue; IRS Identifies Five Easy Ways to Spot Suspicious Calls
Español
IR-2014-84, Aug. 28, 2014
WASHINGTON — The Internal Revenue Service issued a consumer alert today providing taxpayers with additional tips to protect themselves from telephone scam artists calling and pretending to be with the IRS.
These callers may demand money or may say you have a refund due and try to trick you into sharing private information. These con artists can sound convincing when they call. They may know a lot about you, and they usually alter the caller ID to make it look like the IRS is calling. They use fake names and bogus IRS identification badge numbers. If you don’t answer, they often leave an “urgent” callback request.
“These telephone scams are being seen in every part of the country, and we urge people not to be deceived by these threatening phone calls,” IRS Commissioner John Koskinen said. “We have formal processes in place for people with tax issues. The IRS respects taxpayer rights, and these angry, shake-down calls are not how we do business.”
The IRS reminds people that they can know pretty easily when a supposed IRS caller is a fake. Here are five things the scammers often do but the IRS will not do. Any one of these five things is a tell-tale sign of a scam. The IRS will never:
Call to demand immediate payment, nor will we call about taxes owed without first having mailed you a bill..

Demand that you pay taxes without giving you the opportunity to question or appeal the amount they say you owe.

Require you to use a specific payment method for your taxes, such as a prepaid debit card.

Ask for credit or debit card numbers over the phone.

Threaten to bring in local police or other law-enforcement groups to have you arrested for not paying.
If you get a phone call from someone claiming to be from the IRS and asking for money, here’s what you should do:
If you know you owe taxes or think you might owe, call the IRS at 1.800.829.1040. The IRS workers can help you with a payment issue.

If you know you don’t owe taxes or have no reason to believe that you do, report the incident to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) at 1.800.366.4484 or at www.tigta.gov.

You can file a complaint using the FTC Complaint Assistant; choose “Other” and then “Imposter Scams.” If the complaint involves someone impersonating the IRS, include the words “IRS Telephone Scam” in the notes.
Remember, too, the IRS does not use unsolicited email, text messages or any social media to discuss your personal tax issue. For more information on reporting tax scams, go to www.irs.gov and type “scam” in the search box.
Additional information about tax scams are available on IRS social media sites, including YouTube and Tumblr where people can search “scam” to find all the scam-related posts.

TIGTA: promoting integrity in the administration of internal revenue laws. The United States Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) was established in January 1999 in accordance with the Internal Revenue Service Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (RRA 98) to provide independent…

08/22/2015

http://www.irs.gov/uac/What%27s-Hot

In the past few years, there have been several laws passed that have tax implications. For more information, visit our pages on:

08/22/2015

Welcome to my Facebook business Page. Stay tuned for helpful tax tips and updates. If you have any tax questions, need tax prep or consultation, I'd be glad to help.