Tax Help Question – Unfunded Trust Tax Return

Question:  My client has an unfunded trust established in 1999.  A bank account was originally opened up for the trust but the bank account was opened up under her late husbands social security number.  The bank has changed the identification number to the tax id of the trust.  The IRS has now sent the client a letter requesting all back trust returns.  Does a trust tax return need to be filed?

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Quote of the Month – December 2012

When asking yourself questions such as “What is my purpose?” or “What is the meaning of my life?”, it is more important to live the question than getting an answer to the question.  Deepak Chopra


Tax Question – Theft Loss due to Ponzi Scheme

Question: I’ve got a tax question from one of my clients. They have a loss from a ponzi scheme, but it was in an IRA. I was unable to find something on IRS website specific to this situation, but a regular investment would be treated as a theft loss. I’m thinking the IRA would also be handled the same way since it was a theft too. Have you run across anything like this? Continue reading…


Tax Question: Help on Closing Down LLC

Question:  When a company decides to close and they have about $15,000 in inventory that the owners will keep, do the owners need to do anything special for their taxes other than their normal tax return?  The company is an LLC. Continue reading…


CBPP Report: Ten Myths and Realities on Estate Taxation

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities issue a report on ten myths and realities on estate taxation.  There is interesting data such as only the richest 2 in 1,000 estates actually pay estate taxes or the estates that do pay estate tax typically pay less than 1/6 of the value of the estate tax.

The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities  conducts research and analysis at the federal and state levels on public programs and fiscal policy.


IRS S Corporation Late Filing Tax Penalty

If the S-Corporation tax return is filed late, the IRS will add a tax penalty.

S-Corporation tax returns are generally due on March 15.  If an extension is filed, the S-Corporation tax return is due on September 15.  When the tax return is filed late the IRS will add a tax penalty based on the number of months late.  The tax penalty can be removed under certain circumstances.  Learn More on how to remove tax penalty or penalty abatementContinue reading…


Tax Question – Qualifying Child for Health Savings Account

Question: My wife and I have a question about our HSA. We have my kids on her insurance. They are her step kids, and HSA, and BCBS said it was okay. But come to find our we can not use our HSA account for the kids unless she claims them as dependents. Someone that my wife talked too said that there is a law that says we can. Can you help clarify this for us? Continue reading…