Month: October 2008

How To Pick A Good IRS Tax Lawyer

Posted by on October 29, 2008

Getting out of IRS related problems can often be a tricky thing and so, to make matters simpler, it is best to hire an IRS tax lawyer who is experienced enough to handle your tax related issues. You need to look for an IRS tax lawyer that is able to prove practical ability in handling sensitive IRS related issues and who also knows the tax system inside out.

Takes Care Of Specific Issues

As far as IRS issues are concerned there are many different cases that can arise. No matter that you need to handle IRS or even state tax bodies you will have to hire an IRS tax lawyer whose experience in taking care of specific issues related to your taxes will help you resolve matters with the IRS in the most effective manner.

Just like a person hires a divorce lawyer when filing for a divorce; similarly, hiring an IRS tax lawyer to deal with tax related issues makes perfect sense. Not only will the IRS tax lawyer handle matters on your behalf but if they are competent they will be able to save you from going to jail and also help affect savings as well.

You need to start off by checking their credentials so as to establish beyond reasonable doubt that they have the qualifications, expertise as well as experience to handle your tax related matters, when it comes to choosing the right IRS tax lawyer. In addition, you should ask for references and check these to ensure that the lawyer is who he says he is.

The best IRS tax lawyer would be one that is creative because he can then take advantage of the many loopholes and vagueness of existing tax laws. In addition, they should be absolute masters of tax laws and must be able to get you the best deal – no matter that it is a routine matter that they are handling or a complicated issue.

Finally, you need to ensure that the IRS tax lawyer that you employ is an absolute authority in regard to handling your case and should know the particular tax sector applicable to your case like the back of his hand.

Before filing your income tax returns it is recommended that you should take the guidance that a good income tax lawyer will provide that will show you the right way of planning your taxes and which will also ensure that you are not charged with trying to evade taxes.

In the final analysis, hiring an IRS tax lawyer makes good sense. Just don’t make the common mistake which is to hire the first lawyer that comes to mind. Speak with a few and look for those who charge reasonably but provide competent services.

View more articles at www.lawyers.jsgenterprises.com.

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Considering an IRA Rollover? Know What Your Options Are First

Posted by on October 28, 2008

Have you been contributing to a 401(k) plan but are no longer working for the employer due to job change, downsizing or retirement? If so, you should strongly consider moving those assets to an IRA rollover account.  Here are the options to be aware of so you can make a well-informed decision.

The IRA rollover is an account designed to receive retirement assets rolled over from an ex-employer’s retirement plan such as a 401(k).  The IRA rollover allows funds to be transferred tax free and penalty free from other retirement plans and allows those assets to continue to grow tax deferred until retirement.

There are two types of IRA rollovers:

Indirect Rollover:  Once you have selected the financial institution you want to open your IRA rollover with, you can elect to take a cash distribution from your original 401(k) plan and then deposit the money into your IRA within 60 days.  Your employer is required by law to withhold 20% for prepayment of federal income taxes.  However, in order to avoid taxes and penalties, the entire distribution amount (including the 20% withheld for income taxes) must be deposited into your IRA.  If any amount, including the 20% withholding, is not rolled over within 60 days then that amount will be subject to taxes and possible IRS penalties.

Direct Rollover: With this option, you give your employer authorization to make your check payable directly to your new IRA custodian (the financial institution you opened your IRA account with.)  Under this option, there is no tax withholding, no taxes or penalties. Your retirement savings will continue to grow tax-deferred. 

If you do not move your assets from your 401(k) to an IRA rollover, you can leave them in your former employer’s plan and do nothing or you can transfer the funds to your new employer’s retirement plan if they offer one. However, you need to check your new employer’s plan rules as they may not allow you to transfer money in.  

Alternatively, you can cash out of your 401(k) completely and pay IRS taxes and possible penalties, and keep the balance for yourself.  However, this option is usually not advisable since you could lose 50% or more to taxes and penalties if you go this route.

If you have a 401(k) with a previous employer, you should strongly consider transferring those funds into an IRA rollover because you will have control over your retirement account.  If you leave your assets in your former employer’s plan (or transfer them to your new employer’s plan) and if either company should undergo financial troubles, you don’t want to have to worry about the problems that could arise with your retirement account.  

Ultimately, you should be the one in control of your own money and you can gain some of that control back with an IRA rollover.  Look for the best possible ways to protect your assets and generate higher returns on your retirement income.

For more investment tips and to obtain a Free industry report entitled “3 Simple Steps to Double Your Retirement Income Using Federally Approved Programs”, click here.

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Factoring provides much needed cash flow for companies

Posted by on October 28, 2008

Invoice factoring is the practice of selling the interest in receivables or invoices to a third-party, or “factor,” at a discount. By factoring receivables a company can leverage the value of its receivables by collecting the funds from the factor well in advance of the payment by its customers. Factoring receivables allows a company to reduce payment turnaround by 30-45 days.

Invoice factoring is the practice of selling the interest in receivables or invoices to a third-party, or “factor,” at a discount. By factoring receivables a company can leverage the value of its receivables by collecting the funds from the factor well in advance of the payment by its customers. Factoring receivables allows a company to reduce payment turnaround by 30-45 days.

An example of a factoring transaction may occur as follows:

A factoring agent may purchase invoices from a particular company the face value of which is $100,000. Immediately, the factoring company will provide the company with $80,000 or 80% of the value these receivables. The factor then bills the invoices, collects the revenue and then returns between $16,000 - $18,000 to the sourcing company. The cost to the company, then, is approximately 2-4% of the original invoices but the benefit is having cash-in-hand quickly.

Large corporations have been factoring receivables for many years. It is only recently that smaller businesses have had this funding mechanism available. Banks may be reluctant to provide capital to a company without substantial assets. The practice of invoice factoring enables smaller companies to leverage the booked value of receivables without incurring debt.

Factoring receivables allows these companies to convert their accounts receivable into instant cash. Once they have delivered a product or service and generated an approved invoice, they can get their money in as little as 24 hrs. Factoring receivables can help a company stay current with its vendors and meet other financial obligations such as payroll and taxes.

Other types of financing generally require two years in business and showing a profit. Factoring receivables does not have this limitation. Young, growing companies or those with tax liens and even bankruptcy can still qualify for accounts receivable purchasing lines.

A company may be interested in factoring receivables in order to take advantage of opportunities that require immediate cash. Some companies may want to fund some operational expense while others may want to invest in an expansion project that would ordinarily be delayed. No matter what the reason, it is extremely helpful for a company to know that by factoring receivables it is possible to reap the benefits of sales now, rather than later.

During these difficult economic times, business owners that are feeling the cash squeeze may want to use invoice factoring to convert receivables quickly into sorely needed cash.

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Taxes and the Stock Market

Posted by on October 28, 2008

Stocks for beginners can be confusing if you are just starting out in the stock market. You might be wondering how you will be affected by taxes. Will you owe money on your gains and how much? What if you lose? And what if you lose on some stocks and have gains on others?

Learning how to buy stocks for beginners is easy but once you own the stock it gets harder. Lets use an example and say that you bought and sold your first stock and made a gain. That’s great but you now you will owe taxes! You will have to send the IRS the tax at the end of the quarter and you will have to learn how to do that. It is not like your paycheck where the taxes are automatically deducted. If you invest in stocks, you are going to have to keep track of everything and send the IRS their cut every quarter you have a gain.

When it is time for taxes you are going to have to fill out Schedule D and report your gain. If you are going to be investing in the stock market you are going to have to keep track of every transaction whether it is a gain or a loss. Again, the government is not going to do it for you and you will have to request an estimated payment form and send in your money quarterly.

Every stock sale you makei s going to have to go on that Schedule D at year’s end. If you are going to trade stock, you have to understand and accept this. There is no getting around it as the brokerage companies are required by law to report all your transactions to the IRS. If your records do not match what is reported, you may very well be audited. If not audited, you will at least be contacted by the IRS and told that your records don’t match what was reported by the IRS. Can penalties be far behind?

If you sell stock and have a loss for the year, you can use up to $3,000.00 of that loss. If your stock trading loss is bigger than $3000.00, the amount over that has to be carried over until the next year. This is difficult to understand and is a very unfair rule made up by polititians who think that only rich people invest in the stock market. If you have a loss over $3000.00, you really are allowed to only deducted $3000.00. This can be very problematic for someone who has big losses for the year.

The stock market for dummies is a hard enough place and when you add in the tax record keeping it can become a little overwhelming. Unfortunately for all of us, the government doesn’t care.

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Tips On Finding The Right Accountant

Posted by on October 28, 2008

Whether you are hoping to have someone look over your business’s books or you just need some help getting your taxes in order, you will find that there are plenty of different options in front of you.  There are plenty of accountants out there, but how are you going to be sure that you are going to get the one that suits you and that understands your affairs?  I know from my experience of looking for Birmingham accountants that getting the right accountant can be something of a challenge, and if you are looking for one at the moment, there are a few things that you need to keep in mind.

The first thing that you need to make sure of is that your accountant needs to be familiar with your affairs.Have they worked with a client like you previously?Are they fully experienced in dealing with your industry and type of business?  The practice of accountancy is something that can be a very specific field, and you are going to be best off if you have someone who is familiar with the work that you are doing right off the bat.

It’s important to examine the testimonials of companies you’ve located on the internet.Don’t take their claims at face value - talk to some of their previous clients to see how good they really are.  You will find that if you are looking to make sure that you have a good accountant that you should have someone that other people would recommend.

Sometimes you’ll decide to deal with an accountancy firm.  Working with a firm can be a good thing, because it gives you a little more stability and it will also introduce you to a wealth of pooled knowledge.  Unfortunately, this also might mean that you are not going to get very personalized service and that the service that you are going to get is all about making sure that you are going to be in and out quickly.  When you are looking to make sure that you are going to get the kind of service that you need, you are going to find that you are going to need to ask some hard questions about who will be working with your account and what they are going to be doing.

When you are looking for the accountant who is just right for you, you will also find that you should stop and think about making sure that you are going to be able to stop and to ask the other people in your field.  This is an area where there is a lot to be said for a good personal recommendation, and if you are looking to make sure that you can get a lot of work taken care of, you’ll find that you can learn a lot by going to your friends and colleagues and asking about their experiences. For example, just recently I was able to recommend a firm of Sheffield accountants based entirely on positive personal dealings I had experienced with them previously.

This one of the most important decisions you can make so take your time and get it right!

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