Wednesday, September 30th, 2009 by Moore McLaughlin
According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, state revenue agents have been looking at MySpace and Facebook postings to catch tax scofflaws. Click here for the full article.
For example, in Minnesota the tax authorities found a tax evader after he announced on his MySpace page that he was returning to his home 
town to work and mentioned his new employer. Genius!
Agents in Nebraska caught a DJ after announcing one of his gigs. Brilliant!
California caught wind of a rigger of sails through an on-line thread to collect a 4-figure sum. Outstanding!
Personally, I love these stories. Can’t get enough of them. Of course, I also watch all of the “Caught in the Act” and “World’s Dumbest Criminals” episodes I can.
Back in the real world, Tom Quinn and I help people with their IRS, Rhode Island and Massachusetts tax problems on a daily basis. If you owe the IRS, Rhode Island or Massachusetts taxes, contact us at 401-421-5115 or by e-mail at mmclaughlin@mclaughlinquinn.com or tquinn@mclaughlinquinn.com for more information on how we can help you.
Tags: collection, Facebook, IRS, IRS and state tax collections, levy, lien, mclaughlin & quinn, Moore McLaughlin, MySpace, Providence, Rhode Island, sales tax, state taxes, Thomas P. Quinn, Wall Street Journal
Posted in Current Events, Financial workout, IRS and state tax collections, Tax Current Events and News
Monday, April 27th, 2009 by Moore McLaughlin
Not a day goes by when I don’t hear a radio or TV ad for a company that will “help you settle your back taxes for pennies on the dollar.” Not a week goes by where Tom and I don’t get a new client who was taken by one of these companies. These companies profit from instilling fear and by creating unrealistic expectations. Tom Quinn and I continue to hear stories of $5,000 up front fees that result in submitting an unrealistic offer in compromise that is not accepted. Once the offer is rejected, the client is told that additional fees are required for further representation.
Tom’s background in IRS collections and both of our years in private practice representing clients in IRS collections has taught us the realities of negotiating and dealing with the IRS. We understand what is and what is not possible. We go the extra mile to ensure that our clients have appropriate expectations, even if we contradict the radio ads.
I would like to see more attorneys general of the various states go after these companies. The Massachusetts Attorney General and the attorneys general of 17 other states entered into a consent agreement with one of the leading tax relief companies last summer and forced them to pay a substantial amount in restitution to consumers that were misled. Read full article here. The New York City Department of Consumer Affairs won a settlement against another noted tax relief company in 2006, finding that she deceived consumers. Read full article here. Perhaps the Federal Trade Commission or the IRS should take action. It brings me and Tom no pleasure to have to charge additional fees to a client who has already paid substantial fees to one of these companies, and who still owes the taxes, penalties and interest.
Contact your CPA or us if you owe back taxes and we can steer you in the right direction.
Tags: asset protection, collection, debt, debt relief, installment agreement, IRS, IRS and state tax collections, IRS levy, IRS lien, levy, lien, Massachusetts, offer in compromise, Providence, Rhode Island, tax lien, Thomas P. Quinn, wage levy
Posted in Asset Protection Planning, Financial workout, IRS and state tax collections, Tax planning