The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has the authority to collect your delinquent tax balance via a bank levy under California Revenue and Taxation Code Sections 18817 and 18670. The FTB has the authority to take 100 percent of the balance owed directly out of your bank account. They can…
Tax laws vary greatly from state to state, and in fact, nine states don’t even charge a state income tax. With such diversity of tax laws, it isn’t feasible for a tax lawyer to be fully versed in the statutes of all the other 41 states. However, federal tax laws…
If you or your clients have tax problems and owe California State income taxes, the Tax Man Cometh! The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) is collecting delinquent tax debts through the Financial Institution Record Match (FIRM) program. FIRM uses automated data exchanges to locate bank accounts held by Californians who…
Last month I was quoted in a Tax Analysts article by Amy Hamilton on the lack of a California offshore voluntary disclosure program. The FTB responded that there was something in the works. As if owners of offshore bank accounts didn’t have enough in the way of tax problems, on…
The Detroit News is reporting that Hollywood actress Teri Polo, perhaps best known for playing alongside Robert De Niro and Ben Stiller in “Meet the Parents,” has a tax lien for $433,736. The former Playboy pinup landed the role after a string of TV show appearances, including “The West Wing.”…
The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) has arrested an individual for felony income tax evasion. According to the FTB Phillip Leech was the CFO of In & Out Desighns, Inc. which allegedly earned more than $1.3 million over a three year period, but didn’t file corporate income tax returns. There…
Beginning January 1, 2004 the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) was required, with some limitations, to grant innocent spouse relief to individuals who had previously been granted innocent spouse relief by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) pursuant to Revenue and Taxation Code Section 18533(h). The idea was that someone who…
An article in the California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) November 2008 Tax News publication highlighted the other tax problems that can arise from a tax audit by the California State Board of Equalization (SBE or BOE). Many sales tax audits by the BOE result in a changes to a company’s…
The California Franchise Tax Board (FTB) joined with the California Tax Education Council (CTEC) to warn taxpayers about unregistered tax return preparers. In California only certified public accountants (CPA), attorneys, Internal Revenue Service enrolled agents, and CTEC-Registered tax return preparers are legally permitted to charge for preparing tax returns. According…
The Franchise Tax Board (FTB) announced that it has filed tax evasion charges against a Diamond Springs, California couple who failed to file income tax returns, and failed to report all of their income from their painting businesses on their California State income tax returns for four years running. According…