The IRS, pummeled for years by congressional Republicans and funding cuts, faces the challenge of administering the most sweeping overhaul of the U.S. tax code in three decades. But first the beleaguered agency had to get through the current tax-filing season. The final year under the "old" tax regime, 2017, has to be accounted for by taxpayers in returns by Tuesday. So how did the agency do? Did pencil-chewing taxpayers get their questions answered over the phone? Did early filers get prompt refunds? The average refund so far? About $2,900. Acting Internal Revenue Service Commissioner David Kautter is due to report Thursday to the tax-writing Senate Finance Committee. The panel's chairman, Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, said attention will be on ensuring the agency "is well staffed and has the technology it needs to serve taxpayers, reduce fraud and keep taxpayer information secure." The Most Dangerous Countries for Americans to Visit The massive Republican tax-cut legislation was … [Read more...] about After Tax Season, Beleaguered IRS Must Deal With Code Overhaul
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Con artists take their IRS scam to the tax preparers
By Susan Tompor, Detroit Free Press Published 12:00 am, Sunday, April 8, 2018 window._taboola = window._taboola || []; _taboola.push({ mode: 'thumbnails-c', container: 'taboola-interstitial-gallery-thumbnails-3', placement: 'Interstitial Gallery Thumbnails 3', target_type: 'mix' }); _taboola.push({flush: true}); Photo: Jenny Kane, STF / Associated Press Image 1of/3 CaptionClose Image 1 of 3 We’re all worried that somehow our Social Security numbers and other personal data are out there after the Equifax hacking incident. We’re all worried that somehow our Social Security numbers and other personal data are out there after the Equifax hacking incident. Photo: Jenny Kane, STF / Associated Press Image 2 of 3 Financial IRS tax return forms Financial IRS tax return forms … [Read more...] about Con artists take their IRS scam to the tax preparers
Boston IRS employee accused of shoving gun into intern’s mouth, rape
BOSTON A Boston Internal Revenue Service employee is accused of shoving his gun in an intern’s mouth before raping her in his car, according to court documents. >> Read more trending news James Clarke was arraigned Thursday on charges related to an evening last July he spent with a female intern at the Boston IRS office. According to Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley, Clarke was having drinks with the intern before he offered to drive her back to South Station so she could catch a train. It was inside Clarke’s IRS-issued car on the sixth floor of the Government Center parking garage where he allegedly handcuffed her under the guise that she was interested in police work. However, the district attorney’s office said that’s where Clarke took the interaction too far. IRS agent charged with raping & assaulting his intern with a gun & handcuffs inside his government-issued car. The disturbing details … [Read more...] about Boston IRS employee accused of shoving gun into intern’s mouth, rape
IRS agent pleads not guilty to aggravated rape and other charges for allegedly assaulting intern
Visit The Boston Globe Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Comment on this Scroll to top of page Travis Andersen Globe Staff April 05, 2018 An Internal Revenue Service agent got a 21-year-old intern drunk last July and then allegedly handcuffed her in his government-issued car in Boston before shoving “his service weapon deep into her mouth” and raping her, a Suffolk prosecutor said Thursday.The allegations were made during the arraignment of James R. Clarke, 44, in Suffolk Superior Court. He pleaded not guilty to charges including aggravated rape, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon, and indecent assault and battery.The agent — who was assigned to the IRS criminal investigations office in Boston at the time of the incident — was released on personal recognizance after a magistrate rejected a prosecution request that bail be set at $10,000 cash. Advertisement Clarke and his father left court without speaking to reporters. … [Read more...] about IRS agent pleads not guilty to aggravated rape and other charges for allegedly assaulting intern
Don’t Get Tripped Up By The IRS Tweak To Health Savings Accounts
It’s tax time, and this week I answered questions from readers about the penalty for not having health insurance as well as changes to health savings accounts. I also discuss health insurance coverage options for a reader’s parents who are immigrants and green card holders.Q: I heard that health savings account rules would be loosened under the new spending bill passed by Congress last month. Did that happen?No. In fact, the standards have become slightly tighter this year.In recent years, members of Congress from both parties have supported expanding eligibility for health savings accounts and how the money in them can be spent, among other things. To date, though, those proposals haven’t become law.Health savings accounts, which are linked to high-deductible health plans, continue to multiply. In 2017, there were 22 million accounts totaling more than $45 billion in assets, an increase of 11 percent in the number of accounts over the previous year, according to … [Read more...] about Don’t Get Tripped Up By The IRS Tweak To Health Savings Accounts