California Tax Law Blog
Beware of Scammers
The IRS will never call a taxpayer and ask for financial information. If you receive a call, letter, or e-mail from someone requesting financial information related to the $1,200 economic impact payment, assume it is a scam. For more scams and alerts, see this IRS...
FTB Relief Related to COVID-19
The FTB has announced an extension of time for taxpayers to file their tax returns and make payments to the FTB. This applies to individuals and businesses with a California tax return or payment due between March 15th and June 15th. Taxpayers do not need to be...
Good Weedmaps Review? Good Luck, Cannabis Industry
Federal criminal prosecutors have requested records from Weedmaps, an online directory and review of cannabis retailers, for marijuana consumers. The Eastern District of California issued a subpoena to Weedmaps, requesting documents from about 30 companies listed on...
Back by Popular Demand – IRS Renews some 2019 Tax Benefits
Change is inevitable but when it is beneficial to taxpayers, it is also good news. The IRS has extended certain tax provisions for individuals, including the above-the-line qualified tuition and related expenses deduction, mortgage insurance premiums treated as...
High-Income Earners a Target for the IRS
Money may buy a lot of things, but it won’t buy time with the IRS. In an effort to ensure compliance and fairness, the IRS stated it will increase efforts concerning high-income taxpayers who have filed to timely file one or more years of tax returns. Read more...
Uber and Postmates Denied Injunctive Relief Against AB 5
Uber and Postmates hit another AB 5 roadblock this month when a California district court refused to enjoin enforcement of AB 5, finding that AB 5 is rationally related to the state’s valid interest in preventing misclassification of works, that the plaintiffs could...
Impressive Action to End Sophisticated Offshore Tax Evasion
The J5 joined forces recently to thwart tax evasion activities by an international financial institution located in Central America that facilitated the concealment and transfer of wealth around the world. This first-time action has paid off in achieving the joint...
Avoid “Ghost” Tax Return Preparers
The IRS recently warned taxpayers about a trend that could ultimately leave taxpayers spooked. Whenever taxpayers pay a professional to prepare their tax return, the tax professional must sign the tax return and include their PTIN number on the return. A “ghost” tax...
Good News for California Truckers and other Independent Contractors
Two recent court decisions are helping to quell the effects of the recently-passed Assembly Bill AB 5 (Gonzales, Chaptered September 18, 2019) in regard to California trucking companies, by determining that federal law preempts the most problematic part of both AB 5...
Gig Economy and Other Worker Classification May Differ for Federal and California Purposes
Nearly a year ago, the U.S. Department of Labor issued an opinion that most "gig economy" workers are properly classified as independent contractors.The gig economy labor market is made up of individuals who complete short-term contracts or freelance work, rather than...
