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HUMOR IS THE GLUE THAT HOLDS US TOGETHER
Don’t Call Me Later, Call Me Dad
In the words of the comedic Charlie Chaplin, “A day without laughter is a day wasted!” As a part of our culture at IRS Trouble Solvers, we place a large emphasis on team-building and camaraderie. Like many other companies today, we are split — 50% of our employees
April is National Humor Month, a time to embrace the value of humor in our lives and the importance of making light of certain situations. While there’s a right time and place for humor, nobody can deny that it is an essential part of life. All work and no play would make for a boring, uneventful existence. Our team knows me well for my dad jokes — I’m always sliding them in here and there, and I like to set them up in stories so nobody sees them coming. Let me explain: I recently returned from Nashville where I spoke at a conference. Once I was done, I popped into a local boot shop and browsed around. After I left the shop and walked around a corner, I spotted an Apple Store with a ton of commotion outside. Then, in a flash, a man sprinted by me so quickly that I could feel the wind hit me in the face. I think I had just witnessed a crime take place! I then asked myself, what am I? Well, I’m an iWitness!
work remotely and the other 50% are in-house. We have a huddle first thing every morning. This huddle isn’t to discuss business or technical matters, but instead to focus on those light “water cooler” conversations that foster trust and relationships. All 20 of our team members chat, laugh, and have fun — it’s a great start to the day. To me, the most important element of these morning team meetings is humor. Laughter relieves stress, breaks down walls and barriers, helps others to feel more comfortable, and puts us at ease. It’s often said that laughter is the best medicine, and how true I find this to be! It helps to break down one of the largest barriers we face here — distance. When we can all make light of the same situation or just take time to laugh and giggle together, it helps us to forget about the many miles between some of us. Humor bonds us together.
Why are elevator jokes so good? Because they work on so many levels!
I wouldn’t ever buy anything with Velcro because it’s a rip-off!
APR 2023
I could go on and on, and I always have these bad boys up my sleeve. At the end of the day, it’s all about creating and building relationships, and humor is one of the best ways to do so. -Ben Golden
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S CORP, C CO HAVE YOU FILED YOU
5 DOCUMENTARIES TO WATCH ON EARTH DAY
It’s Crucial to File on Time!
Every April, the tax deadline arrives. With spring-cleaning, renewal, and rebirth on our minds, it’s time to get your ducks in a row and prepare to file your taxes. Are all of your documents organized? Do you have all of your receipts? Most importantly, are you ready to file on time? We all know April is the tax filing deadline, but like clockwork, some taxpayers still fail to file their tax returns each year. And unfortunately, failing to file your taxes on time brings a plethora of consequences, beginning with penalties. Did you know the IRS recognizes failure to file and failure to pay as a crime? And if the IRS can prove a willful attempt to evade taxes, you could be sentenced to up to five years in prison and pay up to $250,000 in fines. The penalties you incur depend on what exactly you did not do by the deadline in April. You may face a penalty for failing to submit a return or an extension. If 60 days pass and you still haven’t filed, the minimum penalty you face is $435, along with 100% of the tax you owe. Failure to file comes with a penalty of 5% of your unpaid taxes for each month or a part of the month the tax return is late.
Share the Facts With Your Whole Family!
Earth Day is coming up on Saturday, April 22. But do your kids know why we commemorate the holiday? Do you? If you don’t know much about the history of environmentalism — or just want to learn more about the state of our planet — consider celebrating Earth Day by watching a documentary as a family. Dozens of fantastic films cover everything from the crusade to preserve our coral reefs to how farmers use soil health to enhance the planet. Here are a few of our favorites. ‘Kids Take Action Against Ocean Plastic’ — This short five-minute documentary from National Geographic follows a group of Hawaiian students determined to clean up their local beaches. It’s available for free on National Geographic’s YouTube channel! (If you watch it and love this documentary, check out the PG-rated flick “Plastic Island” on Netflix, which tackles the same issue in Indonesia.) ‘Brave Blue World: Racing to Solve Our Water Crisis ’ — This PG-rated documentary about water security takes place on five continents and stars celebrities Liam Neeson, Matt Damon, and Jaden Smith. Check it out on Netflix. ‘Extinction: The Facts’ — This hard-hitting documentary from famous nature historian David Attenborough is perfect for kids ages 16 and up. It tackles serious topics like species loss, food and water shortages, and the relationship between climate change and pandemic diseases. “Extinction: The Facts” is available on PBS.org or Prime Video. ‘Kiss the Ground’ — Join actor Woody Harrelson on Netflix for an inspiring look at soil, why it matters, and what farmers and activists are doing to save and enhance it — and our food supply. The documentary is family-friendly and rated G. None of these documentaries existed in 1970 when anti-pollution activists came together to create Earth Day, build the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and pass laws to protect our air and water. But they’re a wonderful extension of that spirit! Hopefully, you will be able to find time to watch at least one of them this month. After watching, consider taking action and volunteering for a green project near you.
When you incur debt (interest included) with the IRS, you will be granted a
Tasty Spinach Artichoke Dip
Inspired by DinnerAtTheZoo.com
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ORP, OR LLC UR 2022 TAXES YET?
WIN OF THE MONTH The Devil’s in the Details CASE SNAPSHOT Client: Professional Nanny With a Side Business Type of IRS Issue: Business Taxes Tax Year in Question: 2018 IRS Claimed Liability: $43,380.93 Savings: $40,864. 27 Our client ran an online market, and after seeing a decrease/lack of return on investment, she decided to close up shop. Month after month, she was barely breaking even, and when taxes rolled around, she forgot to include her business in the return. To her surprise, the IRS tracked her down and attempted to obtain the taxes owed. Thus, she came to us with a proposed liability of $43,380.93 from the IRS. According to her 1099 form, she had made much more revenue than what was showing on the return. The problem was that no fees or “Cost of Goods Sold” were calculated into that amount. We urged our client to file a tax court petition to correct the situation. Thankfully, the client kept excellent records, and we could provide the IRS with over 1,000 pages of documents to prove that her actual income was nominal. While waiting for the tax court date, the IRS actually assessed the amount against her (even though the petition was filed timely.) We were then able to provide special instructions to get the assessment removed while we awaited tax court. A special counsel reviewed and was extremely impressed with the documentation we provided, and her final liability was reduced from $43,380.93 to only $2,516.66. We were also able to successfully remove an under-reporting penalty! Ultimately, we were able to provide savings of roughly 90%!
collection statute expiration date (CSED), which essentially is the last day (typically 10 years out) of the collection period for the IRS to collect on the debt. Ultimately, the best way to avoid penalties is to file and pay on time. And if you cannot prepare your tax return by the deadline, apply for an extension. And if you cannot pay
on time, apply for a payment plan. This is because filing for an extension to file doesn’t save you from facing a penalty for failing to pay.
If you find you owe penalties for non- filing or non-payment of taxes, contact us at 206-970-4477. We’re here to help!
INGREDIENTS
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1/4 tsp black pepper 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided
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8 oz spinach leaves
8 oz cream cheese, softened
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1 cup sour cream
3/4 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts
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Sliced bread, crackers, or tortilla chips for serving
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1 tsp minced garlic
1/2 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In a medium pan, steam or sauté spinach until wilted. When spinach cools, wring out excess water, then chop coarsely. 3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. 4. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. 5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is bubbly. Turn the oven to broil and cook for an additional 2–3 minutes so the cheese will begin to brown. 6. Immediately serve with bread, crackers, or tortilla chips.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
IRS Trouble Solvers ™ ®
100 S. York Road, Suite 214 Elmhurst, IL 60126 www.IRSTroubleSolvers.com 630-832-6500 | 877-4-IRSLAW
1 Let’s Bond Over Dad Jokes 2 Earth Day Documentaries to Watch April Is the Tax Deadline! Tasty Spinach Artichoke Dip 3 Win of the Month 4 New Trend Alert: ‘Infladating’ INSIDE THIS ISSUE
INTRODUCING ‘INFLADATING’
NORMALIZING A CHEAP DATE
Watch the sunset. Head to the local park, beach, or lake to watch the sunset. It’s free, romantic, and simple. Even if you just hold hands and take in the views, it’s a great way to connect and relax. Volunteer together. Volunteering is one of the best ways to help others and stay active in your community. It’s also a great way to learn about someone. It reveals their passions, strengths, beliefs, and skills. Take a hike. Spending time in nature is a great way to bond. Whether it’s a relaxing walk on a flat trail or breaking a sweat on a more challenging route, hiking in the great outdoors is a perfect date idea to unleash your adventurous side. You may even see beautiful wildflowers or wildlife. Infladating allows you to become more creative, intentional, and thoughtful with your date ideas! So, think more carefully about how you can get creative with your date ideas and save money at the same time!
Dating isn’t cheap! Dinner and a movie, along with the cost of gas, ride services, drinks, and flowers, can quickly burn a hole in your wallet, especially when you factor in inflation. Even though a steak or lobster dinner may be unrealistic during these uncertain times, there are still plenty of ways to enjoy a date! It’s called “infladating,” a term coined by the Plenty of Fish dating app, and it aims to save you money on date night. To avoid going broke while searching for love, here are five financially savvy infladating options! Have dinner in. Ordering takeout and cuddling up on the couch under a fuzzy blanket while watching a movie is a great way to bond and learn more about each other — not to mention it’s romantic! You can pause the movie for bathroom and ice cream breaks, too! Go out for breakfast. Instead of a dinner date, why not make it a breakfast date? It’s usually less expensive than dinner and is a great way to start the day. After all, who doesn’t love pancakes, bacon, and eggs?
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