Category: State & Local Taxation

Earlier this year, the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) made its 2012 Data Book available online. The publication, which details the tax-collecting body's activities throughout the year, revealed that high-income Americans are statistically more likely to be audited than taxpayers in lower brackets. Now, a new study conducted by National Taxpayer...

A closer look at federal constitutional case law would seem to indicate that the State of California may not find it so easy to seek back taxes from small-business shareholders after all. In Cutler v. Franchise Tax Board, the Second District Court of Appeal held that because the purpose and...

While most Californians are starting to file their state income tax returns for 2012, a few may still have to get their 2011 affairs in order. According to a January press release from the Franchise Tax Board (FTB), the agency has begun the process of reaching out to any state...

Of all the deductions the federal government may be eliminating to avoid the looming fiscal cliff, mortgage-based relief measures may have the biggest impact on Californians. According to an article from The Wall Street Journal last month, the Golden State has the highest average mortgage break in the country, which...

Even though Moskowitz LLP is located in the San Francisco Bay Area of California, we have clients all over the world. If you have been affected by Hurricane Sandy, our tax attorneys and CPA's can help determine your eligibility for storm-related tax deductions and how to best claim them. Though...

It's no secret that the state of California is in a dubious position, facing considerable debt in the wake of our Nation’s recent recession. In order to increase revenue, Governor Jerry Brown has proposed a series of tax increases that will appear on voting ballots next week. One of the...

On July 10, 2012, the California State Franchise Tax Board (FTB) announced that it would implement an automatic dialer system to make outbound calls to individuals to further enhance their collection efforts; which include, but are not limited to, tax liens, bank levies, garnishments ,etc. Businesses will begin to receive...

In March 2011, California passed legislation to allow a program similar to the federal 2011 Offshore Voluntary Disclosure Initiative (OVDI). Senate Bill 86 was passed by the California legislature, signed by Governor Brown, and entered into California law.  While SB 86 amends several sections of the Revenue and Taxation Code,...