What are some tax return horror stories?
I heard of a case where someone's tax preparer made a huge mistake. They misclassified a major expense, which made it seem like the taxpayer owed a lot more than they actually did. It took months of dealing with the IRS to get it sorted out. They had to hire an expensive tax lawyer to prove the error.
There was a self - employed individual who lost all their receipts due to a computer crash. When it was time to file their tax return, they couldn't accurately report their business expenses. The IRS didn't believe their estimates and they ended up with a large tax bill they couldn't afford. They had to make payment arrangements and it put a big strain on their finances.
What are the common issues in '2019 tax return horror stories'?
One common issue was miscalculation of deductions. People either over - or under - estimated what they could deduct, leading to problems with their returns.
Can you share some examples from '2019 tax return horror stories'?
Sure. One horror story could be about people who made a simple mistake on their forms but then faced huge fines. Another might be those who had their returns rejected multiple times due to some minor clerical errors, causing a great deal of stress and delay in getting their refunds.
Can you share some really bad tax return horror stories?
A small business owner was audited. The auditor found some minor discrepancies in their mileage deductions. But because of the way the IRS handled it, it seemed like a huge deal. The business owner had to go through piles of old records to prove their case. It took a lot of time away from running their business and cost them extra money in accountant fees.
What are some 'crypto tax horror stories'?
A common 'crypto tax horror story' involves those who received crypto as payment. They didn't know how to value it at the time of receipt for tax purposes. For example, if a freelancer was paid in Bitcoin, they might not have accounted for its market value on the day they received it. Later, when the tax authorities came knocking, they were in trouble. Additionally, in some regions, the tax laws regarding crypto are still unclear or changing. People who made transactions based on old or misinterpreted rules suddenly found themselves on the wrong side of the law when the authorities clarified the regulations.
What are some tax accounting horror stories?
There was a case where a taxpayer received a notice from the tax authorities saying they owed a large sum. They had used a tax software that had a glitch. It incorrectly calculated their deductions. They spent months trying to sort it out, dealing with piles of paperwork and numerous phone calls to the tax office.
What are some tax sale horror stories?
A woman had inherited a piece of land from her grandfather. She didn't realize that there were unpaid property taxes from many years ago. When she received notice of the tax sale, she was in the middle of trying to get a loan to build a house on it. The land was sold at the tax sale, and she lost not only the land but also her dream of building a home there. It was a very sad situation for her as she had sentimental value attached to that land.
What are some tax audit horror stories?
One horror story is when a small business owner was audited. The auditor nitpicked every single expense. They questioned even the most legitimate costs like office supplies. The owner had to spend hours and hours gathering receipts and explanations. In the end, it took months to resolve, and the stress almost drove the owner to close the business.
What are some day trading tax horror stories?
A common day trading tax horror story is related to wash sales. Traders sometimes don't fully understand the wash - sale rule. For instance, if you sell a stock at a loss and then buy it back within 30 days, the loss can't be immediately claimed for tax purposes. Some traders do this unknowingly and calculate their taxes wrongly. Then, when the IRS discovers it during an audit, they have to pay back the wrongly - claimed deductions along with potential penalties and interest.
Can you share some funny tax return stories?
Sure. One story is about a guy who tried to claim his pet dog as a business expense because he said the dog 'guarded' his home office while he worked. Another is a person who accidentally put their grocery bill in the tax return instead of actual business receipts. And there was also a woman who thought she could deduct the cost of her new wardrobe for work, but it was clearly just regular clothing and not a work uniform.
Can you share some tax return funny stories?
Sure. One funny story is that a friend of mine was filling out his tax return. He accidentally added an extra zero to one of his expense deductions. When the IRS questioned it, he was so embarrassed. He had to go through all his receipts again to correct it, and he learned to double - check everything from then on.