Tax Tips

The following are tips that should help protect you and may even alert you to the fact that someone may be doing this to you:

1. The IRS does not contact a taxpayer by e-mail.

If you receive a scam e-mail claiming to be from the IRS, forward it to IRS at phishing@irs.gov.

If you come across a website that claims to be the IRS but does not begin with www.irs.gov, forward it to IRS at phishing@irs.gov.

2. To learn how to identify a secure website, visit the Federal Trade Commission at

www.onguardonline.gov/tools/recognize-secure-site-using-ssl.aspx.

3. If you get a letter from the IRS saying that you failed to report income from an employer that you never

worked for or that more than one tax return was filed using your Social Security number, you should respond immediately to the name and address or phone number on the IRS notice.

4. If you believe your records have been stolen or are at risk for theft, you may contact the IRS Identity

Protection Specialized Unit at 800-908-4490.

5. It‘s not a good idea to routinely carry your Social Security card with you.

Joe

Learn more about Joe DePetris, Jr., and IBO tax return preparation and tax issues at IBO Bookkeeping 101.

Find more Tax Tips for IBOs from Joe DePetris, Jr., CPA.

This article is provided as an educational resource for your guidance, and is strictly informational. It does not constitute legal, accounting, or other professional counsel. Nothing included herein implies a recommendation by the author, the IBOA International, or Amway Global, of any course or method of regulatory compliance. Readers and users who intend to take, or refrain from taking, any action based on information contained herein should first consult with their qualified tax advisor, preferably a C.P.A., or appropriate regulatory authorities.