Internal Revenue Manual: Introduction | IRS Audit Lawyer St Paul

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Internal Revenue Manual:  Description & Purpose

Internal Revenue Manual (“IRM”) is the primary, official source of IRS instructions to staff that relate to the administration and operation of the IRS. The rules set in the IRM are meant to provide guidance to the IRS employees (including managers) in their daily work life. The IRM is available on the IRS’ website. 

From time to time, the IRS also issues interim guidance regarding policy or procedure changes; eventually the IRS would modify IRM to reflect these changes.

Internal Revenue Manual:  Difference Between IRM, IRS Policy Statements and Delegation Orders

One should not confuse IRM with two other types of documents, IRS Policy Statements and Delegation Orders.  While the IRS publishes IRS Policy Statements and Delegation Orders in IRM 1.2.1, et. seq., they are not the same things.

The IRS Policy Statements are basically IRS policies that govern and guide IRS employees in the administration of the IRS itself. The Policy Statements do not contain IRS interpretation of substantive tax provisions or directors to the taxpayers; these are policies just for the IRS staff. Later, the IRS officials would use the Policy Statements to prepare procedures and instructions as part of IRM.

The IRS publishes Delegation Orders in  IRM.12.2, et. seq.. Delegation Orders specify which IRS officials have the authority to approve policies, procedures, documents and actions.

Internal Revenue Manual: Use of IRM

The key issue for US taxpayers is whether they can rely on IRM to invalidate an action of an IRS employee? In other words, if an IRS employee fails to comply with IRS in what otherwise looks like a valid course of action, can the taxpayer challenge the action itself in court?

Generally, the answer is “no”. IRM contains the procedures that govern the internal affairs of the IRS, but these procedures do not have the force of law.  In other words, IRM is suggestive, not mandatory. There is a large array of cases to support this conclusion.  For example, Ward v. Commissioner, 784 F.2d 1424 (9th Cir. 1986) and  Einhorn v. DeWitt, 618 F.2d 347 (5th Cir. 1980) both stated that the IRS’ failure to follow the IRM procedural rules does not invalidate IRS regulations.

In other words, IRM is not binding on the IRS. Its primary use is to be a source of information for the IRS staff and US taxpayers to understand the IRS procedures and and guidelines.  Of course, while nonbinding, the taxpayers can still use IRM to support their arguments and convince an IRS agent to change his position.  This is true not only for US domestic law, but also for US international tax law.

Contact Sherayzen Law Office for Professional International Tax Help

Sherayzen Law Office is a leader in US international tax compliance, including dealing with the IRS as part of IRS audits.  We have helped hundreds of US taxpayers around the world to bring their tax affairs in full compliance with US tax law, and we can help you!  

Contact Us Today to Schedule Your Confidential Consultation!

Abilene FBAR Attorney | International Tax Lawyer Texas

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If you reside in Abilene, Texas and have unreported foreign bank and financial accounts, you may be looking for a Abilene FBAR Attorney.  Sherayzen Law Office, Ltd. is a leader in FBAR compliance, including offshore voluntary disclosures concerning delinquent FBARs, and you should consider us in your search. Let’s understand why this is the case.

Abilene FBAR Attorney: International Tax Lawyer

First of all, it is very important to understand that, by looking for Abilene FBAR attorney, in reality, you are searching for an international tax lawyer who specializes in FBAR compliance.

The reason for this conclusion is the fact that FBAR enforcement belongs to a very special field of US tax law – US international tax law. FBAR is an information return concerning foreign assets, which necessarily involves US international tax compliance concerning foreign assets/foreign income. Moreover, ever since the FBAR enforcement was turned over to the IRS in 2001, the term FBAR attorney applies almost exclusively to tax attorneys.

Hence, when you look for an FBAR attorney, you are looking for an international tax attorney with a specialty in FBAR compliance.

Abilene FBAR Attorney: Broad Scope of Compliance and Offshore Voluntary Disclosures

When retaining Abilene FBAR attorney, consider the fact that such an attorney’s work is not limited only to the preparation and filing of FBARs. Rather, the attorney should be able to deliver a variety of tax services and freely operate with experience and knowledge in all relevant areas of US international tax law, including the various offshore voluntary disclosure options concerning delinquent FBARs.

Moreover, as part of an offshore voluntary disclosure, an FBAR Attorney often needs to amend US tax returns, properly prepare foreign financial statements according to US GAAP, correctly calculate PFICs, and complete an innumerable number of other tasks.

Mr. Sherayzen and his team of motivated experienced tax professionals of Sherayzen Law Office have helped hundreds of US taxpayers worldwide to bring their tax affairs into full compliance with US tax laws. This work included the preparation and filing of offshore voluntary disclosures concerning delinquent FBARs. Sherayzen Law Office offers help with all kinds of offshore voluntary disclosure options, including: SDOP (Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures), SFOP (Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures), DFSP (Delinquent FBAR Submission Procedures), DIIRSP (Delinquent International Information Return Submission Procedures), IRS VDP (IRS Voluntary Disclosure Practice) and Reasonable Cause disclosures.

Abilene FBAR Attorney: Out-Of-State International Tax Lawyer

Whenever you are looking for an attorney who specializes in US international tax law (which is a federal area of law, not a state one), you do not need to limit yourself to lawyers who reside in Abilene, Texas. On the contrary, consider international tax attorneys who reside in other states and help Abilene residents with their FBAR compliance.

Contact Sherayzen Law Office for Professional FBAR Help

Sherayzen Law Office is an international tax law firm that specializes in US international tax compliance, including FBARs. While our office is in Minneapolis, Minnesota, we help taxpayers who reside throughout the United States, including Abilene, Texas.

Thus, if you are looking for a Abilene FBAR Attorney, contact Mr. Sherayzen as soon as possible to schedule Your Confidential Consultation!

Florida Streamlined Disclosure Attorney | International Tax Lawyer

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Florida has a huge immigrant community with over 21% of the population foreign-born and another more than 12% of the population that has at least one immigrant parent. The top countries of original for immigrants are: Cuba, Haiti, Colombia, Mexico and Jamaica. Many of these new US taxpayers own assets in foreign countries and receive income generated by these assets. Unfortunately some of these taxpayers are not in compliance with their US international tax obligations and want to participate in Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures (SDOP) or Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures (SFOP). These individuals often look for a Florida streamlined Disclosure Attorney for professional help, but they do not understand what this term really means. In this essay, I would like to explain the definition of Florida streamlined Disclosure Attorney and outline who belongs to this category of lawyers.

Florida Streamlined Disclosure Attorney: International Tax Lawyer

From the outset, It is important to understand that all voluntary disclosures, including the Streamlined options, form part of US international tax compliance, because these options deal with US international tax laws concerning foreign assets and foreign income. The knowledge that SDOP and SFOP are part of US international tax law makes you better understand what kind of lawyer you are looking for when you search for a Florida streamlined Disclosure Attorney. In reality, when you are seeking help with the SDOP and SFOP filings, you are searching for an international tax lawyer.

Florida Streamlined Disclosure Attorney: Specialty in Offshore Voluntary Disclosures

As I stated above, SDOP and SFOP form part of a very specific sub-area of offshore voluntary disclosures. This means that not every international tax attorney would be able to conduct the necessary legal analysis required to successfully complete an offshore voluntary disclosure, including Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures and Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures. Only a lawyer who has developed expertise in a very narrow sub-field of offshore voluntary disclosures within US international tax law will be fit for this job.

This means that you are looking for an international tax attorney who specializes in offshore voluntary disclosures and who is familiar with the various offshore voluntary disclosure options. Offshore voluntary disclosure options include: SDOP (Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures), SFOP (Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures), DFSP (Delinquent FBAR Submission Procedures), DIIRSP (Delinquent International Information Return Submission Procedures), IRS VDP (IRS Voluntary Disclosure Practice) and Reasonable Cause disclosures. Each of these options has it pros and cons, which may have tremendous legal and tax (and, in certain cases, even immigration) implications for your case.

Florida Streamlined Disclosure Attorney: Geographical Location Does Not Matter

While the expertise and experience in offshore voluntary disclosures is highly important in choosing your international tax lawyer, the geographical location (i.e. the city where the lawyer lives and works) does not matter. I already hinted at why this is the case above: offshore voluntary disclosure options were all created by the IRS and form part of US international (i.e. federal) law. In other words, the local law has no connection whatsoever to the SDOP and SFOP.

This means that you are not limited to Florida when you are looking for a lawyer who can help you with your streamlined disclosure. Any international tax lawyer who specializes in this field may be able to help you, irrespective of whether this lawyer resides in Florida or Minnesota.

Moreover, the development of modern means of communications has pretty much eliminated any communication advantages that a lawyer in Florida might have had in the past over the out-of-state lawyers. This is the reality in today’s post-pandemic world which greatly reduced the number of face-to-face meetings.

Sherayzen Law Office Can Be Your Florida Streamlined Disclosure Attorney

Sherayzen Law Office, Ltd. is a highly-experienced international tax Minnesota law firm that specializes in all types of offshore voluntary disclosures, including SDOP, SFOP, DFSP, DIIRSP, IRS VDP and Reasonable Cause disclosures. Our professional tax team, led by attorney Eugene Sherayzen, has successfully helped our US clients around the globe, including in Florida, with the preparation and filing of their Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures disclosure. We can help you!

Contact Us Today to Schedule Your Confidential Consultation!

Waco Foreign Trust Attorney | International Tax Lawyer Texas

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If you live in Waco, Texas, and you are an owner or a beneficiary of a foreign trust, you need to secure the help of a Waco Foreign Trust Attorney to properly comply with US international tax laws.

You should consider retaining Sherayzen Law Office as your Waco Foreign Trust Attorney. Sherayzen Law Office is a leading US international tax firm concerning US tax compliance of US beneficiaries and owners of a foreign trust. Our experience covers US taxpayers with a beneficiary and/or ownership interest in most of the countries that allow for the creation of a trust, including such important jurisdictions as: Australia, the Bahamas, Bermuda, Canada, Cook Islands, India, Japan, Jersey, New Zealand, Saint Kitts and Nevis, the United Kingdom and others. We also have an experience dealing with trusts organized in the United States that are treated as foreign trusts and, vice versa, trusts organized outside of the United States but treated as US trusts.

Waco Foreign Trust Attorney: Foreign Trust Annual US Tax Compliance

Sherayzen Law Office is an experienced US international tax law firm that helps its clients to stay in full compliance with the US international tax reporting requirements concerning foreign trusts, including Forms 3520, 3520-A, 4970, 8938 and FBAR. This applies to both, US beneficiaries and US owners (including US grantors, US trustees and deemed US owners) of a foreign trust.

Waco Foreign Trust Attorney: Foreign Trust Offshore Voluntary Disclosure

Sherayzen Law Office also helps its clients to remedy past noncompliance with respect to reporting of their beneficiary and/or ownership interests in a foreign trust as well as income from a foreign trust.  The primary legal vehicle for remedying such past tax noncompliance is an offshore voluntary disclosure.

Since 2005, Sherayzen Law Office has developed a profound expertise in all forms of offshore voluntary disclosures, including: Streamlined Domestic Offshore Procedures, Streamlined Foreign Offshore Procedures, Delinquent International Information Return Submission Procedures and Reasonable Cause voluntary disclosure (also known as “Noisy Disclosures” or “Statutory Disclosures”).   Due to its unique expertise, our firm is able to handle both, the legal and the accounting sides of an offshore voluntary disclosure; i.e. we prepare all of the legal documents and tax forms for you within one firm.

Waco Foreign Trust Attorney: Foreign Trust Tax Planning

Sherayzen Law Office assists its clients with all aspects of US tax planning concerning foreign trusts.  Foreign trust tax planning can be very complex and involve multiple tax jurisdictions, but it remains one of the most effective tools to ethically and legally reduce your current income tax compliance burden.

Waco Foreign Trust Attorney:  Challenging IRS Classification and IRS Penalties

Sherayzen Law Office represents its clients before the IRS with respect to challenging IRS classification of a foreign trust as well as high IRS penalties imposed for prior tax noncompliance concerning foreign trusts.

Contact Sherayzen Law Office for Professional Help With Your US International Tax Compliance Concerning Your Beneficiary or Ownership Interest in a Foreign Trust

Timing is highly important in cases involving a foreign trust. Hence, if you have a beneficiary or ownership interest in a foreign trust, you contact us in order to maximize the positive impact of our involvement.

We can help You! Contact Us Today to Schedule Your Confidential Consultation!