Cincinnati Tax Attorney

IRS Temporarily Suspends Most Collections

Benjamin D. Cramer — Thu, 26 Mar 2020 20:38:19 +0000

IRS Launches the "People First Initiative"

Suspension of Installment Payments during COVID-19

The Commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service announced recently that the IRS would suspend most enforced collection activity during the Coronavirus pandemic.

“In addition to extending tax deadlines and working on new legislation, the IRS is pursuing unprecedented actions to ease the burden on people facing tax issues.”
– IRS Commissioner Charles Rettig (March 25, 2020)

What we know so far

Relaxed Enforcement to Help Taxpayers

Taxpayers in an Installment Agreement do not have to make payments from April 1st through July 15, 2020.
IRS will not default any Installment Agreements for failure to make payments during this period.
Taxpayers not already in an Installment Agreement are encouraged to enter into one.
Extension of time to submit supporting documents for an Offer in Compromise and suspension of OIC payments through July 15, 2020.
IRS continues to accept new Offer in Compromise applications.
Suspension of automated Liens and Levies during the pandemic.
Suspension of most field collections by Revenue Officers.
Suspension of certifying delinquent tax accounts to the State Department to block passport renewals.
Suspension of unpaid tax debt referrals to private collection agencies.
Suspension of new Correspondence, Office, and Field Audits.

Continued Enforcement

Revenue Officers will continue to pursue "high income non-filers" and "other similar activities where warranted."
Despite suspending most new audits, the IRS may still initiate an audit if needed to prevent the expiration of a statute of limitations.

Conclusion

The IRS is stopping most new enforcement activity and giving a break to taxpayers who are currently in an installment agreement. As with most IRS programs, the devil is in the details. We will share more information as the IRS releases it.

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Legal Support During Challenging Times

Benjamin D. Cramer — Mon, 16 Mar 2020 17:24:01 +0000

Legal Services During the Coronavirus

Cramer Legal, LLC remains open to help our clients and our communities with legal issues during this challenging time.

We often tell clients that they need to live life in the midst of their legal problems. We want to say that the reaction to COVID-19 is no different. But let's be honest, this is different. None of us have encountered a disruption of this magnitude before.

Open but Remote

We are working remotely during the pandemic, but we can do nearly everything from remote locations. We can still handle phone calls and email without interruption, and we are scheduling video conferences instead of in-person consultations.

When I formed Cramer Legal, LLC, I started as a "virtual law firm." It was just me and a laptop. I would rent a conference room as needed to meet with clients, but I could work from anywhere that had an internet connection.

We have long since used a full time brick & mortar location and added staff, but we regularly work from home or other places. Technology provides flexibility and we have always leveraged technology as a core value and a competitive advantage to better serve our clients.

Stay Safe

Stay safe and stay healthy. Here are some links to resources about the Virus and the government's response.

Federal Government: Cononavirus.gov
State of Ohio: Coronavirus.Ohio.gov

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Cramer Invited to Address Meeting of Municipal Tax Leaders

Benjamin D. Cramer — Mon, 24 Feb 2020 15:03:58 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christina Ponath
Phone: (513) 245-4170
Email: Info at CramerLegal.com

Cramer Addresses Municipal Tax Leaders

Presentation to Southwest Ohio Tax Administrators Association

Cincinnati, Ohio. Attorney Ben Cramer was the guest speaker at the quarterly Southwest Ohio Tax Administrators Association meeting in Mason, Ohio on March 4, 2020.

Attorney Cramer discussed recent developments in federal and state law expected to affect the administration and enforcement of local income taxes for Ohio municipalities. He invited further discussion and collaboration between local tax departments and private tax practitioners.

Cramer Legal, LLC is a law firm with a focus on representing businesses, individuals, and public agencies in resolving tax disputes and planning for tax opportunities.

SWOTAA is a voluntary association of approximately 100 municipal tax departments in Southwest Ohio.

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Cramer to Moderate Tax Panel

Benjamin D. Cramer — Mon, 25 Nov 2019 16:00:00 +0000

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Contact: Christina Ponath
Phone: (513) 245-4170
Email: Info at CramerLegal.com

Cramer to Moderate Tax Enforcement Panel

Cincinnati Bar Association's 60th Annual Southwest Ohio Tax Institute

Cincinnati, Ohio (November 25, 2019). In his role as Chairman of the Cincinnati Bar Association's Taxation Law Committee, Cramer Legal founder and Managing Attorney Benjamin D. Cramer will serve as moderator of a panel of government officials at the 60th annual Southwest Ohio Tax Institute on Friday, December 6, 2019.

The panel presentation is called "Taxpayer Representation from the Government's Perspective: A View from the Trenches." The panel includes Cincinnati Tax Commissioner Ted Nussman, City of Fairfield Tax Analyst Christine Roach, IRS Supervisory Revenue Officer Jake Job-Rivera, IRS Revenue Agent Caron Kugler, and Attorney Richard Hassebrock from the IRS Chief Counsel's Office.

Anyone interested in attending the event should contact the Cincinnati Bar Association at (513) 381-8213.

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Cast of Characters: U.S. Trustee

Benjamin D. Cramer — Fri, 04 Oct 2019 16:51:00 +0000

Office of the United States Trustee

Oversight and Enforcement of Bankruptcy Rules

The United States Trustee Program is part of the U.S. Department of Justice and is charged with monitoring the bankruptcy system.

"The mission of the United States Trustee Program is to promote the integrity and efficiency of the bankruptcy system for the benefit of all stakeholders – debtors, creditors, and the public." (from the U.S. Trustee Program's Mission Statement)

The U.S. Trustee appoints and supervises private bankruptcy trustees in cases filed under Chapters 7, 12, and 13 of the Bankruptcy Code.

The U.S. Trustee's Office reviews bankruptcy cases to enforce compliance with the Bankruptcy Code. It is a fraud watchdog and has the authority to refer matters for investigation and criminal prosecution. In a recent report to Congress, the U.S. Trustee Program disclosed that it made 2,257 referrals for criminal enforcement regarding alleged bankruptcy fraud and related crimes.

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Resolving Tax Problems

Benjamin D. Cramer — Sun, 19 Aug 2018 15:10:43 +0000

Our Tax Resolution Process

We developed a three-step process for resolving tax cases. Every case is a different, but we use some form of this process on nearly all of them.

Phase I: Tax Research and Analysis

The first step in every tax case is research. We need to investigate the details of your tax issues to diagnose the problem before we can help you fix it.

This Phase involves reviewing your tax returns and gathering information from the IRS to see how it views your tax situation.

During this Phase, we will conduct a comprehensive public records search and contact the relevant state and local tax authorities if we need additional information.

Phase II: Compliance and Strategy

After researching your tax issues, we will help you come into compliance with any unfiled tax returns. The government, understandably, will not negotiate with us if there are still tax returns that you need to file. We will either prepare these tax returns in house or refer you to an accountant we trust.

We have many tools and strategies to address your tax problems. Many of these depend on your financial situation. We will review your finances to determine your eligibility for various tax relief options.

Phase III: Resolution

The final phase involves resolving your tax debt. We have a lot of tools available to do so and the first two phases give us the information we need to develop the best strategy for your situation..

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