Holiday Message From Tax Law Offices, Inc.
A Holiday Message of Care, Kindness, and Goodwill As we celebrate the Christmas holiday season across the United States, let’s take a moment to reflect on who we truly are as a blended, multicultural America. Our communities are richly diverse, particularly in terms of our faith. And while religious traditions differ, so many of…
Cash Tips, “Under-the-Table” Pay, and New IRS Tip-Reporting Rules for Employers (2025)
Cash Tips, “Under-the-Table” Pay, and New IRS Tip-Reporting Rules for Employers (2025) Generous customers give well-deserved help to workers in restaurants, bars, salons, delivery services, and hospitality to support themselves. Many business owners see firsthand how important tips are, especially now, since tips are the primary income for so many workers. In 2025,…
Tax Help for Businesses After Disruptions by The Federal Government
Tax Help for Businesses After Disruptions by the Federal Government Many Chicago-area business owners have faced a new and unexpected challenge: sudden business disruption, lost customers, and unavailable staffing. As a result, these businesses face a limited ability to operate due to recent government actions that affect their employees, customers, and neighborhoods. This…
Sales Tax Audits: Why Experienced Accountants Avoid Providing Audit Representation
Sales Tax Audits: Why Experienced Accountants Avoid Providing Audit Representation As a tax defense attorney, I represent a significant number of clients in state sales tax audits, particularly in my home state of Illinois. I should explain that this article is not a criticism of accountants. In fact, it has been my experience that the…
ERC Refunds: 4 Must-Know Rules if Contacted by IRS Special Agents
ERC Refunds: 4 Must-Know Rules if Contacted by IRS Special Agents This article is written for business owners who received ERC (Employee Retention Credit) refunds and have now been contacted by Special Agents from the IRS Criminal Investigation Division (IRS-CI). This article is not about ERC audits. Many other firms handle audits of ERC refund…
False ERC Claims: When “Constructive Knowledge” Become a Risk
When “Constructive Knowledge” Becomes a Risk in False ERC Claims Many business owners filed for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC), believing they qualified for relief. Months later, some are learning that their claims may not have met the IRS’s strict eligibility rules. For many of these businesses, the real question is not whether the…
IRS Audit Reconsideration: Why Your Amended Return Didn’t Fix the Audit
When the IRS Ignores Your Amended Return After an Audit If you tried to fix an IRS audit by sending an amended tax return (Form 1040X), and the IRS never processed it, you’re not alone. Once an IRS audit is complete and additional tax is assessed, the agency rarely accepts an amended return. That’s not…
Top 10 Construction LLC Write-Offs That Trigger IRS Audits
Why Construction LLCs Get Audited So Often Why Construction LLCs Get Audited So Often Running a construction business is expensive — equipment, materials, trucks, subcontractors, fuel, insurance, and more. Most of these are legitimate write-offs. But construction LLCs are also among the most frequently audited industries in the country. Why? Because many of the…
IRS Payment Plans Under $50K — Tax Lawyer Explains the Hidden Traps Taxpayers Miss
IRS Payment Plans Under $50K — Tax Lawyer Explains the Hidden Traps Taxpayers Miss If you owe less than $50,000 to the IRS, you’ve probably seen advice saying you can “just set up a payment plan online.” It sounds simple — and sometimes it is. But what most taxpayers don’t realize is that…
The IRS Form Most Likely to Get You Audited — and the Smarter Way to File Your LLC Taxes
The Very Basics If you own an LLC in Illinois — whether you run a construction crew, a trucking company, a family restaurant, or a professional service firm — here’s something you may not know: you can actually choose how your business is taxed. The IRS doesn’t automatically lock you into one system forever. You…