A+ Tax Service

10/05/2026

Up to $5,120 of the Adoption Tax Credit Is Refundable for 2026 – Did You Know?

The Adoption Tax Credit helps eligible families manage qualified costs such as adoption fees, travel, legal services and home studies. In recent years, the credit was nonrefundable: it could reduce a person's federal income tax, but any unused amount generally had to be carried forward.

Under rules that took effect in 2025, part of the credit is now refundable. For tax year 2026, up to $5,120 per eligible child may be refundable, even if the taxpayer owes no federal income tax. Any unused nonrefundable portion may be carried forward for up to five years, but a carryforward cannot become refundable in a later year.

The Adoption Tax Credit is subject to income limits and other restrictions, and the timing of a claim depends on the circumstances of the adoption. A tax professional can help determine whether you qualify and how much credit you may claim.

09/30/2026

New IRS app gives taxpayers a new way to access services

Taxpayers now have a new way to securely access IRS tools and account services through their mobile devices. The new IRS app has replaced the former IRS2Go app. There are several features and self-service options available to help taxpayers access their tax information with ease.

Key app features for taxpayers

Taxpayers can securely sign in to the app to access available account information and self-service options, including:

Check refund and amended-return status
View available balance information
Make payments and review payment activity
View select notices and letters
Access available tax records and transcripts
Manage certain profile and communication preferences
Access an Identity Protection PIN (IP PIN)
How to get the official IRS app

The IRS app is free and available through the Apple App Store and Google Play.

Current IRS2Go users do not need to download a separate app.
Users with automatic updates enabled will receive the IRS app through the normal update process.

Taxpayers can also visit IRS App on IRS.gov for verified links and additional information.

The IRS app does not replace IRS.gov or IRS online accounts
The IRS app is an expansion of mobile access to selected IRS Individual Online Account services but doesn’t replace IRS.gov or IRS online accounts. IRS.gov will continue to provide comprehensive tax information, guidance, forms, tools and services.

Beware of fake IRS apps or links

Taxpayers should use verified IRS links or the official IRS app listings and be cautious of look-alike apps, advertisements and unsolicited messages claiming to provide access to IRS accounts.

The IRS won’t ask taxpayers to provide sensitive personal or financial information through an unsolicited text, email, or pop-up message. Taxpayers who are unsure whether a message or app is legitimate should avoid clicking unsolicited links and use verified resources to locate the official app.

If taxpayers suspect scams or other tax-related wrongdoing, they can submit a confidential tip through the online fraud reporting tool using a smartphone, tablet, or computer at IRS.gov/submitatip.

09/23/2026

Mississippi Man Pleads Guilty to Evading More Than $2 Million in Taxes

A Mississippi man has pleaded guilty to tax evasion after prosecutors said he spent years moving money to keep it out of the IRS’s reach while owing more than $2 million in federal income taxes.

According to court documents, Eric Brian Rosenberg started hiding money after he learned an IRS revenue officer was working to collect his unpaid taxes.

From 2016 through 2020 he used a practice called “check churning.” He would empty most of his checking account by buying a cashier’s check and holding onto it. When he needed cash, he deposited that check back into the account, withdrew what he wanted, and bought another cashier’s check with the rest.

Then he went further. He formed a company, opened a bank account in the company’s name, moved money into it, and kept churning checks through the nominee account.

Over roughly the same stretch, from 2016 through 2021, Rosenberg spent more than $1 million gambling at casinos.

He pleaded guilty to one count of tax evasion. Sentencing is set for December 16, 2026, and he faces a maximum of five years in prison.

Hiding Money Is Not a Resolution Strategy

When people realize the IRS is coming after a large balance, fear produces bad decisions. Moving money between accounts. Retitling assets in a relative’s name. Running income through a nominee entity. Each one takes a collection problem and turns it into a criminal one.

There is a wide legal gap between being unable to pay and taking steps to stop the IRS from collecting. The first is a common situation with established solutions. The second is a felony.

If you can’t pay the balance in full, the IRS has programs for exactly that: installment agreements, partial pay agreements, currently not collectible status, and offers in compromise. Which one fits depends on your financial picture, and all of them require going through the front door.

What You Do With Your Money Matters

The gambling number in this case isn’t a colorful detail. It’s the contrast that makes intent obvious.

Telling the IRS you can’t pay while spending significant money elsewhere puts that spending on the table. In a collection case, your income, expenses, assets, bank activity, and transfers are all relevant, and a revenue officer can pull the records to check.

That’s why tax resolution isn’t a matter of filling out a form and asking the IRS for a deal. The resolution that’s right for one taxpayer can be completely wrong for the next.

Don’t Wait for It to Get Worse

Owing the IRS money doesn’t make someone a criminal. Deliberately evading payment does.

If you owe back taxes and don’t know how you’re going to pay them, ignoring the IRS or moving money out of reach only narrows what’s left. Dealing with it early gives you more options than waiting for the IRS to pick one for you.

A+ Tax Service helps taxpayers understand their IRS collection options and build a strategy around their actual financial situation.

If you or someone you know owes back taxes, has been contacted by an IRS revenue officer, or is worried about IRS collection action, call A+ Tax Service at 979-323-8500 for a consultation.

09/09/2026

Taxpayers have the right to retain representation

When working with the IRS, all taxpayers have the right to retain an authorized representative of their choice to act on their behalf. For taxpayers who can’t afford representation, they have the right to seek assistance from a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic. This is one of the ten fundamental rights of all taxpayers in the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.

What taxpayers can expect:

Taxpayers may select someone to represent them in an interview. This could be an attorney, certified public accountant, or enrolled agent.

Any attorney, CPA, enrolled agent, enrolled actuary or other person permitted to represent a taxpayer before the IRS, who's not disbarred or suspended from practice before the IRS, may submit a written power of attorney to represent a taxpayer before the IRS.

Taxpayers who retain representation don't have to attend with their representative unless the IRS formally summons them to appear.

In most situations, the IRS must suspend an interview if the taxpayer requests to consult with a representative.

Taxpayers have the right to seek assistance from a Low Income Taxpayer Clinic if they can't afford representation. They can find a LITC near them by visiting the Low Income Taxpayer Clinics page or by calling the IRS toll-free at 800-829-3676.

LITCs are independent from the IRS and the Taxpayer Advocate Service. These clinics represent individuals whose income is below a certain level and who need to resolve tax problems with the IRS.
LITCs can represent taxpayers in audits, appeals and tax collection disputes before the IRS and in court. In addition, LITCs can provide information about taxpayer rights and responsibilities in different languages for individuals who speak English as a second language. Services are offered for free or for a small fee.

09/08/2026

Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments - Reminder

If you are making quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS, the due date for the June 1 - August 31, 2026 payment period is coming up next week on Tuesday, September 15, 2026.

For payments made using IRS Direct Pay, you can make payments until 11:45 p.m. ET on the due date. Debit and credit card payments may also be made online through an IRS-approved payment processor.

09/01/2026

Educator Classroom Expense Deduction – Did You Know?

Eligible K-12 teachers, instructors, counselors, principals and aides who pay for classroom supplies out of pocket may deduct up to $350 of qualifying expenses per year. Married couples filing jointly who are both eligible educators may deduct up to $350 each, for a combined maximum of $700.

You do not need to itemize deductions to claim this deduction. Be sure to keep receipts and other records for any classroom expenses you plan to deduct.

08/31/2026

A Seattle Restaurant Owner Spent His Employees' Payroll Taxes. Ten Years Later, He Pleaded Guilty.

Between 2014 and 2024, a restaurant in Seattle's Capitol Hill neighborhood employed as many as 87 servers, bartenders, and cooks. Every paycheck showed the usual deductions. Social Security. Medicare. Federal income tax withholding.

The money never made it to the IRS.

Across 36 quarters, the owner kept $1,027,362 that had been withheld from his employees' pay. He also skipped the employer share of Social Security, Medicare, and federal unemployment taxes, another $400,000 on top of that. Total tax loss: $1,446,341. He hadn't filed his own personal returns since 2014.

In July, he pleaded guilty to willfully failing to pay employment taxes. He faces up to five years in prison and has agreed to pay the IRS back in full.

Why the IRS Treats Payroll Taxes Differently

Most owners who fall behind on payroll taxes aren't trying to steal from anybody. Payroll is due Friday. The food distributor won't deliver without payment. The 941 deposit can wait until next month, and next month there's a little more breathing room.

That's how ten years happen.

Here's the problem with that math. The money withheld from an employee's paycheck was never yours. You're holding it for the government, which is why the IRS calls it a trust fund tax. Spending it on rent, inventory, or even payroll itself is treated as a serious violation of federal law, no matter what your bank balance looked like that week.

The IRS knows this, and it collects on trust fund taxes harder than almost anything else on its books.

What Falling Behind Actually Costs

• Penalties and interest that compound quarter after quarter

• The Trust Fund Recovery Penalty, which moves the withheld portion onto you personally — your house, your savings, your other businesses

• Federal tax liens and bank levies

• Criminal investigation when the IRS believes the failure was willful

• Real harm to your employees, who may lose access to Social Security credits and other federal benefits they already paid for

That last one is what prosecutors emphasized in the Seattle case. The restitution goes to the IRS, but the people who got hurt were the staff.

If You're Already Behind

You have more options than you probably think, and most of them shrink over time.

The IRS offers installment agreements and other resolution programs for businesses that come forward. It also distinguishes between an owner who's cooperating and an owner who's been ignoring notices for six quarters. Getting current on your deposits going forward, even before you address the back balance, changes how your case gets handled.

What doesn't work is waiting. Every quarter you stay behind adds penalties, adds exposure, and takes options off the table.

How We Can Help

If your business has fallen behind on payroll tax deposits, or you've received IRS notices about employment taxes, call us before the next quarter closes.

At A+ Tax Service, we work with business owners to figure out where they actually stand, deal with the IRS directly, negotiate a resolution, and protect against personal liability under the Trust Fund Recovery Penalty.

Contact A+ Tax Service today for a confidential consultation. The earlier you call, the more options are still on the table.

08/27/2026

What taxpayers should know about IRS third party authorizations

Taxpayers can give a third party the authority to help with federal tax matters. Depending on the type of authorization, this could be a family member or friend, or a tax professional, attorney or business.

There are different types of third-party authorizations with specific roles assigned. Additionally, taxpayers who want to have a third party represent them must formally grant them permission to do so.

Different types of third-party authorizations:

Power of Attorney – Allows someone to represent a taxpayer when resolving tax matters with the IRS. With this authorization, the representative must be an individual authorized to practice before the IRS and Form 2848, Power of Attorney and Declaration of Representative must be completed. A POA can do several things, such as:

Represent, advocate, negotiate and sign on behalf of the taxpayer
Argue facts and the application of law

Receive tax information for the matters and tax years/periods specified by the taxpayer

Receive copies of IRS notices and communications

Tax Information Authorization – Appoints a person to review or receive a taxpayer's confidential tax information for the type of tax for a specified period using form 8821.

Third Party Designee – Designates a person on the taxpayer's tax form to discuss that specific tax return and tax year with the IRS.
Oral Disclosure – Authorizes the IRS to disclose the taxpayer's tax info to a person the taxpayer brings into a phone call or meeting with the IRS about a specific tax issue.

Revoking a third-party authorization

A taxpayer can choose to revoke any authorization at any time.

Power of Attorney stays in place until the taxpayer revokes the authorization or the representative withdraws it.

Tax Information Authorization stays in effect until it is revoked by the taxpayer or the designee withdraws it.

Third Party Designee generally expires one year from the due date of the tax return, not counting extensions.

Oral disclosure, unless it’s stated otherwise, is automatically revoked once the conversation has ended. If the taxpayer wants additional oral disclosure exceeding the original request, a new authorization will be required.

Send a message to learn more

08/26/2026

The IRS Doesn’t Need to Sue You—Here’s How They Collect Without Court

Many taxpayers assume the IRS works like other creditors—that if things get serious, there will be a lawsuit, a court date, or a judge involved. That assumption is not only wrong, it’s dangerous.

The Internal Revenue Service has extraordinary collection powers that allow it to take money directly from you without ever going to court. Understanding how this works can help you recognize when the risk is real—and why waiting for a lawsuit is often too late.

Why the IRS Doesn’t Need Court Approval

Unlike private creditors, the IRS is granted administrative collection authority under federal law. That means once certain notice requirements are met, the IRS can enforce collection actions on its own.

There is no judge, no lawsuit, and no courtroom warning shot. By the time taxpayers realize enforcement has begun, the money is often already gone.

Bank Levies: When Accounts Are Frozen and Drained

One of the IRS’s most powerful tools is a bank levy. When issued, your bank is required to freeze your account—often without advance warning.

After a short holding period, the funds are sent directly to the IRS. This can include checking, savings, and certain investment accounts. For many taxpayers, this is the moment the situation becomes a full-blown financial emergency.

Wage Garnishments: Ongoing, Not One-Time

IRS wage garnishments work differently than most people expect. Instead of taking a percentage, the IRS allows you to keep only a small exempt amount—then takes the rest of your paycheck.

This continues every pay period until the debt is resolved or the garnishment is released. Waiting for a lawsuit means missing the chance to prevent this from starting.

Offsets: Taking Money You Were Expecting

The IRS can also collect by offsetting money owed to you. This commonly includes:

• Federal and state tax refunds
• Certain government payments

Many taxpayers are surprised when expected refunds disappear without explanation. By the time they ask why, the funds are already applied to the tax debt.

Asset Seizures and Other Enforcement Tools

In more serious cases, the IRS can seize assets such as vehicles, business equipment, or other property. While less common, these actions are fully legal and don’t require court involvement.

The longer a case goes unaddressed, the more likely aggressive tools are used.

The Most Dangerous Assumption of All

Waiting for the IRS to “sue” before taking action gives the IRS exactly what it needs: time. Silence is interpreted as noncooperation, not inability.

Ironically, many taxpayers who truly can’t afford to pay qualify for protection—but only if they act before enforcement begins.

Final Thought: The IRS Acts First—Courts Come Later (If at All)

If you owe the IRS, enforcement doesn’t start with a lawsuit. It starts with notices—and ends with levies, garnishments, and offsets if nothing is done.

At A+ Tax Service, we help taxpayers stop IRS collection actions, understand their rights, and take control before enforcement causes lasting damage.

If you’re receiving IRS notices or worried about what might happen next, contact A+ Tax Service today for a confidential consultation. Waiting for court could cost you far more than you expect.

08/25/2026

Do you have your IRS individual account setup? There is so much you can do within this account! And you know that you are communicating directly with the IRS!