Landmark Tax Group - February 2019

Landmark Tax Group - February 2019

Landmark Ledger

(949) 260-4770 Professional | Experienced | Licensed Expert IRS & State Tax Relief

February 2019

Love Under Las Vegas Lights Avoiding Surprise Mishaps and Proposing to My Wife

When I moved to California to begin a career with the Internal Revenue Service, I had no idea where my life would end up 15 years later. California has become my home, and it’s where my wife, Hanna, and I have decided to raise our family. But it wasn’t even in California where one of the biggest moments of our lives took place. Hanna and I had been dating for more than two and a half years after meeting through an online dating service. On one of Hanna’s breaks during law school, I decided to surprise her

that he sees the person waiting to bring out our champagne, and he gave me a quarter with a wish of good luck.

Once the quarter gave us the green light, I aimed the telescope at the truck and asked Hanna to look. And she saw … a Las Vegas showgirl. She was confused, but I asked her to look to the left of the showgirl. She looked through the telescope, looked back at me, looked through again, then I saw the tears welling in her eyes. Finally, I got down on one knee and proposed among a cheering audience. We were married on Oct. 19, 2008, and we spent the first seven years of our marriage traveling and settling into our careers, despite insistence from our families to start our own family. But we wanted to make sure we were prepared and had time to build a life together as a couple first. Additionally, when I decided to establish Landmark Tax Group, I knew I needed to devote much of my time and energy into making it a premier option for people seeking tax relief. Hanna gave me the support and encouragement to do that, just as I cheered her on in her law career pursuits. Among all this, starting a family just wasn’t in the cards for us until 2016. boy who keeps us on our toes. We’re excited to watch him grow, especially as he becomes a big brother because we’re excited to announce that we are expecting another child! As a family, we love to travel, and adding one more child into that mix is only going to make our adventures more fun. Maybe someday we’ll tell stories of our California adventures, or maybe we’ll take the kids to the spot where I proposed to their mom. Regardless of where our family adventures take us, after more than 10 years of marriage, I can honestly say deciding to spend my life with Hanna was one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. And hearing her say “yes” after all that panic was a tremendous relief. On April 11, 2016, our son, Benjamin, was born. (His original due date was actually tax day!) Benjamin is an intelligent

with a vacation, planning the whole trip without telling her the destination. So, when we landed, Hanna learned that I had whisked her away to Las Vegas, and I capped the surprise with a visit to the Las Vegas Eiffel Tower. After an amazing dinner, we made our way up to the top of the tower to get a bird’s eye view of the famous Las Vegas strip. It was a gorgeous night, but there was more to come. What Hanna didn’t know was I had rented a truck with a LED sign that read “Hanna, Will You Marry Me?” The plan was for her to see the truck below us as we took in the gorgeous skyline of Las Vegas, and after I popped down on one knee — and ultimately got that fateful “yes” — we would celebrate with champagne. Unfortunately, I didn’t account for how far away we would be from the truck, so the message was illegible. Forced to think on my feet, I noticed there were telescopes on the viewing deck, and we could use those to look at the sign. Except, I didn’t have a quarter for the telescope. Scrambling and still trying to keep the allure of the surprise up, I asked strangers for a quarter. Finally, out of earshot of Hanna, a guy tells me

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—Michael Raanan, MBA, EA

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Ordering Coffee Just Got Easier If you’ve ever visited a Starbucks coffee shop, you’ve likely heard a patron rattle off a drink order that was more specific than your grandma’s pecan pie recipe. For example, they might say, “I’ll at the handoff counter, including digital notepads and a console with two-way keyboards for back-and-forth conversations. Aprons How Starbucks Helps the Deaf Community

take a Grande, four-pump, nonfat, no-whip, extra-hot mocha.” Without missing a beat, the barista scribbles the order on the cup and starts making the drink. Orders like this one are a mouthful for even the most seasoned Starbucks guru, but for deaf people, it can be difficult to even order a cup of black coffee. Adam Novsam, a deaf utility analyst at Starbucks headquarters in Seattle, set out to address that difficulty by heading the launch of the company’s first deaf-friendly signing store. The store’s grand opening took place in October in Washington, D.C. Its overall success relies primarily on its purposeful operation and design elements. In 2005, the ASL Deaf Studies Department at Gallaudet University created the DeafSpace Project using design elements, such as space and proximity, sensory reach, mobility, light, and acoustics, to address potential challenges for deaf people. Starbucks’ signing store incorporates these aspects of DeafSpace to make their store more accessible. For customers new to sign language, the store features some high-tech options for assisting with communication, ordering drinks, and receiving beverages Operation

All store partners at the signing store are proficient in ASL, whether they are hearing, hearing-impaired, or deaf. However, deaf partners wear special green aprons embroidered with the ASL spelling of Starbucks. What’s more, these aprons were created by a deaf supplier!

Education

For hearing customers who aren’t fluent in ASL — even those just ducking in to grab a cup of coffee to go — the signing store offers an opportunity to learn something new. For example, they can learn how to sign a word like “espresso” in ASL merely by reading the chalkboard above the register with the “sign of the week.” Starbucks’ decision to make their product more accessible has benefited thousands of customers all along the East Coast. Hopefully, as time goes on, other corporations will choose to follow suit so we can make a more deaf-friendly society.

Our Clients’ Stories Larry V. Recalls His Experience With Landmark Tax Group

When Larry V., a consultant living just south of Denver, Colorado, fell ill in 2008, taxes were the last thing he was concerned with. Instead, for the next three years, Larry — who requested we don’t use his last name — was more concerned about the brain and prostate surgeries he was facing as he tried to stay alive. Unfortunately, these life circumstances ultimately resulted in him owing $93,490 in back taxes to the IRS. Larry learned from his certified public accountant (CPA) that he would have to pay the money he owed to the IRS, but he also discovered there may be alternative options. After a quick web search, Larry found Landmark Tax Group and decided to give us a call. “It was probably one of the wisest things I’ve done,” Larry said in a recent interview. We advised Larry on the steps for an offer-in-compromise (OIC) with the IRS, and a proposal was drafted. Sadly, the first request was denied. But we quickly squashed Larry’s worries and drafted an appeal based on the belief that the compromise was denied on an unsound basis.

“It felt like it was the right thing for a number of reasons, and I was relieved,” Larry recalls. “I thought I didn’t owe that money for all the reasons that (we) listed, and Michael seemed to think that we had a good case. I especially appreciated it. It was such a pleasure

working with Michael. He was professional every step of the way. He proved to be a man of his word.”

With the stress of owing nearly $100,000 off his shoulders and a feeling that “true American justice” had been served, Larry said he wouldn’t recommend anyone elsewhere.

“I can’t recommend Michael enough. If you have an issue with the IRS, you’d be a fool to look elsewhere,” Larry said.

Landmark Tax Group would like to thank Larry for trusting us to help him find a resolution with the IRS. If you’d like to see the official IRS approval letter for Larry’s case, visit: www.LandmarkTaxGroup.com/Results

Four weeks later, his OIC was approved. Larry wrote a check for $5,176 and a release of his debts was sent to him in the mail.

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Tax Tips How You Can Avoid Upsetting the IRS This Spring

There’s nothing quite as refreshing as spring. Despite our mildly pleasant temperatures throughout winter in southern California, springtime is an official introduction to sunshine, outdoor activities, and … taxes. (It’s okay to groan.) Tax season may not be as invigorating as a fresh springtime day, but there are some simple ways you can make this season feel like a breeze.

A simple tip is to remember that expenses rarely end in

zeros. So, when you file an expense as $400, a red flag immediately goes up at the IRS. Instead, make sure your numbers are as accurate as possible.

Be Punctual

Be Attentive

Paying and filing your taxes by April 15 will make this season much lighter on your stress level and your finances. It’s best to start your taxes early, but if you are pushing the deadline, you can file for an extension. However, that extension only applies to filing your taxes. You will still have to pay your taxes on time to avoid a penalty. If you fail to file or don’t get an extension, you could be cited with a filing penalty, which is typically larger than a failure to pay penalty.

If you have a unique situation — such as being self-employed — your taxes may be different than the standard taxpayer. Unfortunately, whether it’s intentional or not, those with unique taxing positions can find themselves in trouble because they fail to file correctly or don’t accurately document their withholding. If you’re unsure of what to do, search for more information online at IRS.gov. Keep in mind, abiding by these tips does not guarantee you’ll be completely protected from tax troubles, but you can certainly lower your chances for trouble by following them. If you are struggling to pay any back taxes you owe the IRS this tax season — or any other season — we can help you. Find out how by visiting LandmarkTaxGroup.com.

Be Accurate

For people who would much rather avoid math and numbers, tax season can be filled with anxiety. But making sure your statements are accurate is the best way to circumvent Internal Revenue Service (IRS) problems this season.

TAX QUOTES

“Like mothers, taxes are often misunderstood, but seldom forgotten.” –Lord Bramwell, 19th Century English jurist “The hardest thing in the world to understand is the income tax.” –Albert Einstein, physicist

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Inside This Issue A Las Vegas Proposal 1

Sudoku Answer Key

Ordering Coffee Just Got Easier

Hear From Our Clients 2 Avoid IRS Trouble This Tax Season

Tax Quotes 3 All About Chocolate 4

What You Didn’t Know About Chocolate

Chocolate is a treat savored by people all over the world. What we know as the sweet, creamy decadence that sustains Valentine’s Day actually has greater historical and cultural significance. Fermented chocolate drinks have been dated back to as early as 350 B.C. The Aztecs believed it was the beverage of wisdom, and the Mayans saw it as something to be worshipped. While the history of chocolate is as rich as its flavor, there are some common misconceptions about the treat.

making it a fantastic option for use in baked goods, candy, and ice cream.

German chocolate actually has nothing to do with the country of Germany, either. It used to be called “German’s chocolate,” named after its inventor, Sam German, an American who made sweet chocolate for baking. Adding sugar to the chocolate made it a go-to

option for bakers around the world, and the base for German chocolate cake was born.

Dutch chocolate doesn’t necessarily refer to chocolate made in the Netherlands; the name refers to a specific chocolate- making process that uses the cocoa press. Before Dutch chemist and chocolate-maker C.J. van Houten invented the machine

For chocolate to be classified as Swiss, it has to be made in Switzerland, as chocolate-making is considered an art form in the country. Known for its “melt in your

mouth” quality, Swiss chocolate uses condensed milk to add a velvety texture. Many chocolate makers outside of Switzerland will refer to their interpretations of Swiss chocolate as milk chocolate instead.

in 1828, chocolate was only used in beverages. Dutch chocolate is chocolate that has been modified with an alkalizing agent in order to produce a milder flavor,

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