Skip to main content

Ken Berry, JD

CPA Practice Advisor Tax Correspondent

Ken Berry, Esq., is a nationally-known writer and editor specializing in tax and financial planning matters. During a career of more than 35 years, he has served as managing editor of a publisher of content-based marketing tools and vice president of an online continuing education company in the financial services industry. As a freelance writer, Ken has authored thousands of articles for a wide variety of newsletters, magazines and other periodicals, emphasizing a sense of wit and clarity.

Read more

How to Settle Tax Debts With the IRS

Are any of your clients up to their ears in debt to the IRS? Tell them to listen carefully: You don’t have to flee the country or pull off a bank heist to get out from under. There are a couple of ways to resolve a tax debt in a reasonable manner ...

Treasury Department Ends the myRA Program

The myRA certainly wasn’t around very long. On July 28, the Treasury Department announced that this government-sponsored retirement savings account – the brainchild of the Obama administration – is being phased out after an assessment.

Taxpayer Fails to Meet Requirements for Refund Claim

A taxpayer in a new appellate court case failed to meet the timing requirements enabling him to claim a tax refund or qualify for a “financial disability” exception under the tax law (Chan, CA-10 No. 16-4197, 5/30/17).

Technology

New Tax Scam Plugs Into Electronic Fears

Now scammers are trying to scare taxpayers by thinking their payments to them will be linked to the Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS).

M Id 480112 Mari 1 55d5efe33695b

IRS Tries to Crack Down on Legal Marijuana Businesses in Pot-Friendly States

Benefits

New Federal Budget Would Cut Retirement Benefits of Federal Workers

The full budget for the upcoming fiscal year – which kicks off on October 1, 2017 – was released on May 23. It includes $3.6 trillion in cost reductions over the next decade. Significantly, the proposals include seeping changes in the federal ...

170124 usmexico border wall rhk 2332p 91c9433791cd3426b25ec6824270aa1f nbcnews fp 1200 800 1 593ee63faf0cf

Small Business

New Bill in Congress Would Fund Border Wall, But It Has Cracks

Who’s going to pay for the infamous border wall? Maybe not Mexico directly, but Mexicans residing in the U.S. may help foot the bill, if certain members of Congress get their way.

congress 1 56686c57c9a7f

Accounting

Financial Choice Act Offers Key Banking Reforms

New proposed legislation, introduced by Representative Jeb Hensarling (R-TX), is making headlines because it effectively rolls back the regulatory reforms included in the landmark 2010 Dodd-Frank Act. The “Financial Choice Act,” which passed in the ...

IRS Requires Electronic Payment for Private Letter Rulings

At the beginning of the year, the IRS increased the fees that taxpayer must pay to obtain a private letter ruling. Now it says that you must pay Uncle Sam electronically. Your check won’t be good anymore once a short transition period ends.

tax laws 1 5939c84713d5d

The Tax Blotter - June 2017

Who says taxes aren’t fun? This column is devoted to interesting tidbits, legislative developments and amusing news in the world of taxation. At the very least, it will keep you informed and, at best, it might illicit a chuckle of bring smile to your lips

cookie 5939c74ad600f

Is Massachusetts New “Cookie” Tax Directive Half-Baked?

The state of Massachusetts wants to impose new tax obligations on cookies. No, not the kind that you bake in the oven. These cookies are stored on your personal computer.

farm 1 56d0c92b1cfaf

Benefits

Ten Income Tax Benefits for Farmers

Farming has often been viewed as the backbone of the American economy. While technology and other recent developments may have changed this thinking, farmers still enjoy a preferred status, at least as federal income taxes are concerned. For instance, ...