“I thought I discharged my back taxes in bankruptcy! But the IRS just took this year’s tax refund and applied it to a year that was discharged!” is something I hear all the time. Yes, the IRS can do this, and here’s why. The good news? You’ll get that refund back next year. Read more »
September 12, 2024
I am outraged by pig-butchering scams, the contact-intensive fraud executed via fake profiles on social media sites meant to fatten victims, like pigs before slaughter. Victims of this scam have come to me for help dealing with the taxes that are invariably triggered when victims’ cash out retirement and investment accounts. That’s right: victims of pig-butchering scams not only lose retirement savings, investments and real property to scammers, but they also end up owing the IRS and California’s FTB hefty taxes on investment income! Read more »
August 16, 2024
My clients often ask me in fits of frustration: how did bankruptcy get to be like this? And I then have the chance to tell them about the storied history of bankruptcy! Usually, they ask this question out of rage at the sheer number of documents they’re asked to produce, but I take it as an opportunity to share the joys of tax law (that is not sarcasm, I love what I do).
But I figured we can all benefit from learning something about the history of bankruptcy. So, I wanted to share with you all some of the greatest developments. What follows is a brief history laid out by the major laws that we’ve created surrounding bankruptcy.
Faucher Law recently hired a terrific, new Administrative Assistant. Zoe came up to me the other day and asked “John! Have you seen the IRS’ Instagram account?! And it’s quite good.” Um, no. I didn’t even know the IRS had an Instagram account. I asked Zoe to tell us what she thought about the IRS’ Instagram account. Here’s her take. Read more »
February 29, 2024
The Wall Street Journal published me in their Letters to the Editor section today (February 14, 2024:A14)! I was responding to a February 5th Op-Ed by Jay Starkman, telling taxpayers to avoid filing their tax returns electronically. I strongly disagree. Read more »
February 14, 2024
Before I started at Faucher Law, I was finishing up my MSA (master of science in accounting) at San Diego State University. When I used to tell people about my accounting background, they asked if I liked tax, and my answer was always NO! Now here I am, half a year later, switching my answer: I kind of love tax! Listed below are the most surprising things I have learned at my time at Faucher Law and how they have changed my perspective on tax and bankruptcy. Read more »
February 12, 2024
You’d be surprised how many famous people, whom we consider wildly successful, have gone through financial turmoil and bankruptcy. Many of them went on to be wildly successful after bankruptcy. Read more »
February 6, 2024
Wondering what you might be asked in a 341 Meeting of the Creditors? This Chapter 7 meeting with trustees and creditors can loom large in the minds of some of my clients. Let me demystify what you’ll have to answer in this quick, painless meeting. Read more »
January 31, 2024
The best museums transport me to different times and places. Sometimes, just a single room or even display in a museum is all I need to get my museum “fix.” Indeed, here are some of my favorite museum rooms: I would be entirely happy visiting this museum if I were limited to seeing just this one room. Read more »
January 24, 2024
I love museums and I love to eat. Here are my favorite museum restaurants, locally –in Southern California– in the greater United States and even abroad! Read more »
January 19, 2024
