Well, it's getting on towards that time of the year -- tax season. So I decided to use one of Wayne Davies monthly newsletters this week. At the bottom of the article I have a link to Wayne's site if you want to learn more or make a purchase from him.

Wayne Davies is a CPA/business advisor who has built his career by giving expert tax advice to small business owners and the self-employed. I personally have used his advice to save myself good money year after year. It's hard enough to earn it, don't waste it by giving the tax people any more than you have to!

 Here's Wayne's MAKE MY LIFE LESS TAXING! eZine... 

...the online newsletter dedicated to helping the Small Biz Owner / Self-Employed Person pay the least amount of tax required by U.S. law. . . And not a penny more.

JANUARY 29, 2005

 In this issue: 

1. Feature Article
Tax Trap #5: Ignoring The IRS
If you ignore the IRS, you do so at your own peril. Find out the five best ways to contact them, without breaking into a sweat or popping a pill!

2. Small Business "Tax Traps" Series -- recap.
If you missed Tax Traps 1, 2, 3 or 4, here are the links to get caught up.

3. Preview of Coming Attractions
Here's what to look for in February

4. How To Access Past Issues of This Newsletter

 Small Business Tax Trap #5: 
 Ignoring The IRS (and the 5 best ways to contact them!) 

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We all love to criticize the IRS, don't we? And I'm just as guilty as anyone. It's easy to ridicule a huge organization of government bureaucrats who often seem to be Public Enemy #1.

Our negative attitude toward the IRS can lead to a strong desire to just ignore it altogether. But self-employed people who ignore the IRS do so at their own peril.

So when it comes to providing free information about taxes, let's not throw the baby out with the bath water. The IRS does provide some excellent resources to help us make the best of a potentially bad situation.

If you need tax assistance and prefer not to pay for it, do not overlook these five ways to obtain help from the IRS:

1. The Internet
http://www.irs.gov

There's a wealth of information just for small business owners and self-employed people at:
http://www.irs.gov/smallbiz

Here you'll find everything from how to obtain a federal business tax ID to a free 6-session streaming video presentation of the "IRS Small Business Workshop." Also known as the Small Business Self-Employed Online Classroom, you can access this directly at:
www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=97726,00.html

If you prefer to attend an IRS small business workshop in person, check here to see what's available in your state:
www.irs.gov/businesses/small/article/0,,id=99202,00.html

Need tax forms and/or their instructions? Look no further than the IRS website:
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/index.html

Here you'll find a boatload of links to every tax form imaginable, available as downloadable PDF files or in fill-in format. All form instructions can also be downloaded.
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/lists/0,,id=97817,00.html

The IRS has many free publications that explain virtually every major (and many minor) tax topics in great detail. Sure, IRS "pubs" are not always written in the most entertaining style, but, hey, remember the price.
http://www.irs.gov/formspubs/lists/0,,id=97819,00.html

2. Telephone Hotlines.

Special toll-free numbers exist for the following:

-- To order forms & pubs: 800-829-3676
(in case you'd like to receive a paper copy via snail-mail)

-- To ask business tax questions: 800-829-4933
-- To ask personal tax questions: 800-829-1040
Use common sense when phoning the IRS: to avoid long wait times, don't call on Monday morning. And no matter when you call, be prepared! Write out your questions beforehand and have all relevant documentation in front of you, as well as a favorite book or magazine to read during the inevitable wait time. Stay calm; don't yell; treat the IRS employee like a human being and he/she will likely return the favor.

-- Need help with long-standing problems: 877-777-4778

-- Prerecorded messages on 140 topics: 800-829-4477

3. TaxFax Service.
You can receive most IRS forms instructions via fax by calling 703-368-9694 from your fax machine.

4. CD-ROM for Small Business.
This is known as "The Small Business Resource Guide CD-ROM", aka Publication 3207. It includes all the tax forms and publications needed to run a small business. Call 800-829-3676 to request a free copy.

5. Walk-In Offices.
Need some face-to-face tax help? For a complete list of IRS offices in all 50 states, including hours of operation and contact info, check out:
http://www.irs.gov/localcontacts

 About The Author: 

Wayne M. Davies is author of the premier tax-slashing eBook for small business owners and the self-employed, including home-based business owners and part-time business owners:

 2. SPECIAL JANUARY SERIES: Small Biz Tax Traps 

This week's Feature Article is the fifth in a series of five special articles I've sent you in January 2005.

In case you missed any, here they are again . . .

Small Business Tax Traps (and how to avoid them!)

Tax Trap #1: Waiting To Incorporate
http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com/tax-trap-1.html

Tax Trap #2: Double Taxation -- Isn't Once Enough?
http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com/tax-trap-2.html

Tax Trap #3: IRS Penalties, Interest and 'Love Letters'
http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com/tax-trap-3.html

Tax Trap #4: The Quagmire of Depreciation
http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com/tax-trap-4.html

Tax Trap #5: Ignoring The IRS (this issue)
http://www.YouSaveOnTaxes.com/tax-trap-5.html

 4. EZINE ARCHIVE 

Every past issue of this newsletter is available online at:
http://www.getresponse.com/archive/yousaveontaxes

Two years' worth of great tax-saving advice is now available at your fingertips.

Did you recently subscribe and now want to get caught up? Or did you accidentally delete an issue before you got to read it? Not to worry! It's all right here:
http://www.getresponse.com/archive/yousaveontaxes

Perhaps you missed the December 2004 issue that included links to two fr*ee reports that provide details on significant tax law changes just passed into law in October 2004. Be sure to check that out!

Find out how to slash your taxes by $2,000 -- GUARANTEED!

 Contact Information: