American Business Services

Art Donation Tax Scams – Did You Know?

As part of ongoing efforts to protect taxpayers, the IRS recently issued warnings about a scam centered on fraudulent tax deductions for art donations. Promoters of this scheme persuade taxpayers to buy works of art at supposedly deeply discounted prices. The buyers are told that they can donate the art to a charity after a year or more, and receive a large tax deduction by claiming a value far higher than the price they paid. The promoters often recommend shifty art appraisers who are in on the scam, along with specific charities to accept the donations.

Taxpayers may generally deduct legitimate charitable donations of art, but any valuation over $5,000 must be supported by a written appraisal from a qualified art appraiser. Many people who have fallen for this scam now find themselves facing substantial additional tax assessments, along with IRS penalties and interest charges.

Remember: If the tax deal sounds too good to be true, there is likely a scammer after you. A tax professional can help you plan your charitable donations, and claim the appropriate tax benefits.

Filing and FBAR Extensions Deadline

For taxpayers who requested extensions to file various 2022 returns, the filing due date for those returns is October 16, 2023.

The October 16 deadline to file under an extension applies to several common returns, including:

2022 INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAXES:

Most individual taxpayers who requested an automatic extension to file their 2022 federal tax returns must file by October 16. However, additional extensions may be available to some taxpayers affected by recent disasters, including hurricanes and western wildfires. You can find a list of affected areas here: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations.

2022 CORPORATE INCOME TAXES:

The October 16 deadline also applies to C corporations that requested an extension to file their 2022 corporate income tax returns (Form 1120).

FOREIGN BANK ACCOUNT REPORT (FBAR):

Many U.S. taxpayers, including individuals and businesses, must file an annual report of their foreign bank and other financial accounts, called an FBAR. Typically, filing an FBAR is necessary if the total value of a taxpayer's foreign accounts exceeds $10,000 at any time during the calendar year. However, certain accounts, such as those held within a qualified IRA or other retirement plan, may not need to be reported. Most taxpayers who are required to file a FBAR and have not yet done so must file by October 16.

Quarterly Estimated Tax Payments - Reminder

If you are making quarterly estimated tax payments to the IRS, the due date for the June 1st - August 31st, 2023 quarter of year is September 15th, 2023.

For payments made using IRS Direct Pay, you can make payments until 11:45PM EST, and for payments using a credit or debit card, payments can be made up to midnight on the due date.