Question

In: Accounting

Assume you are a CPA who works as a tax preparer at a medium-sized regional accounting...

Assume you are a CPA who works as a tax preparer at a medium-sized regional accounting firm, Morris & Co. CPAs. In the process of preparing the 2018 tax return for your client, Jamie Olds, you discover that you inadvertently made a transposition error in reporting her 2017 business consulting gross income, which reports as a sole proprietorship for tax purposes. You reported Schedule C gross receipts a $45,000 (should have been $54,000). You properly reported her Schedule C expenses of $2,000. Assume Jamie is single and used the standard deduction. Assume Schedule C was her only source of income during 2017. Write a memo to your supervisor Jane Morris explaining what happened and suggest plan of action. In the memo, state the amount of additional tax liability Jamie will owe on the amended return (remember self-employment tax, and the deduction for 1/2 the self-employment tax). Ignore penalty and interest in your calculation. Be very specific in citing specific provisions in the AICPA Statements on Standards for Tax Services in formulating your memo. What is your firm obligated to do? Are you required to prepare an amended return? If the client refuses to sign an amended return, are you required to notify the IRS?

Expert Solution

MEMO

TO: MR JANE

FROM: MR X

SUBJECT: REVISION OF TAX RETURN OF CLIENT (JAMIE OLDS) & PAYMENT OF ADDITIONAL TAX LIABILITY.

A TRANSPOSE ERROR HAS OCCURED WHILE PREPARING IT RETURN OF MS JAMIE OLDS UNDER STATING GROSS RECEIPTS BY 9000 $.

ACTUAL GROSS RECEIPT IN SCHEDULE C: 54000$

GROSS RECEIPTS DECLARED IN SCH C : 45000$

DIFFERENCE IN GROSSS RECEIPTS : 9000 $

PREVIOUS TAX LIABILITY = 45000$-2000$ = 43000$ = 5226.25+ (43000-37950)$*25/100

= 5226.25+ 1262.5$ = 6488.75$

CURRENT TAX LIABILITY = 54000$-2000$= 52000$ : 5226.25$+ (52000-37950)*25/100

=5226.25$ + 3512.5$ = 8738.75$

ADDITIONAL TAX LIABILITY: 8738.75$ - 6488.75$= 2250$

LESS: STANDARD DEDUCTION= 1/2 SELF ASST TAX= 1150$

TOTAL TAX LIABILITY PAYABLE = 2250$-1150 $= 1150$

THE AICPA STATEMENTS ON SSTS REQUIRES CPA TO BRING PREVIOUS ERRORS TO THE NOTICE OF CLIENTS AND PROMPTLY COMMUNICATING THE CONSEQUENCES OF TAKING OR DECLINING CORRECTIVE ACTIONS.HENCE IT IS OUR OBLIGATION TO COMMUNICATE THE ERROR TO THE CLIENT HOWEVER PROHIBITTED FROM MENTIONING TO THE IRS WITHOUT THE PERMISSION OF THE CLIENT UNLESS LEGALITY TAKES PRECEDENCE. THUS WE ARE REQIRED TO FILE AN AMMENDED RETURN , SINCE IN THIS THIS CASE MATERIALITY PERSISTS.

HOWEVER IF THE CLIENT REFUSES TO SIGN AN AMENDED RETURN THEN IRS CIRCULAR 230 PROHIBITS CPA FROM SIGNING CURRENT RETURN KNOWN TO INCLUDE AN ERROR

ekkarill92 answered 2 years ago

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