What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Missouri
Recently I received a letter from the IRS indicating that myself and my ex-spouse owed approximately $2,000 for a tax year filing from a couple of years ago for under reporting of taxable income. We divorced last year, 2011. My ex-spouse always completed all of our joint tax returns during our 20 year marriage. He also had full (and sole) control over our joint bank account and paid the bills, managed the balance and completely directed when, how and where all money was spent. Both he and I worked full time and deposited into the joint account.
I contacted the IRS and requested the “innocent spouse” form and information relating to qualification. I also requested the last 3 years of our joint tax filings that occurred during the last 3 years of our marriage since I had never seen these before. Much to my great amazement I noticed fraudulent personal and business exemptions that he had listed over the 3 returns totaling approximately $150,000! I know these were fraudulent and not actual due to my first-hand knowledge of the business expenses as well the listings of bogus personal medical expenses and charitable contributions.
Therefore, I have two questions:
1) Should I file the “innocent spouse” relief form? I was completely unaware of anything on the joint filings since he alone completed them every year and electronically signed my name each year but I am afraid to still be held responsible due to my oversight and misguided trust in my ex-spouse. I know now in hindsight this was a tremendous mistake on my part.
2) Should I contact the IRS criminal investigators regarding the very large fraudulent exemptions he claimed for the 3 years (and I am almost certain he would have done these similar claims on previous tax filings for previous years as well)? Once again, I am quite nervous that I will somehow be implicated due to the joint filings but I DID NOT have any knowledge of what he was listing as exemptions whatsoever. He did all the taxes and signed my name electronically and I never reviewed them. I do not know how I can prove he electronically signed my name each tax filing. I believe he did this quite purposely since he knew I would never agree to the fraud or any illegal activity. He had done this type of activity years earlier when he filed a greatly exaggerated insurance loss claim and attempted to get me to sign it. I refused and behind my back he turned it in for payment. He has a very long history of minor criminal activities and ongoing serious and highly questionable financial investment scams and default civil judgments against him.
Any advice and suggestions you can lend are greatly appreciated.
Recently I received a letter from the IRS indicating that myself and my ex-spouse owed approximately $2,000 for a tax year filing from a couple of years ago for under reporting of taxable income. We divorced last year, 2011. My ex-spouse always completed all of our joint tax returns during our 20 year marriage. He also had full (and sole) control over our joint bank account and paid the bills, managed the balance and completely directed when, how and where all money was spent. Both he and I worked full time and deposited into the joint account.
I contacted the IRS and requested the “innocent spouse” form and information relating to qualification. I also requested the last 3 years of our joint tax filings that occurred during the last 3 years of our marriage since I had never seen these before. Much to my great amazement I noticed fraudulent personal and business exemptions that he had listed over the 3 returns totaling approximately $150,000! I know these were fraudulent and not actual due to my first-hand knowledge of the business expenses as well the listings of bogus personal medical expenses and charitable contributions.
Therefore, I have two questions:
1) Should I file the “innocent spouse” relief form? I was completely unaware of anything on the joint filings since he alone completed them every year and electronically signed my name each year but I am afraid to still be held responsible due to my oversight and misguided trust in my ex-spouse. I know now in hindsight this was a tremendous mistake on my part.
2) Should I contact the IRS criminal investigators regarding the very large fraudulent exemptions he claimed for the 3 years (and I am almost certain he would have done these similar claims on previous tax filings for previous years as well)? Once again, I am quite nervous that I will somehow be implicated due to the joint filings but I DID NOT have any knowledge of what he was listing as exemptions whatsoever. He did all the taxes and signed my name electronically and I never reviewed them. I do not know how I can prove he electronically signed my name each tax filing. I believe he did this quite purposely since he knew I would never agree to the fraud or any illegal activity. He had done this type of activity years earlier when he filed a greatly exaggerated insurance loss claim and attempted to get me to sign it. I refused and behind my back he turned it in for payment. He has a very long history of minor criminal activities and ongoing serious and highly questionable financial investment scams and default civil judgments against him.
Any advice and suggestions you can lend are greatly appreciated.
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