We handle a significant number of civil examinations as well as represent taxpayers in criminal investigations by the IRS.  Recently the IRS Office of Chief Counsel issued new guidance on an IRS Examiner’s ability to summons a taxpayer to turnover electronic files containing metadata in the course of an IRS audit. Taxpayers should be aware that the IRS seems to be expanding the range of electronic records requested during the course of an examination. The latest guidance sets forth the IRS’ position that examiners may summon metadata and a field directive issued in September instructs examiners to request accounting software backup files from taxpayers It is our experience that many financial software programs contain audit trails, allowing the IRS in both civil and criminal investigati... 01/16/2012

It's been a great ride for some and not so great for others in Stamford.  Our town was not immune to the housing crisis that has been prevalent throughout the country. But I'm excited about the opportunities ahead in 2012. In Stamford, CT a total of 527 single family homes sold in 2011.   Average listing price of the homes that sold $687,340 Average sales price of $659,122 Average DOM (days on market) of 106 yes, it's a buyer's market for the first-time buyer and those downsizing. In the last quarter we've seen more sales activity in the mid-price point ...however the total number of sales for the month of December continues to decrease year over year...   Currently there are 337 single family homes for sale, ranging from a 3bedroom/2 bathroom Colonial foreclosed property in mid-city li... 01/09/2012

We handle many taxpayers seeking innocent spouse relief from the IRS.  The Internal Revenue Service today released new proposed guidelines designed to provide relief to more innocent spouses requesting equitable relief from income tax liability.  A Notice proposing a new revenue procedure, posted today on IRS.gov, revises the threshold requirements for requesting equitable relief and revises the factors used by the IRS in evaluating these requests. The factors have been revised to ensure that requests for innocent spouse relief are granted under section 6015(f) when the facts and circumstances warrant and that, when appropriate, requests are granted in the initial stage of the administrative process. The new guidelines are available immediately and will remain available until the finali... 01/05/2012

A significant focus of our practice is assisting clients in Stamford, Connecticut and elsewhere with their estate planning.  Whatever a client’s goals are, or what their asset level is, the number one mistake they can make is to not plan at all. A well thought out estate plan will plan for the guardian of minor children, reduce or avoid estate and succession taxes, arrange for the management of assets, and handle any planning necessary for a spouse and/or children that have special needs.  When we handle these situations for taxpayers we work with clients to find out what they want to happen and how they want their affairs managed and we create a plan and execute documents to make sure the plan operates the way the client wished. A common plan for our clients in Stamford, Connecticut as... 01/01/2012

The real estate market is changing in our Local towns of Greenwich, Stamford and Norwalk. Sales and prices are down and the inventory is ever-increasing. Wondering how to get your piece of the American Dream? Stop by my next homeownership workshop. My guest speakers include Attorney James T. Maye and Sr. Loan Officer and Branch Manager David Garofalo of Prospect Mortgage.  We'll talk about the process of buying foreclosures, short sales and the traditional home purchase, from the lending, legal and realtor point of view.  Ask as many questions about the process, loan path and title searches as you'd like. We will answer them! We believe it's our job to educate today's homebuyer! Join us on Saturday, January 21 at 10:00am in Stamford. Refreshments will be served and there is no charge fo... 12/28/2011

If you're like me you're thinking of things to do with your children this week before they go back to school on the 2nd of January. Here's my list of top ten things to do: 1. Tuesday at the Ferguson Library, Stamford - watch the viewing of Kung Fu Panda 2 @ at 2:00pm until 3:30pm 2. A favorite any day: Stepping Stones Museum, Norwalk - visit friends and enjoy the new Cyberchase exhibit 3. Maritime Aquarium, Norwalk - Happy Feet 2 opens in the IMAX theatre 2pm and 7pm.  You can visit the animals, watch as they are feed, and enjoy a movie. Make it a full day! 4. How about a Strike! You can do it at the AMF Bowling Alley in Norwalk! Check online for specials..... 5. Let's get your hands dirty.... and make masterpieces at Hands On Pottery in Darien from 11:00am - 5:30pm. 6. Once you clean y... 12/26/2011

Have you fallen behind on your mortgage payments, and don’t know what to do? Watch this brief video, and find out what a Short Sale is, and why it may be the solution you have been searching for. Then contact me at 203-252-8327 or kimberlytapscott@kw.com for a FREE consultation to find out if a Short Sale is right for you. I've helped both buyers purchase a short sale and homeowners sell their home through the short sale alternative to foreclosure. It's a big decision, you should work with someone who cares and has accomplished multiple short sales closings in Fairfield County.     12/21/2011

This is a great time of year and I've love it when our local business take a moment to think "outisde of the box" to increase business.  My family tonight for dinner stopped at the Stamford Town Center...also known to many as "The Mall".  A great place for fun and shopping...Santa was off tonight but, they has children playing the piano in the center court...really cool.   So on to the Holiday Special...California Pizza Kitchen is offering those who dine in the restaurant between 6-8pm on the 21st of December - FREE GIFT WRAPPING!  They are calling it Shop, Wrap & Replenish...how great is that?   Just shop, stop by and order a pizza, bring your gifts and the "little elves" will wrap while you're enjoying the food.... Just thought I'd spread the word......great things happening in Stamfo... 12/16/2011

We frequently get involved in helping taxpayers sort out their foreign bank account issues with the IRS in Stamford, CT and elsewhere.  The Internal Revenue Service in coming days will release a new information reporting form that taxpayers will use starting this coming tax filing season to report specified foreign financial assets for tax year 2011. Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets) will be filed by taxpayers with specific types and amounts of foreign financial assets or foreign accounts. It is important for taxpayers to determine whether they are subject to this new requirement because the law imposes significant penalties for failing to comply. The Form 8938 filing requirement was enacted in 2010 to improve tax compliance by U.S. taxpayers with offshore fina... 12/15/2011

Looking for a family friendly community where children ride bikes, sleigh ride in the yards, and the residents are friendly? Consider Shippan Point.     A lovely waterfront community, Shippan is full of excitement and activities. It's a home to West Beach which is open to the public and several private beaches which are used by residents with deeded rights. The area off of Shippan Avenue is called Shippan Point, this is a peninsula which juts out into Long Island Sound and occasionally on a clear day offers a view of the New York City line.Whether you are looking for a private condo, investment property, starter home or a multimillion dollar waterfront estate you can find it in here. It's such a great place, that the residents often move here and stay, preferring to do the "Shippan Shuf... 12/14/2011

Sunrise Dog Walks at Cove Harbor, Stamford, Ct. Dec. 14th, 2011.                 David Popoff is a Connecticut license real estate agent in lower Fairfield County. He has lived and worked in the area for over 30 years and now reside in Darien since 2004. Member of the Multiple Listing Service, MLS. Darien  Greenwich  Greater Fairfield County Member of the Connecticut Association of Realtors, CAR. Member of the National Association of Realtors, NAR. Green Affiliations. Realtor GREEN designation by the National Association of Realtors. David Popoff is an accredited LEED Accredited Professional (LEED AP) Homes and USGBC member of the Connecticut chapter (CTGBC).   Associate member and an accredited Certified Green Professional (CGP) of National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) and the l... 12/14/2011

Over the summer I got a call from someone who found me online from my blogging-cool in itself! Her empty condo had been languishing on the market,  a year  with little traffic and no offers, how would this thing called Staging work for her? We spoke, and agreed to meet and see the space. Unusual space: old hotel, then office complex,  converted into condos in recent years. New kitchen/baths, newish neutral carpet. Nice space, good light, but not a standard or expected floor plan. It had also been recently painted linen white, top to bottom.  ~~~~~~~~~~    ~~~~~~~~~~            ~~~~~~~~~~ Paint a color, and bring furniture in to demonstrate how this unusual space could be used was my recommendation. Color adds warmth and definition in listing photos.   Getting furniture was not an unexpe... 12/09/2011

As we all were surprised, in Stamford CT,  at the October snowstorm, the real estate market is business as "unusual".  We are definitely in a buyer's market.  Prices and interest rates are low and the inventory is high.  Both buyers and investors have their choice in picking through the growing inventory of our fair town, also know as the "City that Works".   The great news is that the FHA loan limit is now $708,750, allowing Fairfield County buyers to buy with a minimum of 3.5% with a maximum loan limit of $708,750. There is plenty to choose from!  However on the sales side, the tide is getting lower. Sales are down and the largest sales price point is $499,999 and below offering the most inventory to first-time buyers and investors. Thinking of selling your home?  We are now in a beau... 12/05/2011

In Fairfield County,  Connecticut, we're in the giving season.  I think I'm enjoying it the most.  For my recent children's coat drive, I collected 171 children's coats, 126 hats and 120 pairs of mittens and gloves from my hometown and community. All donated to Person to Person - a non-profit with a clothing closet for the needy.  I can sleep well knowing that more of our children will be warm this winter. Thank you all! I'm feeling so good, that I want to offer my community a gift of knowledge.  Working with Citibank, I have LIMITED copies to share, so please email me no later than Monday, December 5th at 9:30am EST if you'd like a copy of: Your First Home: The Proven Path to Home Ownership - this book outlines the process of home ownership in eight simple steps and is a must-read for ... 12/03/2011

In Stamford, Connecticut, it's the most wonderful time of the year...the weather is changing and the leaves have turned glorious colors.  Many make special trips to New England to observe the Fall foliage as it changes colors.  As a native of Connecticut, I must admit...this is one of my favorite times of the year as well.  But for the Earth to be balanced, there's an end to each season. The leaves are down and so the clean-up must begin.  The City of Stamford has posted the scheduled plan for the leaf cleanup.  Pending any additional snowstorms, you can rest assured that the town will be in your area sometime between November 21 and December 21.  But if you're a scheduling fanatic like me.  You might want something more specific.  Click here for the town of Stamford's leaf pickup sched... 11/21/2011

Last night I went to a Mott's reunion in Stamford CT.  I used to be the Marketing Director on Mott's applesauce in a former life.  It was a lot of fun reconnecting w/ good friends. Now, what floored me, is that so many people said , "Look, it's The Flooring Girl!"  I couldn't believe they actually knew/remembered, but apparently they are reading my status updates on LinkedIn and I've made a big impression.  Many were impressed with how I market my business...and actually a couple may need some flooring in the future. Recently, I've goten a couple of jobs via my connections on LinkedIn.  They were from people I knew from previous jobs.  In addition, I beleive that I have high top of mind awareness, so it feeds into other contacts recommending me to their friends (although it's hard to di... 11/17/2011

Are you looking for flooring for your home in Stamford CT 06901 06902 06903 06905 06906 06907? We know there are many choices..and sometimes the process can feel overwhelming. Whether you're looking for hardwood floors, tile, carpet, laminate flooring, or if you just want to refinish your hardwood floors, Floor Coverings International can help make the process fun and simple. We are a shop at home service. Our tagline is "We bring the store your door." This is important because first, you can see the colors in your lighting and color coordinate with paint color, cabinets and furniture. Second, it allows us to provide a true estimate for you. And, third, of course it is more convenient this way. We provide guidance - Which is the best type of flooring for your environment and your budget... 11/17/2011

We frequently represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in all types of civil and criminal tax controversies, including foreign bank account issues.  It is now being widely reported that the Swiss banks will probably settle a sweeping U.S. probe of offshore tax evasion by paying billions of dollars and handing over names of thousands of Americans who have secret accounts, according to two people familiar with the matter.   Bloomberg is reporting that U.S. and Swiss officials are concluding negotiations on a civil settlement amid U.S. criminal probes of 11 financial institutions suspected of helping American clients hide money from the IRS according to five people with knowledge of the talks who declined to speak publicly because they are confidential.   The Swiss g... 10/29/2011

We frequently represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service (“IRS”) in all types of civil and criminal tax controversies. It is now being widely reported that the IRS has instituted a new gift tax compliance initiative, which is designed to respond to its suspicions of widespread failure to file gift tax returns. According to the IRS Federal/State Coordinator for Estate & Gift Taxes, Josephine Bonaffini, between sixty percent and ninety percent of taxpayers fail to file a gift tax return despite having engaged in a transaction requiring a return. According to Bonaffini, in the past two years, 323 taxpayers have been audited for failure to file gift tax returns relating to gifts of real property, 217 cases were still under examination, and another 250 cases were being researche... 10/28/2011

We represent taxpayers before the Connecticut Department of Revenue Service (“DRS”) frequently.  A hot button issue for the last few years has been the issue of nonresident contractors and the requirement to provide a bond. The law requiring nonresident construction contractors to furnish security for Connecticut taxes arising from jobs performed in Connecticut has been changed in the following major ways: ·      Under the law as amended, there are two classes of nonresident contractors: verified and unverified. A nonresident prime or general contractor may gain verified status and thus eliminate the requirement to file a surety bond with the Department of Revenue Services (DRS), and a nonresident subcontractor may become verified and thus eliminate the requirement for the prime or gene... 10/28/2011