Scams are surging in the summer, the IRS says
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Summertime, and the scamming is surging.
That is according to the IRS, which issued a warning Friday for taxpayers to be wary of offers promising tax refunds or to "fix" tax problems. Many of these offers center on promises of a third round of economic impact payments. The IRS said it was receiving hundreds of complaints daily — and thousands since the July 4 holiday — at its phishing@irs.gov email account.
The economic impact payment scam includes an embedded URL that takes people to a phishing website to steal their personal information, the IRS said, adding that the third round of payments occurred over two years ago.
The scam, which has been around since 2021, has changed over time to trick people, the IRS said.
Remember: The IRS never initiates contact with taxpayers by email, text, or social media regarding a bill or tax refund.
"The IRS is seeing a wave of these summer scams relentlessly pounding taxpayers," IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. "People are being flooded with these email and text messages, but we want them to avoid getting swept up in these terrible scams. Taxpayers should be wary; remember, don't click on links from questionable sources."
The IRS also has received reports about emails urging people to "Claim your tax refund online" and text messages that the person's tax return was "banned" by the IRS. Spelling errors and awkward phrasing are one sign that these emails are a scam.
In addition to the economic impact payment scheme, the most recent wave of tax scams includes:
The misleading 'You may be eligible for the ERC' claim
The IRS has observed a significant increase in false employee retention credit (ERC) claims, an issue that made the IRS's annual "Dirty Dozen" list earlier this year. The ERC is a pandemic-related credit for which only certain employers qualify.
Taxpayers should avoid promoters who say they can quickly determine someone's eligibility without details and those who charge upfront fees or a fee based on a percentage of the ERC claimed, the IRS said.
The IRS advises eligible employers who need help claiming the ERC to work with a trusted tax professional. Details about eligibility, how to properly claim the credit, and how to report promoters are available at irs.gov/erc.
The 'claim your tax refund online' scheme
Because taxpayers are enticed by the idea that they have possibly overlooked money owed to them, identity thieves are upping their game with email and text schemes suggesting the recipient has missed out on a tax refund.
A variation hitting inboxes in recent weeks has a blue headline proclaiming that people should "Claim your tax refund online."
Again, there are telltale warning signs, including misspellings and language urging people to click a link for help to "claim tax refund."
The text scheme offering help to address a problem
In another recent scam, identity thieves send a text message with a name that tries to sound official, such as "govirs-accnnt2023." A variety of messages follow, saying that there is a problem with the recipient's tax return, but that the sender can fix the problem if the recipient clicks a link in the message.
As in other scams, there are many red flags in these text messages, including misspellings and factual inaccuracies.
The 'delivery service' scam at your door
The IRS is also warning taxpayers to be on the lookout for a new scam letter delivered in a cardboard envelope by a delivery service. The enclosed letter includes the IRS masthead and wording that the notice is "in relation to your unclaimed refund."
What to do
People who receive these scams by email should send the email to phishing@irs.gov.
People who become victims after clicking and entering their information should report the email at phishing@irs.gov and should file a complaint with Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration and visit www.identitytheft.gov and www.irs.gov/identity-theft-central.
Credit for this article: Martha Waggoner with the Journal of Accounting
Hiring feels like growth. More people. More capacity. More momentum. But here’s what most business owners underestimate: The salary is just the starting point. By the time you factor in everything else, that “$70,000 hire” can quietly become a $90,000—or even $100,000—decision. And if you don’t plan for it? Hiring can slow your business down instead of moving it forward. Why Hiring Feels Simpler Than It Actually Is On paper, hiring looks straightforward. You need help. You set a salary. You make the offer. But the real cost doesn’t show up in the offer letter. It shows up in everything that comes after. The True Cost Breakdown (What Most People Miss) Salary is only one piece of the equation. Here’s what actually gets added on: 1. Payroll Taxes Employers are responsible for their share of: Social Security and Medicare Federal and state unemployment taxes That alone can add 7–10%+ on top of base salary. 2. Benefits (Even Basic Ones Add Up) Depending on your setup, this may include: Health insurance contributions Retirement plans Paid time off Even modest benefits packages can significantly increase your total cost per employee. 3. Software, Tools, and Equipment Every new hire needs access to: Software subscriptions Systems and platforms Equipment or workspace Individually small. Collectively meaningful. 4. Management and Training Time This is the most overlooked cost. New hires require: Onboarding Training Ongoing management Which means someone on your team is spending time not doing their core work. That’s a real cost—even if it doesn’t show up on a payroll report. Full-Time vs. Contractor: Not Always an Obvious Choice Hiring full-time isn’t always the best first move. In many cases, a contractor or fractional role can: Reduce upfront costs Eliminate benefit obligations Provide specialized expertise Give you flexibility as you grow This is why more businesses are turning to: Fractional CFOs Outsourced marketing teams Contract-based specialists It’s not about avoiding hiring. It’s about hiring intentionally. When Hiring Actually Hurts Growth It sounds counterintuitive—but hiring too early can create pressure instead of relief. Here’s how it happens: Revenue isn’t consistent yet Cash flow tightens Fixed payroll costs increase You feel pressure to “feed” the hire Instead of freeing you up… It adds stress to every decision. Growth doesn’t just come from adding people. It comes from adding people at the right time. A Smarter Approach to Hiring Decisions Before you make your next hire, ask: Is this role tied directly to revenue or efficiency? Can this function be outsourced first? Do we have consistent cash flow to support this long-term? What is the fully loaded cost—not just the salary? Because clarity here protects you later. What Strong Businesses Do Differently They don’t just hire when they feel busy. They hire when the numbers support it. They: Forecast the full cost Understand the ROI of the role Use flexible resources when needed Scale their team strategically—not reactively That’s what keeps growth sustainable. Final Thought Hiring is one of the biggest investments you’ll make in your business. Done right, it accelerates growth. Done too early—or without a full picture—it can slow everything down. The difference isn’t instinct. It’s clarity. Before your next hire, run the numbers—not just the salary. Contact Steven Brewer & Company CPAs today to evaluate the true cost of hiring, explore smarter staffing options, and make confident decisions that support long-term growth.
June 2026 Individual Due Dates June 1 - Final Due Date for IRA Trustees to Issue Form 5498 Final due date for IRA trustees to issue Form 5498, providing IRA owners with the fair market value (FMV) of their IRA accounts as of December 31, 2025. The FMV of an IRA on the last day of the prior year (Dec. 31, 2025) is used to determine the required minimum distribution (RMD) that must be taken from the IRA if you are age 73 or older during 2026. June 10 - Report Tips to Employer If you are an employee who works for tips and received more than $20 in tips during May, you are required to report them to your employer no later than June 10. You can use IRS Form 4070 or your own statement that includes your signature; name, address and Social Security number; employer's name (or establishment's name if different) and address; month or period the report covers, and total of tips received during that month or period. Your employer is required to withhold FICA taxes and income tax withholding for these tips from your regular wages. If your regular wages are insufficient to cover the FICA and tax withholding, the employer will report the amount of the uncollected withholding in box 8 of your W-2 for the year. You will be required to pay the uncollected withholding when your return for the year is filed. June 15 - Estimated Tax Payment Due This is the last day to timely make your second quarter estimated tax installment payment for the 2026 tax year. Our tax system is a "pay-as-you-earn" system. To facilitate that concept, the government has provided several means of assisting taxpayers in meeting the "pay-as-you-earn" requirement. These include: Payroll withholding for employees; Pension withholding for retirees; and Estimated tax payments for self-employed individuals and those with other sources of income not covered by withholding. When a taxpayer fails to prepay a safe harbor (minimum) amount, they can be subject to the underpayment penalty. This penalty is equal to the federal short-term rate plus 3 percentage points, and the penalty is computed on a quarter-by-quarter basis. Federal tax law does provide ways to avoid the underpayment penalty. If the underpayment is less than $1,000 (the "de minimis amount"), no penalty is assessed. In addition, the law provides "safe harbor" prepayments. There are two safe harbors: The first safe harbor is based on the tax owed in the current year. If your payments equal or exceed 90% of what is owed in the current year, you can escape a penalty. The second safe harbor is based on the tax owed in the immediately preceding tax year. This safe harbor is generally 100% of the prior year's tax liability. However, for taxpayers whose AGI exceeds $150,000 ($75,000 for married taxpayers filing separately), the prior year's safe harbor is 110%. Example: Suppose your tax for the year is $10,000 and your prepayments total $5,600. The result is that you owe an additional $4,400 on your tax return. To find out if you owe a penalty, see if you meet the first safe harbor exception. Since 90% of $10,000 is $9,000, your prepayments fell short of the mark. You can't avoid the penalty under this exception. However, in the above example, the safe harbor may still apply. Assume your prior year's tax was $5,000. Since you prepaid $5,600, which is greater than 110% of the prior year's tax (110% = $5,500), you qualify for this safe harbor and can escape the penalty. This example underscores the importance of making sure your prepayments are adequate, especially if you have a large increase in income. This is common when there is a large gain from the sale of stocks, sale of property, when large bonuses are paid, when a taxpayer retires, etc. Timely payment of each required estimated tax installment is also a requirement to meet the safe harbor exception to the penalty. If you have questions regarding your safe harbor estimates, please call this office as soon as possible. CAUTION: Some state de minimis amounts, safe harbor estimates rules, and the dates estimate payments are due are different than those for the Federal estimates. Please call this office for particular state safe harbor rules. June 15 - Taxpayers Living Abroad If you are a U.S. citizen or resident alien living and working (or on military duty) outside the United States and Puerto Rico, June 15 is the filing due date for your 2025income tax return and to pay any tax due. Those impacted by the terrorist attacks in Israel throughout 2024 and 2025 have until September 30, 2026, to file and pay taxes that are otherwise due on or after September 30, 2025, and before September 30, 2026. The Sept. 30, 2026 extension also applies to time-sensitive tax acts that were previously postponed by IRS. If your return has not been completed and you need additional time to file your return, file Form 4868 to obtain 4 additional months to file. Then, file Form 1040 or 1040-SR by October 15. However, if you are a participant in a combat zone, you may be able to further extend the filing deadline (see below). Caution: This is not an extension of time to pay your tax liability, only an extension to file the return. If you expect to owe, estimate how much, and include your payment with the extension. If you owe taxes when you do file your extended tax return, you will be liable for both the late payment penalty and interest from the due date. Combat Zone - For military taxpayers in a combat zone/qualified hazardous duty area, the deadlines for taking actions with the IRS are extended. This also applies to service members involved in contingency operations, such as Operation Iraqi Freedom or Enduring Freedom. The extension is for 180 consecutive days after the later of: The last day a military taxpayer was in a combat zone/qualified hazardous duty area or served in a qualifying contingency operation, or has qualifying service outside of the combat zone/qualified hazardous duty area (or the last day the area qualifies as a combat zone or qualified hazardous duty area), or The last day of any continuous qualified hospitalization for injury from service in the combat zone/qualified hazardous duty area or contingency operation, or while performing qualifying service outside of the combat zone/qualified hazardous duty area. In addition to the 180 days, the deadline is also extended by the number of days that were left for the individual to take an action with the IRS when they entered a combat zone/qualified hazardous duty area or began serving in a contingency operation. It is not a good idea to delay filing your return because you owe taxes. The late filing penalty is 5% per month (maximum 25%) and can be a substantial penalty. It is generally better practice to file the return without payment and avoid the late filing penalty. We can also establish an installment agreement, which allows you to pay your taxes over a period of up to 72 months. Please contact this office for assistance with an extension request or an installment agreement. Weekends & Holidays: If a due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the due date is automatically extended until the next business day that is not itself a legal holiday. Disaster Area Extensions: Please note that when a geographical area is designated as a disaster area, due dates will be extended. For more information whether an area has been designated a disaster area and the filing extension dates visit the following websites: FEMA: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations IRS: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations June 2026 Business Due Dates June 15 - Employer's Monthly Deposit Due If you are an employer and the monthly deposit rules apply, June 15 is the due date for you to make your deposit of Social Security, Medicare, and withheld income tax for May 2026. This is also the due date for the nonpayroll withholding deposit for May 2026 if the monthly deposit rule applies. June 15 - Corporations Deposit the second installment of estimated income tax for 2026 for calendar year corporations. Weekends & Holidays: If a due date falls on a Saturday, Sunday or legal holiday, the due date is automatically extended until the next business day that is not itself a legal holiday. Disaster Area Extensions: Please note that when a geographical area is designated as a disaster area, due dates will be extended. For more information whether an area has been designated a disaster area and the filing extension dates visit the following websites: FEMA: https://www.fema.gov/disaster/declarations IRS: https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/tax-relief-in-disaster-situations Are you looking for a CPA? Steven Brewer & Company is here for you! Request a quote with us today!
When a “Good Year” Still Feels Tight You finally have a year where sales are up and the books show a profit—yet your bank account feels like it missed the memo. You’re working harder than ever, but cash seems to disappear the moment it hits your account. If that sounds familiar, you’re not doing anything wrong—you’re just bumping into one of the most common challenges in business: confusing profit with cash flow. Profit tells you how your business looks on paper.
Cash flow shows how your business feels in real life. And while both matter, only one pays the bills. The Real-World Disconnect Here’s where the confusion usually starts: You invoice a client for $20,000 in December. On your profit and loss statement, that sale boosts your year-end numbers. But if the client doesn’t pay until February, that profit doesn’t do much to help you cover January’s rent, payroll, or taxes. Or imagine a landscaping company that buys $15,000 of equipment in spring to prepare for summer jobs. On paper, the expense is spread out over time—but in reality, that cash leaves your account today. The result? You’re profitable on paper but short on cash in practice. Why This Happens to So Many Business Owners Cash flow issues aren’t a sign of failure—they’re often a natural part of growth. When your business scales, so do your expenses, payment cycles, and timing gaps between money in and money out. The biggest triggers include: Delayed payments: Clients pay on their schedule, not yours.
Seasonal swings: Slow months still have fixed costs.
Inventory or supply purchases: You pay upfront, earn later.
Tax surprises: Profit may be taxable long before the cash arrives.
Without planning for those timing gaps, even healthy businesses can feel like they’re running on empty. Turning Chaos Into Control This is where working with a trusted financial professional can make all the difference. They can help you: Forecast cash flow so you see slowdowns before they happen.
Smooth out seasonality by building cash reserves during strong months.
Review expenses strategically to make sure growth doesn’t outpace available cash.
Even simple steps—like syncing invoicing and bill-paying schedules or setting aside a percentage of each payment for future expenses—can dramatically reduce stress and improve stability. Bottom Line Profit is your scoreboard. Cash flow is your oxygen.
You need both to survive—and thrive. If your business feels profitable on paper but tight in the bank, you’re not alone. Contact our firm today for guidance on building a cash flow plan that keeps your business strong through every season.