This is one that I have not seen before, but it came to my office recently. The letter stated the following:
2018 – ANNUAL REPORT INSTRUCTION FORM
The rest of the form is very official looking and has the appearance that it is coming from the State of New Jersey, which is similar to the shady advertisements regarding labor law posters. Whether or not this type of advertising is illegal is not for me to determine (there are disclaimers on the advertisement if you actually read the entire form), but it borders on shady. A few helpful tips to discern advertisements from valid governmental notices:
- Read the entire advertisement/form to determine if it is an advertisement or a notice from a governmental agency.
- The form asks for a check payable to a non-governmental agency.
- If there are processing fees than it is most likely an ad.
- Ask your CPA if you are unsure.