“Dirty Dozen” Tax Scams to Watch For Chevron Employees

Healthcare Provider Update: Healthcare Provider Information for Chevron Chevron, a prominent energy corporation, generally offers health insurance plans through various providers to its employees, one of the major ones being Aetna. Aetna provides comprehensive healthcare benefits, covering medical, dental, and vision options tailored to meet the diverse needs of Chevron's workforce. Potential Healthcare Cost Increases in 2026 In 2026, healthcare costs are anticipated to soar, driven primarily by record premium hikes in the Affordable Care Act (ACA) marketplace. With several states reporting proposed increases of over 60%, consumers could see their out-of-pocket premiums rise by more than 75% if enhanced federal subsidies are not extended. Factors contributing to these surges include soaring medical expenses, projected annual "medical trend" increases of 7-10%, and aggressive rate hikes from major insurers like UnitedHealthcare and Anthem. This situation heralds a significant financial challenge for many consumers as they navigate a complex landscape of escalating healthcare costs. Click here to learn more

Every year the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) releases its list of tax scams, spotlighting the myriad ways that people try to separate you from your money.¹

As Chevron shares climb on a 10% oil-price spike driven by the Iran–Hormuz crisis, employees of this integrated energy major face a classic “champagne problem”: soaring stock grants and capital gains pushing them into higher brackets. With the One Big Beautiful Bill permanently extending TCJA rates and raising the SALT cap to $40,400, now is the window to evaluate Net Unrealized Appreciation (NUA) strategies and Roth conversions to lock in favorable long-term capital gains treatment.

The “Dirty Dozen”

Identity Theft

Using your personal information, an identity thief can file a fraudulent tax return and claim a refund. If you’ve been a victim of stolen personal information, you can contact the IRS so the agency can protect your tax account.

Phishing

Be wary of fake emails or websites looking to steal your personal information. If you receive a request for information that appears to be from the IRS, contact the IRS directly to verify the request.

Telephone Scams

Scammers will contact you pretending to be from the IRS. They may say that you are due a large refund or owe money (even threatening arrest or revocation of your driver’s license). If you receive such a call, call the IRS and contact the Federal Trade Commission using their “FTC Complaint Assistant” at FTC.gov.

Inflated Refund Claims

Tax preparers promising inflated returns may ask clients to sign a blank return or charge fees based on a percentage of the refund. Beware of phony storefronts or preparers advertising through word-of-mouth to community groups where trust is high.

Return Preparer Fraud

Dishonest preparers may use tax preparation as an excuse to steal your personal information, so only use a preparer who signs the return and has an IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number.

Hiding Income Offshore

The IRS has strengthened its ability to identify offshore holdings, and the failure to report them will be costly.

Impersonation of Charitable Organizations

Fraudulent charities raise money or obtain private information from individuals looking to help. Donate only to recognized charities, and beware of charities whose names sound similar to the well-known ones.

False Income, Expenses or Exemptions

Falsifying your tax return is a high risk, low reward exercise, especially in this age of Big Data.

Frivolous Arguments

Ignore promoters of frivolous arguments that promise you tax relief. Not only are they expected to fail, but you may be subjected to penalties and possible jail time.

Falsely Padding Deductions or Returns 

Dishonestly reporting deductions to reduce tax bills or inflate refunds may open you up to penalties and prosecution.

Abusive Tax Structures

If someone is proposing to eliminate or substantially reduce your taxes through complex tax structures, walk away—they may be offering nothing more than illegal tax evasion.

Excessive Claims for Business Tax Credits

This happens when taxpayers or their tax preparers improperly claim the research credit or the fuel tax credit, which is generally limited to off-highway uses, such as farming.

Oil markets have experienced extraordinary volatility in Q1 2026, with WTI crude touching ~$90/barrel in March as geopolitical tensions escalated around Iran's partial closure of the Strait of Hormuz.

For employees holding Chevron stock options or restricted shares, the sharp appreciation in energy equity values this quarter creates both tax planning opportunities and potential complications around alternative minimum tax exposure.

Tax professionals advising energy sector employees are urging clients to review their estimated tax payments and withholding as the combination of elevated commodity prices and sector-wide equity appreciation may significantly increase their 2026 tax liability.

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