Monthly Archives: December 2008

No Love for Dinosaur Land; the Hovinds Lose Their Appeal

Posted on December 31, 2008 by Russ

I’ve written several times about the saga of Kent and Jo Hovind. The Hovinds are evangelists who formed Dinosaur Adventure Land, a theme park that mixed dinosaurs and the Bible. They also weren’t believers in the IRS, and used a … Continue reading →

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2008 Tax Offender of the Year

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Russ

There are all sorts of awards given, but the award I give is special. To be considered for the Tax Offender of the Year award, you must do more than cheat on your taxes. It has to be special; it … Continue reading →

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IRS Lockbox Changes

Posted on December 30, 2008 by Russ

One major IRS change is happening on January 1st: The IRS is closing its Dallas lockbox. If you currently mail payments to Dallas check the notice as to the new addresses in Charlotte that you will be sending your payments … Continue reading →

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The Bee Gets It Right

Posted on December 29, 2008 by Russ

I’m annoyed with both sides in the endless budget battle. The Sacramento Bee today points out the Democrats’ intransigence. Will anything come of this? Probably not. The Bee thinks that the Democrats’ union contributors don’t want a compromise on cutting … Continue reading →

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Very Light Week on the Fraud Front

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Russ

It must be the Christmas season; I could only find a couple of stories on tax fraud from the long weekend. Keith Kuchenbecker of Neenah, Wisconsin was president of his own construction company from 2000 to 2007. He made a … Continue reading →

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Not So Fast, New York

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Russ

New York’s attempt to tax cigarettes sold on Indian reservations in the Empire State hit a roadblock last week. Judge Rose Sconiers issued a temporary restraining order against New York and barred collection of the sales tax. A hearing on … Continue reading →

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Let’s Party Like It’s 1999

Posted on December 28, 2008 by Russ

I think that phrase comes from a song by the artist formally known as Prince. It’s also another way of looking at how dysfunctional California’s government has become. Meanwhile, nothing appears to be stopping the budget train from falling over … Continue reading →

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Two Gambling Cases at the Tax Court

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Russ

The Tax Court looked at two gambling related tax cases today. In the first case the petitioners thought there was discrimination; in the second case the question was whether or not the petitioners were professionals or amateurs. In the first … Continue reading →

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Not Vital In Vitro

Posted on December 23, 2008 by Russ

The Tax Court today looked at the case of a man who deducted in vitro fertilization (IVF) expenses. There was just a few problems: he wasn’t married, had no medical conditions, and the IRS objected. So why did the petitioner … Continue reading →

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Custer’s Last Stand

Posted on December 22, 2008 by Russ

No, not that Custer. Earlier this month the Tax Court looked at the case of Richard Custer. Mr. Custer, a pilot, hadn’t filed his 2004 tax return. The IRS sent him a notice of deficiency. Mr. Custer then filed a … Continue reading →

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