Monthly Archives: June 2014

As the Emails Churn…

The IRS Scandal continues to get uglier. Joe Kristan called it, “The dog ate my email….” All I know is that I’d end up in a new profession if I tried the excuses the IRS has given. But it got … Continue reading

Posted in IRS | Tagged | Comments Off on As the Emails Churn…

Soon: No More Circular 230 Notices

When I attended the annual CSEA SuperSeminar, Karen Hawkins, Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility (of the IRS), told a luncheon crowd that a new version of Circular 230 will be released within two weeks. Well, that didn’t happen. … Continue reading

Posted in IRS | Tagged | 1 Comment

The Two Year Gap

Do you remember how the IRS scandal began? It began when Lois Lerner made a speech and noted that the IRS erred and targeted conservative and Tea Party 501(c)(4) applicants. This occurred on a Friday afternoon. Shock of shocks, another … Continue reading

Posted in IRS | Tagged | 1 Comment

IRS Adopts “Taxpayer Bill of Rights;” Will Anything Change?

With great fanfare the IRS today announced the adoption of The Taxpayer Bill of Rights. As noted in the IRS announcement, The Taxpayer Bill of Rights takes the multiple existing rights embedded in the tax code and groups them into … Continue reading

Posted in IRS | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Perhaps This Is Why Lois Lerner Is Taking the Fifth

You remember the IRS scandal? It’s still around, and it appears that the IRS (or highly placed individuals at the IRS) violated the law. From Eliana Johnson comes a report that begins, The Internal Revenue Service may have been caught … Continue reading

Posted in IRS | Tagged | 2 Comments

More on the Hom Decision

Jack Townsend of the Federal Tax Crimes Blog has a post on United States v. Hom today. In his post, he notes that Mr. Hom represented himself. Indeed, the court is still looking for a pro bono counsel to represent … Continue reading

Posted in Gambling | Tagged | Comments Off on More on the Hom Decision

Another Example of a Regulated Preparer Committing Tax Crimes

Yet another example of a regulated preparer committing tax crimes emerged this past week out of Ohio. Larry Couchot is a CPA in Ohio. He’s president and an owner of an accounting firm. Mr. Couchot also may be heading to … Continue reading

Posted in Tax Fraud | Tagged , | Comments Off on Another Example of a Regulated Preparer Committing Tax Crimes

It’s Only a 56% Tax Increase…

In the, “Tales, I win, heads, you lose” news of the week comes word of a 56% increase in Chicago’s telephone tax. The tax increase might prevent a $50 million property tax increase…but then again it might not. The issues … Continue reading

Posted in Illinois | Comments Off on It’s Only a 56% Tax Increase…

Back to the Past: Poker Sites and FBARs. Poker Sites Are Again Reportable Foreign Financial Accounts

Back in the past, I asked the FBAR group at the IRS whether or not poker sites needed to be reported. In January 2009, they told me they did have to be reported. In prior years, the FBAR group said … Continue reading

Posted in Gambling, IRS | Tagged | 2 Comments

Next Month Has Arrived (or, Deadlines for Us, But Not for Them, Part 3)

I’m a Cubs fan. As such, I’m always waiting for next year. I have a client who has been waiting since October to get his IRS notice issue resolved. I’ve written about it twice before. Back in March, we received … Continue reading

Posted in IRS | 1 Comment