Author Archives: Russ

Lawsuits Against FATCA in Canada

Posted on August 14, 2014 by Russ

A lawsuit was filed in Federal Court in Vancouver, British Columbia, challenging Canada’s complying with the US Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA). This is the law that spawned Form 8938 (the “Son of FBAR”). This law, passed in 2010, … Continue reading →

Posted in International | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Bears Sacked; Lose Court Case Worth $4.1 Million

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Russ

No, Jay Cutler didn’t throw one of his usual interceptions. Instead, Judge Mary Mason of the 1st District Illinois Appellate Court ruled that the Chicago Bears had underpaid Cook County’s Amusement Tax. The story begins when ancient Soldier Field was … Continue reading →

Posted in Illinois | Tagged | 1 Comment

I’ll Drink to That!

Posted on August 11, 2014 by Russ

Some tax-related news today from the other side of the pond. In Birmingham, England, two stores have been barred from selling alcohol as they had fake export labels. The report in the Birmingham Mail notes that the shops had over … Continue reading →

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Where Karen Hawkins Disagrees With Me…

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Russ

Karen Hawkins is the Director of the Office of Professional Responsibility (OPR). OPR is the agency within the IRS that is in charge of preparer regulation and oversight; their vision is, “To be the standard-bearer for integrity in tax practice;” … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Tagged | 1 Comment

Another Nothing to See Moment

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Russ

Via the Washington Examiner comes a letter from 47 Inspector Generals writing about obstructionism done by the Obama Administration on their work. Each of us strongly supports the principle that an inspector general must have complete, unfiltered, and timely access … Continue reading →

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Is a “Dealer Add-On” a Tip or a House Fee?

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Russ

Poker dealers are paid a low hourly wage; they make most of their money from gratuities (tips) from players. Those tips are, of course, taxable. In a poker tournament, dealers also receive tips. Some come from the prize pool while … Continue reading →

Posted in Florida, Gambling | Comments Off on Is a “Dealer Add-On” a Tip or a House Fee?

Quite a Gamble to Workout There

Posted on August 10, 2014 by Russ

Runnemede, New Jersey is a small suburb of Philadelphia. Located in Camden County, the borough would be happy to let you know about its summer recreation program. The borough got some other publicity at what was once a Curves health … Continue reading →

Posted in Gambling | Comments Off on Quite a Gamble to Workout There

The IRS Apparently Thinks They Won the Loving Case

Posted on August 5, 2014 by Russ

Yesterday the IRS released a new version of the Power of Attorney form (Form 2848). The IRS has added the ability for a fourth representative for a taxpayer. They also noted two new matters for the POA (the Section 5000A … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | 5 Comments

Vacation

Posted on July 26, 2014 by Russ

It’s time for my annual vacation. If something earth-shattering in the tax world happens while I’m relaxing, I’ll take time out to post on it. Otherwise, enjoy the fine bloggers listed in the blogroll on the right. I’ll be back … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxable Talk | Comments Off on Vacation

Perhaps the Lerner Emails Still Exist (IRS Scandal Update)

Posted on July 26, 2014 by Russ

There has been plenty of news regarding the IRS scandal. The most interesting is that IRS managers testified that it’s possible that Lois Lerner’s emails still exist. The Washington Post published an article on six questions that IT managers believe … Continue reading →

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