Author Archives: Russ

The Real Winners of the 2013 World Series of Poker

Posted on November 5, 2013 by Russ

Nine individuals came to Las Vegas on Monday and Tuesday to compete for the championship at the World Series of Poker (WSOP). Who would be the lucky winner? And who really got to keep the money? Congratulations to Ryan Riess … Continue reading →

Posted in Gambling | Tagged | 16 Comments

The Wrong Kind of Education Leads to ClubFed

Posted on November 4, 2013 by Russ

A California tax preparer decided he wanted to increase refunds for his clients. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with that–I want my clients to get the maximum possible refund allowed under the law. It appears that Kenyon Williams forgot those last … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax Fraud | Tagged , | 1 Comment

IRS Scandal Update

Posted on November 3, 2013 by Russ

The political news has been dominated as of late by the ObamaCare follies. However, the IRS scandal continues to percolate. There has been some news this past week: The National Organization for Marriage sued the IRS over the leak of … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Tagged , | 3 Comments

Bubba Paris Sacked, Pleads Guilty to Not Filing a Tax Return

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Russ

Former San Francisco 49er William H Paris, Jr. (aka Bubba Paris) is now a motivational speaker. He’ll have a new topic to talk about: Why You Should Pay Your Taxes. Back in February Mr. Paris was indicted on three misdemeanor … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Tax Evasion | Tagged | 1 Comment

Illinois’ Bankrupt Pension Systems and Tax Hikes

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Russ

I was born and raised just outside of Chicago. I still root for Chicago sports teams (Blackhawks, Bears, and Cubs). Yet I’m quite happy that I don’t reside in Illinois today. Illinois’ pension systems are basically bankrupt and Democrats in … Continue reading →

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PTIN Follies, Year 4

Posted on October 31, 2013 by Russ

This is the fourth year I’ve had to pay for my PTIN (my third year to renew it). A PTIN is a Preparer Tax Identification Number–it’s a number I use when I prepare a tax return. It’s a means for … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Noguez Gets More Charges

Posted on October 30, 2013 by Russ

Los Angeles County Assessor John Noguez finds himself facing more felony counts in the ongoing bribery/tax evasion scandal rocking the Los Angeles County Assessor’s Office. The new charges relate to three more building where Mr. Noguez and consultant Ramin Salari … Continue reading →

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Coming Attractions: When the IRS Writes New Law When They’re Not Allowed To

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Russ

The IRS is part of the Executive Branch of government. The Executive Branch can’t write law–they can issue regulations based on laws passed by the legislative branch (Congress) and then only when Congress authorizes it. There’s an issue percolating in … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS, Legislation | Tagged | 1 Comment

Sigh: 2014 Tax Season to be Delayed up to Two Weeks

Posted on October 22, 2013 by Russ

Just the news that every tax professional wants to hear: The 2014 tax season (2013 tax returns filed next year) will be delayed one to two weeks. It appears the start date for processing will be sometime between January 28th … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Tagged | 1 Comment

One Down, One to Go: DOJ Gets an Injunction, Asks for Another

Posted on October 20, 2013 by Russ

One of the more humorous (to me) aspects of the Loving case was hearing the IRS argue that it has no means of disciplining rogue tax preparers. That’s just not true. If I deliberately prepare a bad return, I can … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax Preparation | Tagged | 2 Comments