Author Archives: Russ

Waiting for Godot: Full Tilt Poker Remission

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Russ

Back in high school I read Samuel Beckett’s classic play Waiting for Godot. For Americans who are waiting for remission to occur on money they had on deposit at Full Tilt Poker, this could be retitled “Waiting for Remission.” In … Continue reading →

Posted in Gambling | Tagged , , , | 1 Comment

IRS Scandal Update: Christine O’Donnell & IRS General Counsel

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Russ

Two pieces of news on the IRS scandal this week. First, TIGTA announced that four politicians’ tax returns were improperly accessed though only one of these was done deliberately. That case was referred to the US Department of Justice for … Continue reading →

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Zappers OK in B.C. but Using Them Isn’t

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Russ

A Richmond, British Columbia firm marketed an interesting computer program. As I noted when I first wrote about this (in 2008): Bradley Alvarez of the Canada Revenue Agency told The Province that, “Businesses are suspected of having hidden thousands of … Continue reading →

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“An Excercise in Bureaucratic Futility”

Posted on July 19, 2013 by Russ

Earlier this week I mentioned to you the ridiculous Patient Centered Outcomes Trust Fund Fee that HRAs must pay. I called it the most ridiculous tax ever. Jason Dinesen posts a real example of what he went through for one … Continue reading →

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Self-Proclaimed First Lady of Tax Fraud Gets 21 Years at ClubFed

Posted on July 18, 2013 by Russ

Let me give some helpful hints to anyone who is thinking of engaging in a life of crime. First, don’t brag about it to others. Live your life in a nice peaceful way and blend in. Second, if you do … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS, Tax Fraud | Tagged | 1 Comment

The IRS Is Not Taking July 22nd Off

Posted on July 16, 2013 by Russ

Earlier this year, the IRS announced they would be taking five furlough days due the sequester. The next of these furlough days was supposed to be Monday, July 22nd. The IRS announced today that the July 22nd furlough will not … Continue reading →

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The Most Ridiculous Tax Ever

Posted on July 15, 2013 by Russ

Suppose you have a Section 105 Health Reimbursement Arrangement. Do you know that you have a tax deadline approaching in just 16 days? Jason Dinesen has an excellent post on this. A Health Reimbursement Arrangement (HRA) is a common method … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Tagged , , | 1 Comment

I’m Shocked to Find Another Enrolled Preparer Committed Tax Fraud

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Russ

Not really. The IRS would like the public and Congress to believe that if every preparer were regulated by the IRS that preparer tax fraud would magically vanish. The reality is that as long as money is involved in an … Continue reading →

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Microsafted to ClubFed

Posted on July 14, 2013 by Russ

Matthew Taylor is heading to ClubFed for a 7 1/2 year of vacation from his previous job as an art thief and tax evader. It’s what he did to try to hide his crime that makes this case interesting. First, … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax Evasion | Tagged , | 1 Comment

Ohio Back on the Bad List for Gamblers

Posted on July 12, 2013 by Russ

When Ohio legalized casino gambling in 2010, they also added a deduction for gambling losses effective January 1, 2013. Taxdood reported that the new budget signed into law repeals this deduction. He believes it’s retroactive; I can confirm that it … Continue reading →

Posted in Gambling, Ohio | 1 Comment