Author Archives: Russ

Eight Years and Counting

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Russ

I’ve been writing this blog now for eight years. A lot has changed in tax since I started, some for the good and some for the bad. I’ve had fun writing this, and my goals remain the same for the … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxable Talk | 1 Comment

“There Is No Income Tax” Fails Again to Win in Court

Posted on February 17, 2013 by Russ

Charlie Brown, move over; we have a new “winner” for trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Randy Barker doesn’t think that tax laws are constitutional. He claimed a refund on his 2008 taxes of … Continue reading →

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Nevada Looks to Tax Online Poker Tournaments

Posted on February 14, 2013 by Russ

A brief story in the Las Vegas Review-Journal noted that the chairman of the Nevada Gaming Control Board, A.G. Burnett, proposed that online poker tournaments be subject to tax (on the net profit of the tournament). This bill, Senate Bill … Continue reading →

Posted in Gambling, Nevada | 1 Comment

IRS to Accept Returns with Depreciation Sunday; Valentine’s Love for Education Credits

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Russ

The IRS announced today that they will begin accepting returns with depreciation (Form 4562) on Sunday, February 10th. This means that most business returns and many sole proprietor’s returns that have been on hold will be able to be filed … Continue reading →

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What “Out of Pocket” Means

Posted on February 8, 2013 by Russ

About ten years ago, I enjoyed one night at the hospital. The bill was only $17,000 (before discounts). My share of the bill was $0, so my medical expenses from that hospitalization were zero. If you don’t spend the money, … Continue reading →

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Shameless Self Promotion

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Russ

I finally received my copies of my new book, Tax Strategies for the Small Business Owner. While Amazon has had the book for a month, my publisher, APress, now has it in stock. What’s in Tax Strategies for the Small … Continue reading →

Posted in Books, Taxable Talk | 1 Comment

Trust Attorney Showed No Trust

Posted on February 6, 2013 by Russ

Kenneth Hoesch was an attorney in Zeeland, Michigan. Mr. Hoesch specialized in trusts and estates. This is definitely an important specialty area; the correct application of trusts can increase the amount of money that flows to beneficiaries and decrease the … Continue reading →

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Will the Third Time be the Charm for Appeals?

Posted on February 5, 2013 by Russ

The IRS Office of Appeals describes its mission as, [T]o resolve tax controversies, without litigation, on a basis which is fair and impartial to both the Government and the taxpayer in a manner that will enhance voluntary compliance and public … Continue reading →

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How Government Stifles Entrepreneurship

Posted on February 4, 2013 by Russ

So you want to become a landlord in the District of Columbia. I saw an interesting piece on Slate that noted that a Washington, DC couple had to get three different sets of paperwork completed to rent out their condominium. … Continue reading →

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IRS Loses Again to Institute for Justice

Posted on February 2, 2013 by Russ

Two weeks ago, a court ruled that the IRS had no legal grounds to regulate unenrolled tax preparers. The IRS filed a motion seeking a stay of the court’s injunction against the IRS. Late yesterday, Judge James Boasberg (the same … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Tagged , , | 1 Comment