Author Archives: Russ

Soon to be On the Street?

Chriss Street is Orange County’s Treasurer-Tax Collector. He’s the person responsible for collecting the property tax bills for Irvine, and the rest of Orange County. Mr. Street is up for re-election this June, and he’ll likely face a tough fight. … Continue reading

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The “B” Word

Notwithstanding sections 109 (d) and 301 of this title, a case under this chapter concerning an unincorporated tax or special assessment district that does not have such district’s own officials is commenced by the filing under section 301 of this … Continue reading

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Starting a Business? A Good Resource from the IRS.

Tax agencies may be annoying to deal with, but the IRS has one of the best websites of any entity in the U.S. A client told me about the IRS’ Virtual Small-Business/Self-Employed Business Workshop. It’s an excellent resource on what … Continue reading

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Bad States for Amateur Gamblers

All states are alike, right? That’s definitely not true in the world of tax. Some states don’t have an income tax. Other states have very high income tax rates. Amateur gamblers have a special concern: The ability (or lack thereof) … Continue reading

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Hot Air Leads to Trouble

When I was an undergraduate in college, I did research at the Lawrence Berkeley Laboratory on the catalyzed production of methane from graphite. I don’t believe that research led to commercial production of natural gas (which is methane, CH4. The … Continue reading

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The Wyden/Gregg Tax Reform Bill: Interesting, but DOA

Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR) and Judd Gregg (R-NH) introduced a bill, “To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to make the Federal income tax system simpler, fairer, and more fiscally responsible, and for other purposes.” The bill would have … Continue reading

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Dumb Criminals, Tax Evading Style

If you commit a crime, it’s definitely not a good idea to brag about it to others. It’s an especially bad idea to brag about it on the Internet. Yes, law enforcement and the IRS read the Internet. Joe Kristan … Continue reading

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It’s Unpopular, Unworkable, and Insane, So Naturally They’re in a Hurry to Pass It (Part 2)

When I last wrote about the healthcare legislation, I noted the 17 taxes which would be in the plan. Let’s see what’s new in the “Unified Health Care Legislation” proposed by President Obama. 1. Individual Mandate Tax. For those who … Continue reading

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Annualization Method for Estimated Taxes in California

Many taxpayers, especially those with income streams that are inconsistent, use the Annualization Method to make their estimated tax payments. For federal tax purposes, it’s relatively easy. You take the year-to-date income through the period end (March 31st, May 31st, … Continue reading

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What Do Hawaii, North Carolina, New York, Illinois, and California Have In Common?

The Tax Foundation noted last week that several states will be delaying income tax refunds. Hawaii won’t be sending out refunds until July 1st; North Carolina will send them out “when they feel like it,” and New York Governor David … Continue reading

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