Author Archives: Russ

Los Angeles Cell Phone Tax Increase Invalid

Posted on May 10, 2007 by Russ

The California Court of Appeals upheld a District Court ruling that the City of Los Angeles increase in their tax on cellular phone service was invalid. The City will likely appeal the decision to the State Supreme Court. The case … Continue reading →

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IRS Mailing Incorrect CP2000 Notices

Posted on May 10, 2007 by Russ

The IRS announced that they have mailed some incorrect CP2000 notices. The notices state that the impacted individuals are not including their state tax refund as income when they were impacted by the AMT in the prior year; the notices … Continue reading →

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A Bad Story with (Hopefully) a Good Ending

Posted on May 9, 2007 by Russ

In February, Steven Green pleaded guilty to not filing tax returns from 2001 to 2003 and to using a fake social security number when applying for a loan. He was sentenced to 2 years and nine months in prison, with … Continue reading →

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Some Rather Blatant Fraud

Posted on May 8, 2007 by Russ

If you were going to commit tax fraud, would you and your partner in crime exchange checks for the same exact amount to the penny? That’s among the evidence that caused Inn-Chung Chen (aka Daniel Chen) to plead guilty to … Continue reading →

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A Horror Story (Averted) From Bill Leonard

Posted on May 8, 2007 by Russ

Once a week I receive the Leonard Letter. Bill Leonard, a member of California’s Board of Equalization, each week states his views on what’s going on in the tax world in California. It’s essential reading for anyone in California concerned … Continue reading →

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Where the Wealth Is (In California)

Posted on May 8, 2007 by Russ

The Franchise Tax Board released county income statistics for 2005 last week. Not surprisingly, the San Francisco Bay Area had the wealthiest individuals (as measured by tax returns), with Marin County leading the way with a median income of $48,854 … Continue reading →

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You Don’t Have to Pay Income Tax, Part 79

Posted on May 6, 2007 by Russ

Anyone can write a book these days (I know; I’ve written two). However, some aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on. Joe Kristan at Roth Tax Updates reported on Cracking the Code: The Fascinating Truth About Taxation in America. As … Continue reading →

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A Dose of Evasion for the Weekend

Posted on May 5, 2007 by Russ

I’ve been on the road this week, and am enjoying the nice weather in the upper Midwest. The individuals I’m going to profile are probably not enjoying much, including the weather. In Flint, Michigan, Linda Cochran prepared tax returns. She … Continue reading →

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Bozo Tax Preparer Stymied

Posted on May 2, 2007 by Russ

Taxes have (justifiably) a bad reputation. It doesn’t help matters when a bozo tax preparer is on the loose. >From Lake Worth, Florida, comes the story of bozo tax preparer Louis Wayne Ratfield. Mr. Ratfield operated LWR Accounting and Tax … Continue reading →

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Tax Day Up North

Posted on April 29, 2007 by Russ

Tomorrow is Tax Day in Canada. The Edmonton Journal has an article about how Revenue Canada (their equivalent to the IRS) is not feared though it perhaps should be. There’s an interesting quiz at the end of the article. The … Continue reading →

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