Author Archives: Russ

What Is It About Strip Club Owners that Makes Them Want to Become Tax Cheats?

Posted on October 3, 2006 by Russ

I wish I knew the answer—I could write a book on it! Perhaps it’s the cash income. Maybe it’s the borderline pornography. In any case, yet another strip club owner had his day in court. James Andrew Yaeger, of Columbia, … Continue reading →

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Coal in the Stocking for Online Gamblers

Posted on October 3, 2006 by Russ

Very early Saturday morning, Congress passed the Safe Port Act. Appended at the end of the legislation is the “Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006.” (The link takes you to the entire text of the act; go to page … Continue reading →

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Most People Only Want to File One Return a Year

Posted on September 29, 2006 by Russ

Why would you want to file two individual federal tax returns for one person for one year? Unless you’re amending your return, you don’t do this…unless you’re committing tax fraud. And from just up the road in Huntington Beach comes … Continue reading →

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Utah Couple Would Scam Anyone and Everyone

Posted on September 29, 2006 by Russ

…Until they got caught. Steven and Diane Christensen admitted costing the US government between $4 and $7.5 million in tax revenues. An official of US Bank estimates that they lost $13 million. This couple cut a wide swath through the … Continue reading →

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Why You Keep a Gambling Log

Posted on September 25, 2006 by Russ

The Tax Court reviewed the case of a couple that enjoyed playing the slots in Atlantic City. The IRS thought that the couple were winners; the couple alleged that they lost. What would the Tax Court say? Terri and Austin … Continue reading →

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They Walked A Crooked Mile

Posted on September 24, 2006 by Russ

It may be the Jewish New Year (La Shana Tovah for those celebrating), but the tax cheats have been busy over the past few days. We have articles from the East Coast to the West Coast and from Europe. First, … Continue reading →

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Sacked in Tennessee?

Posted on September 24, 2006 by Russ

When you run for Congress, strange things can happen. Consider this story from Knoxville, home of the University of Tennessee. Heath Shuler is a famous former quarterback for the Volunteers. His NFL career wasn’t lengthy, but he did earn a … Continue reading →

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California Propositions: Proposition 1B

Posted on September 20, 2006 by Russ

I was reading Simon Winchester’s Krakatoa: The Day the World Exploded and came across the use of the word “humongous.” In vulcanism, a humongous volcanic event is truly huge. Why am I including this here? Well, Proposition 1B is a … Continue reading →

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If You Admit Fraud…(Part 2)

Posted on September 19, 2006 by Russ

A little over a month ago we wrote about a Tax Court case where the petitioners had admitted fraud, but wanted to get out of paying the §6663 penalty for fraud. At that time we said, “For once you say … Continue reading →

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“Should You Blog?”

Posted on September 18, 2006 by Russ

A welcome to those Enrolled Agents who are discovering blogging for the first time. The cover story of the September-October EA Journal is my article, “Should You Blog?” Here’s some brief background on the article, and on tax blogging. Back … Continue reading →

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