Author Archives: Russ

Arthur Andersen: Not Guilty (Yet)

Posted on June 1, 2005 by Russ

Unless you’ve been hiding out, you’ve almost certainly heard the news that the US Supreme Court yesterday overturned the conviction of Arthur Andersen for destroying documents in the Enron fiasco. You can find news coverage here and here (one-time registration … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax Evasion | 20 Comments

A Zero in More Ways than One

Posted on June 1, 2005 by Russ

Let’s assume you (erroneously) believe that the US has no write to levy an income tax on you. You are a believer in one of the many frivolous or groundless schemes that say, in short, that the US can’t levy … Continue reading →

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“I Haven’t Done Any Drugs or Alcohol in Eight Months.”

Posted on June 1, 2005 by Russ

Ok, what does that have to do with tax? That’s what I was thinking when I read this article (one-time registration required). Restaurateur Neil Stein plead guilty yesterday to federal tax fraud charges and will likely receive a term of … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax Fraud | Comments Off on “I Haven’t Done Any Drugs or Alcohol in Eight Months.”

SB757: Let’s Drive Out Business (Again)

Posted on May 30, 2005 by Russ

Lurching its’ way through the Legislature is SB757, introduced by Christine Kehoe (D-San Diego). The bill has an innocuous title, “The Oil Conservation, Efficiency, and Alternative Fuels Act.” It is an efficient bill—if passed, this analysis indicates that 80,000 jobs … Continue reading →

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We Make the Journal of Accountancy

Posted on May 29, 2005 by Russ

In the June (2005) issue of the Journal of Accountancy, Eva Lang wrote an article entitled “Would You, Could You, Should You Blog?” The article gives good background if you’re considering starting a blog. Unfortunately, Ms. Lang gets my credential … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxable Talk | 1 Comment

IRS Closing Taxpayer Assistance Offices // Sending Taxes Overseas

Posted on May 27, 2005 by Russ

According to a report in the Tax Analyst, the IRS will close some taxpayer assistance offices. The Wall Street Journal reported that 70 offices will be closed in order to handle a 1% drop in funding for taxpayer assistance. Unfortunately, … Continue reading →

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A Tale of Two Computers

Posted on May 25, 2005 by Russ

In eWeek Magazine, the Florida Department of Revenue’s (FDOR) computer system, “SUNTAX,” is highlighted. The system is modern, integrated, and allows FDOR agents to quickly access records across the system. By all accounts, a successful project that replaced several antiquated … Continue reading →

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The End of the AMT?

Posted on May 24, 2005 by Russ

According to published reports, several Senators plan on introducing legislation to repeal the AMT (Alternative Minimum Tax). While every tax preparer I know would jump for joy if this happens, the chances are about the same as it snowing tomorrow … Continue reading →

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A New (Generally Dumb) Rule, Take Two

Posted on May 20, 2005 by Russ

The Treasury Department revised the new Circular 230 rules yesterday. The changes, detailed here, make some minor clarifications to the new rules. They also correct a problem that would have occurred with text-based emails (the requirement that the font size … Continue reading →

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No Unsettling the Settlement

Posted on May 20, 2005 by Russ

Yesterday, the Tax Court decided Slojewski v. Commissioner. In this case, the respondent (Slojewski) and the IRS settled before a scheduled trial in Tax Court. A hearing to finalize the matter was scheduled a month later. All seems well. Then … Continue reading →

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