Author Archives: Russ

Phishers Target Tax Professionals

Posted on February 11, 2016 by Russ

I received the following email today: From: [redacted] [differentname@mail.csuchico.edu] Sent: Thu 2/11/2016 3:06 PM To: undisclosed-recipients: Hi, I and my Family are looking for a very Qualified CPA in your area. Please let us know if you can be available … Continue reading →

Posted in Taxable Talk | Tagged | Comments Off on Phishers Target Tax Professionals

Can a Resident of a Non-Tax Treaty Country (With Respect to Gambling) Get His Withheld Funds Back?

Posted on February 9, 2016 by Russ

Today, I received an inquiry from a citizen of New Zealand (he is not a US citizen or permanent resident). He had done well in a poker tournament here in the United States–well enough to have had 30% of his … Continue reading →

Posted in Gambling, International | Comments Off on Can a Resident of a Non-Tax Treaty Country (With Respect to Gambling) Get His Withheld Funds Back?

IRS Must Pay Fees in Civil Forfeiture Case

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Russ

I’m a huge fan of the Institute for Justice. Last week, the Institute for Justice won a case for a man who had $107,702.66 seized from him. Last May, Lyndon McLellan won the right to get back his $107,702.66 that … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Tagged , | Comments Off on IRS Must Pay Fees in Civil Forfeiture Case

Good News on the Practitioner Priority Service (PPS)

Posted on February 8, 2016 by Russ

It was with fear and trepidation that I picked up my phone and dialed the IRS’s Practitioner Priority Service (PPS). This is the telephone number that tax professionals use to obtain information from the IRS. Over the past year and … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Tagged | Comments Off on Good News on the Practitioner Priority Service (PPS)

It Was Only a 13.33% Kickback

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Russ

Last year I reported on the case of Ronald Boyd. Mr. Boyd was Chief of Police of the Port of Los Angeles. The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are two of the busiest ports in the world, and … Continue reading →

Posted in California, Tax Evasion | Comments Off on It Was Only a 13.33% Kickback

“I Bestow on You the Title of Taxpayer in Good Standing…”

Posted on February 7, 2016 by Russ

A bit of humor to start the day. Courtesy of Spidell’s Tax Season Tribune, I discover that a video game has decided to emulate the Internal Revenue Service. Now, it’s been years since I played video games. Apparently the game … Continue reading →

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged | Comments Off on “I Bestow on You the Title of Taxpayer in Good Standing…”

Maryland Suspends Processing Tax Returns from 23 Liberty Tax Service Locations

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Russ

Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot announced on Tuesday that he has suspended processing from 16 more Liberty Tax Service locations (bringing the total suspended to 23). The decision was made based on suspicious characteristics found on the returns: Business income reported … Continue reading →

Posted in Maryland, Tax Fraud | Tagged | Comments Off on Maryland Suspends Processing Tax Returns from 23 Liberty Tax Service Locations

IRS Computers Crash

Posted on February 4, 2016 by Russ

2015 was a year the IRS would like to forget. Unfortunately, 2016 may be heading the same way. Yesterday, the IRS had a computer failure impacting multiple systems. Those systems are still down this morning (as of 6:30am PST). The … Continue reading →

Posted in IRS | Comments Off on IRS Computers Crash

A Tale of Three States

Posted on February 3, 2016 by Russ

Hawaii, Indiana, and Mississippi are three states where daily fantasy sports (DFS) is being debated. The three states are representative of what is likely to occur in every state. Last week, Hawaii Attorney General Doug Chin issued an advisory opinion … Continue reading →

Posted in Gambling | Tagged | Comments Off on A Tale of Three States

The Liberty to Commit Tax Fraud

Posted on January 31, 2016 by Russ

There are thousands of tax professionals. These range from the huge firms such as H&R Block to mom and pop outfits. The professionals range from Enrolled Agents, CPAs, and tax attorneys to those who have just put up a sign … Continue reading →

Posted in Tax Fraud | Tagged | Comments Off on The Liberty to Commit Tax Fraud