Category Archives: Tax Court

Time Was On His Side

Posted on March 2, 2011 by Russ

Sometimes I have to be careful about jumping to conclusions. When I first looked at Charlton v. Commissioner I expected the taxpayer to lose. It wasn’t hard to jump to that conclusion when I read, Throughout his career, Jeffrey pursued … Continue reading →

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Making $35,000 While Gambling with $800,000 Doesn’t Compute

Posted on February 15, 2011 by Russ

Even if you lose as a gambler, you’re supposed to report the income. Today, the Tax Court took up the case of a gambler who lost in more ways than one. Our unlucky gambler spent quite a bit of time … Continue reading →

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Unlearning the Income Tax: Another Journey to Frivolity

Posted on February 8, 2011 by Russ

About once a year I decide to post about the newest Bozo scheme to get out of the income tax. It’s that time again: Today, we learn about the Institute for Unlearning. Yes, that’s a real website and its proprietor, … Continue reading →

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If You Fail Twice, The Third Time Isn’t the Charm

Posted on May 18, 2010 by Russ

Some people just don’t have good luck. Charlie Brown kept trying to hit that pitch…but just kept striking out. So it goes for an unlucky couple from California. The wife gets seriously injured when she’s truck by a shopping cart. … Continue reading →

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What’s Good for the Goose Is Good for the Gander

Posted on December 30, 2009 by Russ

If you move and don’t notify the IRS, bad things can happen. The IRS can send to your last known address a Notice of Deficiency. Even if you don’t receive it, it will be considered received if it was sent … Continue reading →

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Thank You, George Cohan: A Gambler Gets Lucky

Posted on December 3, 2009 by Russ

George Cohan is known as “the man who owned Broadway.” He also proved quite helpful to a gambler today at the US Tax Court. Jose Caro liked horse racing. Any and every day he could, he went to the track … Continue reading →

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Just Like the Last Time…

Posted on October 28, 2009 by Russ

When the first paragraph of a Tax Court decision ends, “Mr. Oropeza’s position is, in a word, “frivolous.” Just like we held it was the last time he was in Tax Court,” it’s likely the case is worth reading—if only … Continue reading →

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Deducting Prostitutes Doesn’t Work Well (Nor Does Deducting Porn)

Posted on September 16, 2009 by Russ

Supreme Court Justice Potter Stevens famously uttered about pornography, “I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced . . . [b]ut I know it when I see it….” That’s a subject … Continue reading →

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A Statute of Basis

Posted on August 11, 2009 by Russ

An interesting Tax Court decision came down today in the case of Beard v. Commissioner. The taxpayer sells a business and correctly notes the gross income. However, he may have made a major error in calculating his basis (generally, the … Continue reading →

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Paging President Obama and Secretary Geithner

Posted on February 5, 2009 by Russ

Today the Tax Court decided Taylor v. Commissioner, a case involving a lien and a levy. While the case itself is interesting (the petitioner is a famous singer), it’s the Court’s conclusion that interested me: Both petitioner and respondent repeatedly … Continue reading →

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