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Taxgirl
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Tax policy, tax law and tax news - and it's not as boring as you think!
Recent Posts Tagged With 'IRS'
Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon: IRS Snoop Gets Probation
Gosh, it’s not even six degrees… 1, Kevin Bacon was one of a number of celebrities that John Snyder snooped on while working for the IRS. 2, John Snyder made taxgirl.com headlines. 3, You ...
Is Calling Obama a Pimp Enough to Raise IRS Scrutiny?
Perhaps. It depends on who you are and exactly what you’re saying… Take Pastor James David Manning of Atlah World Ministries, for example. The IRS won’t advise whether is being inv...
IRS Delays Use of Smartcards for Transportation Expenses
The IRS has announced that they have again delayed the effective date of Revenue Ruling 2006-57, originally released in November 2006. The Ruling provides guidance to employers on the use of items li...
Girls Gone Wild Founder Files Civil Suit
Joe Francis has spent his life duping young girls into flashing their breasts in front of a camera. Now, he’s claiming that he’s the one that’s been duped. As previously reported, F...
Cell Phone Tax Continues to Generate Publicity
I received a lot of feedback via email and twitter on the story that I posted about the IRS stance on taxing employee cell phone use. Yesterday, I was advised that NPR ran a story about this very iss...
More Than Half of US Companies Pay No Income Tax
According to the Government Accountability Office, in any given year, at least 60% of US corporations surveyed paid no federal income tax liability for 1998 to 2005 (the years studied). That statisti...
Dialing Up Trouble: IRS Tries to Enforce Cell Phone Fringe Benefits
digg_url = \'http://digg.com/business_finance/IRS_Tries_to_Remove_Cell_Phone_Fringe_Benefits\'; Cell phones are changing the world. A few years ago, I called my mother in the afternoon on my cell...
Flood Victims May Get Additional Tax Relief
Not a lot was done right after Hurricane Katrina but Congress did step in with some disaster relief that include tax breaks for victims and tax incentives for those to give to charities assisting vict...
Ford Shows IRS They Can Be “Ford Tough”
Image details: Brussels Car Fair 2007 served by picapp.com Ford Motor Company has filed a lawsuit in federal court, claiming it deserves at least $445 million in accrued interest from the IRS. The y...
IRS Car Charity Rules Drives Donations Down
Image details: Junk car served by picapp.com I’m sure that you’ve seen a number of signs and ads that encourage you to donate your vehicle to charity. In our area, they’re plastered...
IRS to Nederlander: Not Master of Your Own Domain
It has not been a good year for Eric Nederlander. Nederlander is probably best known as the guy that Jessica Sklar married for a few weeks before she left him to marry Jerry Seinfeld (ouch). Nederl...
“Crocodile Dundee” Actor Investigated on 2 Continents
Image details: The 46th Annual TV Week Logie Awards served by picapp.com Paul Hogan, who rose to prominence in the 1980s as “Crocodile Dundee”, feels pretty important these days. He is be...
Looking to Make a Difference? Consider VITA.
For years, I was a site coordinator for the IRS’ Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program at our local senior center. I thoroughly enjoyed the experience and highly recommend it to anyone seekin...
IRS Seeks Info on US Taxpayers Hiding Income
The Department of Justice issued a press release on Monday advising that it has filed court papers to allow the IRS access to request information from UBS AG about US taxpayers who may be using Swiss ...
What Brown Can Do To You: UPS Lobbyist Responsible for FedEx Investigation
Image details: FedEx Reports Q4 Loss, Weak Outlook For 2009 served by picapp.com> Hmm… What’s that they say about keeping your enemies close? It turns out that state and federal officials...
Gas Tops $4/Gallon, IRS Finally Ups Mileage Rate
It cost me nearly $50 to fill my tank this week - $50! And I drive a pretty fuel efficient car. Gas in my home town has hit $4.25/gallon for plain old standard gas. Yuck. Gas prices are just climb...
IRS Seeks Seniors Who Haven’t Filed: You’re Picking Up the Tab
Surprise! Having a “free check” for folks by requiring them to file when they don’t normally have to file isn’t quite as simple as you’d think. The IRS has announced tha...
Ask the taxgirl: Lost Stimulus Check
Taxpayer asks: Is there a remedy for a lost stimulus check? Taxgirl says: Are you sure that it’s lost? Or just not processed yet? I would call the toll-free Rebate Hotline at 1-866-234-2942 and...
Ask the taxgirl: IRS Rebate Help
Taxpayer asks: Haven’t received rebate check and can find no place to contact regarding its status. IRS site is no help. Is there a phone number which will get me somewhere? Thanks. Taxgirl s...
Ask the taxgirl: Interest less than $10
Taxpayer asks: The 1099-INT instructions state, payers of interest of $10 or more are required to furnish you and the IRS with this tax information. The IRS is notified of all interest paid by financ...
Rebates Being Seized to Pay Taxes Owed to States
Although the IRS website was careful to note that the rebate checks would be withheld to satisfy federal obligations, checks are being seized by states in order to satisfy past due state income tax ob...
Which Celebrity Would You Snoop On?
Okay, we’ve established that it’s illegal. And yes, more than a little bit tacky. But now I’m curious… Which celebrities and sports stars would you snoop on if you could peek...
Apparently, IRS Employees Have Nothing To Do…
An Internal Revenue Service tax examiner was arrested this week on charges that he used IRS records to examine personal information of celebrities (and his neighbor). John Snyder, an IRS tax examiner ...
IRS Gives Obama’s Church the “All Clear” Following Investigation
The Internal Revenue Service has concluded that Senator Barack Obama’s church, the United Church of Christ, did not violate nonprofit tax laws when Senator Obama addressed the denomination’...
IRS Admits Thousands of More Errors in Rebate Check Processing
And just when we thought the IRS had a handle on things… After admitting that 350,000 taxpayers were underpaid on their tax rebates because of an omission of the child tax credit, the IRS has a...
IRS Admits “Human Error” in Processing Tax Rebates: Child Credit Omitted
So, it turns out that I was wrong. But the IRS was more wrong. Way wrong. It turns out that up to 350,000 households did not receive the $300 per child owed them as part of their economic stimulus reb...
No Surprise Here: IRS Data Says More Taxpayers Filed in 2008
The IRS has reported that as of May 3, 2008, more tax returns had been processed than at the same time last year. How many more? About 15 million more to nearly 142 million, an increase of about 11%...
Scams, Schemes and Tomfoolery: Be Careful With Your Tax Rebate!
I’ve posted before that there are NO plans in Congress to distribute monthly stimulus payments or rebates or bonuses to taxpayers. Nonetheless, I continue to receive emails from concerned reader...
Why is My Rebate So Small?
I’ve received a ton of complaints about the size of the rebate checks once actually in hand. Apparently, a number of folks have not received the anticipated amount… Be sure and check out ...
The Appeal of Wesley Snipes
I mean, his legal appeal, of course. I don’t get his media appeal - other than White Men Can’t Jump, which was admittedly entertaining, I am not a fan. Blade, in particular, just isnR...