Well, as determined by me, so they’re certainly subjective. But isn’t that why you read the blog to begin with?
10, My personal headlines slide in at #10: Taxgirl jumps to b5media, speaks at BlogHer and becomes Channel Editor of the Business Channel. Oh, and I found out that I’ll be writing a monthly column for The Legal Intelligencer, the oldest law journal in the US. Whew. It was a good year for me. It wasn’t so great for some others…
9, Pennsylvania state senator, Vincent Fumo, is brought up on numerous charges including tax fraud. The once formidable politician rankled many in the City of Brotherly Love where he flaunted his wealth and power while City Council and others squirmed. He wasn’t the only politician brought up on tax charges this year – but he was among the most newsworthy.
8, IRS Commish Mark Everson steps down to take a job at Red Cross. He is shortly forced out of Red Cross when it is determined that he has been romancing a subordinate employee on company time – and yes, on the company dime. Subsequent rumors suggest that the married Everson will soon be a father – some media reports that the employee is now pregnant. I wonder if he’s happy about another deduction?
7, Congress fails to address the federal estate tax in any meaningful way. Only newsworthy in that the clock is ticking on the old federal estate tax law which is scheduled to sunset in a few years – and next year is an election year. Not even a good ol’ “don’t kill off the family farm” ad? They’re losing their touch.
6, Folks everywhere hold their collective breaths hoping to avoid another Waco when tax evaders Ed and Elaine Brown vow not to go to jail without a fight – and then they do.
5, Wesley Snipes gets arrested for tax evasion, chooses not to return to the US (he was busy, y’all) and then whines a lot. His final defense, which we all eagerly await is that he did file returns requesting false refunds but he didn’t actually get the money – you know, the yes-I-held-up-the-bank-but-they-never-turned-over-the-cash defense. Somewhere in a Florida prison, they’re cleaning out a cell.
4, Richard Hatch, the fat naked guy who won Survivor, is convicted of tax evasion despite an appeal and sent to prison. Oddly enough, he doesn’t like it – this from a guy who slept in a jungle?
3, Congress promises to fix the AMT problem. And promises. And promises. And then they sort of do – on the very last day of their work year (psst, it’s only temporary).
2, The tax-exempt status of college sports comes under the microscope again – and Congress predictably does nothing. Meanwhile, as salaries of college coaches continue to hit the stratosphere, Penn State University is forced by court order to reveal one of the greatest mysteries of college football: Joe Paterno’s salary.
1. KPMG partners are charged with what is termed “the biggest tax fraud ever” – and the case quickly devolves into “the biggest screw-up ever” when prosecutors are found to be a little too zealous about the case and many of the charges are dismissed. Ouch and ouch.
