As tax officials all over the country ramp up tax revenue collection efforts (the Philly “blogger tax” being a prime example), state tax officials in New York have officially crossed the line, according to many in the Empire State. The state Department of Taxation and Finance has targeted their beloved bagels. Okay, it’s not really…
So maybe it is a kindler, gentler IRS after all… The IRS has announced that it will drop its civil suit against the Swiss-based UBS, despite the fact that the bank is not technically in compliance with an existing agreement. In a show of not-so-totally surprising deference to the Swiss government, the IRS indicated that…
On Sunday night, I got a text from a friend. It said simply, “Did you hear about the Philly blogger tax?” I hadn’t heard of such a thing and made a mental note to check the news later to see what she was talking about. Less than an hour later, I got the following message…
I’ve received an amazing number of emails, phone calls and Twitter DMs about the infamous “blog tax” story making the rounds in Philadelphia… I am aware of it and I’m working on a story. Earlier today, I spoke with some folks at the Philly Department of Revenue. I’ll have their comments – and mine –…
Roni Deutch, the so-called “Tax Lady” (absolutely no relation, thank you very much) has been slapped with a $34 million lawsuit by California Attorney General Jerry Brown. According to the Attorney General’s website, “Tax Lady Roni Deutch is engaged in a heartless scheme that swindled people with tax problems. She promises to significantly reduce their…
If you’ve ever received an email or a notice from a tax professional, you’ve probably seen something tacked onto the bottom that looks like this: IRS Circular 230 notice: In order to comply with requirements imposed by the IRS, we at The Erb Law Firm, PC, must inform you that any U.S. federal tax advice…
CNN has just released a collection of poll questions asked and answered during the first full week of August 2010 (downloads as a pdf). It’s a pretty compelling, though not particularly eye-opening, read. In this election year, the focus seems to be on two key issues: taxes and health care reform. It’s not surprising, then,…
Earlier this year, I reported on the new reporting requirements for forms 1099 under The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act and the Health Care and Education Reconciliation Act. The rules have been heavily criticized in the press but we haven’t heard much from Washington. There’s an update (sort of) on the progress (or lack…
Germany may not have taken home the World Cup – but plenty of cups boosted revenues last month. The Finance Ministry of Germany is reporting that the country’s beer tax in July yielded revenues of a nearly 10% increase over the same time period last year. How much are we talking? The tax for July…
In a flush economy, it’s easier to look the other way when things aren’t going well. In a tight economy, however, we’re much more aware of where our dollars are going – especially our tax dollars. This year, more than ever, organizations that receive government funds are under increasing pressure to provide information about not…