Susan Pace Hamill, a professor at the University of Alabama Law School (who also hold a seminary degree in divinity) has written a book entitled, “As Certain as Death” (Carolina Academic Press, 2007), that seeks to document how the individual states have tax policies that burden the poor and relieve the rich. This, she says,…
I mentioned before that I use a CPA to help out with my tax filings at the office. This drew a chuckle from some of my colleagues, but it’s true. I think that a tax professional is an invaluable resource. Consider the time value of money alone. Nationally, it costs about $200. Do I love…
It’s not just major sporting events and Clash of the Choirs… Philadelphia lands second in other areas, too, such as the largest tax burden! Congrats, Mayor Street! We’ve been looking for this kind of recognition. Maybe we should change our slogan to “The City That Taxes You Back”? Here’s the breakdown (courtesy of TaxProf blog):…
As the New Year rings in, Texas will levy a “pole tax” or “stripper tax” on patrons of the state’s strip joints. That’s right, strip club patrons in Texas, break out your wallets because you will now be charged an extra $5. The proceeds of the tax will benefit rape victims in Texas. “This is…
Congress finally made up its mind about the AMT – on the last day of business for 2007. The House voted 352-64 to “patch” the AMT. President Bush is expected to sign the bill, which the Senate has already approved. How long has it been? In June, the Joint Committee on Taxation estimated that this…
Remember the case of the parents who wanted to name their child “Metallica”? The Swedish National Tax Board originally turned them down. The ruling was overruled after a threatened court battle. A similar case in Italy may not reach the same result. An Italian couple wants to name their child “Friday” after the character in…
How cool is your tax professor? I’m going to be adding some reader-generated interviews to my “Getting to Know You Thursday” feature – and I’m specifically looking for great tax professors. If you know one (or are one), send me a quick blurb with a name, law school and why they’re great. Maybe you’ll see…
The IRS Statistics of Income Division has issued a request for paper for its 2008 conference to be held in Washington, DC. According to the IRS, general topics of interest include tax compliance, taxpayer burden, tax administration, and the nature and behavior of the taxpayer population. For example, we welcome proposed papers about closing the…
Bankrate, Inc. has published the findings of a national poll which found that 60% of Americans think that our current tax system benefits the rich. Of course, this comes as no surprise to most of us. You know that I already think that way, more or less. And so does Warren Buffett. What do you…
One of the things about being a tax attorney is that folks automatically assume that my financial house is always in order, that I always make the right tax elections and decisions and that I file on time, every time. Wrong, wrong, wrong. Running my own business? At the same time as raising a family?…