A look back at tax law, IRS history, and the stories behind how we got the tax system we have today.
Today, we celebrate the life of Martin Luther King, Jr. I’m working on a post about service. But in the meantime, I am reposting something that I wrote around this time last year. It remains one of my favorite posts. Enjoy! — I’ll be frank. I don’t always love being a lawyer. When I was…
It’s been quite a streak of religious holidays! Rosh Hashanah and Eid were both celebrated over the weekend and now… It’s the Feast of St. Matthew. Okay, many of you may not be familiar with the significance of the Feast of St. Matthew (I’ll admit that I was not) so here’s the scoop: Matthew is…
I was thinking this morning about what to write today about the 4th of July. I was sure that I could come up with something brilliant and pithy about how important the day is to all Americans. And then I realized that it had all been said, much better than I could ever say, almost…
Editor’s Note: I’ve given a lot of thought to whether I believe this post is appropriate. I’ve decided that it is. History is important. Context is important. If we don’t expose lies and hatred for what they are, they grow, kind of like a fungus. Ignorance leads to more intolerance. So below the fold is…
A couple of years ago, I was speaking about fiduciary taxes at a CLE when I was passed a note. It said, “Trust investment advisory fees subject to the 2% floor. Knight vs. Commissioner.” Whoa. This, you see, was a fairly significant development in the world of fiduciary income tax. It later went on to…
Without revenues, a government can have no power. – Alexander Hamilton, First Secretary of the US Treasury You will find no federal holiday dedicated to our love of taxes. There will be no parades in honor of taxes. No ceremonies, concerts, or TV specials. This is because many in the US think of taxes as…
Taxpayer asks: Does the President have to pay income tax? — I get that question a lot. And this week, I also received this question: — Taxpayer asks: Does the President pay income taxes to every state he visits on official business? This question occurred to me because of the pending Mobile Workforce legislation. Also,…
My four year old is obsessed with tea parties right now. If she were aware that tomorrow was National Tea Party Day, she’d be absolutely delighted. Once she realized that meant little in the way of fancy dresses, she’d be pretty disappointed. Thousands of taxpayers across America, however, are energized about the National Tea Party…
I know what you’re thinking – McVeigh was executed, right? What’s this about a tax deduction? You’re right. Timothy McVeigh was a US Army vet who was eventually found guilty of bombing the Alfred P. Murrah Building in Oklahoma City on the second anniversary of the Waco Siege, April 19, 1995. He was labeled a…
We have a winner! See comments! Our next tax trivia question is: In the midst of all of the current “politicians not paying their taxes” scandals, we forget that other high profile politicians have also been accused of tax evasion. So, a two parter (if you know the answer to both, please guess only once…