What movies, music, and celebrity headlines can teach us about taxes — Taxgirl’s take on tax in pop culture and the news.
For 37 years, PNC has calculated the prices of the 12 gifts from the classic holiday song, “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” This year, the list looks a little different with adjustments for the pandemic’s impact on the cost of purchasing the presents in the renowned carol. It will cost just $16,168.14 to buy all…
We have a winner! Greg guessed first that the movie was “Shawshank Redemption.” Our next tax trivia question is: In what tax-driven movie did the protagonist say the following? It’s funny. On the outside, I was an honest man. Straight as an arrow. I had to come to prison to be a crook. The first…
As Tax Day – and thus, tax season – ticks away, I suspect many of you are looking forward to a little relaxation. If a cocktail is in the cards, consider the Income Tax Cocktail. 1 1/2 oz. gin3/4 oz. dry vermouth3/4 oz. sweet vermouth1 oz. orange juice2 dashes Angostura (or Peychaud’s) bitters Combine ingredients,…
Today is 4/20, or National Weed Day. A few years ago, the counterculture holiday would have confounded from some and amused others. Now, 4/20, the day which celebrates marijuana, is so mainstream that it’s trending on Twitter (82k tweets already marking “#420day” so far this morning). Marijuana doesn’t have the same taboo as it once did, mostly thanks…
The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is expanding its social media presence. And while that’s to be expected in a fast-moving, tech-based world, it’s the platform that’s turning heads: TikTok. TikTok is a Chinese video-sharing social networking service. Dominated mainly by teens and young adults, the fast-growing platform is primarily known for its short (about 15…
I finished a disappointing fourth place in this year’s Fantasy Football. Even worse: I was beaten by a 13 year-old. That might explain why I’m choosing to keep my money firmly in my wallet on Super Bowl LIV: No gambling for me. Luck is rarely on my side. But millions of folks are willing to…
A federal grand jury has indicted reality television stars Todd and Julie Chrisley on multiple counts of conspiracy, bank fraud, wire fraud, and tax evasion. The Chrisleys’ accountant, Peter Tarantino, has also been indicted on tax-related offenses. The Chrisleys are the stars of the reality television show Chrisley Knows Best. The show follows the Chrisley family, including…
Once again, the most popular names for babies born in the United States are Liam and Emma. Those are the findings as determined by Social Security Administration (SSA) data, based on over 3.7 million babies born in the United States for 2018 – the lowest number of births since 1986. Which names missed the top ten? Former favorites, Jacob and…
Imagine this: Your ex-spouse insists on claiming your child as a dependent without your consent. What do you do? A Princeville, Illinois, mom responded to this tax “emergency” by calling the police. According to the Journal Star, the woman called the Peoria County Sheriff’s Office on February 6 to report “possible tax fraud.” The woman claimed…
The Queen of Soul, Aretha Franklin, died of pancreatic cancer on August 16, 2018. She left behind a musical legacy, an estate worth $80 million, and, according to court filings, millions of dollars in unpaid taxes. Franklin, who died without a will, already had a messy estate: her four sons filed documents in the Oakland…
