Celebrity tax troubles, high-profile scandals, and what the ultra-wealthy get away with — or don’t — when it comes to taxes.
The most recent news out of the Anna Nicole Smith camp is that her Will does not provide for anyone other than her now deceased son, Daniel. In fact, it specifically excludes afterborn children and future spouses. Of course, the wrench in all of this is that Daniel predeceased Anna Nicole, thus likely creating an…
As previously reported, the IRS will be watching Hollywood’s award season this year almost as much as we are… The Grammys are no different. The 2006 Grammy gift bag was valued at $68,434 and included: a two-week lease of a Cadillac complimentary LASIK Eye Surgery Chadsworth Haig bathrobes Solstice sunglasses Escada ski jackets Casio digital…
Just hours after the news of Anna Nicole Smith’s suspicious death broke, there were already questions about the status of her deceased husband’s estate. The main query was whether the case could proceed. The short answer is yes, that absolutely it can proceed. In fact, the executor of her estate (who many people assume will…
The James Brown saga gets more and more interesting… James Brown’s partner, Ms. Hynie, has filed suit in court against the Estate of James Brown. Curiously, according to the media, Ms. Hynie is not simply claiming an elective share but rather that the will and trust are not valid "for a variety of reasons." I’ve…
Dates matter. Well, they do in Pennsylvania. The latest flap over James Brown’s estate has taken yet another turn that apparently hinges on the interpretation of state law. James Brown’s attorney, Strom Thurmond, Jr., has acknowledged that James Brown’s will was signed in the year 2000 – before James’ child, James Jr., was born. The will was also…
The Hollywood awards season is in full swing. The Golden Globes kicked off the season on yesterday with designer duds making the news. The Associated Press Service wasn’t the only “service” watching – the IRS was likely watching, too. Why? The oft-touted gift bags. According to the IRS, an agreement has been reached with the Hollywood Foreign…
In yet another twist to the James Brown saga, it turns out that the Godfather of Soul did not provide for his five year old son with Tomi Rae Hynie, James Jr. According to Strom Thurmond Jr., one of Brown’s legal team (and no, I’m not making that up) the will does provide for six…
Stretching his fifteen minutes even further, Richard Hatch of CBS’ Survivor went before a federal appeals court to argue against his conviction on tax evasion charges. Hatch was convicted of failing to pay taxes when he took home the $1 million prize on Survivor. He was sentenced to more than four years in prison. Defense lawyer…
According to blogger Michael Horne at www.milwaukeeworld.com, Major League Baseball pitcher and Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers owes the state of Wisconsin $1,433,609 in income taxes. That number makes him the seventh biggest tax delinquent in the state. You can see the entire list of delinquents at the Wisconsin Department of Revenue’s website. Fingers played…
As it turns out, James Brown’s widow, Tomi Rae Hynie, may not really be his widow after all. Or maybe she is – apparently, the man that she married before she married Brown was a bigamist. If true, then her first marriage would not have been legal, making her marriage to Brown legal. If not…