As it turns out, the economic stimulus plan is costing us even more money than the $100 billion being mailed out “for free” to Americans. At least $200 million more. Here’s the scoop: The letter that was mailed to you that advises that you might be eligible for a refund cost the IRS $42 million….
Lots of people like being right. But in the tax world, just like in other situations, being right isn’t always enough. A good friend recently asked me to review his tax return before he submitted it to the IRS. I did and I noticed something that I didn’t love – a huge refund (and I…
Initial reports indicate that 32 people were arrested on Wednesday morning as part of protest to mark the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. As initially reported, the protesters blockaded the IRS building as a statement in protest of the use of tax dollars to fund the war. I am not sure how many…
This week, the US marked the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. President Bush is expected in his remarks on tomorrow to confirm that the war in Iraq was necessary, saying, “Removing Saddam Hussein from power was the right decision, and this is a fight America can and must win.” He is also expected…
“How much am I getting?” That seems to be a popular question as it relates to rebate checks. If you want to know in advance, you can check out the “Economic Stimulus Payment Calculator” on the IRS web site. How does it work? You must answer a series of questions on the web which the…
Does the IRS discriminate against unmarried couples? I’m specifically referencing same sex couples in this post because, while traditional unmarried couples may encounter the same kinds of difficulties with the Service, they have an “out” that same sex couples don’t have: marriage. At my firm, we represent same sex couples in a number of tax…
No, not that man upstairs. I mean Seth P. Waxman, a partner at Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr. Waxman’s firm has agreed to represent the United Church of Christ on a pro bono basis during the IRS investigation of the church’s tax-exempt status. The entire denomination’s status is at risk due to the IRS…
The IRS is serious about the rules which prohibit non-profit organizations, including churches, from supporting candidates or political parties. Just a few week after the IRS mailed a lengthy letter to First Baptist Church of Buena Park pastor Wiley S. Drake advising that he was being investigated for his 2007 support of presidential hopeful Mike…
The IRS has announced that they will begin mailing rebate checks on or about May 2. The IRS has not yet announced the order of mailing: this will be announced next week. Speculation is that it will rely on Social Security numbers, as before. I’ve received a bunch of questions about extensions. The quick answer…
They made headlines in the presidential organization when a group of organized Republicans funded “Swift Boats for Truth” to launch a missive against Senator Kerry. 527 organizations are named after 26 U.S.C. § 527 – basically section 527 of the Tax Code (the Tax Code is Title 26). Generally, tax exempt organizations are not allowed…