Kansas Gov. Kathleen Sebelius, Obama’s pick to head the Department of Health and Human Services, did not pay $7,040 in taxes between 2005 and 2007. She paid the back taxes and penalty after they were identified.
In addition to Sebelius, five other Obama administration nominees have come under fire for unpaid taxes including Tom Daschle and Timothy F. Geithner. Labor secretary Hilda L. Solis  had to answer questions about $6,400 in
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The Senate is expected to approve a 2010 budget that includes $825 billion in tax relief over the next five years.
The budget resolution offers tax help targeted largely to the middle class and would extend the 2001 and 2003 middle-class tax cuts enacted in the Economic Growth and Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 and the Jobs and Growth Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2003 over the five-year span of
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Many people may qualify for a significant reduction in their tax burden if they qualify for an educational tax break from the IRS. While there are tax benefits available for college and other post-secondary expenses, trying to figure out if and how your qualify for the various benefits can be confusing.
It can be difficult to determine which breaks you are eligible for and what will produce the greatest benefit. When
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I recently blogged about the federal budget forecast for a $1.8 trillion deficit. There is close to a $400 billion tax gap each year.  This means that taxpayers paid $400 billion less than they should have.  Collecting  these funds through more aggressive collection tactics by the IRS will be politically more appealing than raising taxes – so taxpayers beware!
Closing the tax gap will require greater IRS enforcement for individuals as
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The Internal Revenue Service announced today that taxpayers who buy a new passenger vehicle this year may be entitled to deduct state and local sales and excise taxes paid on the purchase on their 2009 tax returns next year.
“For those thinking about buying a new car this year, this deduction may give them a little more drive to make their purchase this year,” said IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman. “This deduction
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Bloomberg News columnist John M. Berry makes some interesting points regarding President Obama’s new task force created to close the tax gap by focusing on closing loopholes, streamlining tax code and generating revenue.
“It may not accomplish much,” he says.
Highlights from the article include:
With April 15 fast approaching, stronger enforcement and a lot more resources for the Internal Revenue Service should head the administration’s to-do list.
The tax code could be undoubtedly
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According to a recent article in the Wall Street Journal, a push by the IRS to be more aggressive with wealthy taxpayers means that it’s critical to know the common tax audit red flags.
The IRS has been strongly disputing a report this week from the Transactional Records Access Clearinghouse that says audits of the wealthy Americans have significantly dropped off.
Taxpayers who make more than $10 million a year or more
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The IRS announced new voluntary disclosure practices for offshore account holders. Voluntary disclosure can help taxpayers avoid prosecution for possible tax evasion and reduce taxes, penalties, and interest owed.  The IRS offers leniency for voluntary disclosure and Americans with IRS tax problems should take advantage of this policy to mitigate legal problems later.
While taxpayers can participate in the voluntary disclosure program before the IRS has initiated a civil or criminal
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Just got a nice note from a client in Monroe, Washington and wanted to share his kind words. Our team of tax relief experts was able to greatly reduce his tax debt by negotiating an offer in compromise settlement with the IRS on his behalf.
When he came to us for tax help, he owed the IRS $212,555. We worked on his behalf to negotiate a tax settlement of $2,400. The
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I’ve blogged before about how closing the tax gap could help fund deficit reduction activities. And the White House is definitely searching for new tax revenues. Plans are underway to create a task force that will be looking to end corporate loopholes and bolster IRS enforcement.
The Wall Street Journal reports:
Mr. Obama’s budget proposal began the process of addressing problems such as the tax gap, the difference between taxes owed and
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I recently blogged about the new IRS Safe Harbor guidelines for Ponzi scheme victims.
CCH has issued a white paper addressing the various tax and planning implications that arise as a result of investment in the Madoff Ponzi scheme or other fraudulent schemes. The paper, Madoff and Other Fraudulent Schemes: Tax and Planning Implications, analyzes the tax issues and bankruptcy implications arising from the schemes and provides an overview of related
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As the KLOS Tax Man, I give free tax advice to listeners with IRS problems. It’s the perfect way for me to help people with tax debt and reach more Americans who need tax help. Check it out!
The KLOS Tax Man, Tax Tip #58: Buyers of new cars can deduct a sales tax even if they don’t itemize! This break applies to vehicles purchased after February 2009 and before next
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The federal budget deficit for the current year will top $1.8-trillion according to the latest estimates produced by congressional economists
The Congressional Budget Office cited recent government bailouts, tax legislation and the continuing turmoil in financial markets as causes for the growth in the deficit . The latest figures, fueled by the $700 billion Wall Street bailout and diving tax revenues stemming from the worsening recession, would shatter the previous record
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At least 13 companies who received some of the $300 billion in TARP (Troubled Asset Relief Program) funds owe hundreds of million of dollars in delinquent federal taxes but still received federal bailout money.
As a condition of receiving TARP funds, these companies signed statements indicating they owned no back federal taxes.
According to House Ways and Means Oversight Subcommittee Chairman John Lewis, D-Ga, the Treasury Department relied on company statements, rather
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The new punitive tax bill that is intended to recoup bonuses paid by the federal relief money is absolutely legal, despite detractors who say the law can be construed as unconstitutional for targeting specific groups like AIG.
The legislation would tax 90% of the amount received from any institution that took at least $5 billion in taxpayer aid.  And from the looks of things, the only reason the bill isn’t taxing
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