Romney May Not Release Tax Return

Presidential candidate Mitt Romney indicated he might not release his income tax returns if he wins the Republican Party nomination.

Asked last Wednesday by NBC News if he would be releasing copies of his tax information, which Presidential nominees traditionally do, the former Massachusetts governor responded, "Never say never, but I don’t intend to do so.”

“We follow the tax laws and if there’s an opportunity to save taxes, we—like everybody else in the country—will follow that opportunity,” he told reporters later.

The following day, after hearing criticism of those plans, he softened that refusal somewhat, saying, “We don’t have any current plans to release tax returns, but never say never,” he said, according to the Minneapolis Star Tribune.

Romney’s most current financial disclosure form estimated his personal worth at up to $250 million, according to Bloomberg Businessweek. He told reporters that down the road, he would see what happens if he is the nominee, adding that while he has no immediate plans to provide copies of his tax returns, his decision could “change in the future.”

Most Presidential nominees have released their tax returns, and even some candidates who have not received their party’s nomination have done so during the primaries. However, some nominee spouses with their own sources of income have not always provided their complete tax returns, as in the case of Cindy McCain in 2008 and Teresa Heinz Kerry in 2004.