Highlights of some of our favorite tax-related blogs from the past week.
Just suppose
Roth & Co. : Suppose there was this big federal agency that people sent money to. Suppose crooks started calling people up, pretending to be that federal agency. Suppose that federal agency made it clear that it never, ever calls people on the phone. What happens when that agency admits that yeah, sometimes they do initiate first contact with a taxpayer over the phone?Kelly Richmond Pope : A fraud expert shares how she almost fell for the IRS phone scam. If she came this close to falling for it, what chance do the rest of us have?The Income Tax School : “One of the advantages you have over a national franchise as a local business owner is that you can market to your community as a local business owner.” Tough to put it clearer than that. Now that the season’s fading, can you market in the best way possible: giving back?Solutions for CPA Firm Leaders : Ah, conference season, when a young CPA’s heart must turn to getting through meeting after meeting after meeting. Don’t make the get-togethers boring.ClientWhys : You know referrals are your best tool. How can you work them online?BNA blogs : The PCAOB has decided it’s time for a facelift in its standard-setting approach.Tax Vox : A look at the tax and benefits extravaganza proposed by Bernie Sanders.
Johnny on the spot
Tax Policy : An “interesting” bill from Congressman Tom Emmer, R-Minn., H.R. 4518, the “Create Jobs Act of 2016,” seeks to tie the U.S. corporate tax rate to the average rate imposed by our major trading partners in the OECD. “Emmer’s catch: The U.S. federal corporate tax rate should always be pegged five percentage points below the simple average of the OECD nations, excluding the U.S.” Also, the enduring lack of appeal of Hillary Clinton’s sliding scale for the capital gains tax rate in the top bracket.Tax Analysts : Many companies and businesses in more than one state aren’t fond of transgender bathroom laws, what a political lawyer reportedly termed a “controversial solution to a non-problem.” For almost no payoff, the risk runs high of alienating customers, employees and suppliers. Enter legislative supporters of the law, who want to limit tax incentives to companies that speak out against the bills.Due Diligence : In this week’s collection: “Doc’s BK Attempt to Avoid Whistleblower Lawsuit Fails”; “Uber Driver Was Granted Unemployment Benefits”; “Disgraced Shipbuilder Gets Contract to Build More Ships”; “Lorri Trosper Becomes the Voice of Uber Drivers”; and “Drug Rehab Faces Massive Whistleblower Lawsuit.”Taxable Talk : Seems petitioners just can’t get a good hand when it comes to remission payments for balances on Full Tilt Poker: The Department of Justice Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering Section has denied approximately 1,500 petitions. Fold.
Far-away lands
The Tax Times : Overseas just isn’t as much fun anymore. “2015 Posts the Deepest Decline in Offshore Investments in 10 years” examines how companies invested $221 billion into shell companies last year and investment flows to offshore havens such as the Cayman Islands and the British Virgin Islands fell to $72 billion.Federal Tax Crimes : More searchable spots to stay up to date on the Panama Papers.Rubin on Tax : A look at a recent Florida case that demonstrates the many merry mixups that can come with claims for breach of trust against a trustee, “a confusing array of rules as to when the statute expires.”Taxjar : Does sales tax on online purchases depend on the billing or shipping address?
