Tax

The last few months have seen the problems in sub-prime lending start to have a national and even international impact on the credit and stock markets.The combination of expanded sub-prime lending programs with mortgage rates that adjust upward after two to five years, reduced or eliminated down-payment requirements, and a housing market that has seen real estate prices actually decline in many markets, has left many marginal borrowers unable to pay higher monthly mortgage payments, unable to refinance to more traditional mortgages, and unable to sell homes at a price sufficient to cover the mortgage obligation.

The Internal Revenue Service has seen a 60 percent increase so far this year in electronic filing of tax returns by small businesses and large corporations.

Three Democratic congressmen have announced plans to draft legislation that would impose a war surtax to pay for operations in Iraq as a way to demonstrate their opposition to the war.

Tax technology vendor Vertex said it planned a major hiring initiative that would double the size of its consulting group over the next six months.

A report by the Treasury Department's inspector general raised concerns about the screening done by the Internal Revenue Service of electronic filing providers.

CCH has introduced CorpSystem, a new line of software for corporate professionals who do tax and accounting work.

Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., has proposed a bill that would change the tax treatment of corporate stock option deductions.

The Internal Revenue Service has issued a new set of allowable living expense standards that it will use to determine the ability of a taxpayer to pay a delinquent tax liability.

The Justice Department said it has resolved lawsuits against several corporations that owned Jackson Hewitt franchises, with the companies agreeing to be barred from tax preparation after the DOJ found a pattern of fraud.

Rep. John Dingell, D-Mich., has proposed a 50-cent tax on each gallon of gas in an effort to limit carbon emissions.