Is it just coincidence that this morning a federal judge, who
reportedly is a movie buff, heard the tax conviction appeal of an
actor who played a vampire hunter on the very day that the second installment of the pop culture
phenomenon Twilight film series hit theaters?

Earlier this week, Applied Materials (AMAT) announced that it was acquiring Semitool (SMTL) in a $364 million all-cash deal.
As we’ve footnoted before, Semitool had an interesting side-deal with CEO Ray Thompson that had the company leasing several planes and an aircraft hangar from separate companies [...]
Who's paying taxes and just how much, relatively speaking, are they handing over to the Treasury?
That's been the topic of debate since several groups released income tax studies this year.
First, the Tax Foundation reported that the tax burden of the top 1 percent of taxpayers now [...]
Governor Culver has formed a panel to review Iowa's 30-odd business incentive tax credits. He sent a letter to some of his agency heads:
To assist the panel with their work, I am asking you to submit information on your respective departments’ tax credits to the Iowa Department of [...]
Tax Policy Blog has a handy summary of how Harry Reidcare will allegedly be financed. Peter Pappas has a nice summary of some of the more baleful provisions of the bill, including a sexism angle. One of the taxes in the bill applies to cosmetic surgery, which [...]
It's good to watch a fight when you don't have to pick sides, and you can enjoy every blow. For example, H&R Block Tax Services Inc. v. Jackson Hewitt Tax Service Inc.; No. 6:08-cv-00037. Go to it, guys!
' [...]Sometimes a great idea in the lab doesn't work so well in the field.
George Yin, former Chief of Staff of the Congressional Joint Committee on Taxation, thinks temporary legislation -- such as the perpetually-expiring AMT patch and research credit -- is a good thing:
Consequently, enactment of temporary-effect rather' [...]
The new Cavalcade of Risk is up at Healthcare Economist!
Among the many useful insurance and risk management posts there is the InsureBlog's explanation of the hidden link between heart attacks and double-decker buses. I would have suspected double-decker cheeseburgers, myself.
Speaking of risk management, [...]
We are almost to the end of our town hall / Professional Issues Update tour this fall, and here is what almost 1,500 MACPA members have said are the top six issues on their minds:
Generations (and how to deal with four generations in the [...]In the securities fraud class action In re MIVA, Inc. Securities Litigation, No. 2:05-cv-00201-JES-DNF (M.D. Fla. Aug. 25, 2009), Magistrate Judge Douglas N. Frazier recommended the United States District Court of the Middle District of Florida grant the defendants’ motion for summary judgment. The Magistrate Judge held that the plaintiffs [...]
A commentator on this blog has said, initially quoting me, and overall in response to comment by Dave Hartnett:
“Tax compliance is seeking to pay the right amount of tax (but no more) in the right place at the right time where right means that the economic substance of [...]
Christian Aid today launches its latest Alternative Tax Award – Tax Superhero of the Year – and invites nominations of suitably qualified firms and individuals.
The award has been introduced to highlight the tremendous potential accountants have to change the world for the better by helping developing countries collect more of [...]
Trusts, NGOs under ambit of money-laundering law .
India is to extend its money laundering laws:
Charitable trusts, whether temples, churches or mosques, non-government organisations (NGOs), educational institutions or societies, if registered as non-profit organisations (NPOs), will not only have to disclose the source of their funds, but also be scrutinised for [...]
