If records were kept about such things, Tonda Lynn, a waitress at a pancake house, may have received the largest tip in history when a customer gave her a
lottery ticket that turned out to be worth $10 million. As the U.S. Tax Court put it in a heading in its opinion resolving gift tax issues arising from subsequent
events, suddenly “She’s Got a Ticket to Ride.”
Miscellaneous
Umbrella Insurance Policies
As insurance prices continue to rise, many people are looking for more and better insurance coverage for less money, and “umbrella policies” are often a good
option for increasing coverage. Umbrella policies get their name from the coverage they offer: Like an umbrella, they provide expansive coverage for you and
your assets. Umbrella policies act as a kind of backup for your primary insurance and can provide a cost-effective way of increasing your insurance coverage.
Confidential Emails: Proceed With Caution
Even the most technology-challenged among us would have to admit that the ease with which we can communicate by e-mail is an improvement over the forms
of correspondence that have preceded it. For most of us, there is no going back to the days before e-mail. This is no less true for communications between
attorneys and clients than it is for other types of communications.
Homebuyer Wins Tax Credit
The federal income tax code provides for a refundable tax credit to a first-time homebuyer of a “principal residence.” In 2008, the year that Joseph took the
plunge and bought his first home, the credit was 10% of the purchase price, up to $7,500. When he claimed the maximum credit on his 2008 tax return, the IRS
came calling to challenge his eligibility for the credit.
Homeowner Loses Flood Insurance
When the owner of a home with a history of seasonal flooding from a nearby creek returned to the home after an extended vacation, he noticed damage to the
home from flooding. Soon after that, he made an insurance claim on a policy administered by an insurance company under the National Flood Insurance Act.
Employee Or Contractor? IRS Offers Amnesty
The Voluntary Classification Settlement Program (VCSP) is a voluntary amnesty program created by the IRS that provides an opportunity for taxpayers to
reclassify their workers as employees for employment tax purposes for future tax periods, with partial relief from federal employment taxes. To participate, the
taxpayer must meet certain eligibility requirements, apply to participate in the VCSP by filing Form 8952, “Application for Voluntary Classification Settlement
Program,” and enter into a closing agreement with the IRS.
"Y'All" = Marital Property
When the marriage of Gina and Edward ended in divorce and it became necessary to allocate property, the trial court charged with ruling on this matter had to
sort through multiple gifts made by Gina’s father while the couple was married. Understandably, Edward generally argued as much as possible that such gifts
were made to the couple jointly, whereas Gina’s position was that at least some of these gifts were made to her alone.
Feline Friend 1, Irs 0
Some say the world is divided between dog lovers and cat lovers. Jan is the latter.
She has seven cats of her own that live with her in her modest California home. But Jan also puts her modest financial means where her mouth is. As a volunteer for a local IRS-approved charity, she has taken care of some 70 stray cats at her home while adoptive homes were being found for them. The charity’s mission is to trap stray cats, neuter them, and then place them in homes temporarily until they can be adopted or released.
FCRA and Preemption of State Law Claims
With a view toward getting a full measure of justice for debtors who may have been wronged by a violation of the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA), attorneys often will add to their pleadings claims under state law arising under the common law (court-made law) or state statutes.
Car Horn Honking as Free Speech
When Helen was reported to her homeowners association by a neighbor for violating a restrictive covenant against keeping chickens, she picked a rather odd way of getting even with the neighbor. She had to borrow a friend’s car to do it, but she stopped the car in front of the neighbor’s house at 6 a.m. and laid on the horn for 10 minutes.