The Tax Lawyer Blog: Topical thinking from the lawyers at Moskowitz, LLP

“Money” Mayweather’s $22M Problem: The Importance of Tax Planning

Posted on September 2, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Tax: Audits, Litigation & Collection, Tax Planning & Compliance,

Floyd "Money" Mayweather certainly lives up to his nickname – the undefeated boxer is expected to cash in as much as $350 million for his recent win against Irish UFC fighter Conor McGregor. There is also no doubt that the IRS was watching the 10-round Las Vegas match. The federal...

Tax Return Preparer Sentenced to 27 Months for Tax Evasion

Posted on August 30, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Criminal Tax Law, Tax Planning & Compliance, Tax: Audits, Litigation & Collection,

Tax evasion carries severe penalties, even in cases in which no one else has been defrauded. The facts From 2005 through 2011, Semere Tsehaye owned more than 20 Instant Tax Service (ITS) franchises in Illinois, Kansas and Missouri, under the names A&S Tax Service LLC and ERI Enterprises LLC. In...

San Antonio Businessman Sentenced To Four Years in Prison for Defrauding Personal Injury Clients, the Bankruptcy court, and the IRS

Posted on August 26, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Criminal Tax Law, Tax: Audits, Litigation & Collection,

From 2009 through 2014, Elpidio Gongora (aka “Pete Gongora”), operated a number of personal injury law offices in Texas, Arkansas and New Mexico. The lawyers in these firms apparently obtained settlements on behalf of their clients, but Gongora did not deliver the money to their clients nor to the medical...

18 Months in Prison for Cashing Client Checks and Not Reporting Income to the IRS

Posted on August 24, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Criminal Tax Law, Tax: Audits, Litigation & Collection,

A man who provided landscaping and snowplowing services to residential and commercial customers in Hartford, Connecticut is serving 18 months in jail for underreporting his income. The facts Don Biagi of Don Biagi Landscaping liked to cash his client’s checks – from 2008 to 2010, he cashed 574 checks ranging...

Marijuana Accounting and Legal Compliance

Posted on July 3, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Cannabis Practice Group,

Since marijuana is still illegal at the federal level and subject to continually evolving regulations at the state level, cannabis producers, distributors, and retailers need to develop compliance programs and procedures as early as possible in the life of their business to protect themselves from legal challenges. An effective cannabusiness...

The Cannabusiness Plan

Posted on June 30, 2017April 25, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Cannabis Practice Group,

A business plan is a key component of every commercial venture – it not only serves as the outline for the development of your business, but is also a crucial tool for securing outside investors. Elements of a business plan Here are the basic provisions that should be included in...

Grounds for a Will Contest

Posted on June 16, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Tax: Audits, Litigation & Collection,

When Mickey Rooney died in 2014 at the age of 93, his will was contested by his estranged wife and biological children. He had disinherited them and left his meagre estate to a stepson and the stepson’s wife, who had served as Rooney’s caretakers for the last two years of...

Who Can Challenge a Will?

Posted on June 15, 2017April 1, 2022 by Moskowitz LLP Tax: Audits, Litigation & Collection,

Following Richard Pratt’s death in 2009, Madison Ashton claimed that she had left her profession as a sex worker to become the Australian billionaire’s kept mistress. Pratt had apparently promised the former Penthouse Pet a $500,000 per year allowance, $36,000 per year for accommodation, $30,000 per year for travel expenses,...

June 2017: Tax Calendar and Client Alert

Posted on June 3, 2017April 1, 2022 by Moskowitz LLP Tax Planning & Compliance,

What's Inside: Tax Calendar Mid-Year Tax Planning IRS Using Private Collection Agencies Correspondence Audits Missed Tax Filing IRS Phone Scam Land Your Dream Home Reasons to Incorporate Is Your Estate Current? Dear Readers, Happy Summer! Tax Calendar June 15 Second quarterly installment 2017 individual estimated tax due. Second quarterly installment...

Trimmigrants, Trades and Taxes

Posted on June 1, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Cannabis Practice Group,

For decades, a subculture of migrant workers have flooded California counties every year to make good money trimming marijuana plants. Known as “trimmigrants,” these individuals have made as much as $500/day and up to $15,000 in cash and/or product during the fall harvest — and we would be surprised if...

Filing Your Own Return

Posted on May 24, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Tax Planning & Compliance,

In our last post, we reviewed the main advantages and disadvantages of joint tax returns for married couples. This post will focus on when a married couple should consider filing separately, and special considerations if they reside in a community property state. When to consider filing separately Following are the...

The Joint Tax Return

Posted on May 23, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Tax Planning & Compliance,

IRS data indicates that over 95% of married couples file jointly – and for most, but not all, couples this makes good economic sense. In this two-part series, we will discuss the advantages and disadvantages of filing joint and separate tax returns and how filing separately works for people who...

The Duty of Impartiality and Other Trustee Troubles

Posted on May 22, 2017February 14, 2019 by Moskowitz LLP Estate Planning & Taxation,

Other Posts in this Series Role of the Trustee Guidelines for Making Prudent Investment Decisions Trustees are accountable to both the current income beneficiaries and the remaindermen of a trust, and are often placed in the unenviable position of having to balance the interests of the two. A beneficiary may...

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