Taxation & Estate Planning

Tax News

By Darrin Mish

Actress Zsa Zsa Gabor Owes the IRS $118,000

The IRS recently confirmed that Zsa Zsa Gabor and her husband Frederic Von Anhalt are working out a payment plan for taxes owed amounting to $118,321. According to Gabor's lawyer Chris Fields, this amount is primarily due to investments made by third party investors on behalf of the actress into the fraudulent Ponzi scheme run by Bernard Madoff.

On Oct 5, the IRS filed a lien of more than $118,000 for the tax years 2001 and 2002 against the 92 year old Gabor at the Los Angeles County Recorder of Deeds. Gabor's lawyer estimated that the actress suffered losses of about $7 million in Madoff's Ponzi scheme and this has resulted in the overdue tax bill.

Supporters of Gay Marriage Opposes Tax-exempt Status of Churches

In Maine, more than 75,000 gay rights supporters joined together in protest over churches' role in the repeal of gay rights legislation. In May, Governor John Baldacci signed into law legislation that legalizes same sex marriages. This sparked a strong protest by churches in the area that came up with a concerted campaign called Question One rejecting the law. Church leaders urged congregation members to give sacrificially towards the cause, handed out collection plates and signature forms during services.

As a result, 53% of people rejected the law and it was subsequently repealed last week. This in turn prompted Maine Marriage Equality, a gay and lesbian organization, to voice their protest against the churches' actions. The organization compiled and made public a list of the churches and major contributors that supported the Question One campaign.

Maine Marriage Equality also seeks a revocation of the churches' tax exemption status citing the principle of separation of church and state. They have taken their cause online and are urging their supporters and gay rights advocates to file a complaint with the IRS against the churches.

But the Alliance Defense Fund has risen in defense of the churches, as it has done on separate occasions before. Its Senior Legal Counsel Erik Stanley states the ADF's contention that it is the churches' right to voice their opinion on Biblical issues and oppose same sex marriages directly supporting legislative matters like Question One. The tax exempt status traditionally enjoyed by churches should not be called into question.

The ADF is offering free legal support for any churches that are questioned by the IRS regarding their tax exemption status because it believes that the churches have not transgressed IRS rules in this matter.

Darrin T. Mish is a veteran, nationally recognized tax attorney who has focused on providing IRS help to taxpayers for over a decade. He regularly travels the country training other attorneys, CPAs and enrolled agents on how to handle their toughest cases with the IRS. He is highly ranked among the top attorneys in the country, with an AV rating from Martindale-Hubbell and a perfect 10 on Avvo.com. Martindale-Hubbell has also honored him with a listing in their Bar Register of Preeminent Lawyers. He is a member of the American Society of IRS Problem Solvers and the Tax Freedom Institute. With clients on every continent but Antarctica, he has what it takes to solve your IRS problems no matter where you live in the world. If you would like more information about his practice and how he can help you, please call his office at (813) 229-7100 or toll free at 1-888-GET-MISH.

Tax News is a post from: IRS Tax Problem Solver Blog - IRS Help

Full post as published by IRS Problem Solver Blog on December 18, 2009 (boomark / email).