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Birmingham Tax Preparer Indicted in Alleged $65 Million Tax Fraud Scheme

Birmingham Tax Preparer Indicted in Alleged $65 Million Tax Fraud Scheme

Michael Shine, a 55-year-old tax preparer from Birmingham, has been indicted on federal charges related to an alleged $65 million tax fraud scheme. A federal grand jury in the Northern District of Alabama indicted Shine on 30 counts of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false tax returns and three counts of filing false tax returns for himself. Prosecutors allege that Shine, through his business Shine’s Professional Services, prepared or helped prepare tax returns between 2021 and 2026 that falsely claimed clients had qualified for geothermal heat pump property costs. These false claims allegedly led to tax refunds that clients were not entitled to receive. The indictment also states that Shine continued and modified the scheme even after the IRS searched his business. Furthermore, Shine is accused of underreporting income from his tax preparation business on his personal tax returns. The indictment claims that Shine and his business sought over $70 million in tax refunds, with approximately $65 mi...
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Inherited IRA Left Untouched for Nine Years Leads to Significant Tax Implications for Beneficiary

Inherited IRA Left Untouched for Nine Years Leads to Significant Tax Implications for Beneficiary

Inherited IRA Left Untouched for Nine Years Leads to Significant Tax Implications for Beneficiary
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BetterHelp Offers Tax-Deductible Online Therapy Services and Insurance Options

BetterHelp Offers Tax-Deductible Online Therapy Services and Insurance Options

BetterHelp, a prominent online therapy platform, provides remote mental health services that may be tax-deductible for eligible individuals. The platform's subscription model, typically ranging from $70 to $100 per week, allows for easier tracking of therapy expenses. Therapy costs are generally considered tax-deductible by the IRS if they are for treatment of a mental health condition and provided by a licensed professional. This includes sessions with psychologists, psychiatrists, and licensed professional counselors. However, the deduction is only applicable if medical expenses exceed 7.5% of an individual's adjusted gross income (AGI). BetterHelp also accepts major insurance plans, though the portion covered by insurance is not tax-deductible. Additionally, Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs) can be used to pay for therapy with licensed providers, offering a pre-tax advantage.
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Treasury and IRS Propose Restrictions on Refundable Tax Credits for Certain Immigrants

Treasury and IRS Propose Restrictions on Refundable Tax Credits for Certain Immigrants

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have proposed new rules that would restrict access to refundable tax credits for specific immigrant groups. These proposed rules classify the refundable portions of four key tax credits—the adoption tax credit, child tax credit, American Opportunity tax credit, and earned income tax credit—as 'federal public benefits.' This reclassification would potentially disqualify hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of individuals, particularly lower-income earners, from receiving these tax benefits. According to Margot Crandall-Hollick of the Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center, this change would affect many non-citizens who possess Social Security numbers and have work authorization in the U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that these rules aim to 'protect the integrity of the tax system, and put Americans first.'
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IRS Proposes Regulations to Deny Tax Credits to Undocumented Immigrants

IRS Proposes Regulations to Deny Tax Credits to Undocumented Immigrants

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and the Treasury Department have proposed new regulations that would prevent undocumented immigrants from receiving refundable tax credits, including the Earned Income Tax Credit, the Child Tax Credit, the Adoption Tax Credit, and the American Opportunity Tax Credit. This proposal aims to clarify and apply the 1996 Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act (PRWORA), which states that only U.S. citizens, U.S. nationals, and qualified aliens are eligible for federal public benefits. The Justice Department's Office of Legal Counsel has provided a legal analysis concluding that the refunded portions of these tax credits qualify as federal public benefits. Under the proposed rules, to receive the refunded portion of an affected credit, a taxpayer must be a U.S. citizen, U.S. national, or qualified alien when filing their tax return. For joint returns, only one spouse needs to meet this eligibility. The regulations specifically target the refunded portion ...
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IRS Seeks Government Information Specialist for Privacy Analysis Role

IRS Seeks Government Information Specialist for Privacy Analysis Role

The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) is actively recruiting for a Government Information Specialist, specifically a Privacy Analyst, with a salary range reflecting locality pay. This position requires specialized experience at the GS-11 grade level in the federal service, focusing on applying privacy and disclosure guidance to common work processes. Key responsibilities include ensuring privacy principles are upheld in protecting sensitive information, recognizing Freedom of Information Requests, and applying IRS guidance for their resolution. Candidates must also possess experience with analytical and evaluative methods for assessing the efficiency of privacy and disclosure program operations, as well as strong communication skills for presenting findings and preparing reports. Federal experience is not mandatory, as relevant experience can be gained from public, private, or volunteer sectors. Applicants must meet specific requirements by the closing date, including time after competitive appointment and ti...
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Senator Jeff Merkley and Democratic Leaders Call for Investigation into IRS Tax Breaks for LNG Tankers

Senator Jeff Merkley and Democratic Leaders Call for Investigation into IRS Tax Breaks for LNG Tankers

Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR), alongside Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) and other Democratic senators, has urged the Acting Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration (TIGTA) to investigate the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) for allegedly granting tax breaks to liquefied natural gas (LNG) exporters. The senators are concerned that the IRS has allowed LNG tankers to claim Alternative Fuel Excise Tax (AFET) credits by treating them as “motorboats,” despite federal shipping regulations defining motorboats as vessels no more than 65 feet long, while LNG tankers are typically 1,000 feet or more. This move, they argue, favors fossil fuel companies at the expense of taxpayers and does not align with environmental protection goals or efforts to reduce reliance on fossil fuels. They specifically request TIGTA to determine how the IRS made this decision, what guidance was provided to taxpayers, and whether Secretary Bessent or his staff communicated with anyone in the White House, including Presi...
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Treasury and IRS Propose Rules to Restrict Refundable Tax Credits for Certain Immigrants

Treasury and IRS Propose Rules to Restrict Refundable Tax Credits for Certain Immigrants

The Treasury Department and the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) have proposed new rules that would limit access to refundable tax credits for specific immigrant groups. These proposed rules classify the refundable portions of four key tax credits—the adoption tax credit, child tax credit, American Opportunity tax credit, and earned income tax credit—as 'federal public benefits.' This reclassification would prevent many non-citizens who possess Social Security numbers and work authorization from claiming these tax benefits. Affected groups include individuals with pending asylum applications, those holding Temporary Protected Status (TPS), and Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) recipients. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that these rules aim to 'protect the integrity of the tax system, and put Americans first.' Experts estimate that this change could impact hundreds of thousands, potentially millions, of people. For instance, in 2023, there were 2.6 million asylum applicants, 650,000 indiv...
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OpenAI's $7 billion payday just hit a costly tax snag

OpenAI's $7 billion payday just hit a costly tax snag

What actually lands in your account depends on rules that changed this year.
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A Customer Broke His Ankle Boarding a Cruise — Here's Why Travel Insurance Saved Him

A Customer Broke His Ankle Boarding a Cruise — Here's Why Travel Insurance Saved Him

The right coverage matters before you even step on board.
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Ricky Gervais Considers Marriage to Protect Property Fortune from Inheritance Tax

Ricky Gervais Considers Marriage to Protect Property Fortune from Inheritance Tax

Ricky Gervais Considers Marriage to Protect Property Fortune from Inheritance Tax
Nashville Tennessean Nashville Tennessean
A single person needs nearly $90K to live comfortably in Tennessee, study says

A single person needs nearly $90K to live comfortably in Tennessee, study says

A new SmartAsset study found that a single adult in Tennessee needs nearly $90,000 a year to live comfortably. See how the state's salary benchmark compares with the rest of the U.S.