Federal authorities investigating Smithsonian donation – Selling something to a charity for a below market price is tricky enough when claiming a charitable contribution deduction for the discount. It’s a guaranteed IRS audit when the items are supposedly worth $50 million and a deduction of $32 million is being claimed.

No Net Taxes? Why Not? – Someone who thinks taxing Internet service is no big deal. The problem with this kind of logic — defending a new tax as inconsequential because it’s only a few dollars a month per person — is the fact that everyone tries to get into that act. Unless a line is drawn in the sand, before you know it, there are hundreds of new such taxes, adding hundreds or thousands of dollars to everyone’s monthly tax burden.

Senate Keeps Web Access Tax-Free

There will never be a right time to tax the Internet.

Treasury, IRS Warn of Identity Theft Scheme Involving Bogus E-mail, Web site – Similar to the dozens of info phishing scams that arrive in our emails each day pretending to be from eBay, PayPal, Microsoft and CitiBank.

Google hype addressed on boards

Virginia Republicans under fire for pro-tax position – Thus, the Scarlet T.

Finance: Should You Prepay Your Mortgage? – Rather than simply base a decision to pay off a mortgage on the interest rates, I always caution people against being “real estate rich and cash poor.” Putting all of your money into your home can often be counter productive. It’s a good feeling having some available cash for emergencies and unexpected opportunities. Often, paying off a mortgage is like a one way valve. It may be difficult or impossible to borrow that money back out later, if the need arises.

Using an Annuity to Play the Medicaid Game – Converting assets to annuities has long been a stock tool in impoverishment planning to help people qualify for programs like MedicAid.

Budget balanced illegally, court says – Oregon taxpayers could be receiving some refunds of their 2001 taxes.

Why Sept. 11 brought us bigger government–and why that’s a bad thing

Taxpayers Win Major Battle in Fight for a Tax Free Internet

Study: Lawmakers Lament Deficits but Most Draft Bills to Boost Budget Higher – They’re hopelessly addicted to pork.

Time to transform Social Security into a wealth-creating vehicle. – Instead of the IOUs that disappear when you die.

Tax & Fiscal Information for Senator John Kerry – Of course, this is rapidly becoming a moot point, as my prediction of someone else taking his place on the DemonRat ticket looks more likely every day of his totally inept and incompetent campaign.

Stop the Spree – Tax cuts don’t cause deficits. Out of control spending does.

Sanford tax plan moves to Senate floor – A possible reduction in the state income tax rate for South Carolina.