Friday, 19 June 2009

Sarah Palin's tax questions

There's been a lot of speculation about how to report irregularities in Sarah Palin's tax returns. There are two ways of doing it. The Whistleblowers scheme may lead to a cash award for the person reporting. The other way is to report fraud without claiming an award, as outlined below:

How Do You Report Suspected Tax Fraud Activity?

If you suspect or know of an individual or company that is not complying with the tax laws, you may report this activity by completing Form 3949-A. You may fill out Form 3949-A online, print it and mail it to:

Internal Revenue Service
Fresno, CA 93888

If you do not wish to use Form 3949-A, you may send a letter to the address above. Please include the following information, if available:

*Name and address of the person you are reporting
*The taxpayer identification number (social security number for an individual)
*A brief description of the alleged violation, including how you became aware of or obtained the information
*The years involved
*The estimated dollar amount of any unreported income
*Your name, address and daytime telephone number

Address for the IRS in Anchorage:

US Internal Revenue Services
949 E 36th Ave # 114
Anchorage, AK 99508-4361
(907) 271-6877

The Palins tax return for 2007 can be found here.
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8 comments:

Anonymous said...

For all of the robbery, murder, and other nasty things that Al Capone might have been involved in, it was tax evasion that put him in Alcatraz!

Anonymous said...

Truly, maybe this is why Sarah Palin is always talking about "The Feds."

Anonymous said...

Well, I will get right to it... Anything special (links, please...) besides the Arctic Cat that we can mention? Any gifts that we know are more than $150? Is the PAC and the Defense Fund money out-of-the-running, or might that also be a potential issue?

Anonymous said...

Nevermind my last post at 22:38 - I found your 'talking points' blog on the right hand side! THANKS, REG!

basheert said...

Address for the IRS in Anchorage:

US Internal Revenue Services
www.irs.gov

949 E 36th Ave # 114
Anchorage, AK 99508-4361
(907) 271-6877

Anonymous said...

If you need a laugh, you can always check out how Sarah's webathon is going at the C4P. On the fifth day (of seven), they have raised one fifth of the money they had hope to raise. (You have to email them and tell them how much you donated; sounds like a scientific way to track donations). If you gave in the past, you can even say that it should be counted for her official legal defense fund (so we can be sure that we reach our projected goal. My words, not theirs). Also, are there unofficial defense funds, too?

The money is going to "help Governor Palin defend herself against frivolous legal complaints." Well, as long as the complaints are legal; it would be another thing if they were just frivolous complaints. Oh, I forgot, they want to keep future complaints secret. That's not a good idea. How will we know how much to donate if they don't tally up the complaints?

(I know that Sarah complains that she has to pay her expenses out of her own pocket. Just a technicality here, but how does the legal defense fund legally get into Sarah's pocket? Taxes involved?)

basheert said...

Look ... Alaskan friends. WE can't do this from the Lower 48.

You CAN file a complaint and request the IRS investigate her on the basis that she is not reporting her "gifts" from Arctic Cat. On the other hand, it is possible they ARE reporting stuff and this is a red herring.

GIFTS ARE TAXABLE. It is up to the IRS to investigate. It will be confidential, but it will be confidential to them too. We may never hear if the IRS goes after them or what the outcome is.

But it has to be done by a fellow Alaskan....I've done it.

Terpsichore said...

Hello, new poster here.

Tax angle is my fav. I can't believe for a minute everything on their tax return is on the up-and-up, and not necessarily from the standpoint of them trying to 'get away with' anything. I think ignorance is involved too.

A few things I've noticed:

1) I don't see anywhere on the 2007 tax form that he purchased a snowmachine, discounted or not. And there is no snowmachine listed on the worksheet for depreciation.

They did apparently sell one, however.

So, what did Todd ride that year? When did he get it?

2) They took a Home Office deduction, one of the biggest flags for audit that exists. Porportionally, what they are deducting is not large, but it's very probable that their situation does not make them eligible to take it AT ALL.

3) Expense for snowmachine fuel. I want to see receipts. Sarah Palin has said she inherits 'last year's hand-me-downs' which is apparently legal (a gift to a spouse is not taxable)but the fuel to put in it sure would not be a business tax deduction.

What kills me is that IRS audits have been triggered on less suspicion than this, and on people who from whom the IRS would not be likely to gain as much in back tax revenue even if they did find any filing errors.

Lastly, what sitting Governor does not pay a proper tax accountant? No offense to the H & R Block company, but with per diems and travel expenses and ethics disclosure requirements, she really needs a speacialized expert.