18 May, 2008

Tax Excuses 510 - 515

[Well, Mad T Bone has just posted again after 5 months. I myself have been away from posting, due to various other activities. In any event, here are a few more tax excuses.]



510. When we acquired the operations of our subsidiary company, we didn't fully appreciate the banking arrangements and tax payment system they used, and the resulting confusion caused late VAT payments [Isis Telecommunications Management (North) Ltd. v. Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (No. 20598, London Tribunal Centre, 4 March 2008).].


511. I inflated my charitable deductions to compensate myself for the expenses of maintaining a home office because I was advised by an accountant that deductions for a home office were more likely to be audited than charitable contributions [Matter of Anonymous, Defense Office of Hearings & Appeals, ISCR Case No. 07-06550 (28 March 2008).].


512. My 2002 and 2003 tax returns were not filed until 2006 because I have a bad habit that once I am overdue on something, I avoid it [Cornelius v. Commissioner, T.C. Summary Op. 2008-42.].

513. "I am an idealistic, naive, passionate, truth-seeking, spiritually motivated artist, unschooled in the science of law and finance" [Statement of noted actor Wesley Snipes at his sentencing for tax evasion, United States v. Snipes (Docket No. 5:06-CR-22-Oc-10GRJ, 24 April 2008), reported, inter alia, in "Wesley Snipes Gets 3 Years in Prison for Tax Evasion" by Andrea Chang & Tiffany Hsu, Los Angeles Times, 25 April 2008, Section A, p. 22.].

514. "The failure to comply with IRO section 51(2) for the requirement of informing the commissioner in writing that we have chargeable profit not later than 4 months after the end of the basis period for that year of assessment (i.e. 31st December 2005) was caused by change of finance manager." [Hong Kong Inland Revenue Board of Review Case No. D34/07 (27 November 2007).].

515. When we were getting ready to submit the return and pay the VAT, we realised that the return form was muddy and water damaged, and our accountant tried to get a new return form from Revenue & Customs, but it arrived too late [H5 Hotels Ltd. v. Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (No. 20662, London Tribunal Centre, 30 April 2008).].