Newspaper Columns

The following FAQ's appeared in the Tax Prophet's bi-monthly column in the San Francisco Examiner newspaper, Sunday edition, Business section (circulation - 900,000) through November 26, 2000. Currently the column is not running.

2000 Frequently Asked Questions

December 10, 2000 - Year-end Tax Planning (not published as a newspaper column).
November 26, 2000 - Tax Planning for Stock Options - Part 2
November 12, 2000 - Tax Planning for Stock Options - Part 1
October 29, 2000 - The Candidates’ Tax Proposals - Crunching the Numbers - part 2
October 15, 2000 - The Bush and Gore Tax Proposals - part 1
October 1, 2000 - Proposals to Fix the Current Estate Tax System - part 2
September 17, 2000 - Repeal of the Estate Tax
September 3, 2000 - Medical Deduction for Travel; Transferring Money to a Relative's Account; Placing a Residence in an Irrevocable Trust
August 20, 2000 - Wash Sales Rules and Potential Merger; Sweat Equity Issues
August 6,2000 - Inter-related Gift Transactions Between U.S. and Foreigner Taxpayers; Tax-Free Exchange vs. Residence Exclusion
July 23, 2000 - Tax Havens Under Fire
July 9, 2000 - Deductible Business Expenses; Tax on Gains by Foreign Students; Trust for Pets
June 25, 2000 - Variable Annuities vs. Mutual Funds: Which is Better?, Part 2 of 2
June 11, 2000 - Variable Annuities Receive Scrutiny, Part 1 of 2
May 28, 2000 - Update on Trust Scams
May 14, 2000 - Margin Account Interest; Gift Tax Audit Rates; Discharging Taxes in Chapter 13
April 30, 2000 - Day Trading: Off-setting Capital Losses and Gains; Electing Mark-to-Market Accounting
April 16, 2000 - Eleventh Hour Tax Advice
April 2, 2000 - Six Last-Minute Items to Consider When Filing Your Return
March 19, 2000 - Deduction for Broker's Fees; Payment of Deductions with a Credit Card; Gifts of Bonds with Accrued Interest
March 7, 2000 - Tax Shopping On-Line
February 20, 2000 - Medical Expenses as Business Deductions; Mortgage Interest Deduction; Tax Breaks for Students
February 6, 2000 - Casualty Loss Limitations, Deductions for Fines; Parent's Use of Child's Capital Gains
January 23, 2000 - IRA Withdrawals for Education; Stock Valuation for Estates; U.S. and California Residency Rules
January 9, 2000 - Donation to Charity; Child as Joint Tenant; and Gift by Husband and Wife

1999 Frequently Asked Questions

December 26, 1999 - Last Minute Tax Planning Opportunities, Part 2 of 2
December 12, 1999 - Last Minute Tax Planning Opportunities, Part 1 of 2.
November 28, 1999 Donald Trump’s Wealth Tax Proposal
November 14, 1999 The Future of Internet Taxation
October 31, 1999 Difficulties in Taxing E-Commerce
October 17, 1999 A Moratorium on Internet Taxes
October 3, 1999 Joint Bank Accounts; Taxation of Stock Profits; State Taxation of Pensions; Federal Tax Burden
September, 19, 1999 - Residence to Rental Property; Revoking Mark-to-Market Election; "Reverse" Piercing of a Sham Trust
September 5, 1999 - Residency Exclusion Time Periods; Documenting Residency Improvements
August 15, 1999 - Tax Scams Victimizing Charities
August 1, 1999 - The Demise of Off-Shore Asset Protection Trusts
July 18, 1999 - Tax Issues Involving Charities - Part 3
July 4, 1999 - Taxation of Donations and Charities - part 2
June 20, 1999 - Taxation of Donations and Charities - part 1
June 6, 1999 Mortgage Interest Deductions
May 23, 1999 - Early IRA Withdrawals
May 9, 1999 - Growing Your Business Through Acquisitions - tax aspects
April 25, 1999 - Taxation of Day Traders
April 11, 1999 - Paying Taxes Due; 6 Ways to Save During 1999.
March 28, 1999 - Eight Last-Minute Items to Consider When Filing Your Return
March 14, 1999 - Top 5 Tax Breaks for 1998
February 28, 1999 - Partnership Contribution; Sale of Triplex & Residency Exclusion; Mutual Fund Sale, Loan Forgiveness as Gift
February 14, 1999 - Filing by Telephone or On-Line; Tax Payment by Credit Card
January 31, 1999 - Stock Option Path to Riches - part 2
January 17, 1999 - Stock Option Path to Riches - part 1
January 3, 1999 - IRS 911 Procedures; Statutory Employee Deductions; Qualified Small Business Stock Investments

1998 Frequently Asked Questions

December 13, 1998 - IRS Improves Offer-in-Compromise Policy
November 29, 1998 - Year-End Tax Planning
November 15, 1998 - S Corps; Foreign Dependency Exemption; and Foreign Bank Accounts
November 1, 1998 - Multiple Roth IRA Transfers; Internet Taxation and LLC Taxation
October 18, 1998 - Taxation of Life Insurance Proceeds; Foreign Stock Purchase Via Internet
October 4, 1998 - A Minor's Taxable Income; Deductions for a Third Home and Taxation on Foreclosure
September 20, 1998 - Employees vs. Contractors; Foreign Consultants; Moving Expenses & IRS Collection Limits
September 6, 1998 -Home Improvements; Rental Real Estate Sales or Exchanges
August 23, 1998 - IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (part two)
August 9, 1998 - IRS Restructuring and Reform Act of 1998 (part one)
July 26, 1998 - Taxpayer Id. Numbers; Loan "Points" & Residency Exclusion
July 12, 1998 - Hope Scholarship; Child Credits & Annual Gifts
July 9 1998 - Special Report - 1998 Tax Act
June 28, 1998 - Investment Clubs; Avoiding Probate; and S corporations with Cancellation of Indebtedness Income
June 14, 1998 - Theft loss for Trust Scam Fees, Strike Pay, Foreign Parent as Joint Tenant
May 31, 1998 - Residence Exclusion: Involving Two-Units, a Vacation Home, or upon Divorce; Inherited IRA and Salary Bonus
May 17 ,1998 - Tax Quiz: Part Two - Joint Tenancy; Gifts, and Non-Citizen issues
May 3, 1998 - Tax Quiz: Part One - Estate vs. Income Tax
April 19, 1998 - Roth Rollover; Failure to File; Frivolous Returns; and Real Estate Owner by Foreigner
April 5, 1998 - Last Minute Tax Tips for Filing 1997 Tax Returns
March 22, 1998 - Roth Rollover Prior to Marriage; IRA or Roth Eligibility; and Estate Tax Threshold
March 8, 1998 - IRS audit roulette;Lifestyle audits; and IRS cash rewards
February 22, 1998 - Roth rollovers: minimum distributions; 4-year averaging; tax vs. tax exempt portions; and rollover from SEP.
February 8, 1998 - Taxation of Roth Rollover; Roth Holding Period Rules; and Gifts to College-age Grandchildren.
January 25, 1998 - Roth Rollovers; IRA vs. Roth; and Principal Residence Sale.
January 11, 1998 - Increasing Your Residency Exemption; Using Your Residency Exemption Without Selling Your Home; and Residence Purchase by a Foreign Person.

1997 Frequently Asked Questions

December 28, 1997 - The Roth IRA and Estate Tax Changes
December 21, 1997 - Planning for Capital Gains and Residence Sales
December 14. 1997 - Year-End Tax Planning Opportunities
November 30, 1997 - Taxpayer's Bill of Rights III
November 16, 1997 - A Seven-Step Program to Fix the U.S. Tax System
October 26, 1997 - When You Owe IRS
October 12, 1997 - Dealing with the IRS Collection Monster
September 28, 1997 - Educational Benefits Under the New Law
September 14, 1997 - Gifts to Minors Using Custodial Accounts
August 31, 1997 - Navigating the Capital Gains and Sale of Residence Labyrinth
August 17, 1997 - The Taxpayer's Relief Act of 1997 - A Mixed Bag of Blessings
August 3, 1997 - The Taxpayer's Relief Act of 1997 - Lotsa Loopholes!
July 20, 1997 - IRS Indicts Two Men for Phony Trusts
July 6, 1997 - Substance, Not Form, Important to IRS and the Courts
June 22, 1997 - Deductions for rental of a room in your house; limitations on business and entertainment business deductions
June 1, 1997 - Foreign travel as an educational or business expense
May 18, 1997 - Sales of a vacation home, rental property, tax on lease cancellation payments
May 4, 1997 - Al Davis, the Raiders and taxes on loans
April 20, 1997 - Taxpayers Beware: Trust Scams Update; Mortgage Foreclosure Tax Scheme
April 6, 1997 - 10 items to remember when filing your 1997 tax return
March 23, 1997 - Long-term disability; F-1 Visa rules; and Tax preparation deductions
March 9, 1997 - Check-the-box regulations
February 23, 1997 - Clinton's tax proposal for residence; passive activity loss rules
February 9, 1997 - Medical deductions for equipment and home improvements; non resident children as dependents
January 26, 1997 - How to Identify and Claim Casualty Losses
January 12, 1997 - Home-Office Deduction

1996 Frequently Asked Questions

December 22, 1996 - Year-End Tax Planning (Part 1 or 2)
December 23, 1996 - Year-End Tax Planning (Part 2 or 2) and Sidebar
December 15, 1996 - Independent contractors: Comparison between federal and state law; How long may a foreign person stay in the U.S. without becoming a resident?
November 17, 1996 - Early withdrawals from an IRA account; Foreign student with capital gains
November 3, 1996 - Sale of stock with unknown basis; gift of stock; tax planning for Lotto winners
October 20, 1996 - The Presidential Tax Plans
October 6, 1996 - Gambling and Game Show Winnings, Avoiding Sales Tax on Mobile Homes; Ownership of Real Property
September 22, 1996 - Joint tenancy and estate taxes
September 1, 1996 - Spouse's pre-marital debts; California taxes paid by non-residents
August 18, 1996 - Taxpayer's Bill of Rights II
August 4, 1996 - Joint Tenancy property: gift and estate tax consequences
July 14, 1996 - California Income Taxes
June 23, 1996 - Back pay and other wage-related damages.
June 9, 1996 - Inheriting stocks; foreclosures revisited.
May 26, 1996 - Fraudulent trust arrangements do not work.
May 12, 1996 - Tax consequences of foreclosure.
April 28, 1996 - Taxation of sales of stock.
April 14, 1996- Educational trusts for children.
April 9, 1996 - 12 items to consider before filing your return.
March 17, 1996 - Using a company-owned vehicles; campaign expenses for running for office.
March 3, 1996 - Deduction for computer; employer tuition reimbursement plans.
February 18,1996 - Deductions for educational expenses.
February 13,1996 - Temporary residents; foreign students and teachers.
February 4, 1996 - Form 1127, LLC buy-sell agreements; loans by foreign investors.
January 23, 1996 - Employee stock incentive plans and stock options.
January 1996 - Non-S.F. Examiner FAQ's.

1995 Tax Man Columns

Unwed But Not Unwise: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Sunday, February 19, 1995.
Foreign Investors: Plan Carefully: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Tuesday, February 21, 1995.
'94 Began New Ways to Pay Taxes on Household Help: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Tuesday February 28, 1995.
A Better Deal for Small Firms in California: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Tuesday, March 7, 1995.
Planning is key to estate taxes: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Tuesday, March 14, 1995.
Strategies to minimize estate taxes: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Tuesday, March 21, 1995.
I.R.S. AUDIT? HAVE NO FEAR: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Sunday, March 25, 1995.
How to deal with IRS demands: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Tuesday, March 28. 1995.
Student Aid and Pensions: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Tuesday, April 4, 1995.
Contract with America Tax Proposals: San Francisco Examiner: Business Section, Tuesday, April 11, 1995.

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All contents copyright ? 2008 Robert L. Sommers, attorney-at-law. All rights reserved. This internet site provides information of a general nature for educational purposes only and is not intended to be legal or tax advice. This information has not been updated to reflect subsequent changes in the law, if any. Your particular facts and circumstances, and changes in the law, must be considered when applying U.S. tax law. You should always consult with a competent tax professional licensed in your state with respect to your particular situation. The Tax Prophet(TM) is a trademark of Robert L. Sommers.