Tax Adviser Says Tax Code Too Complex for Geithner and Daschle
An unusual reason to reject tax advice from someone offering personal finance guidance on the radio. While giving an intro to a piece on tax matters the author gives an appraisal on why we should give Geithner and Daschle a pass on tax evasion. The most egregious statement from Michelle Singletary in WaPo is to give this pass because we (she) has no evidence the two intended to ‘cheat on their taxes’. By that logic if evidence does not drop in your lap their is no reason to proceed with an investigation. Oh, the tax code is too complex. That is the reason she gives for Geithner and Daschle’s failure to pay taxes?
Okay folks, if you find yourself in trouble with the IRS just give this person’s excuse for Geithner and Daschle and see how that works for you. Hey Michelle, how about the only reason they did anything about not paying is they were nominated and knew people would be looking and probably find it. What’s worse is people like you gave them a pass for what the rest of us would suffer severe penalties. It’s called being connected, having influence and getting protection from Washington insiders including President Obama. And now one of them gets to be in charge of the IRS.
Stanford Matthews
MoreWhat.com
So Many of Us in the Confused Tax Bracket
By Michelle Singletary
Thursday, February 5, 2009; D02
What lessons can we learn from the high-profile tax cases of newly installed Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and Thomas Daschle, President Barack Obama’s failed pick for secretary of health and human services?
How about that the darn tax code is so complex and long that Geithner and Daschle did what so many others have done — messed up big-time? Geithner had to pay the government $43,000. Daschle recently wrote a check for $146,000.
Because we have no evidence that Geithner and Daschle intentionally tried to cheat on their taxes, I’m willing to give them the benefit of the doubt. But I’m getting tired of appointees with tax issues. If these folks have the money to get their taxes prepared correctly and still can’t, the IRS better give enormous leeway to regular taxpayers.