Former Chicago Bears player pleads guilty to Federal tax charges
A former Chicago Bears player named Chris Zorich pleaded guilty to federal tax charges, as he admitted to the judge that he did not file his taxes as he was supposed to, on time.
Zorich, 43, faces four misdemeanor counts of not filing his federal income tax returns from the period of 2006 to 2009. During that time, he supposedly had made over $1 million, which included income from a charity that he had started himself.
The judge of the trial for Zorich asked him if he knew that it was wrong to not file the tax returns. Zorich responded that he knew that it was indeed a wrong act to commit, but he didn’t provide any reason as to why he went along with it anyway. Zorich’s attorney had stated that Zorich was very much looking forward to putting the case far behind him, and moving on.
Zorich is a Chicago native and played on the 1988 Notre Dame team that won the national championship. He also had played for the Chicago Bears from 1991 to 1996, ending his career with the Washington Redskins back in 1997.
The former Chicago Bears NFL player is looking at a payment of $71,000 in back taxes as a part of his plea agreement with the judge. His sentencing will be done on July 12. Each count for Zorich carries a maximum sentence of a year in prison, and also a $100,000 fine.
Categories: Federal Tax, Income Tax, State Tax, Tax Evasion, Tax Law Tags: celebrity tax evasion, federal tax, income tax, tax evasion, tax fraud, tax law
Federal tax code may favor driving over other transportation modes
There are common complaints that transit is subsidized and roads pay for themselves; however, this is found over and over again to be untrue. Taxes are due in less than a month, and the Tri-state took a peak at the available and recently-expired tax credits and deductions that are related to automobile and transit use in the federal tax code. They did so in order to see if the tax breaks being proposed had a bias towards automobile use over other transportation.
It is possible that the federal tax code provides benefits for automobile owners; however, it seems as they offer limited incentives to taxpayers that take transit or travel by bike. This article isn’t meant to be an expert analysis on taxes, as we aren’t tax advisers, but it may be an optional guide or simply seen as an educated opinion.
If you own or operate a vehicle, these are some of the benefits you may earn:
Tax payers who choose to donate their vehicles to charity can receive a tax deduction
Individuals who have experienced an automobile crash that aren’t fully reimbursed by the insurance of the other driver, as long as the crash wasn’t the individual’s fault, may be able to deduct the unreimbursed amount.
Automobile owners may also receive tax credits to purchase or lease fuel efficient vehicles or even fuel cell vehicles and hybrid vehicles. Additionally, individuals may take a tax credit for qualified fuel cell vehicles that were serviced in 2012.
Also, individuals that drive to work may be eligible to take up to $245/month in a pre-tax deduction in order to cover parking expenses.
Categories: Federal Tax, Income Tax, Tax Law Tags: federal income tax, federal tax, gasoline tax, income tax, sales tax, taxes
Comptroller applicant withdraws more than $34,000 federal tax lien
There is one city comptroller in Grand Rapids that is withdrawing from consideration following a MLive inquire about a federal tax lien for his property.
The comptroller applicant named Mark Pospiech disclosed delinquent city income taxes on his application. Supposedly, he also owns $34,813 in federal income tax for 2009-2011, according to a tax lien that was filed in November of 2012 with the Kent County register of deeds.
Jerry Czaja, the county’s chief deputy register, says that it looks pretty clear that Pospiech didn’t pay his 1040 tax. When a person doesn’t pay their 1040 tax, the federal government will file a lien in the office, and the lien will become attached to any interest they have in any property. Currently, it doesn’t seem like a discharge will be recorded to release the lien.
Pospiech was one of the three applicants for the position of comptroller that was vacated when Donijo DeJonge stepped down from the position in December. He responded to MLive calls about the talked about lien with a written statement that he is going to withdraw from consideration of the comptroller position.
Pospiech said that throughout the application and interview process for the comptroller position, he said that the focus of the Press was more on his situation, eclipsing his abilities for the position. He believes that there are a variety of factors that have led to his current tax issues, but those factors are personal, and shouldn’t be drawn out by public opinion.
Categories: Federal Tax, Income Tax, State Tax, Tax Evasion, Tax Law Tags: avoiding taxes, corporate tax, federal tax, federal tax fraud, filing taxes, income tax, tax code, tax fraud