Justices reject appeal of tea party groups over IRS review
The U.S. Supreme Court has rejected an appeal from a nonprofit group that wanted to sue individual IRS officials for targeting tea party groups that applied for tax-exempt status.
Tax Issues
Articles
Prosecutor files charges against restaurant owners underreporting sales
The owners of five Mexican restaurants across Indiana who are accused of underreporting nearly $2 million in sales are now facing criminal charges in Marion Superior Court.
Tax court judge rejects request to compel further discovery
After previously allowing the deposition of the former commissioner of the Indiana Department of State Revenue, the Indiana Tax Court rejected the University of Phoenix’s requests to compel further discovery, writing that the additional discovery likely would not reveal admissible evidence.
Tax Court reverses educational property tax exemption
The Indiana Tax Court has reversed an educational property tax exemption for a Carmel day care after finding that the land’s owner failed to properly compare the total time the property was used for educational purposes against the total time the day care utilized the land.
7th Circuit dismisses Moorish tax claim, condemns ‘sovereign citizen’ ideology
A man who declared himself a “sovereign citizen” as a result of his “Moorish” heritage is in fact not a sovereign citizen who is exempt from taxes, the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals wrote in a Friday opinion that delved into the history of the Moorish-American movement that has been the source of “difficult litigation."
Divided COA: Man can’t use RFRA to avoid taxes
A divided Indiana Court of Appeals ruled Friday that a Marion County man cannot avoid paying income taxes using a religious freedom defense, with the majority writing that the controversial Religious Freedom Restoration Act allows for the collection of taxes in the furtherance of a compelling government interest.
House Republicans’ road plan includes gas-tax increase, user fees
Indiana House Republicans on Wednesday released their legislative agenda, which includes a tax increase and increased user fees to pay for improving the state’s roads.
Tax Court: Orbitz doesn’t have to pay additional sales, innkeeper’s taxes
A popular travel and booking website will not have to pay the state more than $200,000 in back taxes after the Indiana Tax Court held that the website is not considered a retail merchant.
High court won’t hear challenge to internet sales tax law
The Supreme Court of the United States won't hear a challenge to a Colorado law that requires out-of-state internet retailers to tell customers how much they owe in state sales taxes.
‘Strict compliance’ with contempt statute not required if sufficient notice is given
A majority of the justices of the Indiana Supreme Court found Tuesday that strict compliance with a state statute regarding contempt orders can be excused if the party in contempt has been sufficiently notified of their contempt, thus affirming a trial court decision requiring an ex-husband to produce income and tax documents for his ex-wife.
Notre Dame Tax Clinic to receive federal grant
The Notre Dame Law School will receive a federal grant to help fund its recently launched tax clinic.
Allen County judge dismisses Fort Wayne tax suit for lack of jurisdiction
An Allen County judge has dismissed the city of Fort Wayne’s complaint against the county auditor’s allocations of taxes, writing that the case should be heard in the Indiana Tax Court, not a trial court.
Indiana man cites religious freedom law for not paying taxes
Attorneys for an Indianapolis man have argued before a state appellate court that Indiana's religious freedom law protects him from paying taxes.
Lawsuit calls 2 Indiana tax statutes unconstitutional
A Marion County resident, whose bank account of $155.44 was frozen by the Indiana Department of Revenue, is suing to prevent the state from taking assets for income tax debts without leaving the debtor something to pay for basic necessities like food and shelter.
Tax court: Man can leave estate to non-biological ‘children’
Although he had no biological children, an Illinois man who spent the latter part of his life in Indiana can legally leave his estate to a couple who he considered his children under the doctrine of an in loco parentis relationship, the Indiana Tax Court decided Monday.
Tax court affirms CVS valuation, stands by prior retail rulings
A CVS store in Bloomington has won its case against what it said were inaccurate tax assessments after the judge of the Indiana Tax Court rejected the argument that her previous rulings were inaccurate.
Proposed IRS regulation a taxing matter for relatives
Proposed regulations from the Internal Revenue Service confirm that blood is thicker than water, but estate planning attorneys say the new rules could hand family-owned businesses much higher tax bills simply because they are family.
Domestic relations, tax sale case designations to change
Domestic relations case-type designations will change in 2017, from “DR” for all case types to “DC” for cases in which children are involved and “DN” for those without children. The change was announced in an Indiana Supreme Court order issued Friday.
Pence confident Trump Foundation followed law
Mike Pence is defending Donald Trump against new criticism of how the Republican presidential hopeful used his charitable foundation.
Emails heat up lawsuit over sale of Pacers stake
Attorneys for the IRS have gotten their hands on an email that appears to buttress their case that Herb Simon received a sweetheart deal when he acquired his ailing brother Mel’s 50 percent ownership in the Indiana Pacers in early 2009, just a few months before Mel died at age 82.