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Consumer Advice
What is identity theft?
(NC)—Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information without your knowledge or consent to commit a crime, such as fraud or theft.
Once they steal the information and manipulate it, identity thieves can invade your...
Credit Repair Defaults
If you have defaults on your credit record, it is possible to have some of them removed. Defaults are non-payments recorded on your credit files. When a person is in default, they are subjected to lawsuits, liens, judgments, and other complicated...
Criminal Background Checks
As an employer, it is understandable that you want to know as much as possible about a prospective employee. A combination of employment application, personal references and background investigations can give you a sense of peace when entrusting an...
Factors that change the price of your car insurance quote.
Copyright 2005 Stacey Zimmerman
When looking for a good car insurance quote that combines the coverage you need with a good, affordable cost there are many factors that will culminate in the price of your car insurance quote. Principally this will...
How to Protect Yourself from Credit Card Fraud
When another person succeeds in using your credit information to commit credit fraud, it can cause a lot of hassle in your life. So how do you protect yourself.
Here are a few tips on how to avoid becoming the victim of this type of crime.
...
Keeping Private Information Private
Identity theft, a vicious crime based on impersonating someone else, is becoming more and more prevalent. Recently, there has been a run of news items on this topic in the national media almost daily. One of the most disturbing aspects is that often...
Real Estate Agent or Broker
Real estate experts go by a few different names, although the
distinction shouldn't matter for you as a first time home buyer.
Important is to make certain the broker or agent you chouse is a
licensed real estate professional. All real estate...
USA White Page Directory
USA White Page Directory
If you are fed up finding too much of useless commercial
information in your USA white pages directory you may consider
using the 411 white pages directory at 411web.com. It is a
complete ebusiness directory that...
What to do When You receive a Bad Check
As a small business operator, personal checks may be one method to receive payment for your goods or services. As a way to receive payment, a personal check is actually better than credit cards because the fees are less and there can be no...
Who Would Want to Bug Me?
Today’s electronic eavesdroppers is not the fictional secret agent we’re so familiar with, instead, it could be another business person, a worker, even a private citizen. It could be anyone who stands to profit form having access to your company’s...
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Truly Bizarre Taxes: The Tax On Illegal Drugs
One can never underestimate the enthusiasm that politicians have for trying to hunt up tax revenues. The creativity of some politicians can lead to bizarre taxes and unfortunate results.
Taxes on Illegal Drugs
One argument for the legalization of various narcotics is that massive tax revenues would be created. Interestingly, a few states already are trying to collect such taxes!
More than 10 states have tried to tax people that possess illegal drugs. For example, Kansas levies a drug tax on dealers as soon as they take possession of the substance. To avoid prosecution for failure to pay the drug tax, individuals possessing the drugs are supposed to purchase “drug tax stamps” and attach the stamps to the drugs in question. The stamps are valid for 3 months.
In an apparent attempt to promote compliance, the Kansas Department of Revenue promises:
“A dealer is not required to give his/her name or address when purchasing stamps and the Department is prohibited from sharing any information relating to the purchase of drug tax stamps with law enforcement or anyone else.”
The tax is levied on cocaine, marijuana, methamphetamines and other hard drugs. Interestingly, the state collected over $300,000 in such taxes by going after individuals that were charged with criminal activity. This is better known as the “Al Capone Theory”, which is derived from the fact that authorities were able to put away the famous mobster on tax evasion charges. Alas, criminal prosecutors have
not always welcomed the illegal drug tax.
Drug Tax Foils Prosecution of Drug Dealers in Texas
The 5th Amendment of the Constitution protects Americans from being punished twice for the same crime. This concept, known as “double jeopardy”, caused prosecutors in 1989 to literally beg the state comptroller's office to stop accepting tax payments by drug dealers. The reason? A Texas Criminal Court of Appeal ruled that the state law assessing taxes on illegal drugs constituted a “punishment”. As a result, requiring the payment of the tax constituted double jeopardy if the taxpayer had already been charged criminally.
In an attempt to get their clients off on drug charges, criminal attorneys began advising them to rush to pay their drug–related taxes. The theory was that once the taxes were paid, the drug dealer could not be prosecuted because doing so would constitute a second punishment! The appellate court agreed with the theory and the state comptroller immediately stopped collecting the Texas drug tax.
About the Author: Richard Chapo is CEO of http://www.businesstaxrecovery.com - Obtaining tax refunds for small businesses by finding overlooked tax deductions and credits through a free tax return review.
Source: www.isnare.com
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