Lori Singleton-Clarke, recipient of the DP.com 21-Gun Salute
INTERNETS! Do you realize that you will never win if you go toe to toe with the IRS? Do you? Internets! We are speaking of a virtual impossibility. A chance so low, you would be crazy to risk it. Wesley Snipes [ll] tried it – and look where it got him.
BUT INTERNETS! Never give up on the human spirit. The human spirit is capable of incapable feats, Internets! Today’s DP.com 21-Gun Salute goes to a sister who challenged the IRS and won. From the front page of the Money & Investing section of the weekend’s Wall Skreet Journal:
A Maryland nurse accomplished two rare feats in her battle with the Internal Revenue Service: She defended herself against the agency’s lawyers and won, and she got a ruling that could help tens of thousands of students deduct the cost of an M.B.A. degree on their taxes.
The U.S. Tax Court handed Lori Singleton-Clarke her victory last month, saying the 47-year-old Bryantown, Md., woman had properly deducted nearly $15,000 in business school tuition. The Tax Court ruling should make it easier for many other professionals to deduct the expense of a Master in Business Administration degree.
Even the man in the robe gave this sister crazy propers:
Reached Friday by phone, Judge Goldberg said: “I remember the case well because Ms. Singleton-Clarke was so articulate and well-prepared. Too many taxpayers are not.”
INTERNETS! Dare to be different. Dare to challenge the system. Dare to stand up and say, This shit ain’t right! Dare to be great. Lori Singleton-Clarke did. Will you, Internets?
21 gun indeed salute!!! happy new my con.hail meg
That is awesome. A lot of times they have their way w/us b/c they take advantage of our ignorance of tax-laws. There are folks who get to write all kinds of shit off every year b/c they stay on point, but I haven’t heard of anyone challenging the IRS in court and mopping the floor up with ’em like she did. Awesome!
“…Ms. Singleton-Clarke was so articulate and well-prepared. Too many taxpayers are not”
This.
If you know the tax laws you’re good. The funny thing is the entire Internal Revenue Code is online, and there is usually a search function.
Direct link from IRS.gov(Entire IRS code as of 2007[I think]):
http://www.law.cornell.edu/uscode/html/uscode26/usc_sup_01_26.html
Other Key excerpts from the article:
“the losers, such as several dozen tax protesters who defended the filing of frivolous returns, were tilting at tax windmills. Others were simply on the wrong side of the law, including a horse enthusiast who wanted to deduct his hobby losses, an unsuccessful comedian who tried to classify his expenses as business losses, and an attorney who claimed over $100,000 in medical deductions for his visits to prostitutes.”
“Ms. Singleton-Clarke’s encounter with the tax system shows what it can take for one individual to prevail over the IRS against the long odds: favorable facts, obsessive organization, and fearlessness”
The IRS doesnt take advantage of ignorance of tax laws. They benefit from the lazyness of people.
she’s a hero, and you’re awesome for highlight her!
taking on the I.R.S. and winning is great. helping other people as well while helping yourself is priceless.
6 100 so right on this one “The IRS doesnt take advantage of ignorance of tax laws. They benefit from the lazyness of people.”
Good for her! Great story!
DP, thanks for this post. It is inspiring in so many ways. Note, I find it interesting what posts get slept on and what posts recieve crazy feedback. Not to mention what stories get become viral, distributed and discussed . . . particularly on hip-hop related sites. I know, I know, DP.com is not a hip-hop blog.
6 100, thanks for sharing, I’m glad people like you visit this blog.
VeE,
This drop came from SlumBeezy. Def give him a shout out. I gotta retrofit this blog so that when he drops people can see his tag and give him his credit
What is the difference between a tax collector and a thief?