Daily Archives: July 27, 2010 - 5 results

Over 800,000 gallons of oil spilled into the Kalamazoo River in Michigan Monday night. Local officials declared a state of emergency today as the oil heads for Lake Michigan. The operator of the pipeline that ruptured and released the oil has shut it down to prevent further leaks.   Disaster management a tiered process First responders come from local and state ranks Federal government responds on request to major emergencies or disasters   Disaster Response Process Invoked The spill was …

It’s an unfortunate fact of human nature that disasters beget fraud and sharp dealing. Whether it’s price gouging or an outright scam persons affected by disaster or touched with sympathy are often vulnerable. So it’s no surprise to find scams and frauds rolling ashore like oil in the wake of the BP Deepwater Horizon catastrophe.   Beware of offers to expedite claims Soft hearts and concerned citizens vulnerable to charity scams Don’t get burned looking for opportunity in disaster   …

Thousands of charitable organizations that have failed to file returns for the past three years have until October 15th to salvage their tax-exempt status. The IRS announced yesterday a one-time reprieve in the filing deadline to comply with a 2006 law. That law required tax-exempt groups with $25,000 or less in revenue to file returns for the first time ever.   Up to 325,000 charities at risk of losing tax-exempt status IRS giving one-time extension for charities to file returns …

If you’re self-employed, work remotely or simply find yourself working from home frequently, you’ve probably wondered whether you can claim a home office deduction on your tax return. Experts will warn you that taking a home office deduction may increase your odds of being audited because a lot of tax filers abuse the home office deduction. But if you legitimately are entitled to the deduction, you shouldn’t hesitate to take it. Who’s Entitled to a Home Office Deduction? According to …

The parents of a young girl who was subjected to a full body scan by Transportation Security Administration officials have called foul. TSA personnel at Tampa International Airport separated the girl from her traveling party and scanned her body for weapons. The parents have interviewed lawyers and spoken with their pediatrician about the potential harmful effects – physical and emotional – of the scan.   Body scan lets TSA see everything (and we mean everything) TSA screens everyone, regardless of …