07-26-2006, 09:26 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Varies
Posts: 4,741
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IRS to cut estate-tax lawyers who audit wealthiest Americans
http://www.denverpost.com/nationworld/ci_4083988
Quote:
The federal government is moving to eliminate the jobs of nearly half the lawyers at the Internal Revenue Service who audit tax returns of some of the wealthiest Americans, specifically those who are subject to gift and estate taxes when they transfer parts of their fortunes to their children and others.
The Bush administration plans to cut the jobs of 157 of the agency's 345 estate-tax lawyers, plus 17 support personnel, within 70 days. Kevin Brown, an IRS deputy commissioner, confirmed the cuts after The New York Times was given internal documents by people inside the IRS who oppose them.
The administration has successfully lobbied Congress to enact measures that reduce the number of Americans who are subject to the estate tax but has failed in its efforts to eliminate the tax entirely.
Brown said Friday that he had ordered the staff cuts because far fewer people were obliged to pay estate taxes under President Bush's legislation.
But six IRS estate-tax lawyers whose jobs are likely to be eliminated said the cuts were just the latest moves behind the scenes at the IRS to shield people with political connections and complex tax-avoidance devices from thorough audits.
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