If You Win the Big Jackpot Expect the IRS to Coming Knocking

Many people from all over the country enjoy gambling. Whether it’s big time poker, playing the slots or betting on sporting events, there are a lot of people who enjoy games of chance and the idea of winning something for nothing. Of course, most of the time, the house wins and the player walks away empty handed. When a player does win, it’s usually cause for a celebration. However, the big victory can be short-lived when the winner discovers that the taxman wants his piece of the pie as well.

In fact, the IRS is looking to really crack down on gambling earnings. As it stands rights now, when a person plays the slots he or she has to report any earnings of $1,200 or more to the IRS. The machine even stops working as soon as someone wins. It won’t start again until after a casino worker has presented the lucky winner with the necessary tax papers. However, recently the IRS threw out the idea of lowering that threshold down to just $600.

To no one’s surprise, many gamblers hate the idea. Realistically, they have a good point, too, because most people who play the slots never win enough to make up for their losses, so why should they have to pay taxes if they get lucky once or twice? Time will tell if the IRS end up getting the threshold lowered or not, but gamblers and casinos alike oppose the idea. For small time gamblers the idea seems unfair, and casinos say it would only take the fun out of the game for players.

Posted in
New Jersey Governor Says Enough is Enough on Taxing the Wealthy

New Jersey Governor Says Enough is Enough on Taxing the Wealthy

New Jersey Governor Says Enough is Enough on Taxing the Wealthy It seems that no tax is a bad tax when it comes to the “left” side of the government. It’s a well-known fact that the wealthiest Americans pay the largest portion of the country’s taxes. However, there are some government leaders that lean “right”…

Clinton’s Using Careful Strategies to Avoid Tax They Support

Clinton’s Using Careful Strategies to Avoid Tax They Support Have you ever wondered what wealthy democrats do when tax laws they support and vote for come back to apply to them? Although people typically associate being wealthy with republicans, there are plenty of rich democrats in the nations’ capitol as well. So just what do…

California Going After Tax-Evaders

We have discussed the federal government’s efforts to track down tax-evaders many times before, but the IRS isn’t the only tax agency looking to crack down on those who don’t pay their fair share of taxes. The California Franchise Tax Board is in the middle of a five-and-a-half-year effort to automatically find and identify noncompliant…

The IRS is Not a Bully, No.4

The IRS is Not a Bully You can poke a bully in the nose. Palo Alto, CA. July 4, 2014 – This is the Fourth installment of “The IRS is Not a Bully” series, identifying taxpayer concerns and the difficult position in which Congress puts the IRS. Namely, applying ever increasing pressure to operate in…