Finding tax credits and tax deducations can make filing your tax return a little less painful, but what about snitching on tax cheaters?

According to MSN money, tax snitching is a non-conventional way to score a little money from the tax man.

The IRS whistle blowing program has actually offered cash bounties to citizens who turn in tax cheats for over 140 years!

If you snitch on a tax cheater, you could be paid based upon of all the recovered tax and penalties collected as the result of your tip, up to a maximum payment of two million dollars.

If you find the idea of snitching to the IRS deplorable, you should know that its the honest tax payers who end up paying for tax cheats, to the tune of $127 billion per year. That’s 1,000 extra in taxes for each of us every year.

Tips are important to the IRS.

Annually, the IRS collects more than $100 million and pays out from $2 million to $5 million to snitches.

If you plan on filing a tip we should warn you. As the saying goes, no good deed goes unpunished, and an IRS reward is considered taxable income.

IRS Publication 733 outlines the regulations for claiming a reward.

To file a claim as an informant, you need to fill out Form 211.

In order to collect a reward, you must be willing to fill out your own name. However, your personal information will be protected, as the IRS is legally prohibited from disclosing the identity of an informer to unauthorized persons.

If you have any questions about reporting a tax cheat you can call the agency’s fraud hotline at 1-800-829-0433 for help.

Don’t wait while the interest and penalties you owe to the IRS continue to mount. Contact the tax attorney at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss how we can help you put your IRS tax debt behind you. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia

According to the Times and Democrat, Leroy Shingler and Ruby Shinglers’ 2009 Toyota Camry was traveling south on Highway 15 when it veered off the right side of the highway, came back across the road, left the highway and struck a tree. Both were wearing seatbeats, but died as a result of the crash.

Toyota has recalled more than 8 million cars and trucks worldwide to address gas pedals and floor mats that can cause the accelerator to become stuck in the depressed position. Federal regulators have linked 52 deaths to crashes allegedly caused by the accelerator problems.

Several 2009 Camrys have been recalled due to sudden acceleration issues. There are reports that Toyota will be involved in the accident investigation, and in the midst of the Toyota Recall controversy, nothing can be ruled out until the SCHP’s Multi-Disciplinary Accident Investigation Team wraps up its investigation.

Our thoughts are with the Shingler family.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates.

Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

IRS Commissioner Doug Shulman announced earlier this week that the agency is loosening its rules for negotiating tax settlements and accepting less than the amount owed.

Beginning on March 27, 2010, the agency plans to start opening some local offices on Saturdays, to give taxpayers more opportunities to resolve their tax debts.

The IRS expects to process 138 million individual tax returns this year. While most taxpayers will qualify for a refund, with the drastic job loss that has accompanied the recession, many taxpayers will be unable to make timely payments.

Common IRS Settlement Options

Offer in Compromise: The IRS does not want you to know that as a tax payer you may be able to settle your outstanding tax liability for less the actual amount owed.

Non-Collectable Status: If you do not have the extra income to pay off your tax debt and need your entire paycheck to cover all essential living expenses, you may be eligible to have your debt classified on non-collectable status.

Installment Agreement: The taxpayer enters into an agreement with the IRS to pay a period of smaller, more manageable payments towards his or her tax liability.

Levy and Lien Releases: The IRS has a tremendous amount of power and can seize your assets, including your paycheck as well as money that you have in your personal bank account.

Penalty Abatement: If you owe the IRS, you can be forced to pay interest and penalties on the amount owed. Penalties can be staggering and turn an otherwise manageable debt into an uncontrollable situation.

Don’t wait while the interest and penalties you owe to the IRS continue to mount. Contact the tax attorney at the Strom Law Firm, LLC today for a free consultation to discuss how we can help you put your IRS tax debt behind you. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

Richland County EMS deputy chief, George Rice Jr., said the collision at Elmwood and Main streets injured at least seven people.

The patients, who were all passengers on the bus, were reported as being in good condition.

Traffic is reported to be flowing around the accident scene.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

According to the report, the vehicle, identified as a Chevrolet SUV, drove off the right side of Cassatt road in a left-turning curve approximately six miles north of Camden.

After leaving the road, the SUV struck the pole of a caution arm at a railroad crossing. The SUV then overturned onto the tracks. The victim, who was ejected during the accident, has died. There were no passengers.

SUVS are a common and popular mode of transportation. While there is no indication from the article regarding how fast the victim was going or what led her to go off of the road, statistics show that sports utility vehicles are approximately three times more likely to flip than a sedan.

As consumers, we drive SUVS because we believe them to be safe, reliable cars and trust companies like Chevrolet to develop and provide us with transportation that will protect us in the event of an accident.

Despite our sense of security, statistics show that sports utility vehicles are approximately three times more likely to flip than a sedan.

Contrary to common perception, most SUV rollovers occur in single car accidents, and many occur while simply responding to an ordinary road hazard resulting in injuries and deaths that could have been prevented.

The problem with SUVs is that their high center of gravity and narrow track width which can lead the auto to become unstable on the road and more likely to flip, even during a normal response where a driver is forced to change lanes quickly, swerve or otherwise respond to an emergency situation.

Despite creation for off road driving, most SUVs are not equipped with roll over bars, roof crush protection, or even an adequate safety system to which possibly could have prevented this loss.

Manufacturers should be responsible for manufacturing SUVs equipped to deal with everyday road hazards.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of the victim.

Strom Law Firm is a personal injury and criminal defense law firm centrally located in Columbia, South Carolina. Our firm proudly handles personal injury, criminal defense, defective products, class actions, pharmaceutical liability, toxic torts, medical malpractice, nursing home neglect, workers compensation, social security, veteran’s benefits, qui tam, predatory lending, tax investigations, business litigation, and wills and estates. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

Kitchens and Lanford have been officially charged with Conspiracy to Possess with Intent to Distribute Cocaine and Methamphetamine.

The Federal complaint alleges that Kitchens took narcotics directly from an evidence vault located in the Spartanburg County Courthouse and gave them to Terry Glenn Lanford, a Spartanburg businessman to resell to a drug dealer located in Florida.

Mr. Lanford purportedly sold the drugs to a confidential DEA informant posing as a drug dealer in Florida last August. The complaint further alleges that Mr. Lanford and Mr. Kitchens discussed obtaining more narcotics for additional drug deals with the Florida informant.

Mr. Lanford, who frequently travels to Florida on business, allegedly stated that Kitchens liked to distribute the narcotics in Florida because it helped him separate the narcotics from Spartanburg County.

Kitchens and Lanford were arrested yesterday morning after a meeting monitored by law enforcement. During the meeting, Mr. Lanford provided Mr. Kitchens with $3,000.00, partial payment for a prior drug deal which allegedly occurred last August.

Both men could face fines as large as two million dollars and 20 years in prison.

Solicitor Trey Gowdy says that they have no idea how much evidence may have been taken or how many cases may be impacted by this crime.

Mr. Kitchens and Mr. Lanford have been released on a $25,000.00 bond.

The criminal defense attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. include a former United States Attorney, a former public defender, a former Assistant Attorney General and Richland County Assistant Solicitor, as well as a tax lawyer familiar with IRS criminal investigations. The Strom Law Firm aggressively defends individuals on all criminal charges in all State and Federal Courts in South Carolina as well as the Federal Courts in Georgia. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

Just as the name implies, the Small Smiles clinics provide dental treatment to children, including children on Medicaid. Despite the catchy name, the Government’s allegations centered on greed and placing profit above the safety and welfare of innocent children.

The government’s investigation was initiated by three lawsuits filed under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permits private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States and in turn share in any recovery.

The whistleblowers filed actions in three federal District Courts: a case filed by the Strom Law Firm on behalf of a whistleblower in the District of South Carolina as well as two other actions filed in the District of Maryland and the Western District of Virginia.

The suits alleged that Small Smiles submitted claims for reimbursement for a wide range of dental services provided to low-income children that were either medically unnecessary or performed in a manner that failed to meet professionally-recognized standards of care. These services included performing pulpotomies (baby root canals), placing crowns, administering anesthesia (including nitrous oxide), performing extractions, and providing fillings and/or sealants.

The suit further alleged that Small Smiles submitted bills for these unnecessary services to state Medicaid programs for reimbursement.

As part of the agreement, Small Smiles agreed to put in place various remedial measures designed to prevent similar unlawful conduct from occurring in the future. Despite the settlement, the government’s investigation of the individual dentists working for Small Smiles is ongoing, and FORBA is cooperating with that investigation by providing information about dentists who may have violated professional standards.

The settlement will hopefully be a step in the right direction towards providing proper dental care to lower income families. Most dentists will not see Medicaid patients due to the amount of paperwork and payment delays associated with treatment, limiting treatment options. The DOJ press release noted that they did not automatically close the 69 clinics because they wanted to strike a balance between enforcing the law and access to needed dental care.

“We have zero tolerance for those who break the law to exploit needy children,” said Tony West, Assistant Attorney General for the Civil Division of the Department of Justice. “Illegal conduct like this endangers a child’s well-being, distorts the judgments of health care professionals, and puts corporate profits ahead of patient safety.”

As part of the settlement, Small Smiles will pay $24 million, plus interest. The federal share of the civil settlement is $14,285,645, and the states’ Medicaid share is $9,714,355.25. In addition, as part of the settlement, FORBA has agreed to enter into an expansive five-year Corporate Integrity Agreement with the Office of Inspector General of the Department of Health and Human Services.

The agreement provides for procedures and reviews to be put in place to avoid and promptly detect conduct similar to that which gave rise to this matter. Specifically, FORBA must engage external reviewers to monitor its quality of care and reimbursement processes. In addition, the chief dental officer must develop and implement policies and procedures to ensure that the Small Smiles clinics provide services consistent with professionally recognized standards of care. FORBA has also agreed to cooperate in the government’s continuing investigation of individual dentists.

“In this case, FORBA put greed and profits before the well-being of children,” said Timothy J. Heaphy, U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Virginia. “It endangered the health and safety of innocent children and defrauded the taxpayer of millions of dollars. Today’s settlement addresses these egregious acts and sends a clear message that Medicaid fraud will be expeditiously addressed by this Department.”

As part of the resolution, the three whistleblowers credited for the government’s investigation into the allegations will receive payments totaling more than $2.4 million from the federal share of the settlement. The whistleblowers filed lawsuits under the qui tam, or whistleblower, provisions of the False Claims Act, which permit private citizens to sue on behalf of the United States and share in any recovery.

This settlement with FORBA is part of the government’s emphasis on combating health care fraud. One of the most powerful tools in that effort is the False Claims Act, which the Department of Justice has used to recover approximately $2.2 billion since January 2009 in cases involving fraud against federal health care programs.

The Qui Tam attorneys at the Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. include a former United States Attorney, a former public defender, a former Assistant Attorney General and Richland County Assistant Solicitor, as well as a tax lawyer familiar with IRS criminal investigations. The Strom Law Firm aggressively advocates justice on behalf of individuals in all State and Federal Courts in South Carolina as well as the Federal Courts in Georgia. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in South Carolina, New York, and Georgia.

The tractor-trailer, driven by William Amaker, struck a 2003 Ford sport utility vehicle, jack-knifed and landed on its side. The tractor-trailer then slid down the roadway and into a disabled 1996 Mercedes that was parked off the roadway with a flat tire.

The driver of the Mercedes, a 65-year-old woman, was outside of her car when the tractor-trailer slid into it. Two passengers were inside of the Mercedes at the time of the accident.

The driver and both passengers were taken by Charleston County EMS to Medical University Hospital. One of the passengers had serious injuries and was in the intensive care unit, he said.

The drive of the 2007 Freightliner tractor-trailer, William Amaker, was charged with driving too fast for conditions.

The personal injury attorneys at Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. include a former United States Attorney, a former public defender, a former Assistant Attorney General and Richland County Assistant Solicitor, as well as a tax lawyer familiar with IRS criminal investigations. The Strom Law Firm aggressively defends individuals on all criminal charges in all State and Federal Courts in South Carolina as well as the Federal Courts in Georgia. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia

The names of the victims have not been released. We will keep you updated.

The cause is still under investigation and a reconstruction team is still on the site.

The personal injury attorneys at Strom Law Firm, L.L.C. include a former United States Attorney, a former public defender, a former Assistant Attorney General and Richland County Assistant Solicitor, as well as a tax lawyer familiar with IRS criminal investigations. The Strom Law Firm aggressively defends individuals on all criminal charges in all State and Federal Courts in South Carolina as well as the Federal Courts in Georgia. Our lawyers proudly edit the Columbia, South Carolina Injury Board as well as the Strom Law Blog as a pro bono effort to provide the public valuable information. Our lawyers are licensed in: South Carolina, New York, and Georgia