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‘The IRS came and took all my stuff’

December 7, 2007

That’s how movie superstar Will Smith described his encounter with the tax agency when, at age 19, he started earning big bucks as The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (click the photo below of young Will to see a video of the show’s opening).

will_smith_fresh_prince_vido

The success of that TV sitcom was quickly tempered by his tax troubles. For three years (the program ran six seasons), the IRS garnished 70 percent of Smith’s income until his $2.8 million tax bill was paid.

You can watch a clip of the interview here.

Hat tip to TaxProf

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TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

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