House fire deduction flares up

September 26, 2009

"More Firefighters Not Less Rally" Takes Place In Melbourne

I've spent most of my professional life in the media, but I still am amazed at what prompts news outlets to pick up or push out a particular story.

Take the item on the Ohio and Wisconsin couples who donated their homes to local fire departments for use in training firefighters.

The IRS extinguished the deductions, but the cases are still in court so things could change.

My post, as well as one from TaxProf, went out on the blogosphere in late July.

Now, two months later, TaxProf reports that the Associated Press' Sept. 25 version of this tax story is a hot feature on more than 100 media outlets and newspapers.

Why did it take so long for the non-tax world to decide this was a good story?

At least the interest flare up gives me a chance to reiterate my hope that the IRS position is overturned and that the Herbstreits, Hendrixes and Rolfs, who claimed the deduction now under tax agency fire, eventually get their tax breaks.

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Tax Season 2026 Continues!

We made it. Tax Day 2025 is finally over. For most of us. When the filing season started on Jan. 26, millions who were expecting refunds filed immediately. Most of us got our returns to the Internal Revenue Service by April 15. But plenty of taxpayers also got extensions. They are looking at an Oct. 15 filing deadline.

Those procrastinating filers aren’t a problem. In fact, the IRS appreciates taxpayers who take time to fill out their 1040 forms correctly. It also is grateful that tax submissions are spread out a bit, especially now that the IRS is a leaner agency. Processing returns is easier when they arrive throughout the year instead of in massive bunches.

But enough about Uncle Sam’s tax collection issues. The focus now is on all y’all who filed for extensions, giving you another six months to complete your return. Since your new mid-October due date will be here before you know it, let’s get started now on meeting it.

The ol’ blog is here to help you finish up your extended Form 1040. You can start with January’s tax tips page, which has links to the rest of the year’s tips by-month collections. You also can peruse various tax categories for more tailored advice by clicking on the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of this (and every) page.

And to make sure you don’t miss your new filing deadline, the count-down clock below will let you know just how much time you to file by Oct. 15. At the latest.e. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

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Comments

Roth & Company, P.C.

17 years ago

Burning down the house for charity?

The IRS says you can’t get a fair-market-value deduction for a donation of a house to a fire department for…

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House fire deduction flares up

Roth & Company, P.C.