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Tale of two tax defendants: Snipes’ jailing delayed, Crocodile Dundee detained

August 26, 2010

The continuing tales of two actors facing tax trouble have recently taken quite different turns.

NEW YORK - MARCH 02: Actor Wesley Snipes attends the premiere of Overture Films' 'Brooklyn's Finest at Empire Hotel Rooftop on March 2, 2010 in New York City. (Photo by Larry Busacca/Getty Images for Overture Films)

Wesley Snipes, convicted in 2008 on three misdemeanor counts of failing to file a tax return, doesn't have to go to jail yet. He was sentenced later that year to three years in federal prison, but has been free while appealing his case.

U.S. District Court Judge William Terrell Hodges has overturned an order that Snipes report to prison on Sept. 2. The new court order says that Snipes is a free man indefinitely, that is, "pending further order of the court."

Apparently feeling like they are on a roll with the stay of detainment, Snipes' attorneys this week filed paperwork seeking a new trial on the tax charges for the film star, most widely recognized for his role as vampire-turned-vampire-hunter Blade.

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - OCTOBER 28: Actor Paul Hogan attends the press conference for his new film 'Charlie & Boots' at The Intercontinental Sydney hotel on October 28, 2008 in Sydney, Australia. (Photo by Gaye Gerard/Getty Images)

Paul Hogan, meanwhile, has had a less successful time of late in fighting Australian tax officials.

When the 70-year-old actor returned to his native country from Los Angeles, where he now lives, the star of the Crocodile Dundee films was essentially put under "country arrest."

Oz officials aren't letting Hogan beyond the country's borders until he pays taxes that the Australian Tax Office says he owes on $38 million Australian dollars ($34 million in U.S. currency) in undisclosed
income. The exact tax bill has not been disclosed.

Hogan's situation is the latest in his five-year legal
battle in Australian and U.S. courts over charges he used
offshore bank accounts to conceal earnings.

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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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