Whistleblower’s tax woes

November 26, 2007

It wasn’t a particularly happy Thanksgiving this year for Austin-area resident George Green.

Twelve years ago, the former Texas Department of Human Services architect raised questions about construction quality, or rather the lack of it, and claimed contractors were offering kickbacks.

Green subsequently was fired, sued under the whistleblower law and won a $13.6 million judgment against the state.

But his legal luck hasn’t held up against another government entity: the IRS.

Just before turkey day, Green got word that a federal appellate court agreed with the IRS argument that much of his settlement was for punitive damages, which are taxable,

The court ruled Green owes Uncle Sam $3.2 million in taxes and penalties. Green says the IRS has already taken $3.5 million of his assets.

Below is a condensed time line of Green’s legal victories and losses.

The Houston Chronicle has more on Green’s legal battles, both with the state of Texas
and then the IRS, as well as a complete chronology of the case in this article.

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The More Tax Posts tab at the top of this page will take you to, well, more tax posts. You also can search below for a tax topic.

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.)

Credits/Deductions

Disasters

Family

Filing and Paying Taxes

Politics/Laws

Refunds

State Taxes

Tax Brackets/Inflation

Tax Tips

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