Articles by Kim Dixon and Richard Cowan

Senate Passes Tax Cut Plan, 81-19

A deal that President Barack Obama struck with Republicans to extend expiring tax cuts for nearly every working American and spur job growth sailed through the U.S. Senate Wednesday. The Senate passed the legislation in a 81 to 19 vote. …

Senate Fails in Attempts to Repeal Health Law Provision on 1099 Tax

Efforts to repeal what is widely seen as a burdensome tax provision in the new federal healthcare law failed in the U.S. Senate Monday despite broad support to drop it. A majority of the Democratic-led Senate voted in favor of …

Sen. Nelson Questions BP Tax Break for Oil Disaster Cleanup Costs

A U.S. senator from Florida called for a congressional inquiry into BP Plc’s plan to use losses from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill to reap $10 billion in tax benefits. Senator Bill Nelson said Wednesday he wants a probe …

AIG’s Cassano Says U.S. Bailout Too Generous to Goldman

The former head of the AIG unit that nearly crippled the insurer said the 2008 taxpayer bailout of up to $182 billion was too generous to customers like Goldman Sachs. Goldman Sachs, in turn, insisted it simply followed its agreement …

Goldman Defends Its Claims on AIG As Legitimate

Goldman Sachs officials insisted demands for billions of dollars from insurer AIG ahead of a $182-billion government rescue package were based on legitimate market prices and denied gaming values for a massive payout. Members of the Financial Crisis Inquiry Commission …

Financial Crisis Panel Hears from AIG’s Cassano, Goldman’s Lewis

The former head of the American International Group unit that precipitated a $182 billion bailout pledge from taxpayers stood by a 2007 proclamation that the insurer would not lose even a dollar on a portfolio of securities that included subprime …

U.S. Supreme Court Upholds IRS Power to Demand Work Papers

The U.S. Supreme Court let stand an appeals court decision upholding the power of tax authorities to demand legal work papers from corporations. The lower court ruled in favor of an Internal Revenue Service bid for legal papers from corporate …

House Extends Estate Tax But Senate Likely to Change

The U.S. House of Representatives passed a permanent extension of the federal estate tax on Thursday, but the measure, which taxes estates at rate of 45 percent after exempting the first $3.5 million, is likely to be changed in the …

IRS to Audit Large Companies on Tax, Independent Contractor Issues

U.S. tax authorities will start to audit 6,000 randomly selected companies to focus on employment tax issues ranging from executive compensation to fringe benefits, Internal Revenue Service officials said. The audits will begin in February 2010 and stretch across all …

Delaware Beats Switzerland As Most Secretive Financial Center

Move over Switzerland. The tiny U.S. state of Delaware beats the Alpine country in a contest for the most secretive financial jurisdiction, a tax justice rights group said. The United States, led by the eastern seaboard state, took in $2.6 …