“Mike Pence’s testimony is some of the most sharply incriminating evidence any witness can offer against Donald Trump,” legal analyst Glenn Kirschner
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): Former Vice President Mike Pence testified behind closed doors for more than five hours Thursday, April 27 before the grand jury investigating ex-President Donald Trump’s efforts to overturn the 2020 election results, according to reports from Reuters and other media outlets. Pence was subpoenaed by Special Counsel Jack Smith in February following months of negotiations between prosecutors and the former vice president’s legal team.
Smith is leading two criminal probes by the Department of Justice (DOJ) into Trump, including the former president’s efforts to remain in office after losing to President Joe Biden. Smith is also heading the DOJ’s investigation of the classified documents found in Trump’s Florida estate in August. Trump previously attempted to block his former vice president from testifying in the special counsel’s probe, arguing that the information being sought was protected by executive privilege. According to a report from CNN on Wednesday, however, a federal judge denied Trump’s request to halt the subpoena.
What happens now? Pence is exploring a challenge to his former running mate in the 2024 presidential election. Trump is the front-runner for the GOP nomination in several hypothetical matchups, including after he was dealt a 34-felony count indictment in Manhattan court last month. His testimony could play a huge potential role in Trump’s undoing, said legal analyst Glenn Kirschner, a former federal prosecutor. “…Indisputably this moves matters one giant step closer to a Donald Trump indictment for his democracy-busting crimes on and around January 6, and that is a damn good thing,” Kirschner said.
(Agencies)
MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ (TIP): Furthering its commitment to incorporating diversity, equity inclusion, and belonging (DEIB) into county business practices, the Middlesex County Board of County Commissioners have approved a resolution to set aside, or otherwise allocate, 20% of the dollar value of all the County’s contracts for goods and services in a fiscal year to minority-, women-, veteran-owned and small businesses. Under the Set-Aside Program, the County will make a good faith effort to award contracts directly to, or encourage primary contractors to award subcontracts to, Qualified Business Enterprises which are defined by State law as Qualified Minority, Women, Veteran, and Small Business Enterprises. Additionally, a disparity study will be conducted by the end of calendar year 2024 to assess the economic success of minority-, women-, veteran-owned and small businesses within the County and to determine how the Set-Aside Program can better serve the business community. “As one of the most diverse counties in the nation, Middlesex County has long recognized the need to have our internal and external functions, policies, and programs reflect the diverse community in which we live. To that end, the designation of 20% of our procurement dedicated to minority-, women-, veteran-owned and small businesses, is a key milestone in our journey to incorporate diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging principles into our business practices,” said County Commissioner Director Ronald G. Rios. The creation of this program stemmed from a broader diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging study being conducted by a professional firm — Apruzzese, McDermott, Mastro & Murphy, P.C. – to assess fairness across Middlesex County’s practices, policies, and procedures, and to develop an enterprise-wide DEIB implementation strategy.
MIDDLESEX COUNTY, NJ
Middlesex County is home to numerous Fortune 500 companies, three universities, 19 park systems, and world-class healthcare and research facilities making it one of the nation’s most dynamic regions and a leader in technology, transportation, the arts, and food innovation. As one of the most diverse populations in the country, Middlesex County is home to over 860,000 residents living throughout 25 municipalities. The County’s award-winning Middlesex County Magnet Schools system and two-year Middlesex College uphold its position as #1 in the state for best schools, offering secondary and postsecondary education and workforce development programs that create a unique ecosystem in which opportunities abound. Conveniently located between New York and Philadelphia, Middlesex County is a leading destination for businesses and residents alike to live, work, and play – and has been since the 17th century. For more information, visit middlesexcountynj.gov and find us on Facebook, Instagram, and LinkedIn.
NORTH DIGHTON, Mass. (TIP): Federal investigators on Thursday, April 13, arrested a 21-year-old air national guardsman who they believe is linked to a trove of leaked classified U.S. intelligence documents, which have upended relations with American allies and exposed weaknesses in the Ukrainian military, according to a news report in New York Times.
The man, who The New York Times first identified as Jack Teixeira, is a member of the intelligence wing of the Massachusetts Air National Guard and is tied to an online group where the leaked documents first appeared.
Airman Teixeira oversaw an online group named Thug Shaker Central, where about 20 to 30 people, mostly young men and teenagers, came together over a shared love of guns, racist online memes and video games.
On Thursday afternoon, around a half-dozen rifle-carrying F.B.I. agents pushed onto the property of Airman Teixeira. The F.B.I. said in a statement Thursday that it had made an arrest and is continuing to conduct “authorized law enforcement activity” at a residence in North Dighton. Brig. Gen. Patrick S. Ryder, a Pentagon spokesman, told reporters that he could not confirm that Airman Teixeira is a person of interest. Earlier in the day, President Biden told reporters that the United States was “getting close” to finding answers about the leak.
Two U.S. officials confirmed that investigators want to talk to Airman Teixeira about the leak of the government documents to the private online group. One official said he might have information relevant to the investigation.Starting months ago, the authorities say, one of the users of the online group uploaded hundreds of pages of intelligence briefings into the small chat group, lecturing its members, who had bonded during the isolation of the pandemic, on the importance of staying abreast of world events.
The New York Times spoke with four members of the Thug Shaker Central chat group, where Airman Teixeira served as group administrator. While the gaming friends would not identify the group’s leader by name, a trail of digital evidence compiled by The Times leads to Airman Teixeira. Here’s what else to know:
The Times has been able to link Airman Teixeira to other members of the Thug Shaker Central group through his online gaming profile and other records. Details of the interior of Airman Teixeira’s childhood home — posted on social media in family photographs — also match details on the margins of some of the photographs of the leaked secret documents. Members of Thug Shaker Central who spoke to The Times said that the documents they discussed online were meant to be purely informative, and started to get wider attention only after one of the teenage members took a few dozen of them and posted them to a public online forum. The person who leaked, they said, was no whistle-blower, and the secret documents were never meant to leave their small corner of the internet. The leaked documents reveal sensitive material — maps of Ukrainian air defenses and a review of South Korea’s secret plans to deliver ammunition to Ukraine — but it is the immediate relevance of the intelligence that most worries White House and Pentagon officials: Some of the documents appear to be barely 40 days old.
SACRAMENTO (TIP): The California state assembly has passed a resolution urging the United States Congress to formally recognize and condemn the 1984 anti-Sikh violence in India as genocide.
The resolution was introduced by assembly Member Jasmeet Kaur Bains, first-ever elected Sikh member of state assembly, on March 22, and was passed unanimously by the state assembly on Monday.
It was co-sponsored by assembly member Carlos Villapudua. Only other Hindu member Ash Kalra also voted in favor. Noting that the Sikh community in the US has not recovered from the physical and psychological trauma of the riots, the resolution urges the US Congress to formally recognize and condemn the November 1984 anti-Sikh violence as a genocide.
The resolution said the ‘Widow Colony’ in New Delhi still houses Sikh women who were assaulted, raped, tortured, and forced to witness the dismemberment, burning and murder of their families, and who are still calling for justice against the perpetrators.In a statement, Pritpal Singh, coordinator of the American Sikh Caucus Committee and other US Sikh bodies, expressed gratitude towards the members of the California state assembly for introducing and passing the resolution.
In 2015, California assembly also passed a resolution, terming the anti-Sikh violence as pograms.Violence erupted in Delhi and other parts of the country after former Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi was assassinated by her Sikh bodyguards on October 31, 1984.
Over 3,000 Sikhs were killed across India, mostly in the National Capital, in the violence that ensued.
NASHVILLE (TIP): Indian American lawmaker in the Tennessee House of Representatives Sabi “Doc” Kumar, who voted to expel two African Americans from the statehouse for staging a protest demanding strict gun-control laws, has accused one of the two Black legislators of hurling a racial slur at him.
Representatives Justin Jones and Justin Pearson were expelled from the House on April 6 after they demonstrated calling for an assault weapon ban and other gun-control measures. A third Democrat, Representative Gloria Johnson, who is white, narrowly escaped the expulsion, raising concerns about race as the motivating factor for the ouster of the two Black lawmakers.
Three lawmakers took part in the protests on March 30, three days after a shootout in a Nashville suburb that claimed seven lives. A former student shot and killed six people, including three students and three teachers at the Christian Covenant School in the suburbs of Nashville on March 27. The shooter, a 28-year-old former student of the school, was shot and killed by police.
According to a media report, “More than 1,000 peaceful protestors rallied around Tennessee’s state Capitol” demanding “more restrictive gun laws” and many “made their way into the Capitol in a demonstration,” but no “demonstrators broke into the Capitol, no one was arrested or injured, and no property was damaged.”
But the house proceedings were halted “when three elected Democratic representatives stood at the podium with a bullhorn to lead protestors in the galleries in calls for gun reform,” the media reported.
The expulsion created a nationwide storm, with top Democrats and civil rights leaders accusing Republicans of racism. “[The] expulsion of lawmakers who engaged in peaceful protest is shocking, undemocratic, and without precedent,” President Joe Biden said in a statement issued by the White House. “Rather than debating the merits of the issue, these Republican lawmakers have chosen to punish, silence, and expel duly elected representatives of the people of Tennessee.”
During the debate in the statehouse, Jones told Indian American Sabi “Doc” Kumar of putting “a brown face on white supremacy.”
Responding to Jones’ charge, Kumar said accused the Democrat of being a racist. He said, “[I am an immigrant. Everybody knows I have been in this country for 53 years. I have never encountered a racial slur. I’m really not aware that any of that applies to me. I live a good life, yet you, on tape, called me a brown face.”
Kumar said Jones, who was “sitting a row or two ahead” of him, shoved his finger in his face and said, “Kumar, they will never accept you.”
The Indian American lawmaker said, “you said it twice. It is disappointing that you have insulted this body; you have insulted your colleagues, you have insulted … the House of Representatives in the state of Tennessee. You have insulted our speaker; you have personally insulted me.”
On Friday, Kumar went on TV news channel and doubled down on his attack on Jones where he said “I have been here for 53 years, and I have practiced surgery. I’ve lived in Tennessee for 46 years, and people have been extremely kind to me. I was really surprised and that these things should not happen, especially in a place where people are constantly guarding the values in such a way that discrimination and racism does not occur.”
Terming the shooting as “unfortunate,” he said that “it is the grace of the Covenant Presbyterian Church that, instead of saying six people were killed, they count the shooter among those and said seven people died. That is the community that we live in. That is the community that Nashville is, and people included the shooter among the casualties.”
He accused the Democratic lawmakers of inviting people and mobilizing “schools to bring thousands of children in and create a situation that it became about them,” when there should have been healing within the community and discussion “on what can we do to avoid such violence within our society.”
He added, “It was not about any solutions it was not about sympathy and mourning and other things that needed to be done… They took it as an opportunity for political purposes to demonstrate and mobilize the people against the current administration. Then, in addition to that, not only were they satisfied with making it all about themselves, they went on to basically commandeer the House. They walked into the well of the main area within the House of Representatives, disrupted the function, started mobilizing and shouting and creating chaos within the House of Representatives, to the point that business could not be conducted. They took the place hostage, and that is not the purpose. And the idea was again to achieve that time of mourning, a time of healing and go on to think [of] solutions. And it’s a frequent thing, let’s do something. Okay, let us take time to do something but not make it about themselves.”
Kumar, a retired surgeon, is the only non-White member of the Republican caucus. In the statehouse, he represents District 66. Known as “Doc,” he ran unopposed to win a fifth term last November. He currently serves as the Chairman of the House Insurance Committee.
NEW YORK (TIP): Six Indian-Americans are among a diverse group of 171 scientists, writers, scholars, and artists across 48 fields who have been chosen out of almost 2,500 applicants for the 2023 Guggenheim Fellowships.
Scholars Animashree Anandkumar, Venkatesan Guruswami, Abraham Verghese, Projit Bihari Mukharji, Prineha Narang and Leela Prasad (South & Southeast Asian Studies) were selected on the basis of prior achievement and exceptional promise. “The new class of Fellows has followed their calling to enhance all of our lives, to provide greater human knowledge and deeper understanding. We’re lucky to look to them to bring us into the future.” Mysuru-born Animashree Anandkumar is the Bren Professor of Computing at California Institute of Technology. Her research interests are in the areas of large-scale machine learning, non-convex optimization and high-dimensional statistics. She received her BTech from the Indian Institute of Technology Madras, and her PhD from Cornell University. She did her postdoctoral research at MIT and an assistant professorship at the University of California Irvine. Venkatesan Guruswami is a Chancellor’s Professor in the Department of EECS, Senior Scientist at the Simons Institute for the Theory of Computing, and Professor of Mathematics at UC Berkeley. His research interests span many areas of theoretical computer science and related mathematics, including error-correction, approximate optimisation, randomness in computing, and computational complexity.
Abraham Verghese is Professor and Linda R. Meier and Joan F. Lane Provostial Professor, and Vice Chair for the Theory and Practice of Medicine at the School of Medicine at Stanford University. He received the Heinz Award in 2014 and was awarded the National Humanities Medal, presented by former President Barack Obama in 2015.
Projit Bihari Mukharji is a professor in the Department of History and Sociology of Science at the University of Pennsylvania. He is interested in issues of marginality and marginalization, both within and through science. People and knowledges who are disempowered are the main subject of his studies. Currently, he is working on a history of human difference and race in 20th century South Asia.
Prineha Narang is Professor and Howard Reiss Chair in Physical Sciences, University of California, Los Angeles. Her research aims to better understand the dynamics of non-equilibrium states in nature. She is also a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in science and serves on several committees dedicated to promoting these values. Leela Prasad is a Professor of Religious Studies, and Gender, Sexuality and Feminist Studies at Duke University. Her primary interests are the anthropology of ethics, with a focus on South Asia, gender, narrative, colonialism & decoloniality, prison pedagogy & Gandhi, and religion & modernity.
This year’s class of Fellows range in age from 31 to 85. Close to 50 Fellows have no current full-time college or university affiliation, the John Simon Guggenheim Memorial Foundation stated in a press release.
Many Fellows’ projects directly respond to issues like the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic, democracy and policing, scientific innovation, climate change, and identity.
WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP): The Internal Revenue Service today reminded low- to moderate-income taxpayers, especially those who don’t normally file a tax return, to consider IRS Free File to prepare their own federal tax return to potentially receive overlooked tax credits or refunds. The 2023 federal tax filing deadline for individuals is next Tuesday, April 18. The only way to get a refund is to file a tax return.
IRS Free File allows qualified individuals to file electronically and get a refund by direct deposit – all for free. The program is a public-private partnership between the IRS and several tax preparation software companies who provide their online tax preparation and filing software for free. The software is safe, easy and accurate, and must be accessed through IRS.gov.
It offers two ways for taxpayers to prepare and file their federal income tax online for free:
Guided Tax Preparation: Provides taxpayers whose Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) is $73,000 or less with free online tax preparation that guides people through the tax return process. It uses a straightforward question-and-answer format for each section of their tax return. IRS Free File partners deliver this service at no cost to qualifying taxpayers. Some partners charge a fee for filing a state tax return.
Free File Fillable Forms: Provides a free option to taxpayers whose AGI is greater than $73,000. These are electronic federal tax forms, equivalent to a paper 1040 form. This option is generally intended for those comfortable preparing their own tax return using instructions and IRS publications as needed.
Not required to file doesn’t mean shouldn’t file
Generally, taxpayers with gross income less than $12,950 for single filers, and $25,900 for married filing jointly, are not required to file a federal tax return. However, low-income individuals may mistakenly assume that since they owe no tax, they’re not entitled to a refund. In fact, they may get money back if they file a tax return. For example, if an individual qualifies for the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) or if their employer withheld taxes from their paycheck, they may be owed a refund when they file their taxes.
The IRS encourages everyone to consider taking advantage of the speed and convenience of IRS Free File, including:
Low- to moderate-income workers and working families who don’t normally file a return. They may miss out on certain credits for individuals, including the EITC, the Child Tax Credit, the Child & Dependent Credit and the Premium Tax Credit if they don’t file. People experiencing homelessness (the address of a friend, relative or trusted service provider, such as a shelter, drop-in day center or transitional housing program, may be used on the tax return). Students just entering the workforce or who may have only worked part time.
All eligible parents of qualifying children born or welcomed through adoption or foster care in 2022. They may be eligible for the Child Tax Credit.
In order to validate and successfully submit an electronically filed tax return to the IRS, taxpayers will need their AGI from their most recent tax return. If using the same tax preparation software as last year, this field will auto-populate. However, first-time filers over the age of 16 should enter zero as their AGI.
Don’t have a bank account to direct deposit a refund?
Filing a tax return electronically and choosing direct deposit is the fastest way to get a refund.
The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC) and the National Credit Union Administration’s Credit Union Locator Tool have information on where to find a bank or credit union to open an account online.
Veterans should use the Veterans Benefits Banking Program (VBBP) for access to financial services at participating banks.
Many reloadable prepaid cards have account and routing numbers that can be used for direct deposit as well.
Only one place guarantees IRS Free File for free
While there are many offers for free tax filing software, the only guaranteed place to find IRS Free File software is IRS.gov. Anyone can use IRS Free File by accessing a computer or similar device. Even without a computer, IRS Free File products support mobile phone access too.
For those not comfortable doing their own tax return, IRS-trained community volunteers offer free tax help through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) and Tax Counseling for the Elderly (TCE) programs to qualified individuals at thousands of locations nationwide. The IRS website has a special tool for finding the nearest site. Taxpayers can also call 800-906-9887.
More information:
FS-2023-09, Tax credits for individuals: What they mean and how they can help refunds 2023-10, Deductions for individuals: What they mean and the difference between standard and itemized deductions.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) said it would increase enforcement in the area of digital asset transactions and listed transactions. The federal agency identified certain transactions to have high-risk issues in noncompliance and vowed to ramp up enforcement in those transactions.
“The IRS tracks many known, high-risk issues in noncompliance, such as digital asset transactions, listed transactions and certain international issues. These issues arise in multiple taxpayer segments, and data analysis shows a higher potential for noncompliance,” the tax agency wrote in its newly-released funding plan (pdf).
“We will prioritize resources to increase enforcement activities, including criminal investigation as appropriate,” the agency added.
According to the plan, the IRS will develop an information platform to support digital asset reporting and analytics tools to increase digital asset compliance in the fiscal year 2024, which is between April 1, 2023, and March 31, 2024.
Digital assets include convertible virtual currency, cryptocurrency, stablecoins, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), and other digital representations of value, according to the IRS website.
The IRS treats digital assets as property and requires taxpayers to report taxable gains or losses from digital asset transactions.As it’s difficult to identify the owners of digital assets, U.S. judges allow the IRS to use “John Doe summons” to seek the identities of taxpayers of interest.
Individuals Earning $400,000 or More Targeted
The IRS released details Thursday on how it plans to use an infusion of $80 billion for improved operations, pledging to invest in new technology, hire more customer service representatives, and expand its ability to audit high-wealth taxpayers.The plan lays out the specifics of how the IRS will allocate the $80 billion of funding—from fiscal year 2024 to 2031—that was approved through legislation.
Some improvements have been long expected, such as bringing more paper-based systems online and answering taxpayers’ phone calls promptly. Others are more ambitious: continuing to explore ways to create a government-operated electronic free-file tax return system, for example. Janet Yellen
After Congress passed legislation for the funding last summer, Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen directed the IRS to develop a plan outlining how the tax agency would overhaul its technology, customer service, and hiring processes. Her memo sent instructions to IRS leadership not to increase audit rates on people making less than $400,000 a year annually. During a call with reporters, Treasury Deputy Secretary Wally Adeyemo said the plan “is heavily driven by the fact that we need to make technology investments that will improve productivity, which will mean that over time the number of employees and the mix of employees at the IRS will change.”
Officials are promising not “to raise audit rates on small businesses and households making under $400,000 per year, relative to historic levels.” The report says more than half of the new money—$45.6 billion—will be devoted to pursuing high-wealth individuals and companies.
“Given the size and complex nature of these tax filings, this work often requires specialized approaches, and we will make these resources available,” the report said. “We will use data and analytics to improve our understanding of the tax filings of high-wealth individuals.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced Wednesday, April 12, that over a million Americans have unclaimed tax refunds for the tax year 2019 and face a looming deadline to claim a total of $1.5 billion before it becomes government property.
The IRS said in a press release that nearly 1.5 million people across the United States have unclaimed refunds because they haven’t filed their tax returns for the 2019 tax year.
“The 2019 tax returns came due during the pandemic, and many people may have overlooked or forgotten about these refunds,” IRS commissioner Danny Werfel said in a statement. “We want taxpayers to claim these refunds, but time is running out.”Normally, the deadline for filing older tax returns falls around the April tax deadline. But for 2019 returns, that window has been extended to July 17 due to the pandemic. “With the pandemic taking place when the 2019 tax returns were originally due, people faced extremely unusual situations,” Werfel said.
There’s a three-year window for taxpayers to file returns and claim refunds. If they don’t file within three years, any money they could have received becomes the property of the U.S. Treasury.
The average unclaimed amount for the 2019 tax year is $893 per filer.
In a separate press release, the IRS issued a reminder that April 18 is the deadline for first quarter estimated tax payments for the tax year 2023. These estimated quarterly tax payments are typically made by individuals like the self-employed and entities like corporations that do not have their taxes withheld.
Also, the IRS on Tuesday announced that taxpayers in nearly two dozen states should consider filing amended tax returns for 2022 because they may have needlessly reported income from special state relief payments and stand to get bigger refunds.
Some Taxpayers Eligible for Bigger Refunds
The IRS said in a press release that taxpayers who reported certain state payments related to general welfare and disaster relief as taxable income on their tax returns did so, in many cases, unnecessarily.
The tax agency earlier this year determined that taxpayers in nearly two dozen states didn’t need to report these special payments in tax year 2022 and the IRS won’t challenge their taxability.
Taxpayers in the following states don’t need to report any state payments related to general welfare and disaster relief: California, Colorado, Connecticut, Delaware, Florida, Hawaii, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Maine, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Oregon, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island.
Alaska is also in this group, although the payments covered by the IRS notice apply only to special supplemental Energy Relief Payments. In addition, four states are special cases in terms of relief payment taxability because they issued such payments in the form of refunds of state taxes paid: Georgia, Massachusetts, South Carolina, and Virginia. “For these individuals, state payments will not be included for federal tax purposes if the payment is a refund of state taxes paid and the recipient either claimed the standard deduction for tax year 2022 or itemized their tax year 2022 deductions but did not receive a tax benefit,” the IRS said.
Taxpayers who meet the above criteria and needlessly paid tax on special state payments can file an amended return either electronically or in paper form.
Electronic filers can opt for a direct deposit, while paper filers can expect a paper check for any resulting refunds.
(Source: Epoch Times)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Internal Revenue Service today reminded people that Tax Day, April 18, is also the deadline for first quarter estimated tax payments for tax year 2023.
These payments are normally made by self-employed individuals, retirees, investors, businesses, corporations and others that do not have taxes withheld or employees that don’t have enough taxes withheld by their employers throughout the year. Income taxes are a pay-as-you-go process. This means, by law, taxes must be paid as income is earned or received during the year. Most people pay their taxes through withholding from paychecks, pension payments, Social Security benefits or certain other government payments including unemployment compensation.
Most often, those who are self-employed or in the gig economy need to make estimated tax payments. Similarly, investors, retirees and others often need to make these payments because a substantial portion of their income is not subject to withholding.
Other income generally not subject to withholding includes interest, dividends, capital gains, alimony and rental income. Paying quarterly estimated taxes will usually lessen and may even eliminate any penalties.
Exceptions to the penalty and special rules apply to some groups of taxpayers, such as farmers and fishers, those who recently became disabled, recent retirees, those who receive income unevenly during the year and casualty and disaster victims. Due to recent disasters, eligible taxpayers in California, Alabama and Georgia, for example, have until Oct. 16, 2023, to make 2023 estimated tax payments, normally due on April 18, June 15 and Sept. 15. People in other states may have extended deadlines as well; a full list is available on a special IRS.gov page.
How to pay estimated taxes
Form 1040-ES, Estimated Tax for Individuals, includes instructions to help taxpayers figure their estimated taxes. They can also visit IRS.gov/payments to pay electronically.
The best way to make a payment is through IRS online account. There taxpayers can see their payment history, any pending payments and other useful tax information. Taxpayers can make an estimated tax payment by using IRS Direct Pay; Debit Card, Credit Card or Digital Wallet; or the Treasury Department’s Electronic Federal Tax Payment System (EFTPS). For information on other payment options, visit IRS.gov/payments. If paying by check, taxpayers should be sure to make the check payable to the “United States Treasury.”
Publication 505, Tax Withholding and Estimated Tax, has additional details, including worksheets and examples, that can be especially helpful to those who have dividend or capital gain income, owe alternative minimum tax or self-employment tax, or have other special situations.
Tax Withholding Estimator
The IRS urges people to use its Tax Withholding Estimator tool to help ensure the right amount of tax is withheld from their paychecks. Checking taxes withheld periodically helps to protect against having too little tax withheld and possibly facing an unexpected tax bill or penalty at tax time. It also allows people to check taxes withheld up front, resulting in bigger paychecks throughout the year and likely a smaller refund at tax time.
IRS.gov assistance 24/7
Tax help is available 24/7 on IRS.gov. The IRS website offers a variety of online tools to help taxpayers answer common tax questions. For example, taxpayers can search the Interactive Tax Assistant, Tax Topics and Frequently Asked Questions to get answers to common questions.
The IRS is continuing to expand ways to communicate to taxpayers who prefer to get information in other languages. The IRS has posted translated tax resources in 20 other languages on IRS.gov. For more information, see We Speak Your Language.
One Earth Film Festival with the City of Chicago presents action opportunities in celebration of Earth Day 2023, April 19-23
One Earth Film Festival with the City of Chicago’s Office of Climate and Environmental Equity, following its 12th season in March, will celebrate Earth Day with its annual “Earth Day Mini Fest,“ April 19-23.
The mini fest continues One Earth’s 2023 theme, “Let’s Get Loud,” with five screening events of top films and engaging discussions intended to illuminate environmental issues and equip audiences with the tools to take concrete actions to mitigate climate change and address environmental justice. Films topics range from the food justice movement in Black and Indigenous communities, understanding and reimagining wildfires, the global citizen-led fight to address traffic violence, and innovation inspired by nature.
On Earth Day, which is Saturday, April 22 a full day of programming will celebrate the 53rd anniversary of Earth Day. Festivities include the Earth Day Clean Up at Columbus Park and the Earth Day Action Fair, followed by a screening of “Biocentrics” at the Chicago Cultural Center.
SCHEDULE
Saturday, April 22, 2023
Earth Day Clean Up at Columbus Park
In partnership with BUILD Chicago, Openlands, One Earth Collective, Field Museum, Friends of the Parks, Interfaith Green Network, Oak Park Climate Action Network, Seven Generations Ahead Location: Meet at pavilion/shelter house north of Columbus Park Field House on Central Ave, Chicago.
9:00 a.m. sign in at the shelter/pavilion
9:00-11:30 a.m. trash clean-up, garden prep and mulching
11:30-12:30 p.m. reflection and lunch
Earth Day Action Fair at the Chicago Cultural Center
In partnership with the City of Chicago’s Office of Climate & Environmental Equity
Location: Chicago Cultural Center 2nd Floor Rotunda, 78 E Washington St, Chicago
12:30-2:00 p.m. groups present work, opportunities, and events with
refreshments and fellowship with other environmental advocates
2:00-4:30 p.m. watch-party of the award-winning film, “Biocentrics” and dialogue
with activists in the Cultural Center’s adjacent Claudia Cassidy Theater
EARTH WEEK MINI FEST FILMS AND SCHEDULE
Most events are free and all watch parties can be attended virtually
Follow the Drinking Gourd; Remothering the Land. (Credit : oneearthfilmfest.org)
2) “Follow the Drinking Gourd” | April 20, 6:30 p.m. | UIC Lecture Center F | Old St. Pat’s Church
3) “Remothering the Land” | April 20, 6:30 p.m. | UIC Lecture Center F | Old St. Pat’s Church
4) “Invisible Hand: Rights of Nature Documentary” | April 21, 6:30 p.m. | Truman College, Chicago
5) “Biocentrics” | April 22, 2 p.m. | Chicago Cultural Center | Wayfarer Theaters, Highland Park
Street Protest. (Credit : oneearthfilmfest.org)
6) “The Street Project” | April 23, 3 p.m. | Chicago Public Library, Humboldt Park Branch | Chicago Public Library, Austin Branch | Big Marsh Bike Park, Chicago
One Earth Film Festival’s 12th annual regular season ran March 3-12 and featured ten thought-provoking and sharply focused films screened at venues across Chicago and virtually to audiences around the globe. The hybrid festival reached several thousand people through its watch parties, including panel discussions with subject experts and post-film Q&As.
TICKETS
Mini fest tickets are free with a suggested donation.
Learn more atoneearthfilmfest.org.
One Earth Film Festival
One Earth Film Festival is the Midwest’s premier environmental film festival, creating opportunities for understanding climate change, sustainability and the power of people.
It showcases top-issue, thought-provoking environmental films, leads audiencesin interactive post-film discussions focused on solutions, and offers concrete actions people can take.
One Earth Film Festival is a production of One Earth Collective.
Learn more at oneearthfilmfest.org.
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FILM OPPOSES DEMEANING OF NATIVE PEOPLES & OTHERS
American Natives protest. (Credit : imaginingtheindianfilm.org)
By Mabel Pais
IMAGINING THE INDIAN: THE FIGHT AGAINST NATIVE AMERICAN MASCOTING
Dirs: Aviva Kempner & Ben West l USA l 2021 l 1h 35m
“The Original Sin occurred the minute Europe touched Native shores in North America and South America.”
Richard West, Jr. (Southern Cheyenne)
‘Imagining the Indian’ is a comprehensive examination of the movement to eradicate the names, words, slurs, logos, images, and gestures that many Native Americans and their allies find demeaning and offensive. The film takes a deep-dive into the issues through archival footage and interviews with those involved in the fight. The psychological research is clear, the use of Native American mascots is detrimental, not only to Native people, but to marginalized groups everywhere. The film investigates the impact that caricatures like Chief Wahoo — the cartoonish former logo of the Cleveland Baseball Team — gestures like the Atlanta Baseball Team’s, “tomahawk chop” and epithets like the Washington Football Team’s former moniker, “Redskins,” have on the Native community, the sports community and society in general.
It introduces the audience to Suzan Shown Harjo, President of the Morning Star Institute and recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom, whose 50-year fight against the exploitation of American Indians in the sports world is used as a lens through which to investigate the history of this issue.
The film provides an account of the genocidal history of Native peoples on this continent, and its role in proliferating negative stereotyping in sports, movies and television. A range of opinions are explored among Natives and non-Natives, including the staunch and steadfast opposition exhibited by Harjo and her contemporaries in advocacy over the years. “Changing the names for the Washington Football team and Cleveland’s baseball team was long overdue, but the victory is only piecemeal until names are also changed in Atlanta for baseball, in Chicago for hockey, and in Kansas City, and don’t ignore the almost 2000 other teams with problematic names,” said Co-Director Aviva Kempner.
“Imagining the Indian is a film that addresses the misrepresentation of Native peoples in sports, television, movies, pop-culture and beyond. We are proud that this film is a product of Indian Country, and that its goals are for the good of all people,” said Co-Director Ben West (Cheyenne).
“Eradicating mascoting of native people will rid us of its perniciousness, which is that exposure to it is at the root of negative stereotyping and treatment of all people of color,” said Co-Producer Kevin Blackistone, an ESPN panelist and professor of the practice at the Philip Merrill College of Journalism at the University of Maryland, who writes sports commentary for The Washington Post.
Watch the trailer – imaginingtheindianfilm.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/03/iti_-_feb_2023_trailer_v2-720p.mp4
OPENING – Check local listings for theater running dates in New York City and beyond.
(Mabel Pais writes on Social Issues, The Arts and Entertainment, Health & Wellness, Cuisine and Spirituality.)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP)– “There is so much blindness, and it can be avoided today, with the present-day cost-effective means . I could not have said this 25 years ago. Combating childhood blindness has been identified by the World Bank as the most cost-effective health intervention. 80% of learning comes through vision. If the child misses the chance , he suffers for the rest of his life -almost 75 years of life. With a very little investment we can give a child 75 years of productive life.”
Dr. V. K. Raju, President of the Eye Foundation of America which has set for itself the goal to have a world without childhood blindness was speaking on the tragedy of childhood blindness at the 30th anniversary celebrations of the Indian American International Chamber of Commerce at the Ronald Reagan Center for International Trade in Washington, D.C. March 31.
Giving an impressive presentation on childhood blindness, Dr. Raju said that there are many conditions that cause blindness in children. They can be born with cataracts . They can be born with cloudy corneas. They can be born with glaucoma that is high blood pressure in the eye and various other abnormalities . If we catch them early, incredible things can be done today which we could not do 20 or 25 years ago.
My work started in 1977 at eye camps. We took some great technology in 70s and 80s to India which was not available at that time in India. Since ‘91, Indian ophthalmology has advanced because of liberalization and privatization. Some of the children we operated on went on to finish college.
The greatest story I would like to share with you is about Srinu Maddula . At the age of one and a half year, he was almost blind because of corneal cloudiness . Cornea is the front of the eye like a crystal of a watch. We brought him here to Morgantown in West Virginia. We performed corneal transplants on both eyes and he went on to finish doctorate in pharmacy from Rutgers University. He is the CEO of a multimillion-dollar retail pharmacy company. He never forgot what he received from the Eye Foundation of America. He is one of the greatest patrons of the Eye Foundation of America, which is involved in more than 30 countries to combat childhood blindness. Real collaboration is the key for any major thing to happen in this world. We need political will, professional will , and people’s will. If they combine, anything can be achieved.
In this century, we eradicated polio from the planet because of Rotary involvement. Rotary international brought together the political will, the professional will, and people’s will. Nelson Mandela once said, “education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
The Eye Foundation screened and examined over 4 million individuals and performed more than 300,000 surgeries of which 30,000 were on children in 30 countries of the world. Giving vision to children is priceless. It cannot be measured in monetary terms. Let’s come together to have a world which is free from childhood blindness. Dr. Raju’s impassioned plea was very well taken by the audience. IAICC leaders expressed a desire to collaborate with the Eye Foundation of America.
Incidentally, after India and neighboring countries and Africa, Dr. Raju is bending his attention to Central America. He goes to Guatemala later this month to hold eye examination camps there on the invitation of India’s Ambassador to Guatemala, Mr. Manoj Mohapatra who is very keen to have Dr. Raju help out Guatemalans.
For more information on the Eye Foundation of America, please visit www.eyefoundationofamerica.org
Mr. K.V. Kumar, Executive Chairman and CEO (left) and Mr. Shankar Rachakonda , Vice Chairman and Chairman, Fund-raising Committee, IAICC, USA (right) honoring Dr. V.K. Raju with a plaque.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): A large number of Khalistan supporters staged a protest at the Times Square here to express support for Amritpal Singh. The protesters took out a car rally that originated from the Baba Makhan Shah Lobana Sikh Centre in the Richmond Hill neighborhood and culminated at Times Square in the heart of Manhattan city on Sunday afternoon amid tight security. With blaring music and loud horns, a multitude of cars with Khalistan flags and LED mobile billboard trucks displaying photos of Singh crisscrossed the streets near the venue. Men, women and children gathered in large numbers at the popular New York destination, carrying the Khalistani flags and raising slogans at the rally. The protesters, carrying placards reading ‘Free Amritpal Singh’, held up photos of Singh as they raised anti-India slogans. Singh’s photo was also displayed on one of the billboards at Times Square. There was a heavy police presence in the area with several New York City Police Department vans and cars manning the area.
The car rally came a day after Khalistan supporters gathered outside the Indian Embassy in Washington on Saturday, where many of their speakers tried to incite violence, but timely intervention by an alert US Secret Service and local police prevented a repeat of the London and San Francisco incidents of vandalism at the Indian missions. India on Friday said it expects to see action against the perpetrators of vandalism at its missions abroad and hoped the host governments would prosecute those involved in these incidents instead of holding out assurances.
Consul General Mr. Randhir Kumar Jaiswal and Dr. Thomas Abraham addressing the students.
NEW YORK CITY (TIP): The Consulate General of India in New York in cooperation with GOPIO Manhattan organized the ‘Meet and Greet Students from India’ studying in the Northeast to connect them to the community and providing mentoring opportunities as well as to raise awareness of Consular services to students from the Consulate. Students from many universities across the Northeast participated in person and via Facebook Live at the event hosted by the Indian Consulate on March 31st, 2023.
The program started with a welcome by Dr. Varun Jeph, Deputy Consul General with his welcome to the 135+ students in attendance and many more online. He summarized the event introducing the speakers and the topics that will be discussed by them and informed the services offered by the Consulate to the Students. He invited the students Consul General of India at New York Mr. Randhir Kumar Jaiswal to begin the evening’s proceedings.
The host for the evening, Ambassador Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, commented, “Namaste to all Young friends. A very warm welcome to the Consulate, your Home and my office.”
He further highlighted there are two sets of students we deal with, one that are here and the others that come here from India. This Student Meet & Greet is an effort in the direction of you connecting with each other and being there as you grow in this new land of opportunities. We are the fifth largest economy and climbing to become the third largest economy. He added that there are 1 million students among the 34 million diaspora are going to play a very important role in that and be the real champions.”
Consulate official Ms. Satpadi Tagore invited GOPIO International Chairman Dr. Thomas Abraham for his remarks. Dr. Abraham serves as an advisor to GOPIO-Manhattan and started with “Namaskar and addressed the students by reflecting on his journey fifty years ago with an example that a simple phone call back home would cost around $3/minute. There was a concept of host families. With the advancement of technologies and ease of communication and growth in students, there is no more such need of host families. Starting in 2021 and following session in Oct 2022, and today, we are hosting these sessions to connect you with the community, professional achievers and the Consulate for help with issues or in case of emergency. He noted the number of students across Columbia, NYU, Pace, SUNY Bufallo, Touro College, UPenn, NJIT and other universities represented in the room.”
GOPIO Manhattan Co Secretary and Chair for the event and emcee Ms. Bhavya Gupta then introduced and invited the panelists for the evening Mr. Akshat Tewary, an immigration attorney, Ms. Sanjyot Dunung, CEO & Founder of Atma Global, Moderator Prof Srikant Jagabathula from NYU, Mr. Anthony Irudhyanathan, President Zillion Technologies and Prof. Rajashekar Vangapaty. Mr. Srikanth Jagabathula, Robert Stansky Research Faculty Fellow and Associate Professor of Tech, Ops, and Stats at the NYU Stern School of Business, moderated the panel starting with giving each speaker a minute to talk about their background. He channeled the conversations across the topics of immigration to job search to internships, teaching assistantships etc. with the fellow speakers and engaged the audience. He shared his experiences with the students and said, “Wear different hats, multi-task, go out of your comfort zone, explore and discover.”
GOPIO-Manhattan Executive Vice President Professor Rajasekhar Vangapaty spoke about the importance of on-campus job and securing the teaching assistant role while at campus and its importance in job search. He added that “every skill-set you learn in your life will definitely benefit you somewhere in your lifetime. Never get discouraged if you get hurdles.” He emphasized the fact that “do not guess the answers. If you don’t know, ask. Whether you’re given or not that’s a different story.”
Ms. Sanjyot Dunung, CEO & Founder of Atma Global, shared her experiences with the students about her journey from India to England to Chicago as she experienced the culture shifts. She added that it doesn’t necessarily matter at what age you move to a new country. The concept of culture shock, learning new values, attitudes, understanding how people do things, can be startling at the very beginning. She bridged the two cultures with every summer trip to India to retain and touch that Indian cultural experience. She indulged the panel to assist students in formulating their choices of major and career path.
Mr. Anthony Irudhyanathan, President Zillion Technologies shared his journey as an Entrepreneur in the technology sector, started with $400. He reflected on his journey and cited his motivation to be here was based on the fact that the Students from India have the chance to be a Game Changer and that he invests in the ideas from Students, a support not available when he started his journey in 1998. This platform of Meet & Greet is a good opportunity for Students to excel in being a game changer as 60% of top 100 companies have Indians as CIO/CTOs today. He added “students should immerse within the system, learn and connect with the people.”
Mr. Akshat Tewary, an immigration attorney added “reflected on his journey to the USA in Jan 1986 highlighting the sense of expectation, optimism, growth etc. as the cultural differences between homeland and USA.”
Dr. Bernadine Waller, Columbia University “reflected on the mental health issues ranging from anxiety to depression and all in between. She highlighted the various reasons the stresses that are faced by Students such as job search, internship search, competitiveness, loneliness etc. The optimal way to deal with it is “One Bite At A Time.” She further added that we encourage the students to think of their career, plan for the present, think about the future, but come back to the present. Mr. Shivender Sofat, President GOPIO-Manhattan, who joined virtually told the importance of mentoring to the students, discussed chapter activities and motivated everyone to volunteer and become members at future events held by GOPIO Manhattan.
Mr. Siddharth Jain, GOPIO Manhattan Board Member concluded with a quote from Rumi: “It’s your road, and yours alone, others may walk it with you, but no one can walk it for you.”
Mr. Jain followed the quote with the vote of thanks to Host Ambassador Shri Randhir Kumar Jaiswal, Dy. Consul Shri Varun Jeph, Dr. Thomas Abraham, Distinguished Panelists, Ms. Satabdi Tagore and the Consulate staff. Other GOPIO-Manhattan officials present at the meeting included President Shivender Sofat (attended virtually), EVP Professor Rajasekhar Vangapaty, Treasurer Braj Aggarwal, VP Vimal Goyle, Board Member & Program Coordinator Bhavya Gupta, Board Member Chitranjan Belwariar, Members Raj Punjabi, & Tara Shajan.
“The students had an excellent time networking with students from different universities as well as with speakers and the Consulate and GOPIO officials and we plan to do a much bigger event next year,’ Dr. Abraham added.
In accordance with its mission to serve the larger society and those in need, GOPIO-Manhattan Chapter has taken several initiatives in the recent past. A Community Feeding is organized by the Chapter providing vegan or avegetarian lunch for the homeless and needy at Tomkins Square Park in Manhattan on the last Monday of every month. The chapter appeals to the community to support the initiative by being a volunteer and/or a sponsor.
For more info on GOPIO Manhattan, call President Shivender Sofat at 731-988-6969, e-mail: info@gopiomanhattan.org or visit here: https://gopiomanhattan.org/
Facebook Link: GOPIO Manhattan NYC
Students from different universities and colleges with Consulate and GOPIO officials and speakers
LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): Addressing a charged-up group of Indian Overseas Congress USA leaders from all over the USA who were assembled at a special meeting in New York on April 1, 2023, Dr. Sam Pitroda emphasized the importance of recalibrating collaborative efforts to canvass, educate, and respond to the electorate in India on what they are looking for from their elected representatives. At this time, he has appointed five new working presidents to cover the five zones that he had delineated of the USA for this purpose as follows:
Working President, North-East Zone – Mr. Pradeep Samala.
Working President, South-East Zone – Dr. Sajan Kurian
Working President, South-West Zone – Mr. Srivatsa Ramanathan
Working President, Mid-West Zone – Mr. Kulraj S. Grewal
Working President, West Coast Zone. – Mr. Devenderpal S.
Bhullar
Other Changes/Appointments:
Vice-President, Community Liaison – Mr. Rajendar Dichpally
Chairman, Disciplinary Committee, – Mr. Gurmit Gill
Chairman, Membership Committee, – Mr. Nikhil Thagadur
Chairman, Social Media Committee, – Mr. Avinash Dandiya
General Secretary, – Mr. Sandeep Vangala
General Secretary, – Mr. Balinder Singh Kundu
The newly appointed officials of IOCUSA
President Mohinder Singh Gilzian expressed gratitude to all the leaders who came from all over the USA. He also praised the vision and the valuable guidance of Dr. Sam Pitroda ji, who is respected as a great visionary leader. George Abraham, the Vice-Chair, congratulated all the new appointees and thanked them for their dedication to the cause. Pradeep Samala, IOC Working President In charge Northeast Region stated that as a Working President, he would work towards building IOC chapters across the Northeast region with the guidance of IOC global Chairman Sam Pitroda ji, IOC USA president Mohinder Ji and other leaders. “At this crucial juncture, it is very critical to bring NRIs & PIOs into the IOC fold and work for the betterment of the country,” Mr. Samala added. Mr. Kulraj Singh Grewal, IOC Working President In Charge Mid-West Region, said, “Thank you very much to our IOC Chairman Sam Pitroda ji, and IOC USA president Mohinder Singh Gilzian ji for giving me this opportunity. I promise to fight for the party with everything I have and meet every expectation that you have of me.”
IOC officials with Dr. Pitroda
Rajender Dichpally, IOC Vice-President for Community Relations, said that there was a need to work with the Indian organizations to find common goals away from the religious and biased approach adopted by HSS and other right-aligned forces in the USA so that we can strengthen the forces of secularism and help promote values of love, tolerance and progressive approach, which the congress party stands for. He said the message Rahul took to all of India during his Bharat Jodo Yatra should be the basis of finding common ground with Indian organizations and diaspora. We should unite the forces in the fight to save the idea of India.
John Joseph, IOC Vice-President, said, ” India is no longer a true democracy; MLAs and MPs are bought for a price as the BJP leaders are perpetual liars – it looks like someone writes the script, and all of them echo the same. BJP has become the government for a few Business houses, and the common man is neglected and ignored – when the Indian currency is losing its value, the finance minister says that it is not true the Dollar is gaining! If we have people of such caliber, how will India face the economic downcall (Crash ) that is expected soon? We need a government that cares for the common man – the neglected/oppressed and squeezed beyond tolerance. Rahul Gandhi is the only one who can turn it around, and Congress is the only party that really cares for India. Let us unite and remove the party that is abusing power in 2024.”
Mr. Balinder Singh Kundu, IOC General Secretary said, “Parliament Elections in India are around the corner; we have to unify IOC globally to support the party in our home states; our leader Rahul Gandhi ji gave us a great tool “weapons” in the form of Bharat Jodo Yatra and Hath se Hath Jodo going on now, we have to promote his Agenda “Nafrat ke Bazar mein Mohabbet ki dukan kholenge” We have to sound in unison.
Gurmit Gill, Chairman of the Disciplinary Committee, said, “we need to support Rahul Gandhi in the upcoming 2024 election; he is our only chance to save democracy in India”. Avi Dandia, Chairman of the Social Media Committee, said, ” I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Sam Pitroda and Mr. Mohinder Singh of overseas congress for appointing me as chairman of social media ( US chapter) with independent charge.”
Dr. Sam Pitroda bestowed “The Chairman’s” award upon Secretary General Harbachan Singh Esq., which stated in part, “your untiring efforts and outstanding performances have earned our highest esteem.” Seen on the right is IOCUSA President Mohinder Singh Gilzian
FORDS, NJ (TIP): BIHAR JAHRKHAND ASSOCIATION OF NORTH AMERICA (BJANA) celebrated Holi, one of its trademark events at Royal Albert Palace in New Jersey. More than 550 people from the Bihar and Jharkhand diaspora attended the event. This gathering of members from New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, and Connecticut is a signature event for the BJANA family. This Holi festival brings people together in a spirit of unity and joy as we celebrate the coming of spring and the regeneration of life.
Doctor Ashish Jha (Covid 19 Response coordinator and Assistant to US president) was the event’s chief guest, and Mr. Randhir Jaiswal, consul general, was the guest of honor to this mega event. Dr. Jha thanked the BJANA team for inviting him to this major event and wished the crowd that this holiday season would bring success and growth to everyone’s lives. The Consul General appreciated the work done by BJANA to promote Made In Bihar Products Biharika and Made in Jharkhand Products Jharcraft and Tourism during the event.
Dr. Ramjee Prasad Scientist from Denmark, Pravasi Bhartiya Samman Awardee, Dr. Sujal Singh, Dr. Archana Narain, and Mr. Mohan from TEAM Aid were also honored for their outstanding contributions to society during the event. Mr. Anurag Kumar, the president of BJANA, addressed the audience and gave a shared BJANA fundraising efforts and its social/charitable program like US Kids Teaching the Kids in Bihar and Jharkhand, promoting tourism and business opportunity. Mr. Kumar acknowledged the invite accepted by Dr Ashish’s and his presence enriched the importance of the event. Mr. Kumar also expressed gratitude to the Ramesh Bhatia Foundation for its kind donation of money to the charitable and social causes run by BJANA.
Immediate past president Dr. Avinash Gupta and Bihar Foundation East Coast Chairman Alok Kumar have congratulated the BJANA Team and volunteers for taking the effort to make this grand event memorable and bring the community together. The audiences were mesmerized by the folk dance from Bihar and Jharkhand that was performed by BJANA members as part of the event packed with guests and enjoyable cultural performances like singing and dancing by a children’s women’s group. Attendees enjoyed the lucky draw, sumptuous food, and performances, the scholarship awards were also given at the Holi event to meritorious students. The launch of the special Holi magazine Vaishali and the rewards given to the children who contributed to it.
Mr. Sanjeev Singh, vice president of BJANA, thanked the committee members and volunteers for their tireless efforts over the past few weeks to make this huge event a success.
A dance performance by kids.A song by kidsSponsors
IOCUSA members protest the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi
LONG ISLAND, NY (TIP): Indian Overseas Congress, USA, an advocacy organization that promotes democracy and freedom in India, held a protest in New York against the disqualification of Rahul Gandhi from Lok Sabha following his conviction in a defamation case. The supporters held placards that said ‘save democracy, save India’, ‘Modi-Adani Bhai Bhai’, ‘Adani & 20,000 Crores Rs’, and ‘Rahul Gandhi Zindabad’ and shouted the slogans.
The protests were staged at an event organized by IOCUSA in Long Island, New York, where delegates from ten states were present—over one-hundred-chapter delegates of IOCUSA who were highly incensed by the conviction of Rahul Gandhi strongly expressed their disappointment and anger. The maximum penalty had been imposed for a non-lethal and drummed-up offense with extra-ordinary severity, which was totally out of the norm, character, and scope, which shows how far the Modi Government went to unjustly overreact with intent to remove Rahul Gandhi from the public square.
In the keynote address, Mr. Sam Pitroda, Chairman of the Indian Overseas Congress, challenged the audience and rhetorically asked what kind of India we all want. He went on to say, “In today’s India, there is an ongoing disinformation campaign against the opposition: they used to call Rahul Gandhi Pappu and then filed court cases. However, after the successful Bharat Jodo Yatra, they have even ratcheted up the pressure. When Rahul went to London and had a series of private and public meetings, and said Indian democracy is a larger public good and added that Indian democracy is in danger, but that is our problem. However, in the media in India, on almost every channel, his talk was twisted and turned into a campaign against him. Every minister showed up on Indian T.V. and said Rahul was asking to interfere in Indian democracy. It is obvious that the ruling party has captured the media along with all other institutions, such as Judiciary, E.D., and Income tax. Even Civil society is not allowed to function as a watchdog. It is wrong. But nobody seemed to listen. There can be no meaningful conversation, and the sanctity of the scientific, logical, and rational mindset appears lost. It isn’t easy to operate”.
“We are in a situation where the 2024 election becomes very important for the country. It is the idea of India we are fighting. It is not a fight between Modi and Rahul Gandhi or Modi and XYZ, nor is it a fight between BJP and Congress. It is a fight about the idea of how we build a nation. We want to build a nation with peace and harmony where everybody can work comfortably, or should we be in a nation where everybody is fighting each other, affecting our growth and prosperity? We cannot ignore 200 million Muslims in India. They are very much a part of my life. I grew up with their music and culture, and they have become an integral part of India. Then you begin to separate Muslims and Christians, and whatever, you begin to attack the very fabric of India. That is what is going on, and that bothers many of us.”
“2024 is ahead of us, and how do we convince people that we have to fight for the idea of India? Some people feel that the fight will be on social media, and others feel that it will be over Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs). There are all kinds of ideas, and everyone has a view of what is wrong. There is so much interest in what is going on in India. These are the issues we are fighting for. Indian Overseas Congress has been here for a while. Today we are in 32 countries. We are successful only because of people like you who are present here. You make it happen. We don’t see the results if we don’t make things happen. Some seniors may feel that if BJP wins in 2024, they must write off India. However, I cannot afford to write off India. I want India to be the way it was when we were kids. Lots of good things have happened. When I came to America, I had never seen a telephone, television, or refrigerator in my life because we were that poor. Today, we have everything. India is what it is today because we planted the right seeds at the right time in education, Industry, technology, and science. Today’s India needs to forge ahead; we cannot have prosperity without having the core of it. And the core of it is being attacked. You may build high-speed trains, but there is no soul in them. We need to get the soul back. In the long run, there will be no prosperity if there is no peace. Peace only comes by respecting each other. I very strongly believe in it. Therefore, let us work together and take this message to our families and friends across India to make a difference starting today”. Mr. Pitroda exhorted.
In his presidential address, Mr. Mohinder Singh Gilzian asserted that we are at a critical time for India, particularly for democracy and freedom of expression in our motherland. As NRIs, we have a responsibility to see that a democratic and secular India survives and prospers. The last three years have been challenging. Covid has stopped us from achieving many of the goals we have set out to accomplish. However, the time is ripe now for us to become active and be counted. Sam ji has proposed a reorganization of IOCUSA to be more responsive to the ongoing challenges. That will include appointing five working Presidents to work in their respective zones. This way, we hope to reach the maximum possible NRIs and convince them to join us to help preserve democracy and the rule of law in India. What happened to Rahul Gandhi should never have occurred in a democratic country. We have seen the weaponization of the law enforcement system against the opposition.
In summary, we are joining a fight against tyranny and dictatorship. In 90 days, we will have chapters reorganized or newly created in every state where there is a substantial number of Indian Americans. The 2024 National elections are just a year away, and we need volunteers to help our party to defeat communalism and preserve freedom. I know that for many, America has become the new home. They see India only in a rearview mirror. Many others are concerned but unwilling to get involved. Are we saying that we have no obligation to the country that has given us birth, education, and freedom to immigrate to this great country? We owe it to our brothers and sisters who are left behind the same freedom we enjoy here in the U.S. In the coming days, the newly appointed working Presidents will assemble a team in their own zones. New York is in the Northeast Zone, which includes several nearby states. He concluded by urging the gathering to come forward and enlist and make their talents and skillset available so we can work together and rally behind the cause of freedom and democracy.
George Abraham, Vice-Chairman, in his speech, thanked Mr. Pitroda for his spirited defense of freedom everywhere in the last couple of weeks. He added, “only a few years ago, four Justices of the Supreme Court held unprecedented news conferences in which they asserted that democracy was in danger in India. That prediction is steadily becoming a reality. A mere expression of words in jest can put you in jail. This is not the India we left behind. This is not the India Nehru and Ambedkar envisaged. Today, institutions are undermined, media is muzzled, a parliament is no longer a debating body, diets are regulated, and freedom of expression is curtailed. With the recently enacted changes to OCI, NRIs are also gagged, and it is all part of silencing any dissent. We want you to use words in support of this cause that means speaking out,” Mr. Abraham added.
After Krishna Sree Gandham and Sharath Chandra Vemuganti sang the Indian National Anthem, Secretary Secretary-General Harbachan Singh, Master of Ceremony, declared the event open with a welcome speech and thanked everyone who came from far and near. He also gave a rousing welcome to the Chief Guest and Global Chairman, Dr. Sam Pitroda. All those who spoke at the event include Minhaj Khan, Gurmit Singh Gill, Pradeep Samala, John Joseph, Rajendar Dichpally, Balinder Singh Kundu, Dr. Dayan Naik, Sabu Sakaria, Pavan Darsi, Gurinderpal Singh, Gurpreet Singh, Amel Singh, Gulshan Singh Ghotra, Sharath Chandra, Gourishankar Ranganagoudra, Dr.Jayesh Patel, Devindarpal Bhullar, Kulraj Grewal, Srivatsa Ramanathan, Sharod Chandra, Johnson Myalil, Sukhy Dho, Verghese Pothanikadu, Zinda Singh and Pappy Badosh.
In the end, Dr. Sam Pitroda proudly bestowed “The Chairman’s” award upon Secretary General Harbachan Singh Esq., which stated in part, “your untiring efforts and outstanding performances have earned our highest esteem.”
VANCOUVER (TIP): A 28-year-old Sikh, facing multiple charges including assault, uttering threats, and mischief, has turned himself in at Vancouver Provincial Court, police said.
Manveer Singh Dhesi, who turned himself in on March 31, is known to live in Surrey but police said he also frequents Burnaby in the Canadian province of British Columbia.
The Burnaby Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) had put out a notice earlier this week seeking public assistance in locating Dhesi wanted on a British Columbia wide arrest warrant.
According to information presented during a bail hearing on March 31, Dhesi’s charges relate to alleged incidents on March 13 at his ex-girlfriend’s home, Burnaby Now reported. His ex-girlfriend, her sister, her brother-in-law and her brother-in-law’s brother were all at the house, according to Crown prosecutor Jennifer Dyck.
“There was an alleged incident where Dhesi turned up at their home, assaulted, allegedly, two of the individuals and barged into the home without consent,” Dyck told Burnaby Now.
British Columbia provincial court Judge Jeffrey Campbell ordered Dhesi to pay a fine of $500 and asked him not to go within two blocks of his ex-girlfriend’s house, or contact any of his alleged victims.
NEW YORK (TIP): An Indian American Associate Professor at New York-based Albert Einstein College of Medicine has been honored with the Young Urologist Award in recognition of her efforts and commitment to advance the development of fellow young urologists.
Dr Nitya Abraham, Program Director for the Montefiore Urology residency program, has mentored countless students, residents, fellows and junior faculty both at her institution and others in the New York region.
“I’m grateful to my mentors over the years, my chair at Montefiore Medical Center, and of course, my parents and supportive husband, for molding and equipping me to win this award,” Abraham said in a statement.
“At a time when rates of physician burnout are increasing, it is wonderful that the American Urological Association and its leaders are recognizing the hard work of many young urologists across the country,” she added.
According to the American Urological Association (AUA), a ‘young’ urologist is defined as someone (who has completed training) who has been in practice for 10 years or less.
Abraham is also the Chair of the Executive Curriculum Committee for Albert Einstein College of Medicine and has served the AUA as an Oral Board Review Course faculty member. She is a member of the Society for Urodynamics, Female Pelvic Medicine, and Urogenital Reconstruction (SUFU) Young Urologists Committee and social media committee.
The awards committee described Abraham as a prolific researcher with a clinical research focus on the impact of social determinants of health on pelvic floor health.
She has received funding from the US Department of Defense for urinary diagnostic markers of interstitial cystitis and is also a co-author of the AUA White Paper on Rationale and Strategies for Reducing Urologic Post-Operative Opioid Prescribing, a statement released by AUA said. A graduate of University of Connecticut, Abraham completed Medicine at New York University Langone Medical Center and the Urology residency at the same place.
She did a fellowship in Female Urology at Cleveland Clinic, following which she joined the Montefiore Medical Center in the Bronx. She is the daughter of Dr Thomas Abraham, Chairman of Global Organization of People of Indian Origin (GOPIO) International, and retired internist/geriatrician Dr Susy Abraham.
Along with Abraham, Rena Malik, MD from Mid-Atlantic Section at the University of Maryland; Jesse D. Sammon, DO from New England Section at Maine Medical Partners Urology; Sarah Vij, MD from North Central Section at Cleveland Clinic; Alexander J. Ernest from MD, Society of Government Service Urologists at Brooke Army Medical Center, etc., also received the award.
Established in 2012-2013, AUA’s Young Urologist of the Year Award is presented annually to select early-career members in recognition of their efforts and commitment to advancing the development of fellow young urologists. The following members were selected by their colleagues who serve on the Young Urologists Committee and endorsed by their respective Section/Society to receive this special honor for 2023.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The US has recognized Arunachal Pradesh as an integral part of India and strongly opposes any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities, the White House has said. The US reaction came in response to Beijing announcing Chinese names for 11 more places in Arunachal Pradesh which the neighboring country claims as the southern part of Tibet.
The official names of the 11 places were released on Sunday by China’s ministry of civil affairs. “The United States has recognized that territory (Arunachal Pradesh) for a long time (as an integral part of India). And we strongly oppose any unilateral attempts to advance territorial claims by renaming localities,” White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday, April 4. “And so, again, this is something that we have long stood by,” Jean-Pierre told reporters at her daily news conference. India on Tuesday outrightly rejected China renaming some places in Arunachal Pradesh, asserting that the state is an integral part of India and assigning “invented” names does not alter this reality. “We have seen such reports. This is not the first time China has made such an attempt. We reject this outright,” Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said.
“Arunachal Pradesh is, has been, and will always be an integral and inalienable part of India. Attempts to assign invented names will not alter this reality,” he said. It was the third batch of standardized geographical names for Arunachal Pradesh issued by China’s civil affairs ministry.
The first batch of the standardized names of six places in Arunachal Pradesh was released in 2017 and the second batch of 15 places was issued in 2021. China’s renaming of the places in Arunachal Pradesh came in the midst of the lingering eastern Ladakh border standoff that began in May 2020. Following the standoff, India bolstered its overall military preparedness along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Arunachal Pradesh sector as well.
The Indian and Chinese troops are locked in a nearly three-year-long confrontation in certain friction points in eastern Ladakh even as the two sides completed disengagement of troops from several areas following extensive diplomatic and military talks. India has been maintaining that its ties with China cannot be normal unless there is peace in the border areas.
(Source: PTI)
MISSISSIPPI / LONDON (TIP): Indian-American physician and community activist, Dr. Sampat Shivangi of Mississippi, participated in an event at the Parliament of the United Kingdom held at the House of Lords in British Parliament on March 7-8, 2023, to honor the Indian diaspora. The event was attended by Indians from European countries, United States, and diaspora elsewhere, Dr. Shivangi said.
House of Lords member Swaraj Paul was instrumental in organizing the event along with Lord Karan Bilimoria, and Lord Rami Ranger a business tycoon. “It was such a wonderful experience and opportunity to meet these British Indian billionaires who have made their strides in UK,” Dr. Shivangi said in his note about the visit.
Dr. Shivangi was also invited to the home of Lord Paul, who is in his 90s and “still very active and much involved in Indian diplomacy and Indian diaspora,” Shivangi said, adding, “He mentioned to me that London Zoo will be named after his family in recognition of his services to Britain.” Lord Paul also scheduled a visit to the House of Lords March 8, for Dr. Shivangi.
A conservative lifelong member of the Republican Party, Dr. Shivangi is the founding member of the Republican Indian Council and the Republican Indian National Council. Dr. Shivangi is the National President of Indian American Forum for Political Education, one of the oldest Indian American Associations. Over the past three decades, he has lobbied for several Bills in the US Congress on behalf of India through his enormous contacts with US Senators and Congressmen.
A close friend to the Bush family, he was instrumental in lobbying for the first Diwali celebration in the White House and for President George W. Bush to make his trip to India. He had accompanied President Bill Clinton during his historic visit to India.
Dr. Shivangi is a champion of women’s health and mental health whose work has been recognized nationwide. Dr. Shivangi has worked enthusiastically in promoting India Civil Nuclear Treaty and recently the US India Defense Treaty that was passed in US Congress and signed by President Obama.
Dr. Shivangi is a member of the U.S. National Advisory Council for Substance Abuse and Mental Health SAMHSA, Center for National Mental Health Services, in Washington, D.C.
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): US President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have extended their greetings of Mahavir Jayanti to the Jain community across the world and encouraged people to strive for peace and harmony. “(First Lady) Jill (Biden) and I wish a happy and prosperous Mahavir Jayanti to all those observing. Today, we recognize the values of Mahavir Swami and strive to live with peace, truth, and harmony,” Biden tweeted on Tuesday. Vice President Harris also sent her greetings on the occasion.
“On Mahavir Jayanti, Doug and I join Jains around the world in celebrating the birth of Mahavir Swami, who taught that all living beings are equal. Today, let us recommit to upholding these universal values of respect and non-violence,” Harris tweeted. The greetings from the US president and the vice president were welcomed by an Indian American community leader.
“We members of the Jain community thank President Biden and Vice President Harris for sending greetings on the occasion of Mahavir Jayanti, which no other president has done in the last,” said community leader Ajay Jain Bhutoria. “On this day, let us also take a pledge to work towards creating a more peaceful and harmonious world by following the path of Ahimsa, which was the core principle of Lord Mahavir’s teachings,” he said.
Let us strive to create a society where there is no violence, discrimination, or hatred, and where everyone is treated with equal dignity and respect, Bhutoria said in a statement.
“As we celebrate the birth of Lord Mahavir, let us also take a moment to reflect on his life and teachings, and to seek inspiration from his journey towards enlightenment. May this day bring us closer to our true selves and help us lead a life of purpose, compassion, and righteousness,” Bhutoria said.
WASHINGTON D.C. (TIP): As trusted global partners, India and the US are working to address the “pressing challenges of our times,” Indian Ambassador to the US Taranjit Singh Sandhu said on Thursday, April 6.
Addressing the New Hampshire State Assembly, a rare privilege given to foreign diplomats, Sandhu said that India stands today as a “beacon of stability, amidst geopolitical uncertainties; an usher of global economic growth; a solution provider to some of the complex challenges of the times; and a consensus builder, in times of conflict and rising tensions.” “India remains interesting, important and incredible,” he said.
President Joe Biden and Prime Minister Narendra Modi characterize India-US ties as a “Partnership for Global Good” and people call it the “most defining relationship of the 21st century,” he told the lawmakers.
“Our partnership within the QUAD, IPEF and I2U2 frameworks is creating progress and prosperity for the world at large,” he added.
Sandhu said that India and the US, as trusted global partners, are working to address pressing challenges of the times, the solutions to which would involve combining American technology and Indian talent, Washington’s strength to innovate and New Delhi’s ability to scale.
“Some of this is already happening,” he said.
American companies are manufacturing more in India than before, the two countries have launched a historic initiative on critical and emerging technologies, he said, adding, “The technologies that are driving tomorrow’s world, yesterday, – semiconductors, Artificial Intelligence, telecom, and quantum.” “We have active vaccine and medicine collaborations such as the Corbevax that are more affordable and accessible,” the Indian envoy said.
Sandhu said, “From New Delhi to New Hampshire, there are several threads that bind us together.” “From the world’s largest democracy to the largest State Assembly, in the United States, we are guided by the same values and the vision, ‘we, the people’,” he said. Addressing the packed State Assembly, Sandhu said that he was convinced of the strength of the shared beliefs of the two countries and the deep-rooted friendship and partnership as he stood “in this temple of democracy, steeped in people’s hopes and aspirations.”
Taking to Twitter after the address, the Indian Ambassador wrote, “A privilege to address the historic #NewHampshire House of Representatives & Senate Members this morning. Highlighted India’s transformative journey and its ever-strengthening partnership with the US.” During his address, Sandhu said that India is an ancient civilization but a young nation as 50 per cent of the population is below 25 years. He added that its talent can be a game-changer for innovation and research for the world.
“We bring to the table our strengths and successes, and we are always ready to share it with the world: From vaccines to disaster relief, to our digital public goods, to our skills,” Sandhu said.
Noting that India supplied vaccines to over 100 countries during the COVID-19 pandemic and it was the first country to send a humanitarian mission when disaster struck Turkiye, Sandhu said, “As India leads the G-20 this year, with the motto of ‘One Earth, One Family, One Future’, our approach to the global good, will resonate, far and wide.” “When our students seek education, in Dartmouth, or when a scholar from South New Hampshire University, pursues a Fulbright scholarship in India, we create a lasting friendship, between our peoples,” the top Indian diplomat in the US said.
The Indian diaspora, he said, has been a vibrant and strong bridge connecting the two great nations.
“The Bretton wood twins- IMF and World Bank- were born here in New Hampshire, at the Mount Washington Hotel- and here we are when the World Bank is soon going to be headed by a proud Indian-American!” he said, referring to Indian-American Ajay Banga who is poised to become the next President of the World Bank, adding that the second in command in IMF is already an Indian-American.
He said that 40 per cent of the world’s digital payments come from India.
“Be it the world’s largest biometric programme, Aadhar or world’s largest financial inclusion programme, ‘Jan Dhan Yojana’, or world’s largest Health Protection Mission, ‘Ayushman Bharat’, India has actively used technology as a tool for good governance,” he said. “We have more than 80,000 start-ups, out of which 115 are unicorns. Our rural internet users (USD 340 million), outnumber urban users (USD 290 million). IMF has forecast 15 per cent of global growth this year would come from India,” Sandhu said.
(Source: PTI)
WASHINGTON, D.C. (TIP): The Internal Revenue Service wrapped up the annual Dirty Dozen list of tax scams for 2023 with a reminder for taxpayers, businesses and tax professionals to watch out for these schemes throughout the year, not just during tax season.
Many of these schemes peak during filing season as people prepare their tax returns. In reality, these scams can occur throughout the year as fraudsters look for ways to steal money, personal information, data and more.
To help people watch out for these scams, the IRS and the Security Summit partners are providing an overview recapping this year’s Dirty Dozen scams.
“Scammers are coming up with new ways all the time to try to steal information from taxpayers,” said IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel. “People should be wary and avoid sharing sensitive personal data over the phone, email or social media to avoid getting caught up in these scams. And people should always remember to be wary if a tax deal sounds too good to be true.”
Working together as the Security Summit, the IRS, state tax agencies and the nation’s tax industry, including tax professionals, have taken numerous steps since 2015 to warn people about common scams and schemes during tax season and beyond that can increase the risk of identity theft. The Security Summit initiative is committed to protecting taxpayers, businesses and the tax system from scammers and identity thieves.
Some items on this year’s list were new and some made a return visit. While the list is not a legal document or a formal listing of agency enforcement priorities, it is intended to alert taxpayers and the tax professional community about various scams and schemes.
2023 Dirty Dozen summary:
Employee Retention Credit claims
Taxpayers should be aware of aggressive pitches from scammers who promote large refunds related to the Employee Retention Credit (ERC). The warning follows blatant attempts by promoters to con ineligible people to claim credit. The IRS highlighted these schemes from promoters who have been blasting ads on radio and the internet touting refunds involving Employee Retention Credits. These promotions can be based on inaccurate information related to eligibility for and computation of the credit. Additionally, some of these advertisements exist solely to collect the taxpayer’s personally identifiable information in exchange for false promises. The scammers then use the information to conduct identity theft.
Phishing and smishing
Taxpayers and tax professionals should be alert to fake communications from those posing as legitimate organizations in the tax and financial community, including the IRS and the states. These messages arrive in the form of an unsolicited text (smishing) or email (phishing) to lure unsuspecting victims to provide valuable personal and financial information that can lead to identity theft. The IRS initiates most contacts through regular mail and will never initiate contact with taxpayers by email, text or social media regarding a bill or tax refund.
Online account help from third-party scammers
Swindlers pose as a “helpful” third party and offer to help create a taxpayer’s IRS Online Account at IRS.gov. In reality, no help is needed. The online account provides taxpayers with valuable tax information. But third parties making these offers will try to steal a taxpayer’s personal information this way. Taxpayers can and should establish their own online account through IRS.gov.
False Fuel Tax Credit claims
The fuel tax credit is meant for off-highway business and farming use and, as such, is not available to most taxpayers. However, unscrupulous tax return preparers and promoters are enticing taxpayers to inflate their refunds by erroneously claiming the credit. The IRS has seen an increase in the promotion of filing certain refundable credits using Form 4136, Credit for Federal Tax Paid on Fuels.
Fake charities
Bogus charities are a perennial problem that gets bigger whenever a crisis or natural disaster strikes. Scammers set up these fake organizations to take advantage of the public’s generosity. They seek money and personal information, which can be used to further exploit victims through identity theft. Taxpayers who give money or goods to a charity might be able to claim a deduction on their federal tax return if they itemize deductions, but charitable donations only count if they go to a qualified tax-exempt organization recognized by the IRS.
Unscrupulous tax return preparers
Most tax preparers provide outstanding and professional service. However, people should be careful of shady tax professionals and watch for common warning signs, including charging a fee based on the size of the refund. A major red flag or bad sign is when the tax preparer is unwilling to sign the dotted line. Avoid these “ghost” preparers, who will prepare a tax return but refuse to sign or include their IRS Preparer Tax Identification Number (PTIN) as required by law. Taxpayers should never sign a blank or incomplete return.
Social media: Fraudulent form filing and bad advice
Social media can circulate inaccurate or misleading tax information, and the IRS has recently seen several examples. These can involve common tax documents like Form W-2 or more obscure ones like Form 8944. While Form 8944 is real, it is intended for a very limited, specialized group. Both schemes encourage people to submit false, inaccurate information in hopes of getting a refund. Taxpayers should always remember that if something sounds too good to be true, it probably is.
Spearphishing and cybersecurity for tax professionals
Phishing is a term given to emails or text messages designed to get users to provide personal information. Spearphishing is a tailored phishing attempt to a specific organization or business. The IRS is warning tax professionals about spearphishing because there is greater potential for harm if the tax preparer has a data breach. A successful spearphishing attack can ultimately steal client data and the tax preparer’s identity, allowing the thief to file fraudulent returns.
Offer in Compromise mills
Offers in Compromise are an important program to help people who can’t pay to settle their federal tax debts. But “mills” can aggressively promote Offers in Compromise in misleading ways to people who clearly don’t meet the qualifications, frequently costing taxpayers thousands of dollars. A taxpayer can check their eligibility for free using the IRS Offer in Compromise Pre-Qualifier tool.
Schemes aimed at high-income filers
Charitable Remainder Annuity Trust (CRAT): Charitable Remainder Trusts are irrevocable trusts that let individuals donate assets to charity and draw annual income for life or a specific period. Unfortunately, these trusts are sometimes misused by promoters, advisors and taxpayers to try to eliminate ordinary income and/or capital gain on the sale of the property.
Monetized Installment Sales: In these potentially abusive transactions, promoters find taxpayers seeking to defer the recognition of gain upon the sale of appreciated property. They facilitate a purported monetized installment sale for the taxpayer in exchange for a fee. Bogus tax avoidance strategies
Micro-captive insurance arrangements: A micro-captive is an insurance company whose owners elect to be taxed on the captive’s investment income only. Abusive micro-captives involve schemes that lack many of the attributes of legitimate insurance. These structures often include implausible risks, failure to match genuine business needs and, in many cases, unnecessary duplication of the taxpayer’s commercial coverages.
Syndicated conservation easements: A conservation easement is a restriction on the use of real property. Generally, taxpayers may claim a charitable contribution deduction for the fair market value of a conservation easement transferred to a charity if the transfer meets the requirements of Internal Revenue Code 170. In abusive arrangements, which generate high fees for promoters, participants attempt to game the tax system with grossly inflated tax deductions. Schemes with international elements
Offshore accounts and digital assets: The IRS continues to scrutinize attempts to hide assets in offshore accounts and accounts holding digital assets, such as cryptocurrency. The IRS continues to identify individuals who attempt to conceal income in offshore banks, brokerage accounts, digital asset accounts and nominee entities. Asset protection professionals and unscrupulous promoters continue to lure U.S. persons into placing their assets in offshore accounts and structures saying they are out of reach of the IRS. These assertions are not true. The IRS can identify and track anonymous transactions of foreign financial accounts as well as digital assets.
Maltese individual retirement arrangements misusing treaty: These arrangements involve U.S. citizens or residents who attempt to avoid U.S. tax by contributing to foreign individual retirement arrangements in Malta (or potentially other host countries). The participants in these transactions typically lack any local connection to the host country. By improperly asserting the foreign arrangement as a “pension fund” for U.S. tax treaty purposes, the U.S. taxpayer misconstrues the relevant treaty provisions and improperly claims an exemption from U.S. income tax on gains and earnings in and distributions from the foreign individual retirement arrangement.
Puerto Rican and foreign captive insurance: U.S. business owners of closely held entities participate in a purported insurance arrangement with a Puerto Rican or other foreign corporation in which the U.S. business owner has a financial interest. The U.S. business owner (or a related entity) claims a deduction for amounts paid as premiums for “insurance coverage” provided by a fronting carrier, which reinsures the “coverage” with the Puerto Rican or other foreign corporation. Despite being labeled as insurance, these arrangements lack many of the attributes of legitimate insurance. Where appropriate, the IRS will challenge the purported tax benefits from these types of transactions and impose penalties. The IRS Criminal Investigation Division is always on the lookout for promoters and participants of these types of schemes. Taxpayers should think twice before including questionable arrangements like this on their tax returns. After all, taxpayers are legally responsible for what’s on their return, not a promoter making promises and charging high fees. Taxpayers can help stop these arrangements by relying on reputable tax professionals they know and trust.
Help stop fraud and scams
As part of the Dirty Dozen awareness effort, the IRS encourages people to report individuals who promote improper and abusive tax schemes as well as tax return preparers who deliberately prepare improper returns.
To report an abusive tax scheme or a tax return preparer, people should mail or fax a completed Form 14242, Report Suspected Abusive Tax Promotions or Preparers and any supporting material to the IRS Lead Development Center in the Office of Promoter Investigations.
Mail:
Internal Revenue Service Lead Development Center
Stop MS5040
24000 Avila Road
Laguna Niguel, California 92677-3405
Fax: 877-477-9135
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