Jeter the Cheater!

[VinnyTheMick]

Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter cheated New York out of millions in taxes by claiming he lived in Florida when he really was living it up in Manhattan, state officials say.

The tax man is going after the All-Star slugger for three years' worth of back taxes and interest - using his own words against him.

"He has made numerous public statements professing his love for New York," the state Division of Tax Appeals wrote in legal papers.

The tax case is the first blemish on Jeter's squeaky-clean reputation, though there's no suggestion of criminal wrongdoing.

Jeter - who makes more than $20 million a year with the Bombers and millions more in endorsements - claims he established residency in Tampa in 1994.

State officials are seeking taxes for three years starting in 2001 - the same year he bought a $13 million apartment at Trump World Tower.

They say the 88th-floor spread near the United Nations is the Jersey-born shortstop's real home-sweet-home.

"He keeps items near and dear in his New York apartment," the lawyers wrote. "He became immersed in the New York community."

The real estate taxes on the bachelor pad run to $70,000 a year - but the swank address could cost Jeter a lot more if the state wins its case.

The bean counters in Albany first went after Jeter in February - and he quickly hit back. The lawyers said the state's allegations were too vague and demanded they provide more specifics to back up their claims.

The administrative law judge assigned to the case ordered the state to provide more details showing Jeter was "immersed in the community" - which shouldn't be too hard if they have access to the gossip column archives.

Then there's the first sentence of this Associated Press story about Jeter from October 2006: "He's a New York icon, as much a part of the city as the Empire State Building and the Statue of Liberty."

Random House, which published Jeter's book, "The Life You Imagine," says on its Web site that he "lives in New York City and Tampa, Florida."

A biography on the Yankees Web site says Jeter "resides" in Tampa and "works" in New York.

"As a Yankee, Derek has great affection for the people of New York and its amazing fans, but since the mid 1990s, he has made his home in Tampa, Fla.," said Casey Close, Jeter's agent.

A spokesman for the Division of Tax Appeals could not be reached for comment.

A state government source said to establish residency tax officials could check Jeter's utility bills, where he has a driver's license and his employment records, including the Yankees game schedule.

They could also send agents to his apartment building to question neighbors and staff, the source said.

One of Jeter's East Side neighbors, who identified herself only as Kate, said the ballplayer "definitely lives here. We see him coming and going all the time. He has half a floor with 16-foot ceilings."

Yankee fans said Jeter should pay Uncle Sam.

"He's got enough money. Jeter can cover it. He should have taken care of it from the beginning," said Mike Gamble, 36, a passport expediter from the Bronx. "We've got to pay all that money for those damn tickets. He better pay his share."


http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/baseb ... ut_-1.html

[sully00]

I am not tax lawyer but this is pretty much common practice with pro athletes. The fact that the tax people are going to the press likely means they have nothing and are trying to attack his image instead. His job requires him to live in Tampa for 2 months out of the year and you don't have to be a meteoroligist to figure out were he is the other 4 months of the year (sadly).

What is with the Uncle Sam line by the writer? Why write the article without finding out were his drivers license from? Because you already know the answer.

I can't imagine were Jeter got this idea from perhaps the fact that his employer operates the NY Yankees out of Tampa, Florida.

What a hack.

[BBall_Babe114]

I am not tax lawyer but this is pretty much common practice with pro athletes. The fact that the tax people are going to the press likely means they have nothing and are trying to attack his image instead. His job requires him to live in Tampa for 2 months out of the year and you don't have to be a meteoroligist to figure out were he is the other 4 months of the year (sadly).

What is with the Uncle Sam line by the writer? Why write the article without finding out were his drivers license from? Because you already know the answer.

I can't imagine were Jeter got this idea from perhaps the fact that his employer operates the NY Yankees out of Tampa, Florida.

What a hack.

Umm, No.

1. The reason why this made news is because Fox News (which also owns the NY Post) scans famous names through electronic legal documents and whenever a famous name comes up, they're the first to report it.

2. The outing of "tax cheats" isn't new. California put out a website of its 250 top tax offenders and some celebs on that list: Dionne Warwick, OJ Simpson

3. Actually this is no hack. Its obvious that Jeter's accountant at that time was an idiot. I'm an accountant and I do taxes every year. This type of tax case is common with high earning individuals with multiple "residences". In Jeter's case the NY State Tax Dept says that he was a resident of NY in 2001-2003 (April - October = 7 months = not a resident of Florida). NY has a ridiculous income tax structure, and Florida has none, so the state of NY is always looking to see if someone is skirting their tax obligation.
***Also, understand that their are alot of CPAs out there involving their clients in no-tax schemes so they can run up billable hours, and in the end the tax agencies void those schemes and the taxpayers end up with back taxes, fees and interest penalties.

Now understand this isn't Jeter's fault - with his income and the complexity of his tax return, he doesn't prepare his taxes - but the law says that the taxpayer is responsible. So if the tax court finds with the state, then Jeter has to fork over some serious bucks. He can afford it and most likely his attys will work out a deal - 98% of tax cases end in settlements.

[VinnyTheMick]

-= original quote snipped =-



Umm, No.

1. The reason why this made news is because Fox News (which also owns the NY Post) scans famous names through electronic legal documents and whenever a famous name comes up, they're the first to report it.

2. The outing of "tax cheats" isn't new. California put out a website of its 250 top tax offenders and some celebs on that list: Dionne Warwick, OJ Simpson

3. Actually this is no hack. Its obvious that Jeter's accountant at that time was an idiot. I'm an accountant and I do taxes every year. This type of tax case is common with high earning individuals with multiple "residences". In Jeter's case the NY State Tax Dept says that he was a resident of NY in 2001-2003 (April - October = 7 months = not a resident of Florida). NY has a ridiculous income tax structure, and Florida has none, so the state of NY is always looking to see if someone is skirting their tax obligation.
***Also, understand that their are alot of CPAs out there involving their clients in no-tax schemes so they can run up billable hours, and in the end the tax agencies void those schemes and the taxpayers end up with back taxes, fees and interest penalties.

Now understand this isn't Jeter's fault - with his income and the complexity of his tax return, he doesn't prepare his taxes - but the law says that the taxpayer is responsible. So if the tax court finds with the state, then Jeter has to fork over some serious bucks. He can afford it and most likely his attys will work out a deal - 98% of tax cases end in settlements.

Do my taxes, please.

[sully00]

BBall_Babe114

If you are an accountant than you would understand that plenty of people, especially people who work in NYC do not live in the state of NY. I happen to live in a different state than the one I work. Without having Jeter's return I would not know this as a fact but the chances are his taxes on deducted from his check. He then files as a non resident and gets back what he has coming to him.

Only in the good years does Jeter's job require him to be in NY in October and that doesn't matter anyhow. Senators work and stay in Washington but were do they pay their taxes? Beyond that his job requires that he live in some other city nearly half of that time him, many of which he has to pay taxes for playing baseball in.

With the bastian of integrity Newscorp reporting this, and in rather hack form as I already pointed out, not finding out were Jeter's license is and the ridiculous Uncle Sam comment like the state of NY is the federal government what else is there to this? They have not shot of proving this on the grounds of were his primary residence is. He doesn't have a family, they are dead in the water.

Seriously if everybody that has a nice pad in NYC has to start filing as a resident of the state of NY there is going to be quite a real estate issue in the city soon enough.