This article primarily delves into the nuances and lessons learned from the four precedential opinions issued by California’s Office of Tax Appeals (OTA) with respect to the taxation of residents. It also serves as a reminder of the complexity of California’s residency issues and the value of consulting a qualified tax attorney in matters that […] Read More…

On March 21, 2025, the Supreme Court handed down a unanimous decision in Thompson v. United States, 604 U.S. ___, a case interpreting 18 USC §1014, making false statements for purposes of influencing certain financial institutions. The defendant in the case is Patrick Thompson. The Court’s opinion does not talk about who Thompson is. He […] Read More…

Attorneys from our firm have written extensively about foreign bank account reporting (FBAR) penalties.[1] Fifteen years ago, Steven Toscher and Barbara Lubin raised the specter that willful FBAR penalties could violate the Eighth Amendment’s Excessive Fines Clause in the article When Penalties Are Excessive—The Excessive Fines Clause as a Limitation on the Imposition of the Willful […] Read More…