Accountants and tax lawyers are seeing a rise in IRS audits directed at companies using captive insurance arrangements. While big businesses have long used captives as a way of managing risk, IRS efforts appear to be directed at smaller companies that rely on section 831(b) of the tax code. (In July we reported on the […]
Tenant in Common (TIC) Fraud 101 – Thousands Now Discovering The Truth
by Brian Mahany Tenant in Common (TIC for short) is a real estate investment that allows multiple parties to purchase a fractional interest in a property. TICs became very popular in 2002 after the IRS ruled that investors could defer capital gains from the sale of real estate involving an “exchange” of properties. (These are […]
Stockbrokers Dont Want To Air Dirty Laundry – Stockbroker Fraud Post
by Brian Mahany We are firm believers in full and complete disclosure. Americans are smart enough to understand that not every complaint against a stockbroker is legitimate. Many complaints are unfounded or frivolous. But as customers and clients, we should have the right to know if other complaints are pending against a broker. Under a […]
Hook ‘Em and Book ‘Em – Former Texas Longhorn Star Charged WIth Affinity Fraud
by Brian Mahany Three days ago I was in Bandera, Texas participating in my first “Cowboy Mardi Gras.” As a new Texas landowner and soon to be resident, it was fitting to begin spending time in my new hometown. (It was also 80 degrees while Milwaukee was a frigid 8!) Football is king in Texas […]
Whose Responsible For The Housing Market Meltdown? FDIC Settles With IndyMac CEO
by Brian Mahany There is plenty of blame for the housing market meltdown. Ask anyone on Main Street, America and most will quickly (and correctly) point the finger at the Wall Street and the big banks. Those folks, however, will likely deny everything. Last week the FDIC was successfully able to hold one big bank […]
Painting the Mouse: Fraud Is All Around Us
by Joe Bird We usually write to tell another tale of economic fraud, most often about lending or mortgage fraud. The amount of money involved and the seemingly endless supply of greed provide a fertile ground for the growth of nearly every species of fraud, so we are always able to find new and interesting […]
A Message Of Hope From The Proverbial Cockroach (Repost)
[2021 Ed. note: This post is printed from Global Wealth Protection LLC. GWP is a provider of offshore asset protection. If you enjoyed reading this post, consider subscribing to their newsletter or attending their program Global Escape Hatch beginning on September 19th in Panama. Details are on their website. I reprinted this piece because of […]
The Man Behind The Curtain II – Jim Hodge and Allied Home Mortgage
by Joe Bird In recent months, Jim Hodge, the owner, CEO and chief wizard in charge of all companies Allied, has announced he wants to “restore his reputation” and that he would love to chat with the media, but was “traveling”. It is unclear where he is traveling to, but he is on the run […]
Another Can’t Lose Strategy Hits The Market
by Brian Mahany It seems that more and more we are reporting on companies offering “bulletproof” asset protection products. Moving your assets offshore might beneficial for some but thinking that you can purchase complete protection from all creditors “for just one easy payment of $995” is crazy. We chuckled this morning when we received an […]
Why It May Make Sense To Only Deal With Larger Brokerage Firms
by Brian Mahany My “in box” is likely to explode after people see the title of this post. But its true. Although large broker dealers and investment banks can fail (think Lehman Brothers or MF Global), smaller firms tend to fold far more often. An article by Bruce Kelly yesterday in the online edition of […]