Law reviews are scholarly journals focusing on legal issues, usually edited by students at a particular school. America’s law schools currently crank out hundreds of different reviews, which means there aren’t a lot of topics that haven’t already been covered. (Chief Justice John Roberts once said “Pick up a copy of any law review that you see, and the first article is likely to be, you know, the influence of Immanuel Kant on evidentiary approaches in 18th Century Bulgaria, or something.) But the Iowa Law Review has just published a new article on a crucial tax topic — and it’s especially appropriate to discuss this week after Halloween. We’re referring, of course, to Arizona State professor Adam Chodorow’s groundbreaking new work, Death and Taxes and Zombies.
“The United States stands on the precipice of a financial disaster, and Congress has done nothing but bicker. Of course, I refer to the coming day when the undead walk the earth, feasting upon the living. A zombie apocalypse will create an urgent need for significant government revenues to protect the living, while at the same time rendering a large portion of the taxpaying public dead or undead. The governmental™s failure to anticipate or plan for this eventuality could cripple its ability to respond effectively, putting us all at risk. This essay fills a glaring gap in the academic literature by examining how the estate and income tax laws apply to the undead.”
Don’t laugh. This is 25 pages of lively prose, with 124 scholarly footnotes citing authoritative sources like Harry Potter and the Sorceror’s Stone, the noted gourmand Hannibal Lecter, and even “Slimer” from Ghostbusters. Chodorow isn’t afraid to ask the scary questions that the rest of us shy away from:
As you can see, there’s a lot more to taxes and zombies than meets the eye. Chodorow urges Congress to create tax laws for them now, before members become zombies themselves.
Fortunately, the secret to navigating taxes in a land of walking dead is the same as navigating taxes now — it’s planning. And speaking of acting now, before it turns too late, 2013 is quickly coming to an end. December 31 may not bring a zombie apocalypse, but it will drive a stake in the heart of some of your best planning strategies. So email us for the plan you need, before it’s really too late!
Donna Bordeaux, CPA with Calculated Moves
Creativity and CPAs don’t generally go together. Most people think of CPAs as nerdy accountants who can’t talk with people. Well, it’s time to break that stereotype. Lively, friendly, and knowledgeable can be a part of your relationship with your CPA as demonstrated by Donna and Chad Bordeaux. They have over 50 years of combined experience as entrepreneurial CPAs. They’ve owned businesses and helped business owners exceed their wildest dreams. They have been able to help businesses earn many times more profit than the average business in the same industry and are passionate about helping industries that help families build great memories.