50,000 inmates claim tax refunds

50,000 inmates claim tax refunds

WASHINGTON

Nearly 50,000 prison inmates claimed more than $130 million in tax refunds this year without providing any wage information to the IRS, a government investigator says in a report to be released today.

The Treasury inspector general for tax administration stops short of saying the refunds were claimed fraudulently. It does, however, say the Internal Revenue Service should investigate further.

The report is the latest in a series of audits looking at prison inmates’ claiming tax credits and other government payments. It notes that the IRS identified nearly 250,000 fraudulent tax returns during the 2010 filing season — a 50 percent increase over 2009 — preventing $1.48 billion in fraudulent refunds.

US, China near deal on key climate issue

CANCUN, Mexico

The United States and China appeared close to agreement Wednesday on a key issue that has troubled climate-change negotiations, boosting prospects that talks on global warming will score their first success in years.

Analysts said the tone over measuring emissions had softened between the two major protagonists in the 193-nation talks. Over the past year they repeatedly exchanged accusations of reneging on commitments and undermining the talks.

The much-disputed issue involves how countries account for their actions to limit emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases and to what extent they will allow other countries to review their books. The process is known as measuring, reporting and verifying, or MRV in negotiating parlance.

State AGs seek end of cigarette promo

RICHMOND, Va.

The National Association of Attorneys General is asking cigarette maker RJ Reynolds Tobacco Co. to stop a promotional campaign for Camel cigarettes that the group says appeals to young people.

In a letter to the nation’s second-largest cigarette maker, the group said Reynolds’ “Break Free Adventure” campaign has substantial youth appeal and may encourage underage tobacco use.

“We are concerned that this advertising campaign is using aspects of popular culture, including independent music, art, motor sports, and ‘hip’ or countercultural attitudes, to advertise Camel cigarettes in a way that is appealing to young people’s psychological needs for rebelliousness, sensation-seeking and risk-taking,” the group said in a Nov. 23 letter.

The group also cited the 1998 tobacco settlement that prohibits the marketing of tobacco to youth. Those restrictions included a ban on Reynolds’ use of the cartoon character “Joe Camel.”

Associated Press