Rather misleading title since it really had no bearing on the game and think its rather insulting to Saints fans to even imply that
Rather misleading title and as someone who works in Taxes it really didn't help them in the SB and its rather insulting to Saints fans to say that it did.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/06/new...hannelsections
Rather misleading title and as someone who works in Taxes it really didn't help them in the SB and its rather insulting to Saints fans to say that it did.
http://www.forbes.com/2010/07/06/new...hannelsections
Did Tax Ploy Help Saints Win Super Bowl?
William P. Barrett, 07.06.10, 05:47 PM EDT
IRS disputes New Orleans team's claim that $8.5 million annual payment from Louisiana wasn't taxable as income.
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Did the New Orleans Saints have some accounting help as they marched in to their Super Bowl win this year over the Indianapolis Colts?
In a just-filed U.S. Tax Court lawsuit, the partnership owning the Saints acknowledges that it didn't treat an $8.5 million annual payment from the state of Louisiana as income and therefore didn't pay taxes on the sum. Rather, the team said the money was an addition to "working capital" and a nontaxable transaction.
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The Internal Revenue Service insists the money should have been included in income by the franchise, owned for a quarter-century by auto dealer Thomas M. Benson Jr. The Tax Court case challenges that position.
The litigation only concerns one tax year, 2003. But news reports and bond financing documents concerning the Superdome say such large payments have been made regularly. A similar tax treatment position taken by the Saints in other years would have afforded the team cumulatively a substantial economic edge.
Neither the team nor its tax lawyer responded Tuesday to requests for comment.
According to the lawsuit, the $8.5 million was one of a series of "inducement payments" starting in 2001 for 10 years to keep the National Football League team in New Orleans. The lawsuit says, the money was to be used, among other things, to "acquire additional and higher-priced player contacts" to make the team "more competitive in the NFL."
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In my understanding, an addition to working capital can only be excluded as income if the funds are from within the organization, its parent company or its subsidiaries or stockholders. The state of
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Sounds like income? The team says no, contending the money became a "permanent part of the Saints' working capital." In support of this position the lawsuit cites unspecified "common law principles, administrative rulings and other authorities applicable to inducement payments made by third parties." The partnership says in its lawsuit that treating the money as a capital contribution reduced the amount of income shielded by depreciation write-offs by an unspecified sum.
Benson bought the team in 1985 for $70 million. He owns 100%. Before the Super Bowl victory, Forbes estimated the team value at $942 million.
In addition to the inducement payments--started after thinly veiled threats to leave New Orleans--Benson struck a new deal before last season with the state to renovate the Superdome. The home field was badly damaged like much of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The construction will add 3,100 seats and 16 pricey suites, further increasing the team's value.
William P. Barrett, 07.06.10, 05:47 PM EDT
IRS disputes New Orleans team's claim that $8.5 million annual payment from Louisiana wasn't taxable as income.
image
Did the New Orleans Saints have some accounting help as they marched in to their Super Bowl win this year over the Indianapolis Colts?
In a just-filed U.S. Tax Court lawsuit, the partnership owning the Saints acknowledges that it didn't treat an $8.5 million annual payment from the state of Louisiana as income and therefore didn't pay taxes on the sum. Rather, the team said the money was an addition to "working capital" and a nontaxable transaction.
Article Controls
Emailemail
imageprint
imagereprint
imagenewsletter
comments (7)
imageshare
imagedel.icio.us
imageDigg It!
imageyahoo
imageFacebook
imageTwitter
imageReddit
imagerss
Yahoo! Buzz
The Internal Revenue Service insists the money should have been included in income by the franchise, owned for a quarter-century by auto dealer Thomas M. Benson Jr. The Tax Court case challenges that position.
The litigation only concerns one tax year, 2003. But news reports and bond financing documents concerning the Superdome say such large payments have been made regularly. A similar tax treatment position taken by the Saints in other years would have afforded the team cumulatively a substantial economic edge.
Neither the team nor its tax lawyer responded Tuesday to requests for comment.
According to the lawsuit, the $8.5 million was one of a series of "inducement payments" starting in 2001 for 10 years to keep the National Football League team in New Orleans. The lawsuit says, the money was to be used, among other things, to "acquire additional and higher-priced player contacts" to make the team "more competitive in the NFL."
Related Stories
* Drew Brees Will Appear On Cover Of Madden NFL 11
* Will Bad History Repeat With Congress And The IRS?
* In Tax Court, Horse Racing Writer Finishes Out Of The Money
* Next Week's Guest: William Ford Jr.
* Understanding the Basics of Jet Charter Pricing
Related Videos
* Walgreen June Sales Rise 8.4%
* How To Value Art
* NBA's New CBA
* Use It, Or Lose It: Nintendo 3DS
* Celebrity Business Brands
* Stories
* Videos
Rate This Story
*
Your Rating
*
Overall Rating
Reader Comments
In my understanding, an addition to working capital can only be excluded as income if the funds are from within the organization, its parent company or its subsidiaries or stockholders. The state of
Read All Comments (7)
Post a Comment
Sounds like income? The team says no, contending the money became a "permanent part of the Saints' working capital." In support of this position the lawsuit cites unspecified "common law principles, administrative rulings and other authorities applicable to inducement payments made by third parties." The partnership says in its lawsuit that treating the money as a capital contribution reduced the amount of income shielded by depreciation write-offs by an unspecified sum.
Benson bought the team in 1985 for $70 million. He owns 100%. Before the Super Bowl victory, Forbes estimated the team value at $942 million.
In addition to the inducement payments--started after thinly veiled threats to leave New Orleans--Benson struck a new deal before last season with the state to renovate the Superdome. The home field was badly damaged like much of New Orleans by Hurricane Katrina in 2005. The construction will add 3,100 seats and 16 pricey suites, further increasing the team's value.