Nothing Is Certain But Death And Taxes And Paris Hilton
With only three more deduction days 'til the anti-Christmas, i.e. federal income tax filing deadline, we thought we'd share some of the highlights from this ABCNews.com report from earlier in the week, in which tax experts are consulted on some creative accounting loopholes celebrities may want to explore:
· Paris Hilton's Dog: "I'd make the argument that Tinkerbell represents more than companionship," says CPA David Rogers of ActorsTaxPrep in Los Angeles.
"At this point, I'd imagine there are likely to be events that Paris is absolutely required to bring little Tinkerbell along, and so the dog then becomes a marketable part of her image."
· George Clooney's fat: Clooney might be able to write off the 30 pounds he was required to gain in order to play the haggard CIA agent, for his Oscar-winning role in "Syriana," if he needed professional help to get fat fast.
Likewise, if Clooney needs a special regime to diet down for "Ocean's 13," that's also a business expense.
· Star Jones' Breast Lift: In Jones' case, she might have a tough time making the argument that [her breast job] was a business necessity. But plastic surgery can be considered a medical deduction if it is done to correct an injury, ailment or birth defect.
We had no idea you could write off 30 pounds off flab: We're definitely adding that to next year's deductions in the "miscellaneous" section right beneath "El Pollo Loco business dinners" and "House call massages (home office stress reduction)" entries. As for Jones' new rack, we can't say we approve of that as a legitimate expense, unless of course she'd accept a hefty refund in the form of a large expanse of removed, excess flesh.