"...there is nothing sinister in so arranging one's
affairs as to keep taxes as low as possible. Everybody does so,
rich or poor; and all do right, for nobody owes any public duty to
pay more than the law demands... To demand more of mortals is mere
cant."
Learned Hand in Commissioner v. Newman, 159 F2d 848
(1947).
Everywhere you look lately, the press seems to be reporting
another group or person that is pontificating about the
"evils" of tax avoidance and tax planning. The usual
rhetoric is that corporations or individuals who plan to reduce
their taxes are engaging in immoral practices since they should be
paying their "fair share". Large corporations like
Google, Apple, Starbucks and now Twitter have been roasted for their tax strategies. The pressure
got so heated that Starbucks agreed to make a voluntary payment to the UK Treasury
notwithstanding they were under no legal obligation to do so. And
to top it off, the International Bar Association has recently re
