#TaxValentines: Tax Rhyme And Reason, Every Love Season

No one seemed to know how it started. A query on Twitter prompted some fingerpointing till it emerged that this now annual tradition of tax funnies was founded in tragedy.

Who Started #TaxValentines ?

Five of them, all season regulars - @hselftax, @AislingTax, @SoongJohnston, @iaincampbell07 and @DanNeidle, said Jeremy Cape started the tax rhymes a few valentines ago.

Jeremy Cape, who describes himself as a lawyer and writer on international tax, explained that “I remember writing some three years ago. My dad was dying and it distracted me from the sadness. (Sorry for the downer. But everyone loves an origin story)”.

Sorry Jeremy. Thank you Jeremy. Precious #TaxValentines now challenges tax rhyme and reason, every love season.

This year some heavy hitters have resorted to twitter verse. One revenue service, a British tax official and a Member of Parliament, tax policy folk at the OECD and an international tax magazine. Jeremy is still the most prolific (and unerringly funny), but the award this year—for the Funniest Rhyme—jointly goes to @AndyGrewal, @jmfeiner and @SoongJohnston.

Yup, I decide. But votes and contributions are welcome @menakadoshi.

European Commission Department for Taxation and Customs Union.

Roses are red
violets are blue
digital companies should pay
their fair share of taxes too#TaxValentines

Leads the HM Revenue & Customs team.

Roses are red
Like a tax dodger's face
When we take them to court
And demolish their case

#taxvalentines

Scottish National Party politician and Member of Parliament for Aberdeen North.

Roses are red
Your face will be too
When you're charged import VAT
On mailed gifts from EU#TaxValentines #tradevalentines

Director of the Center for Tax Policy and Administration at the OECD.

#taxvalentines

Roses are blue
My dreams come true
Is BEPS over?
I just wonder

Deputy Director of the OECD's Centre for Tax Policy and Administration.

Roses are red,
The TPG are blue, but if you keep me at arm's length, what kind of Valentine are you #taxvalentines

Tax and development policy analyst at OECD.

Roses are red
But I bought mine online
So where tax is due
Is hard to devine#taxvalentines

Tax news and analysis service.

Shall I compare TP to a summer's day? Naught art more lovely than a BEPS template. #taxvalentines

The likely founder of #taxvalentines.

Roses are red
I love you of course
I'd treat you like royalty
But then I'd tax you at source#TaxValentines

Tax expert “strongly opposed to neoliberals and secret trusts that do not fund him”.

Roses are red
Unless damaged in hail
All tax advisers are neoliberals
Who, candidly, should be in jail. #taxvalentines https://t.co/x6dsQpTphE

Winner #1 and law professor at University of Iowa.

Every expense you take
Every write-off you make
Every rule you break
Every claim you fake
I'll be deducting you#TaxValentines

Winner #2 and tax journalist.

Roses are red,
Violets are neat,
You can process my CbC data
Between the spreadsheets#taxvalentines

Visiting Fellow at Cambridge University.

Roses are red,
I'll pop a big question,
If I lower my taxes,
Will you bring foreign investment?#taxvalentines

One of the pioneers of #taxvalentines.

Roses are red
You could turn them blue
But hybrids are banned
Under BEPS Action 2#taxvalentines

Self-proclaimed “libertarian legend”.

Roses are red
Violets are blue
Give us your fucking money
"We're from the Government"#taxvalentines pic.twitter.com/WtJrZETWk6

Winner #3 and tax lawyer in London.

Roses are red
believe me, it's true
I'll have a carry-forward loss
if I can't be with you#taxvalentines

Yes, from India.

Violets are red
Roses are blue
If notional income can be taxed
Why can't the above be true!#taxvalentines

Hey cute IRS agent,
I know this is crazy,
But you have my tax ID number,
So audit me maybe#TaxValentines

Roses are red,
Your love you've professed
But I only give my benefits
After a principal purpose test.#taxvalentines

Roses are red
And my heart is skipping
I just found out that
He's double dipping
#taxvalentines

I noticed you,
cause you're looking resplendent.
Lets head back to my place,
and make a dependent.#TaxValentines https://t.co/AdBiUAElAQ

Roses are red,
I'll meet you after eight
But keep your tax system
Broad base and low rate#taxvalentines

Roses are red
And you must be tripping
If you think I'd perform
Sexy “earnings stripping” 🙄#taxvalentines

A tax leader at one of the big firms, trying hard.

#taxvalentines
Roses are red
Politicians, no clue
They add to complexities
And make tax codes like glue

Never let it be said that @GrantThorntonUK isn't home to tax romance😍

Could've been about India a few years ago.

Valentines is dead
Christmas is too
If we don't already have a tax
We'll backdate a new one for you#taxvalentines https://t.co/usCn4Bdw27

My contribution to #taxvalentines.

The government is winning
At this tax game
I've to work twice as hard
To 'take home' the same#TaxValentines

All descriptions have been sourced from individual twitter biographies.

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