IRS to pursue guy who caught Jeter's 3000th hit ball

[Randle Pat McMurphy]

Wonder if the IRS will go after Jeter as well? Hmmm...didnt this guy give Jeter a gift worth an estimated $250,000? No, pick on the fan


Fan Who Caught Jeter's 3,000th Hit May Owe IRS | NBC New York

Fan Who Caught Jeter's 3,000th Hit May Owe IRS Thousands


The tax man may be on the hunt for the super fan who caught Derek Jeter's 3,000th hit.

Christian Lopez, 23, recovered the prized ball his father fumbled after The Captain hammered it into their section of the stands in the third inning of the Yankees' win over Tampa Bay on Saturday.

The Verizon salesman from Highland Mills, N.Y., gave the ball back to Jeter, whom he called an "icon," and the Yankees lavished a slew of prizes, including luxury box seats for every remaining home game this season and post-season and some signed memorabilia.

Now the IRS wants a piece. The prizes Lopez received are estimated to be worth more than $32,000 -- and, like game show contestants, Lopez may have to pay taxes on the gifts and prizes because the IRS considers them income.

Some estimate the IRS will put Lopez on the hook for anywhere between $5,000 and $13,000, reports the Daily News.

If it comes down to that, Lopez says he'll pay the tax man because he's not about to relinquish his seats. The young government major says his family and friends will help him out.

"The IRS has a job to do, so I'm not going to hold it against them, but it would be cool if they helped me out a little on this," Lopez told the News.

The specially marked home run ball Lopez returned to Jeter was estimated to have been worth about $250,000 to $300,000 at auction.

[dhunter]

jeter should offer to pay his taxes

[ParrotHead]

Always want a piece of something. Figures they would come in to play

[Slammer]

Or the Yankees team. I'm sure it would hardly cripple them to find an extra $5,000 to $13,000.

[chibob]

Kid is going to do okay. I heard this AM he is set to do some commercials and sign some items to be sold.

He should be able to offset the value of the Ball, which he gave as a gift, with the value of the gifts received from the Yanks

[dhunter]

let's say the yankees offer to pay his taxes. Would that payment be considered another "gift" and would it be taxable?

[revnecro1273]

Originally Posted by dhunter

let's say the yankees offer to pay his taxes. Would that payment be considered another "gift" and would it be taxable?

was thinking the same thing

[Quiksilver]

Unbelievable, what happened to the more "friendly" version of the IRS that they were supposed to become a number of years ago?

[ParrotHead]

IRS and Friendly dont go together

[Hoosiercatdaddy]

Originally Posted by dhunter

jeter should offer to pay his taxes

This will happen

[mikkii10]

Originally Posted by dhunter

let's say the yankees offer to pay his taxes. Would that payment be considered another "gift" and would it be taxable?

and you pay taxes on that too

[be47320]

jeter will do it only if his hand his forced, yankees prob figure out a way to take care of it

jeter a well known selfish prick who isnt fan friendly

[Sweetleaf22]

what dummy this guy is.....................


Auctioned ball would have got 200,000-300,000

[cali]

Originally Posted by dhunter

let's say the yankees offer to pay his taxes. Would that payment be considered another "gift" and would it be taxable?

If its considered a "gift" and not a "prize" then it may not be taxable. Depends how he claims it. Gifts and prizes are different. Seems like a good argument can be made that what he received were gifts since it wasn't part of a contest etc.. Seems more like gifts from the Yankees since he gave them the ball for free, not for what he received.

[Gobbler's Knob]