Hi, My Name Is Sam

Like those who have introduced themselves before me, I’m thrilled to be part of this tax-blogging experiment.

I’m Sam Brunson, and I teach a couple of tax classes (as well as Business Organizations) at Loyola University Chicago. My research interests are relatively catholic when it comes to tax law, but the primary strands of my research have been trending in two directions: the intersection of tax and religion and the taxation of investment stuff (most recently, focusing on mutual funds and other RICs). I also like to look at tax fairness (especially in the investment branch) and standing to challenge tax laws (especially in the religion branch).

When I teach federal income tax, I always let my students know my background. Which is this: I entered college as a saxophone performance major, and graduated as an English major. It wasn’t until law school that I discovered that tax law was a thing, much less that tax law was my calling. 

When I’m not thinking about the tax law, I spend a lot of time thinking about (and listening to) jazz. All jazz, really, but especially contemporary avant-garde jazz. And I occasionally pretend to pick up one of my saxophones. And I’m trying to learn accordion (long story, but pretty much I took my mother-in-law’s accordion off her hands like one week before my brother-in-law was going to, so now I have some obligation to actually learn it; if anybody knows of a good accordion method that doesn’t start with This is a whole note, and that maybe focuses on jazz rather than traditional accordion music, that would be wonderful).

And if I’m not thinking about music, there’s a very good chance I’m at the rock climbing gym, trying to keep up with my kids.

I don’t know how well I can tie jazz and climbing in with my tax blogging, but you can be certain I’ll try. And I’m looking forward to the conversations we’re going to have here.