As the Associated Press reported, “The initial sentence of 10 years of probation that Couch received in juvenile court outraged prosecutors and relatives of the victims, which include one teenager who was paralyzed and uses a wheelchair.”

Couch, who was found to have a blood-alcohol level triple the legal limit for adult drivers, was driving his parent’s truck after a night of drinking and ran into a crowd of people helping a motorist whose car was disabled. The motorist, a youth minister who stopped to help her and a mother and daughter who came out of their nearby home were all killed, the AP reported.

Couch largely got off after his “defense lawyer argued that his wealthy parents coddled him into a sense of irresponsibility — a condition an expert witness referred to as affluenza,” wrote Ashley Welch of CBS News.

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But the teen was later caught on camera drinking again, a violation of his probation. A manhunt let authorities to Mexico to bring Couch and his mother back to the United States to face charges.

Welch talked to some psychologists about the affluenza defense. Jeffrey L. Metzner, a forensic psychiatrist at University of Colorado at Denver, told CBS News that affluenza is not a recognized psychiatric diagnosis. As Welch reported, “Metzner said the characteristics described in the defense, such as entitlement, lack of empathy and lack of boundaries, sound similar to narcissistic personality disorder.”

Take a look at “The Affluenza Project” website founded by Jessie H. O’Neill, author of “The Golden Ghetto: The Psychology of Affluence.” O’Neill writes: “Trillions of dollars will pass from one generation to the next over the coming 50 years. It is my mission to ensure the emotionally healthy transfer of this immense wealth by helping others understand the psychological effects of money on individuals and organizations.”

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The Washington Post’s Elahe Izadi and Lindsey Bever wrote of Couch’s situation: “His family is reported to be worth millions, thanks in part to a booming sheet metal business. It’s their success — and the way they have handled it — that Couch’s attorneys said contributed to his reckless behavior.”

Color of Money Question of the Week

Do you think the affluenza defense is legitimate? Send your comments to colorofmoney@washpost.com. Please put “Affluenza” in the subject line. Include your name, city and state.

My dog ate my return

You have five days (six if you live in Maine or Massachusetts) to get your tax return filed if you owe money. The deadline to submit your 2015 tax return is April 18, as opposed to the traditional April 15 date. Because Washington, D.C., is celebrating Emancipation Day on Friday, the deadline was pushed to Monday. If you live in Maine and Massachusetts, your filing deadline will be Tuesday, April 19, because of Patriots Day celebrations.

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But what if you can’t make the deadline? What excuses do you think the Internal Revenue Service might accept?

“When it comes to excuses that work with the IRS about why you didn’t file your taxes on time, the dog ate my tax return won’t fly,” writes Lisa Kiplinger for USA Today. “But you might be surprised at what will.

Kiplinger asked a tax professional, who shared stories about excuses for tardiness that worked: fear of the forms (seriously), health issues, mourning and burglary (a thief stole the family computer).

What excuses don’t fly? Don’t try to claim it was the preparer’s fault or that you didn’t know you owed money. (If you’re getting a refund you aren’t penalized for not filing on time because, well, the government is happy to hold on to your money a bit longer.)

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Better not risk penalties for being late with your filing. But if you believe you have some extraordinary circumstances, here’s a link to a tip sheet from the IRS about qualifying for a first-time waiver from penalties for failing to file a tax return or to pay on time.

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Live Chat Today

I’m back. Hope you missed me, but I left you in good hands.

On occasion when I’m away, The Washington Post’s Rodney Brooks, who writes a retirement column, and Jonnelle Marte, who covers personal-finance issues, will fill in for me. But this week, it’s just you and me. Join me live at noon (Eastern time). Here’s the link to participate in the conversation.

So what’s on your mind financially? Got a family financial feud you need me to help sort through? Or perhaps you have a Thursday Testimony, which I love. It’s your chance to share your financial success stories.

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More electronic news coming your way

Starting on Monday, Post retirement columnist Rodney Brooks will launch a weekly electronic newsletter primarily focused on retirement. He’ll be gathering various news stories, tips and information about retirement in a newsletter similar to the one you receive from me. If you read this e-letter online, sign up to get it delivered straight to your inbox so you won’t miss it.

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The addition is part of our efforts to help you stay informed. Both newsletters will continue to provide a roundup of the latest news affecting your personal finances. So sign up for both. Brooks will post on Mondays, and I’ll continue to post on Thursdays.

Color of Money Columns

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How to lose $2 million in 90 days

Last week, I talked about former National Football League player Marques Ogden, who was once worth $4 million but who lost his wealth trying to build a business.

In an effort to keep his construction business afloat, Ogden used his savings from playing football in addition to taking on debt. So for last week’s Color of Money Question I asked: Would you put your personal finances on the line for your start-up?

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Kimberly Rotter of San Diego, a regular commenter, wrote: “I have an MBA with an emphasis on entrepreneurship. In school, we were taught that many successful entrepreneurs put it ALL on the line for their startup. It shows their passion for and firm belief in the business’s potential. Many are more inclined to work extra hard to make the business successful if personal and family/friends money is on the line. Those are the last people we want to let down. I don’t think it was inherently wrong to use personal money. Good for him for not losing someone else’s $2 million. Entrepreneurs have to be willing to take big risks, and he sounds like the kind of person who could try again, applying hard-learned lessons to his next venture. Few entrepreneurs hit the jackpot on their very first try.”

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Just because putting it all on the line worked for some, doesn’t mean it’s the smart thing to do. You shouldn’t put everything on the line for your business, just as you wouldn’t put all your money in one stock. It’s too much risk.

Zinna in Maryland pointed out that Ogden has written a book about his financial experience. “What about featuring his book for the book club?” she writes.

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The book is “Sleepless Nights: The NFL: A Business and Family.” I just may review it.

Kerry Kleiber of Purdue University wrote: “You have to educate yourself about the business you’re in and the economic and cultural signs that exist. You also have to set limits. On the other side, however, being in business is a risk and you have to be willing to sacrifice, both your time and your money. So, it depends. Did he do wrong? I can’t possibly know. Only he does. I do admire him, however, and wish him well.”

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Jacob Blackett of Indianapolis wrote that he put a lot on the line for his real estate investing business, and it worked. “While this journey has been a major gamble, right now it couldn’t look better.”

“Many years ago, I did put my (and my wife’s) money into buying a franchise sales territory that was expanding out into a new area,” wrote Ed B. of Boston. “Back then, putting up $30,000 cash was a lot of money and we needed the same amount for operating funds. If you’re reading this, then you can imagine, the business did not take off as our business plan called for or the franchise company led us to believe it would.”

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Ed’s story is indeed a cautionary tale, so read it all: “We grew to realize that much of the individual territories’ success was tied to ‘cross selling’ from adjacent territories, multiplying the sales efforts. With no adjacent sales coming in, the business continued to underperform, rack up debt, and we tried to save it by pouring more personal cash in and doubling down on hard work.

“We were novices, with unlimited energy, positive attitudes, and we wore rose colored glasses instead of analyzing the facts. We kept saying things like… ‘Next month will be better’ and, ‘You’ll see, one more client will turn everything around.’ Looking back, over the course of those four years, we were on the road to financial disaster from the beginning, but were too inexperienced and hopeful to see it. At the four-year mark, we had to make some very difficult decisions when a personal family emergency occurred. We chose to close up shop and move on. I felt that I had failed professionally and financially, while (eventually) doing the right thing personally. All our cash was gone and we negotiated debts to be paid off. We had to start over from zero. It took us over 10 years to rebuild finances and prioritize personal finances better.

“Sometimes in the heat of business (and life), emotional decisions win out over common sense and logic. In this case, my personal drive for success and my ego, which had served me so well in prior corporate roles, clouded my entrepreneurial judgment and hurt my family financially. Very tough lesson learned.”