Comments on: Ask the taxgirl: Blogging reviews

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 13:14:02 +0000

Thanks Neil, I am working on an updated piece – look for it soon. My thoughts are still more or less the same.

By: Neil

Neil — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 01:09:02 +0000

Kelly (et al),

First, you are a tax genius!!!

Wanted to know if your thoughts on this topic still hold true given the original post was December 2007 and that’s along time ago in internet/FTC time?

My wife and I operate product review sites/blogs and view our sites as content sites intended to make $$ through advertising and other ancillary means. I never gave a thought to the prospect that products received might be considered income until the topic has been gaining in online discussion. I have even had PR people expressly state they see the submissions as not for resale and having no retail value and get movies that state this on them.

My thinking (aside from a few exceptions where product was accepted and agreed on as compensation) and honest intent is that we fall under your response to question 1 above but I wondered if you still hold to these thoughts?

Thanks!

By: marybeth @ www.babygoodbuys.com

marybeth @ www.babygoodbuys.com — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 04:25:51 +0000

Thanks so much! I need all the help I can get with getting my finances in order!

By: J

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 22:45:31 +0000

Yeah, I guess being a tax attorney, I am inherently cautious with putting anything that even remotely sounds like tax advice, and that isn’t a covered opinion, into writing without the Circular 230 disclaimer, as its application seems broader to me than it does to you.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:59:51 +0000

Thanks for the 230 reminder. Ironically, I have it on the bottom of my emails but I don’t think it applies to the blog for a lot of reasons.

Additionally, this blog:
does not constitute legal advice; and
does not create a client/attorney relationship.

There’s more on this outlined here: http://www.taxgirl.com/about/

I think it’s a pretty sad commentary on our society that multiple disclaimers aren’t enough.

By: J

Wed, 02 Jan 2008 17:07:57 +0000

Interesting blog you have here. You may want to consider adding a more Circular 230 specific disclaimer at the bottom of posts like this. For example: In accordance with the Internal Revenue Service Circular 230, we advise you that any discussion of a federal tax issue in this communication is not intended to be used, and cannot be used, by any recipient, for the purpose of avoiding penalties that may be imposed on the recipient under United States federal tax laws.

Just something you might consider.

By: Lubna

Lubna — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 08:23:07 +0000

Hi Kelly
Just dropped by to wish you and your family a great new year.
Best
Lubna

By: Tax Time Approaching For Home Business Owners

Tax Time Approaching For Home Business Owners — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:48:16 +0000

[...] Phillips Erb at Taxgirl has some answers to tax questions in Ask the Taxgirl: Blogging Reviews . As blogging reviewers, product testers, book reviewers, and such…what are one’s [...]

By: Dexie

Dexie — Mon, 31 Dec 2007 03:47:28 +0000

Thanks Kelly.

By: Kelly

Kelly — Sun, 30 Dec 2007 21:49:17 +0000

Dexie -

A giveaway as a prize would be deductible, but as a business expense, not as a charitable donation. It would be the cost of doing business.

You can only claim a charitable donation if you donate to a qualifying charity and get it in writing (meaning a receipt).