This has been the busiest tax season that I can remember. The phone has not stopped ringing, the emails have not stopped coming and I have been speaking and interviewing nonstop. At this point, I think even I am sick of myself. Fortunately, tax season proper comes just once a year and there’s just a few days left, so I’m hanging in. That should, however, explain why I haven’t been posting as much as normal.
With that in mind, I’m finally tackling the mailbag!
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Taxpayer asks:
How many questions do you get asked on the blog during tax season?
taxgirl says:
A bunch! Not all of them are relevant (see my policy here) and some of them are repeats. But this time of year, they pick up dramatically. I can report that currently I have about 1500 in my inbox. And yes, I read all of them.
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Taxpayer asks:
Do you do your own taxes?
taxgirl says:
I used to, but I have no time to sort through them anymore. Our accountant is doing them this year. Yes, tax lawyers have accountants, too.
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Taxpayer asks:
How about them Phillies?
taxgirl says:
How about ’em! They’re off to a super start this year. I’m already hoping for another parade!
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Taxpayer asks:
What advice would you give a new tax attorney? I just passed the bar and I start my new job in June. I feel like I won’t know what to do.
taxgirl says:
My advice is to read – a lot. Tax law changes all of the time and it’s a big mistake to waltz in thinking that you know everything there is to know because you got best paper in Corporate Tax in law school. So, lots of reading. And not just tax pubs – you should read a good newspaper (yes, they still exist) or news journal so that you can think about tax law changes in context. Tax academics don’t always do this for you. 😉
I’d also advise you to find a mentor or two. Remember that there is always someone out there who knows more than you – find that person and make friends with them. I often rely on the smarts of my colleagues when I have a difficult problem or if I just need to run an idea by someone else to see if it makes sense out loud. A good way to do this is to join a tax club (yes, such things exist) or get involved with your local bar.
Landing a job is a pretty impressive feat in this market – so kudos and enjoy!
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Taxpayer asks:
You’ve said a few times that you are a Mac person. Did you buy the new iPad yet?
taxgirl says:
I am a Mac person – this blog is generally typed on my MacBook or my iMac. But no, I’m not planning on getting an iPad. I’m actually not even tempted in the least. Notwithstanding the idea that I’m generally wary of first generation technology, I personally don’t get the appeal of the iPad – too big compared to the iTouch, too little compared to a proper laptop. But mostly, I can’t bear the thought of using AT&T for data – we used them early on at the firm and found what passed for an attempt at customer service to be painful (I’ve been a satisfied T-Mobile customer for years).
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Taxpayer asks:
You mention your daughter a lot. How many kids do you have?
taxgirl says:
I have three kids and they’re all perfect (insert crazy laughter here). Okay, maybe not perfect. But I have three really good kids. My second grader plans to be a writer (yes, apple, not falling far from the tree, I get it); my kindergartener plans to be an entertainer a la Selena Gomez; and my preschooler wants to be a paleontologist or a dinosaur (he’s not sure yet). Keeping them all in line is my soon to be eleven year old lab mutt.
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Zipping the mailbag back up for now. Thanks, as always, for your questions – and keep reading!
Before you go: be sure to read my disclaimer. Remember, I’m a lawyer and we love disclaimers.
If you have a question, here’s how to Ask The Taxgirl.