Tax history, trivia, and the lighter side of the tax world — because even tax law can be entertaining sometimes.
What’s worse than confusing legislation? Creepy companies that try to capitalize on it. Here’s what we just received in the mail today… On the outside, we’re notified that we’re holding a “SECURED DOCUMENT” which we must “Open Immediately – Time Sensitive Information Enclosed” for our “Economic Stimulus Package Recovery Act.” A picture of the White…
I read a lot of tax-related blogs over the course of the day. And I usually prefer to write something myself rather than rely on the words of other folks. But there’s no way I could have done justice to this discussion about the hyperbole race over the Bush tax cuts/hikes (depending on which side…
It was such a nice surprise to get up this morning and find my inbox and my Facebook wall filled with such kind birthday wishes! It means a lot to me. THANK YOU! The last year has been filled with lots of personal and professional challenges. In the midst of all of the turmoil of…
I’m not a fan of summer. I know, that’s somehow un-American to say it out loud, but it’s true. I don’t like the heat and I don’t like the unpredictable pace of summer (nor the traffic, the electric bills…). So, it’s with a bit of hopefulness and relief that I peered at my calendar this…
You get a car! And you get a car! Remember when Oprah gave out cars like other people give out refrigerator magnets and foam cup holders? Audience members were thrilled with her generosity – until they realized that they had to pay income tax on their newfound luck. That’s because there’s literally no such thing…
I’ve often written about the fact that I believe that “sin taxes” – excise taxes on things that are ostensibly bad for us and should therefore be discouraged – are usually more about raising revenue than modifying behavior. I say this despite the fact that our legislators in this country swear that isn’t the case….
This has to be my favorite tax story of the week (even better than my vodka story, coming later today). The Telegraph (UK) is confirming reports that Romania’s Senate has voted down a proposal to tax witches and fortune tellers because… wait for it… they were scared of being cursed. Yeah, I’m not making that…
As last year, I’ll be turning over the reins at taxgirl.com to my readers for the last week in August. This year, I’m offering you the chance to speak your mind about the proposed Bush tax cuts. As you know, unless Congress acts before the end of the year, there’s a lot set to happen….
The week started with an offer to move my blog over to a network (no thank you) and ended with a marriage proposal (also no thank you) – all in all, not a bad week. The one complaint I had was that, by turning down the latter, I missed my potential suitor’s offer to “set…
When I was a little girl, I was constantly scribbling away in my notebooks and journals. My head was filled with stories and poems and chapters in books. With a pencil and a piece of paper, I could pretty much get lost all day in my own thoughts. In my small town, I didn’t have…