Lots of people like being right. But in the tax world, just like in other situations, being right isn’t always enough. A good friend recently asked me to review his tax return before he submitted it to the IRS. I did and I noticed something that I didn’t love – a huge refund (and I…
I went to the supermarket on yesterday to pick up some milk, strawberry cream cheese (my daughter’s current favorite) and orange juice. I left with more than $100 in groceries. Among the culprits that jacked up my prices. Yogurt – now more than $1 per serving (about 60 cents earlier in the year). Cereal –…
If you’re contemplating a move in 2008 (despite the crazy housing market), consider these spots. These towns are where Money magazine says the best places to live in 2007 are: 1 Middleton, WI 2 Hanover, NH 3 Louisville, CO 4 Lake Mary, FL 5 Claremont, CA 6 Papillion, NE 7 Milton, MA 8 Chaska, MN…
Initial reports indicate that 32 people were arrested on Wednesday morning as part of protest to mark the fifth anniversary of the war in Iraq. As initially reported, the protesters blockaded the IRS building as a statement in protest of the use of tax dollars to fund the war. I am not sure how many…
A federal judge has ruled that New Jersey cannot limit the interest rates and fees national banks can charge for taxpayer RALs (refund anticipation loans) even though the judge noted that the loans’ APR average 115%. Nope, not a typo, that’s well over 100%. New Jersey law limits interest and fees to 30% of the…
“How much am I getting?” That seems to be a popular question as it relates to rebate checks. If you want to know in advance, you can check out the “Economic Stimulus Payment Calculator” on the IRS web site. How does it work? You must answer a series of questions on the web which the…
Jennifer, over at My Organized Biz, tagged me for a meme about rebates. She asks: 1, If you could do whatever you wanted, how would YOU spend your $600? 2, Is that the same or different from how you actually plan spend it? We’re *lucky* in that the government has decided, in its ridiculously inefficient…
Assemblyman Charles Calderon of California wants the state to consider imposing a tax on new media downloaded from the internet. He is specifically targeting goods like iTunes which are currently exempt from tax. He claims that the sales tax should apply equally to online and in store purchases. I think he might have a point….
Greetings from the UK! Yep, hubby and I packed up and headed across the pond to Jolly ol’ England for a few days of rest and relaxation (as well as a hint of business). I won’t regale you with the saga of what’s really happening here (lots of sick travelers, present company included, ridiculously fickle…
Does the IRS discriminate against unmarried couples? I’m specifically referencing same sex couples in this post because, while traditional unmarried couples may encounter the same kinds of difficulties with the Service, they have an “out” that same sex couples don’t have: marriage. At my firm, we represent same sex couples in a number of tax…