redux

Some years back ATX'ers got together and ordered food for the ATX team in Maine...can somebody tell me from where the food came?

Caught http://www.providencejournal.com/news/courts/20140926-cranston-tax-preparers-charged-with-fraud-after-returns-filed-falsely-claiming-dependents.ece

Please post a cite for your statement

001-003 NH 004-007 ME 008-009 VT 010-034 MA 035-039 RI 040-049 CT 050-134 NY 135-158 NJ 159-211 PA 212-220 MD 221-222 DE 223-231 VA 232 WV & NC 233-236 WV 237-246 NC 247-251 SC 252-260 GA 261-267 FL 268-302 OH 303-317 IN 318-361 IL 362-386 MI 387-399 WI 400-407 KY 408-415 TN 416-424 AL 425-428 MS 429-432 AR 433-439 LA 440-448 OK 449-467 TX 468-477 MN 478-485 IA 486-500 MO 501-502 ND 503-504 SD 505-508 NE 509-515 KS 516-517 MT 518-519 ID 520 WY 521-524 CO 526-527 AZ 528-529 UT 530 NV 531-539 WA 540-544 OR 545-573 CA 574 AK 575-576 HI 577-579 DC 580 Vir Is PR 581-584 PR 585 NM 586 Guam 587 MS 700-728 RR All States

Judy in Firefox go to "Tools" - "Options" - "Content" - "Advanced" and change the font name and /or size there.

If you want the best in ice creepers (cleats) try these: http://www.amazon.com/Stabilicers-Original-Heavy-Traction-Cleat/dp/B003DQURO2/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1389214160&sr=8-3&keywords=stabilicers+ice+cleats In addition to being sure footed on ice...the cleats are replacible by the user for a very reasonable price.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which said "marriage" and "spouse" only applied to heterosexual unions, was unconstitutional. A number of federal agencies have released information about changes to federal programs and benefits as a result of the Supreme Court's decision. Learn more about the changes to taxes, Social Security, Medicare, visas, and benefits for uniformed servicemembers and federal employees. Subscriber Services: Change Subscription Topics and Frequency of E-Mails | Unsubscribe | Help

My question is: if the person who let the 84 yr old go first picked the correct numbers wouldn't she have won also even though she was behind the winner? Even if the 84 yr old use the auto pick, I wonder if the person behind her would have used that method OR would the auto pick have been the same set of numbers had the person not let the 84yr old go first and that person used the auto pick??? - So many questions.

My opinion is Hoffman's Cheddar....expensive but worth it.

Interesting! http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/12/08/the-most-absurd-loophole-in-the-tax-code

Very good point - thanks.

Check this out! http://venturebeat.com/2012/07/31/ghostery-a-web-tracking-blocker-that-actually-helps-the-ad-industry/

Could it be Pete - 0074?

http://www.thetaxbook.com/view_update.asp?1=229

By the way, who took the photo?

One has to wonder if this is one of those times when the IRS is 33% correct. I say do it by 4/15 and be safe.

Try this: http://www.atxinc.com/products/system_requirements.aspx

Has anyone considered the apparent price increase this year? If you're getting MAX with a 40% discount for $692.40 then the price without the discount is $1,154 and TTO at $1,167 with 40% off would make the regular price $1,945. How does that compare to last year's price? I notice that they have removed all pricing information from their web site, with one exception they say "Affordable 1040 packages starting at $480..." I believe that last year that 1040 package was $410. I wonder if the rest of the packages have increased by 17%+.

Hi Eli, Please check your email. Bob

This is a very good read and points out the TAS's reasons for suggesting the testing/registration of unenrolled preparers. However, I must say that the article implies that the unenrolled preparers that are subject of their discussion were likely part of a major Tax Preparation Company as opposed to individual self employed preparers. See Vol 1 Section 1 Most Serious Problems encountered by Taxpayers (MSP) 3 Beginning on page 41 My link

* Establishing mandatory testing and continuing education for paid tax return preparers who do not already have this kind of requirement (i.e. exempting attorneys, certified public accountants and enrolled agents). It's so nice to know that these folks are exempt from the new rules because we all know that they are the most ethical among us. Here's proof: Calif. Investigates Suspect Tax Preparer The California Department of Consumer Affairs says it is investigating certified public accountant William R. Murray, who is accused of bilking more than $8.5 million from former clients. MORE DETAILS: www.kcra.com/tu/5McsowA3Z.html

The offer I received in the mail from Intuit states in the fine print that "This free trial is a full working version of Quickbooks Premier Accountant Edition and contains a brochure that will help you access and learn about the key features. 60 days from install the trial will expire. If you decide to purchase..." Is it possible that you're getting something for nothing? Or is it possible that this is another sca* errr limited offer by Intuit? It may be unfair to call it a scam, since they clearly state that the trial ends in 60 days. I'm just putting this here as a precaution...be sure to check the fine print on this "free" software. Experience has shown me that once installed an Intuit program is nearly impossible to remove entirely. And, of course, the install searches for competitors programs and finds a way to disable them... Don't forget that old Chinese proverb, "you get what you pay for." Ummm is that Chinese? I probably wouldn't be this cynical if it wasn't Intuit.

SEE: http://finance.yahoo.com/loans/article/105...en-Tax-Traps-in FOR THE FOLLOWING: The Hidden Tax Traps in the Housing-Rescue Bill by Eva Rosenberg Wednesday, July 30, 2008 The housing-rescue bill, also known as the Housing Assistance Act of 2008, is intended to calm the mortgage market, the real estate market, homeowners on the verge of bankruptcy and foreclosure, victims of bank failures and others whose lives are topsy-turvy this year. But from a tax perspective, the bill is likely to cause more upset than calm. Here is a look at five areas where tax law was changed along with housing law, and the good news and bad news that goes along with each: 1. Tax Credit for New Homeowners First, we have a $7,500 credit for new homeowners that's not really a credit. It's a loan. Those who qualify to receive this credit will receive 10% of the purchase price of their home -- up to $7,500, in the first year. Then they will repay the loan over a 15-year period, starting in the second year after the taxable year in which the house is purchased. In other words, if you bought a home in August 2008, you start paying back 6.667% of the original credit on your 2010 tax return. This credit applies to purchases of new homes on or before April 9, 2008 and before July 1, 2009. The good news: This is a refundable credit. That means, even if your total tax liability is zero, you can file to get this money directly from IRS. Although this is a loan, it's a zero-percent loan. Bonus: If you buy the home in 2009, before July 1, 2009, you can make an election to report the purchase on your 2008 tax return and get the refund a year early. The bad news: Mark Luscombe, principal tax analyst for CCH, a Wolters Kluwer business, points out that people who normally don't have to file tax returns will need to start filing tax returns just to pay the credit back. That will affect seniors living on modest fixed incomes and Social Security. If you forget to pay it back? Well, the bill doesn't include any specific penalties. But all of IRS's usual non-filing and non-payment penalties will apply. Expect IRS computers to track this and to issue notices for unfilled returns. If you sell the house in less than 15 years, you will have to repay the rest of the credit immediately. This requirement is waived if the owner dies. There are special provisions when the house is sold due to divorces or other emergencies. This is a temporary credit and may not be renewed once it expires on June 30, 2009. The credit phases out for married folks, filing jointly, with modified adjusted gross income (MAGI) between $150,000- $170,000. For singles, the phase-out is at MAGI between $75,000-$95,000. Who qualifies? Folks who haven't owned a principal residence for three years before buying the new home. If you've owned a vacation home or timeshare, you will still qualify. In long-distance marriages each spouse may buy his/her own home (principal residence). They will have to split the credit between them. 2. New Standard Deduction Rules We have a new standard deduction -- in addition to the old standard deduction -- for real property taxes paid. This is designed for folks whose overall itemized deductions fall below the standard deduction. Married couples, filing jointly, may now deduct qualified real property taxes paid up to $1,000 ($500 for singles and married filing separately). "Qualified" refers to real property taxes you could have deducted on Schedule A if you had been able to itemize. Naturally, property taxes used on other parts of your tax return, like Schedule E, Schedule C, Schedule F, or office in home can't be used again here. Luscombe points out that generally when Congress gives us these extra deductions, they are "above the line" deductions, like education expenses, student-loan interest and teacher expenses. This is effective in 2008. And there are no AGI limits to this benefit. 3. Vacation-Home Hit We've been taking for granted that lovely $250,000 ($500,000 for couples filing jointly) personal residence capital-gains-tax exclusion for about a decade. Savvy taxpayers have played hopscotch, moving from home to vacation home to the next home, etc. and avoiding income taxes on the sale of each one. That free ride is at an end. The personal resident exclusion is still good on your personal home. However, you'll be paying taxes on the sale of your vacation home, or rental property converted to a home. The tax will be based on the amount of days the house was not a qualified personal residence divided by the total number of days you owned it. This ratio is multiplied by the amount of gain realized on the sale of the property. Gain resulting from depreciation taken on the property after May 6, 1997 won't be included in this computation. That gain will still be taxed separately as ordinary income. The good news: This won't affect any sales you make this year since the law becomes effective on Jan. 1, 2009. The ownership period to take into account as the numerator for nonqualified use also starts on Jan. 1, 2009. Snowbirds, folks who typically summer in their principal residences up north and spend winter in their vacation homes in the south will have to wait until IRS writes up regulations interpreting the new law. It's not clear if their temporary absences will be considered a period of nonqualified use. The new law defines unqualified use as: any period after the last date the property is used as the principal residence of the taxpayer or spouse (regardless of use during that period), and any period (not to exceed two years) that the taxpayer is temporarily absent by reason of a change in place of employment, health, or, to the extent provided in regulations, unforeseen circumstances, are not taken into account. 4. Tighter Tracking of Payments In a blow to eBay merchants and others accepting credit cards, debit cards, or third-party payments, your merchant bank will now be required to send a report to IRS and to you with your total annual gross payment card receipts. In other words, IRS will get your total merchant credit card gross receipts for the year. The good news: For merchants who had always meant to catch up on bookkeeping, you will now get a report summarizing all the money you received. This won't be effective until Jan. 1, 2011. There will be an exemption for business with 200 or fewer transactions generating sales of $20,000 or less. The bad news: Like most bank reports that add up total deposits, it will be wrong. After all, there were credits you issued, and refunds that won't be reflected in the total gross receipts. Be sure to reduce the total income on that report by all the costs and fees you had too. In the past, when IRS wanted to get information from banks and merchant accounts, it required going to a judge and getting a subpoena. With this new law in place, IRS can now step in and audit at any time -- with a little or no notice, depending on the urgency of the circumstances, explains Luscombe. 5. Miscellaneous Provisions Some other juicy tidbits tossed our way include: Tax exempt interest on certain mortgage bonds will no longer be an alternative minimum tax preference. Low-income-housing credits and rehabilitation credits may now reduce AMT. Bonds backed by FHA are eligible for treatment as tax-exempt bonds. Many of the provisions of this law won't become effective until next year. Some won't be effective for several years. But the provisions for converting your vacation home to a personal residence are becoming effective soon. So, if you've got a second house you want to sell tax-free in the next year or two -- move into it before the end of this year. Eva Rosenberg is the founder of TaxMama.com and an enrolled agent licensed to represent taxpayers before the IRS. She is the author of the new e-book, "The 100% Home-Based Business Tax Solution." Reach her at [email protected] AND: http://www.section1031.com/PDFs/QIForum/Ge...p;%20Giveth.pdf CONGRESS TAKETH AWAY! The Housing and Economic Recovery ACT of 2008 Effects Changes To Section 121 Taxpayers who own a second home and want to defer the capital gain on sale have used one of two strategies to achieve tax relief. The property can be converted to rental property for a minimum of two years prior to sale and structured as a Section 1031 Exchange using a Qualified intermediary with the acquisition of new Replacement property that is also rented for the first two years after acquisition. The second method is to simply move into the second home and declare it as your primary residence for a minimum of two years and when sold use the Provisions of Section 121, Sale of Primary Residence, to exclude $250,000 of the gain per taxpayer or $500,000 for a married couple filing jointly. The first strategy allows taxpayers with the ability to walk away from the deferred tax indefinitely by exchanging again and again. The second provided an outright exclusion from the capital gain tax if it did not exceed the limitations. Since the primary residence exclusion can be used every two years, a planning opportunity for full tax escape has benefited thousands of taxpayers. The Housing & Economic Recovery Act of 2008, signed into law on July 30, 2008, contains a restriction on the practice of converting your second home to your primary residence. It requires that the exclusion be prorated based on the time the property was used as a second home. The portion of the profit that will be taxed is based on the ratio of the time after 2008 that the home was used as a second residence or rented out to the total time that the taxpayer owned the property. The balance of the gain will remain eligible for the Section 121 Exclusion. To illustrate the point; a second home is owned for five years and converted to a primary residence after 2008 for two years prior to sale. At sale, the taxpayer will pay capital gain tax on 2/7 or 28.57% of the gain, the balance will be excluded up to the Section 121 limitations. The longer a property is owned, the lower the ultimate tax will be. CONGRESS GIVETH First-time Homeowner Tax Credit The Housing & Economic Recovery Act of 2008, signed into law on July 30, 2008, provides an attractive tax credit for first time homebuyers. A first time homebuyer is someone who has not owned a home in the preceding three years. All homes, whether single-family, town homes or condominiums or new construction will qualify, however it must be used as the taxpayer’s primary residence. The tax credit is for 10% of the purchase price, up to $7,500, but phases out for higher-income homeowners. Homebuyers who file as single or head-of-household can claim the full $7,500 if their adjusted gross income is less than $75,000. For married couples filing a joint return, the income limit doubles to $150,000. Homeowners are eligible for the tax credit if they have purchased a home since April 8, 2008 or make a purchase before July 1, 2009. This is a tax credit, not a deduction. It reduces the homeowners' tax bill by up to $7,500 for the tax year in which the purchase was made. If you pay less than $7,500 in federal income taxes, then the government will write a check for the difference in the same manner as an overpayment of your taxes.. If a house is purchased this year, a tax credit for the 2008 tax year can be taken with a filing deadline of April 15, 2009. If a house is purchased next year by the end of June, a tax credit for the 2009 tax year can be taken in the April 15, 2010 filing. It's a one-time credit; you don't get to keep taking it year after year. There is a catch, and that is that the money has to be repaid over 15 years, starting two years after you buy the house. That makes the tax credit an interest-free loan. If you take the full $7,500 tax credit, your income tax bill will increase by $500 a year for 15 years. If you sell the house before then, you'll have to pay Uncle Sam the remaining balance. SECTION 121 EXAMPLE "Congress did restrict a break for turning a second home into a main home: Some of the gain will be ineligible for the home-sale exclusion if the house is converted to personal use after 2008 and is later sold. The portion of the profit that's taxed is based on the ratio of the time after 2008 when the house was used as a second residence or rented out (emphasis added) to the total time that the seller owned the house. The rest of the gain remains eligible for the home-sale exclusion of $500,000." Source – Kiplinger Tax Letter Volume 83 #15 July 25, 2008 Taxpayer's original cost in his Relinquished Property is $100K, with $50K of depreciation already taken. Sale price is $400K, no debt, QI receives $400K (neglect expenses). Replacement Property is a Single Family House (SFH) costing $400K on 1/1/09; adjusted basis is $50K. Owner enters the house as his home on 1/1/11, and sells it on 1/1/14 for $600K. During the rental period he claimed $10K more depreciation. Adjusted basis on 1/1/11 is $40K. Indicated gain at time of sale is $560K. Under the OLD RULE, this married taxpayer would pay tax on $60K, and exclude $500K of the gain. Under the NEW RULE, this married taxpayer must make the following calculation: Owned 5 years (denominator), rented for 2 years (numerator); 2/5 x $560K gain is $224K recognized, balance excluded. The incentive is to reduce this fraction by either owning the property longer (increases denominator) or renting it out for less time (reduces numerator, but flies in the face of Rev. Proc. 2008-16). It seems that the days of simply buying an SFH (or a series of SFH's) with your exchange dollars, and later converting it (them) to your principle residence(s), selling and eliminating $500K at a time are over.

While all of what mastertax07 says above is true, I especially endorse and agree with the "...you will not find a better group of people to work with." part of his statement.

Sometime in the recent past, on this forum, a group of ex-ATX employees announced the formation of their newest enterprise, called Virtual Managed Solutions (VMS US). Their company was formed for the purpose of “remote” support or management of computers and related software. I had a computer that had had a Trojan in it, which had been discovered and cleaned using Trend Micro. I ran repeated scans using Trend Micro that didn’t result in any further help. The computer was still very sick. Apparently the Trojan installed and imbedded pop-ups and other malware that caused it to slow down and intermittently refuse to do some tasks. Basically, I did all I knew to do with very little productive results. Today I called VMS US to see what they could do. Well, I’m happy to say that after 4 hours the computer is free of adware, and malware; the registry, that had much wrong with it, was cleaned of all superfluous “stuff.” All in all, the entire computer is now working as advertised. It has its old speed back, is free of pop-ups, always does what is asked and is healthy and normal. I couldn’t be happier. Keeping in mind that I have no dog in the fight for a successful launch of their company, I just wanted to share my success with you folks. If you have similar problems, I highly recommend VMS US and their services. The cost is $199 per year. You can purchase a single incident if you prefer however, today they only made $50/hour on me and I still have a year of service waiting if I need it. There is no limit on the number of calls for the $199. They are professional, knowledgeable, friendly, and need all the business they can get. Remember these folks are part of the ATX employees who were terminated, so we already “know” many of them and their work ethic. Their phone number is 1-877-VMS-US90, (1-877-867-8790) Mike Kinder, a founding owner, writes “The number is a part of the effort we are making to get any request for support started within 90 minutes of the initial support request from our customer. The US part is informing people that all of our reps are US based - thus VMS US 90.” I hope none of you have a need for their services but if you do, especially during tax season, call them you’ll be pleased.