kcjenkins

No check box.

yes, sometimes they work, sometimes they don't.

Thanks for sharing this. I can see it being something we might want to do for at least a few clients, even if not for all. Anyone have a promo code?

Germans make a beer infused with helium https://fbcdn-video-c-a.akamaihd.net/hvideo-ak-xfa1/v/t42.1790-2/11381937_10153319120451280_322111919_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjQ0NCwicmxhIjo4MzN9&rl=444&vabr=247&oh=3793b7afdcc5ce094d02e1719f2047c5&oe=55AC5EFD&__gda__=1437356547_731996edfc29202760100b2e64600f78

Yes, Easy, that's how I read it, (after, of course, and researching several terms in those instructions). As that second article summed it up [for those who don't click links] "So getting back to that freelancer who performs their services overseas, the determining factor is that their income is not US Sourced. Their income is not Foreign Sourced because the source of the income for personal services is the location where the services are performed. We know that only US Sourced income can be effectively connected. Since the freelancer’s income is not US Sourced, it cannot be effectively connected. Therefore a W-8BEN is the right document for a freelancer performing services overseas."

While I agree for the small short-term job with minimum pay, those kids seldom trigger any withholding anyway. But the kid who has a regular job, even at minimum wage, for 20 hrs a week, may indeed owe a little, at yr end, if his parents are still claiming him. I love it when his boss advises 'single 0'. I would so much rather do him/her a free short form to get the refund, than have the kid file and claim himself, just because not claiming himself means he owes $15, and he's not thinking about the hundreds of dollars that will cost his parents. Just seen that way too many times.

I just have to say that form, and it's instructions, are really some of the worst examples of IRS forms that confuse more than enlighten.

Eric, that quote was from the instructions for the Form W-8BEN http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/iw8ben.pdf Basically, if you read the bottom of the form [the Certification section] it is saying that the person signing it is certifying that they are not subject to US taxes, thus allowing the payer to not withhold. So if they filed it, the university should be OK.

From the IRS : Some types of income that are subject to withholding when paid to non-US persons, if the payments are from US sources: Certain kinds of Interest (including certain original issue discount / OID); Dividends; Rents; Royalties; Premiums; Annuities; Compensation for, or in expectation of, services performed; Substitute payments in a securities lending transaction; or Other fixed or determinable annual or periodical gains, profits, or income. Now, as you say, when he files a return, you are correct, and he should, based on your facts, not owe a tax, and thus get the 30% refunded. But the University has to withhold it, because they have no idea whether, when he files, he may have or not have, a tax liability.

Well, personally, a firing squad would suit me just fine for him, given not only the financial pain but the fear and anguish he caused to so many. Or if that's too messy for you, how about we just put him to sleep, permanently?

July 10, 2015By David McGuireThe middle of summer is not the time of year that most of us want to think about taxes. However, the IRS’s tangible property repair regulations that were released this year require some reflection.These regulations led to some confusion as well as a rush to implementation. Some taxpayers implemented them correctly, while others completed only some of the steps necessary to ensure compliance with the new law. Fortunately, taxpayers have until the extension date of the 2014 return to finalize implementation. Even if a return was previously filed, a taxpayer can amend a return with a Change in Accounting Method if that return is filed by their extension date. Firms may be asking why a taxpayer would even be concerned with these regulations at this point. Others may be thinking that the Small Taxpayer Safe Harbor under Revenue Procedure 2015-20 means that no action is necessary. Though the revenue procedure allows many taxpayers to prospectively adopt the new repair regulations, it is not always the most prudent measure to do so. Take, for example, a company with $9 million in fixed assets and $5 million in gross receipts. For purposes of this example, the taxpayer acquired a $5 million property in 2001. Then in 2010 the taxpayer replaced the lights as part of a building improvement. The new lights are considered capital and the taxpayer can take a partial disposition on the original lights. If the original lights were determined to have a $90,000 basis at the time of purchase, this could create a potential catch-up adjustment of $60,000. The only way for the taxpayer to claim the $60,000 deduction would be to file a Form 3115, “Application for Change in Accounting Method,” along with the 2014 tax return. If the taxpayer does not file a 3115, the original lights will stay on the books until they are fully depreciated in 2040 or until the property is sold. Even if the taxpayer replaces the lights again, they will not be able to deduct the original lights. This is a simplified example, but it shows how the numbers can quickly grow. Whether a taxpayer chooses to file a 3115 or not, moving forward they must comply with the new regulations prospectively. A common misconception is that if a taxpayer chooses the simplified method, the lack of change means no changes are necessary for fixed assets. This is incorrect. Taxpayers need to adopt the new repair regulations starting Jan. 1, 2014, whether they have filed a 3115 or not. So what are the next steps that a taxpayer and provider should be taking? Taxpayers should consider the following three steps. While this does not cover all of the issues, it is a good starting point to ensure taxpayers are not missing out on opportunities. Step One: Ensure Taxpayers Have a Capitalization Policy in Place A critical portion of the new regulations is the issuance of a de minimis standard for capitalization. This is something taxpayers have been requesting for years. However, in order to utilize this new standard the IRS states that a capitalization policy needs to be in place. Any taxpayer that does not have a capitalization policy in place should make sure this issue is addressed as soon as possible. In addition to the capitalization policy protecting the de minimis safe harbor, there are other reasons to ensure a capitalization policy is in place. During the 2014 tax year, taxpayers around the country spent millions of dollars to ensure their fixed asset listings were scrubbed. Many taxpayers filed 3115 forms to ensure they were maximizing the benefits of the new repair regulations. This included looking for partial dispositions, as well as reviewing prior capitalized assets to see if they could be treated as repairs. Taxpayers who do not update their capitalization policies to track these issues will be forced to go through the same issues again in the future. It is critical that the lessons learned during this tax season are implemented to ensure assets are correctly handled moving forward. Step Two: Determine if a 3115 is Necessary, where One Has Not Been Filed Many taxpayers have already filed 3115 forms to clean up their fixed asset listings; however, many have not. Due to the complex nature of 3115s, some taxpayers have delayed implementation. This could be for many reasons. Some taxpayers have not wanted to spend the time and money to review their assets, others have determined there is no change, and still others fall under the small taxpayer safe harbor under Revenue Procedure 2015-20. However, many of these taxpayers should still be reviewing their assets to determine if a benefit still applies. Step Three: Communication Between Taxpayer and Preparer In many cases, the most crucial step is for taxpayers and preparers to sit down and discuss these new regulations in detail. It is critical to communicate what changes were made, if any, and how taxpayers should move forward in the 2015 tax year. Some taxpayers, unaware of the extent of the 3115 changes, have reverted back to the old way of handling their assets. For these taxpayers, the 3115s had minimal effect as they reverted back to the old way of doing things as soon as the 2014 return was filed. It is critical that taxpayers understand these changes to ensure future compliance. Time is running out to implement these regulations. Taxpayers who desire to look at their assets on a retroactive basis need to start reviewing them as soon as possible. Unfortunately, the process of reviewing a taxpayer’s assets takes time. While summer is not the time of year that tax preparers want to spend looking at these issues, it is critical that we do not wait. Taxpayers who wait may miss out on some of the opportunities that these regulations create. Providers who wait may see their clients moving on to new tax preparers who are more proactive on these regulations. David McGuire is director of the Cost Segregation Practice at McGuire Sponsel. His expertise includes fixed assets, cost segregation, and depreciation law. His background includes consulting on repair and maintenance studies under the 263(a) regulations and reviewing corporate capitalization policies. He is a frequent speaker on the topic of the repair regulations for accounting training seminars nationwide.

A good point, Gail.

14 years really does not seem enough, given the scope of his operation, does it? I think he should be deported at the end of his sentence.

Strange, the link worked when I posted it, because I tested it. Going to try to find a better link. Here is a different story on the same subject, tho. For some shelter dogs, Fourth of July may mean independence@sandybankslatThe 'red list' has left the building, thanks to volunteers: For some shelter dogs, this July 4th meant independence http://t.co/eYf3MMTzbLDog rescueMolly Chance holds her foster dog Loki, whom she took home despite a warning on the cage of behavioral issues. (Faith-Michele Photography)The call for help went out Thursday, as the "red list" of dogs scheduled for execution at the East Valley Animal Shelter grew. The shelter in Van Nuys needed temporary homes for dozens of dogs to make room for all the pets likely to be spooked by fireworks and run away from home. If there wasn't enough kennel space, dogs would have to be euthanized to accommodate the newcomers. "If you or anyone you know can FOSTER a dog for just 4 days … you can save a life," read the post on the Friends of East Valley Animal Services Facebook page. It included a gallery of photos, mostly pit bull mixes and small senior dogs. By Saturday afternoon, the post had been shared more than 2,000 times and the shelter lobby was so crowded with would-be fosters that every at-risk dog had a temporary home. "We went nonstop, and at the end of the day we had empty cages," animal care technician Veronica Perry said. In eight years of working the week of July Fourth, she had never seen that before. All city shelters have foster programs, but they don't get much attention. People fear the open-ended commitment and worry that they might fall in love with a pet they don't have time for or can't afford. So Perry tweaked the East Valley program to allow short-term bailouts; the dogs would be gone just long enough to give runaway pets time to be picked up by their owners. "I thought I'd get a few of my [regular] volunteers and Facebook friends," she said. Instead, she drew people such as Briana Figueras, who took home a little Brussels Griffon named Chex. She's allergic to Chex, and her own dog doesn't care for him. "But it's four days of your life, and you save the life of a dog," she said. Such a straightforward pact. That's the beauty of this program. It's a triumph of love and ingenuity over habit and rules. It shows the reach of social media, the value of creative teams and the power of animal love. The Fourth of July is the worst holiday of the year for animal lovers. Shelter officials know how many runaways to expect. They have to make room for them and, for all our good intentions and no-kill rhetoric, euthanasia has been the way to do that. "On Wednesday, they started killing dogs," JD Disalvatore said. "At East Valley, we lost several beautiful, perfect dogs. That's how we see it." It's painful to volunteers and employees. "You just want to go home and put your head in the oven," she said. "You're desperate to find ways to help." Disalvatore is an award-winning filmmaker. Her way of helping is making videos of shelter animals. A "kitten season" montage she produced last spring found foster homes for dozens of cats.Now she's loading the shelter's Facebook page with heart-warming photos and video updates of dogs in their foster homes: the pit bull cuddling in bed with her foster mom and the shepherd taking a jog around Silver Lake reservoir. "When I'm at the shelter videotaping these dogs, I look into the cages and they are shaking, they are scared, they are crying," Disalvatore said. "It's shocking to see how different they are when they are living in homes with families." That's what makes fostering so important. It's hard to know what a dog is like when all you see is that angry, frightened, bewildered creature, barking or cowering in a metal cage. Fostering is a way to try a dog you like — or help an unappealing pooch build a better resume. A temporary owner can chronicle a dog's temperament, encourage good behavior and practice basic skills. That makes dogs more adoptable, and turns foster parents into cheerleaders. Dani Collins took two dogs on Friday: Bear, a goofy Husky-Lab mix, and Hugh, a shy Rhodesian Ridgeback mix ignored by shelter visitors. In her home, Hugh was no wallflower. "He's Mr. Social and really smart," she said. "He loves to play fetch. He's been crate-trained and has already picked up on leash-walking manners. He's really polite to other dogs, even little tiny ones." Handsome Hugh, as she calls him now, was just lonely and needed love. He arrived at the shelter with his outgoing sister, who was adopted right away. "He'd been there for weeks on end, with no one looking at him," Collins said. "Sitting in the back of the shelter, he was really, really sad." She might not be able to keep the pair — her 6-year-old pit bull wouldn't like that — but she's tapping her network of animal lovers to find them permanent homes. Most of the 64 dogs that left the shelter last weekend won't be caged again. Many already have been adopted and others will find homes with rescue groups when their stints with fosters end. Dogs that seemed doomed got more than a reprieve; they have a new lease on life. Little Loki might be the poster child for that. He was brought to the shelter two months ago by his family, who left him and never looked back. He's old, he's black, he's scared of his own shadow and he shrieks when people come near him. If anyone was ever interested, the "behavioral issues" tag on his kennel was apt to scare them away. If anyone asked to see him, he had to be dragged out whimpering. That was exactly what Molly Chance was looking for. "If I get a dog out, I want to be sure I'm saving a life," she said. Loki was so scared, he wet himself when she reached to pet him. That sealed the deal for her. She took him home Friday. On Monday, they spent the day at the dog park, then stopped to socialize at an outdoor cafe. "He's making friends, wagging his tail, giving kisses to everyone. It's amazing," Chance said. "People fall in love with him wherever we go." She might not keep him when her foster term's up, but he's never going back to the shelter. [email protected] Twitter: @SandyBanksLAT Copyright © 2015, Los Angeles Times

Yes, if you didn't smile at that one, you'd be either dead or comatose,

I don't think so, I think they are required to store their common sense in the SS Lockbox while they are in office.

https://video-sjc2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/hvideo-xaf1/v/t42.1790-2/11657814_1030613163615529_1938874515_n.mp4?efg=eyJybHIiOjY3MywicmxhIjoyMDgwfQ%3D%3D&rl=673&vabr=374&oh=6ad27f2462a1064a0cf256fd5c00f271&oe=559CD1B0

That's my experience too, never saw one that was 100% correct.

Prayers on the way. Happy for the good news so far.

Great minds run in the same direction, that was my first thought. Although with a large Mars comb it's not too bad. Spoken from experience, having Saints and Irish Wolfhounds, the Mars combs are absolutely essential.

Good luck, and let us know if you find a solution that gets it out of the S-corp without a big tax bite.

Just keep raising his fees until he either speeds up or decides to go elsewhere, Cat. I think I'd have to see it, given that it is going to be so critical going forward.