kcjenkins

The ban on plastic grocery bags enacted in San Francisco and other California communities has an unexpected side effect — an increase in food-borne illnesses, emergency room visits, and even deaths. The culprit: the reusable grocery bags that shoppers use instead, which are breeding grounds for E. coli and other harmful bacteria. San Francisco County enacted a ban on non-compostable plastic bags at large grocery stores and drug stores in 2007, and extended it to all retail establishments in early 2012. Los Angeles followed suit in 2012, as did several other California communities including Malibu and Palo Alto. The bans were designed to reduce litter and threats to marine life posed by discarded bags, and encourage the use of reusable grocery bags. But studies “suggest that reusable grocery bags harbor harmful bacteria, the most important of which is E. coli,” say Jonathan Klick, a professor of law at the University of Pennsylvania, and Joshua D. Wright, a professor at the George Mason University School of Law and Department of Economics. “If individuals fail to clean their reusable bags, these bacteria may lead to contamination of the food transported in the bags. Such contamination has the potential to lead to health problems and even death.” Tests of randomly selected reusable grocery bags found coliform bacteria in 51 percent of them, and E. coli in 8 percent. When the researchers analyzed data related to E. coli infections, the results were troubling: “The San Francisco County ban is associated with a statistically significant and particularly large increase in ER visits for E. coli infections,” they said — a rise of at least 25 percent. In addition, “the San Francisco County ban is associated with a 46 percent increase in deaths from food-borne illnesses.” Their conclusion: “We find that both deaths and ER visits spiked as soon as the ban went into effect. “Conservative estimates of the costs and benefits of the San Francisco plastic bag ban suggest the health risks they impose are not likely offset by environmental benefits.”

I wonder is someone will sue to make the IRS refund the fees that they charged? Ideally, from one of the big professional groups should do that, so that the IRS can not retaliate easily.

The IRS ordered all the software providers to remove the ability to customize forms this year. It's a shame, but we can't blame the software companies, they have to comply with whatever rules the IRS sets for forms.

Tom, Tom, Tom! Don't take the position of assuming everyone is a criminal unless they prove otherwise, first. That is not how our legal system is supposed to work.

From the IRS today: Normally, farmers and fishermen who choose not to make quarterly estimated tax payments are not subject to a penalty if they file their returns and pay the full amount of tax due by March 1. Under the guidance to be issued, farmers or fishermen who miss the March 1 deadline will not be subject to the penalty if they file and pay by April 15, 2013. A taxpayer qualifies as a farmer or fisherman for tax-year 2012 if at least two-thirds of the taxpayer’s total gross income was from farming or fishing in either 2011 or 2012. Farmers and fishermen requesting this penalty waiver must attach Form 2210-F to their tax return. The form can be submitted electronically or on paper. The taxpayer’s name and identifying number should be entered at the top of the form, the waiver box (Part I, Box A) should be checked, and the rest of the form should be left blank

That would certainly cut down on the fraud, but would also add a lot of inconvenience to the DIY t/p. Why the heck can't the IRS use the info they already have access to, to cut out the obvious abuses? Like have their computers flag any bank account that has over 4 different t/p's refunds go into it? And flag any address that has over ten taxpayer's filing out of it? Such a simple step would make it easy for the IRS to then investigate those bank accounts and addresses, which would quickly let them hone in on the abusers. And do it before the season gets very far along, closing down the worst refund mills quickly.

It has always irritated me that the IRS allows them to advertise these loans as if they are 'refunds' just because they have some tiny print no one can read that says they are actually loans. If the IRS required that they clearly explain that it is a loan, and state clearly the true interest rate, there would be less loans, and less confusion about why you can;t get them their refund as fast as the big chains can.

Jeff, that is one that Support needs to help you get cleared up. So it gets fixed, not just worked around. Sounds like your account got coded wrong in their system. Sales might be able to fix it, and they always have shorter wait times than Tech Support.

Thanks for sharing the solution with us. Weird to have to click on line 6 to get the worksheet for line 4, but at least we know the trick now, thanks to you.

i agree. The only thing I would add is that you read the subpoena carefully, and only give exactly what is listed in the subpoena. And remember, right now, before you have gotten anything, would be a good time to give him back anything you have of his.

http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/IRS-Level-Taxpayer-Service-Continues-Decline-65388-1.html?ET=webcpa:e6593:61496a:&st=email IRS’s Level of Taxpayer Service Continues to Decline The Internal Revenue Service faced challenges last tax season providing telephone service to taxpayers and responding to their correspondence, continuing the negative trends in recent years despite some efficiency gains and efforts to improve service, according to a new report by the Government Accountability Office. However, the IRS's level of telephone service (the percentage of callers seeking live assistance who receive it) declined to 68 percent. In addition, of the 21 million pieces of paper correspondence received by the IRS, approximately 40 percent were considered overage (meaning that IRS did not respond within 45 days of receipt), an increase compared to last year.

Did you report the problem to tech support?

in that case, it's all rent.

Sure, we remember the tiger roar. In those days it was called Saber, and that was supposed to be a saber-toothed tiger. Loved the roar. Hated the parrot, tho.

The bunny and the dog were a friendly sigh that the programmers had a sense of humor. So it's sad that they removed them.

Am I the only one who finds the HJ 'this is how we do it" ads both stupid and also demeaning to the profession?

You have to protect those Cheerios!

A serious threat to your computer security! Take action now! Oracle's infamous Java program is back in the news. Hackers found a serious security flaw that affects all versions of Java 7, even the latest update 10. The exploit for this flaw is already available in two popular hacker tool kits, Blackhole (which I've already warned you is going to be a serious problem in 2013) and Nuclear Pack. That's bad news for you. Just visiting a malicious website will allow hackers to take over your computer! Fortunately, the latest update of Java included a feature that can make you safer. It's a single setting that allows you to turn off the Java plugin in all your browsers. You can still use Java for desktop programs, like the excellent LibreOffice, but don't have to worry if you visit a malicious site. http://www.komando.com/newsletter/alerts-2013-01-10.html

One more http://tax.cchgroup.com/downloads/files/pdfs/legislation/2012taxyear-inreview.pdf

Thanks Jim. Seems a bit odd [scary?] that a quote from the year 1788 is so appropiate to today, isn't it?

A Dog's Purpose? (from a 6-year-old). Being a veterinarian, I had been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound named Belker. The dog's owners, Ron, his wife Lisa , and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker, and they were hoping for a miracle. I examined Belker and found he was dying of cancer. I told the family we couldn't do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home. As we made arrangements, Ron and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to observe the procedure. They felt as though Shane might learn something from the experience. The next day, I felt the familiar catch in my throat as Belker 's family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped peacefully away. The little boy seemed to accept Belker's transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker's Death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than human lives. Shane, who had been listening quietly, piped up, ''I know why.'' Startled, we all turned to him. What came out of his mouth next stunned me. I'd never heard a more comforting explanation. It has changed the way I try and live. He said,''People are born so that they can learn how to live a good life -- like loving everybody all the time and being nice, right?'' The Six-year-old continued, ''Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don't have to stay as long.'' Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Remember, if a dog was the teacher you would learn things like: When loved ones come home, always run to greet them. Never pass up the opportunity to go for a joyride. Allow the experience of fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure Ecstasy. Take naps. Stretch before rising. Run, romp, and play daily. Thrive on attention and let people touch you. Avoid biting when a simple growl will do. On warm days, stop to lie on your back on the grass. On hot days, drink lots of water and lie under a shady tree. When you're happy, dance around and wag your entire body. Delight in the simple joy of a long walk. Be loyal. Never pretend to be something you're not. If what you want lies buried, dig until you find it. When someone is having a bad day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently. There comes a time in life, when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat you right. Think good thoughts for the ones who don't. Life is too short to be anything but happy. Falling down is part of LIFE...Getting back up is LIVING...Have a great life. And if you liked this post , PLEASE SHARE AND LIKE THIS PAGE and continue to be inspired with sayings that lift us and jokes to laugh at. Much love to you all, J.J. Cohen

IRS Isn’t Doing Enough to Help Identity Theft Victims National Taxpayer Advocate Nina Olson told Congress in her annual report that the Internal Revenue Service is not doing enough to assists victims of tax-related identity theft and tax return preparer fraud. The IRS is instructing its employees to advise identity theft victims that it will take 180 days—half a year— to resolve their cases. Complicated cases inevitably will take longer. The report also criticized the IRS’s failure to provide tax refunds to victims of preparer fraud. When a taxpayer is victimized by a preparer who receives a fraudulent refund by paper check, the IRS will issue a replacement refund to the taxpayer. However, the IRS will not issue a replacement refund when a taxpayer is victimized by a preparer who receives the fraudulent refund by altering the bank routing number on a direct-deposit request, even though the IRS has received legal advice that it may do so. Olson said the taxpayer-victim is legally entitled to receive the refund, and the IRS has no legal basis for withholding it. The report noted that the Tax Code imposes a “significant, even unconscionable, burden on taxpayers.” Since 2001, Congress has made nearly 5,000 changes to the tax code, an average of more than one a day, and the number of words in the code appears to have reached nearly four million. http://www.accountin...1496a:&st=email

APF makes the crucial distinction. Buying the feed is not a 'service', so no 1099 is needed. But if you are paying the other farmer for a 'service' such as when you pay another farmer to harvest your hay, whether that is for cash or on a 'share' or barter basis, it's a 1099 situation.

My understanding is that it's all lumped together on the payoff of the reverse mortgage. Have not really researched that, though, so if someone knows an exception, please let us know.

'By the way, the Founder's Quote today seemed especially appropriate in today's world: "It will be of little avail to the people that the laws are made by men of their own choice, if the laws be so voluminous that they cannot be read, or so incoherent that they cannot be understood; if they be repealed or revised before they are promulgated, or undergo such incessant changes that no man who knows what the law is today can guess what it will be to-morrow." --James Madison, Federalist No. 62, 1788