kcjenkins

I just 'customized' the 1040, page 2, to automatically fill in those boxes. This whole thing is STUPID, STUPID, STUPID. The d___ phone number is already there, two lines down! And the pin is in the efile already, too. Typical IRS stupidity!!! And the TIMING TOTALLY STINKS. Again typical of the IRS. Just like them trying to make everyone efile by forcing it, when they could do like several states do now. Have you looked at an OH return? Right there on the front of the return, it says "Try I-File or Ohio eForms by visiting tax.ohio.gov. Most electronic filers receive their refunds in 5-7 business days by direct deposit!" Now you know perfectly well that if the IRS would make that the case with their efiling, everyone would want to efile!

A very old lady looked in the mirror one morning. She had three remaining hairs on her head, and being a positive soul, she said, "I think I'll braid my hair today." So she braided her three hairs, and she had a great day. Some days later, looking in the mirror one morning, preparing for her day, she saw that she had only two hairs remaining. "Hmm, two hairs... I fancy a centre parting today." She duly parted her two hairs, and as ever, she had a great day. A week or so later, she saw that she had just one hair left on her head. "One hair huh...," she mused, "I know, a pony-tail will be perfect." And again she had a great day. The next morning she looked in the mirror. She was completely bald. "Finally bald huh," she said to herself, "How wonderful! I won't have to waste time doing my hair any more.."

More questions. Did the 'company' sue her, or did they just appeal the determination? And it that is what happened, then she had to repay the state UC rather than the company. That is a slightly different situation. Need more clarity.

If $25 or less per gift, treat them as gifts. Donuts are not a meal, no matter what my grandkids say.

Everyone. [who does not have a real computer expert living with them] should get to know a local computer repairman that they can call in an emergency. And whether they advertise it or not, most of them will build a computer for you if you ask. The main point is that they will build you the machine you need, based on what you intend to use it for. Just like buying a new car or truck, if you never go off-road, why would you pay for 4WD and a winch? But if you really need a winch and 4WD, odds are good that you do not need a top of the line stereo system and you may or may not need satellite GPS, heated leather seats, roll bar, etc. Buying just what you need means you get what you need for less, and don't have to waste time deleting a bunch of 'trial version' programs that you don't need, and which, even when removed, leave unneeded files cluttering up your hard drive.

It'a a shame more tax preparers do not even think about calling a local computer repair shop, and asking them about a 'custom built' computer. Why pay for stuff you don't need, when you can often get a better machine, built just for your tax work, that will run faster just because it does NOT have all that 'entertainment' stuff that you are never going to use in your office?

Quick Alerts for Tax Professionals March 2, 2010 Subject: Error Reject Code 0283, Error Reject Code 0541 and Error Reject Code 0767 Error Reject Code 0283 Form 8815 - The Modified Adjusted Gross Income Amount in ERC 0283 will be corrected and implemented in the e-file programs today, March 2, 2010, in the 6:00 p.m. drain. Error Reject Code 0541 Form 1040/1040A - The implementation of ERC 0541 to be bypassed when the taxpayer chooses to have their return accepted with ERC 0501 under e-File Exception Processing will be today, March 2, 2010, in the 6:00 p.m. drain. Error Reject Code 0767 Tax Form - The Third Party Designee Telephone Number field has been added to Error Reject Code 0767 and will be implemented in the e-file programs today, March 2, 2010, in the 6:00 p.m. drain. These revisions will be reflected in the next update to the Tax Year 2009 Publication 1346. Thank you for subscribing to Quick Alerts for Tax Professionals, an IRS e-mail service. If you know someone who might want to subscribe to this mailing list, please forward this message to them so they can subscribe. This is really stupid, for them to change ANYTHING, but especially such an irrelevant thing, at this date. But inputting your pin will solve it.

In a very limited defense of these idiots, there is a huge amount of misleading info floating around out there over this credit. And the fact that the idiot Congress changed this law three times in less than twelve months makes it worse. Still, no client has the right to scream at the preparer just because he does not like the answer. That client should be fired, and I have no doubt you can replace him with someone nicer, who may well pay you better too.

Why would you buy a computer optimized for gaming? And why the Home version of Win 7? For the same money you could get a better machine optimized for business use.

NO. I do not think she can deduct anything here. Let's restate the facts, as I understand them. She was employed, then laid off, and drew UC. THEN, she was sued for wrongful acts, and she lost, the employer won. The court ruled that she had to repay something to the employer, is the assumption I am drawing, from the very brief facts you posted. If I am right, the repayment had to do with her wrongful act, and had nothing to do with the UC she received, even if the amount of the judgement against her was based, in whole or part, on that UC she got. More facts MIGHT change my opinion, but based on what I know so far, I'd say no. She can not deduct payments she had to make because of a wrongful act she committed.

COVERDELL EDUCATION SAVINGS ACCOUNT (ESA) This savings account is used to pay qualified educational expenses at an eligible educational institution. For purposes of the Coverdell ESAs, an eligible educational institution includes a public, private, or religious school (kindergarten through grade 12) as determined under state law, as well as a college, university, vocational school, or other institution eligible to participate in a student aid program administered by the Department of Education. Contributions are not deductible; however, qualified distributions are tax-free. Contributions can be made by eligible individuals in the childs name, but the total can not exceed the stated maximum for any one year. See IRS Publication 970

Loans are not income. Only place they would show up would be on the balance sheet.

It's hard to think of a more personal reason for a trip than that one. No deduction.

And you are looking at Thrift Shop value for the personal assets like books, clothing, etc. Which is pretty low.

Had not, but it makes sense.

"If the enemy is in range, so are you." — Infantry Journal "It is generally inadvisable to eject directly over the area you just bombed." — US Air Force Manual "Whoever said the pen is mightier than the sword, obviously never encountered automatic weapons." — General MacArthur "You, you, and you ... Panic. The rest of you, come with me." — U.S. Marine Corp Gunnery Sgt. "Tracers work both ways." — U.S. Army Ordnance Manual "Five second fuses only last three seconds." — Infantry Journal The three most useless things in aviation are: Fuel in the bowser; Runway behind you; and Air above you. — Basic Flight Training Manual "Any ship can be a minesweeper. Once." — Maritime Ops Manual "Never tell the Platoon Sergeant you have nothing to do." — Unknown Marine Recruit "If you see a bomb technician running, try to keep up with him." — USAF Ammo Troop "You've never been lost until you"ve been lost at Mach 3." — Paul F. Crickmore (SR71 test pilot) "The only time you have too much fuel is when you're on fire." —Unknown Author "If the wings are traveling faster than the fuselage it has to be a helicopter — and therefore, unsafe." — Fixed Wing Pilot "When one engine fails on a twin-engine airplane, you always have enough power left to get you to the scene of the crash." — Multi-Engine Training Manual "Without ammunition, the USAF is just an expensive flying club." — Unknown Author "If you hear me yell; 'Eject, Eject, Eject!,' the last two will be echos. If you stop to ask 'Why?' you"ll be talking to yourself, because you're the pilot." — Pre-flight Briefing from a 104 Pilot "What is the similarity between air traffic controllers and pilots? If a pilot screws up, the pilot dies; but If ATC screws up, .... the pilot dies." — Sign over Control Tower Door "Never trade luck for skill." — Author Unknown "Airspeed, altitude and brains. Two are always needed to successfully complete the flight." — Basic Flight Training Manual "Mankind has a perfect record in aviation — we have never left one up there!" — Unknown Author "Flying the airplane is more important than radioing your plight to a person on the ground incapable of understanding or doing anything about it." — Emergency Checklist "The Piper Cub is the safest airplane in the world; it can just barely kill you." — Attributed to Max Stanley (Northrop test pilot) "There is no reason to fly through a thunderstorm in peacetime." — Sign over Squadron Ops Desk at Davis-Montham AFB, AZ "If something hasn't broken on your helicopter, it's about to." — Sign over Carrier Group Operations Desk "You know that your landing gear is up and locked when it takes full power to taxi to the terminal." — Lead-in Fighter Training Manual As the test pilot climbs out of the experimental aircraft, having torn off the wings and tail in the crash landing, the crash truck arrives. The rescuer sees a bloodied pilot and asks, "What happened?" The pilot"s reply: "I don't know, I just got here myself!"

Is the son still going to continue working for him? That makes a difference in how he treats it, naturally. But he ought to have a clear idea of how much it's costing him to go that way. Maybe stepDad will pay his extra cost.....at least it's worth considering.

Well, I'd talk to the manager, myself. First, I'd ask him the definition of Nachos. Here's the standard one: na·cho   [nah-choh] –noun,plural-chos. Mexican Cookery. a snack or appetizer consisting of small pieces of tortilla topped with cheese, hot peppers, etc., and broiled. After he gives you some version of that, ask him why his deli is advertising Nachos for $X.xx, but then adding the cost of the cheese to the price of the dish that is supposed to already include cheese? I bet he'd straighten out the deli clerks, and probably give you a free order of nachos, just to make up for the attempted overcharging. I doubt the clerk is doing it intentionally, I suspect she just does not understand.

I would file a 1040 for the dad up to the date of death, and a 1041 for the period after death, with the appropriate K1s for the children. I would show those transactions after the DOD which were reported in dad's SSN on the 1040 and then back them out as 'nominee income' with the estate EIN as the recipient, then reporting them on the 1041. It's better to do it right, now, than to try to skip a step or two now and have it come back to bite you. That always takes more effort than doing it correctly the first time. Plus, the heirs understand paying you to do what has to be done, now, but will not be so happy to pay you for the time to deal with questions later, if those short-cuts cause notices to come later.

I would certainly discuss with the stepson the options he has, INCLUDING FILING AN 8919. Seems to me this guy has been shafted enough already, without having to pay both halves of the payroll taxes as well. Either he was a partner, and thus self-employed, or he was an employee of the A--...., one or the other. Filing him as self-employed seems to be giving him the worst of both.

BILL NUMBER: SB 1299 INTRODUCED BILL TEXT INTRODUCED BY Senator Lowenthal FEBRUARY 19, 2010 An act to add Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 42280) to Division 18 of the Vehicle code, relating to vehicles. LEGISLATIVE COUNSEL'S DIGEST SB 1299, as introduced, Lowenthal. Vehicles: vehicle miles traveled fee (VMT). Existing law requires the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of the California Highway Patrol to each shall file, at least monthly with the Controller, a report of money received by the department covering all fees for applications accepted by the department and all other moneys received by the Department of Motor Vehicles under the Vehicle Code and, at the same time, to remit all money so reported to the Treasurer. Existing law requires, not later than January 10 of each 4-year period after January 10, 1985, the Secretary of the Business, Transportation and Housing Agency to submit a report to the Legislature on a study of the fees imposed under the Vehicle Code, including any finding or recommendation on changes in the fees necessary to generate sufficient revenues for the Motor Vehicle Account in the State Transportation Fund to finance those operations of state government to be financed from those revenues. This bill would require the Department of Motor Vehicles to develop and implement, by January 1, 2012, a pilot program designed to assess the following issues related to implementing a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee in California. The bill would also require the department to prepare and submit a specified report of its findings to the policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature no later than June 30, 2012. Vote: majority. Appropriation: no. Fiscal committee: yes. State-mandated local program: no. THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS FOLLOWS: SECTION 1. Chapter 3 (commencing with Section 42280) is added to Division 18 of the Vehicle Code, to read: CHAPTER 3. VEHICLES MILES TRAVELED (VMT) FEE 42280. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following: (a) The federal Safe, Accountable, Flexible, Efficient Transportation Equity Act - A Legacy for Users (SAFETEA-LU) (Public Law 109-59), established the National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Study Commission to examine the condition and future needs of the nation's surface transportation system, as well as short- and long-term alternatives to the fuel tax. ( The search for an alternative means of revenue is driven by a combination of factors, including the diminishing value of the fuel tax, declining supplies of conventional petroleum-based fuels, and increasingly fuel-efficient vehicles. These factors contribute to a growing disparity in the revenue needed to fund the transportation system with the revenue available. © After months of study, the commission issued its report in December 2007. Among its recommendations was consideration of a mileage-based user fee, also referred to as a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee. (d) Implementing a VMT fee, however, involves a number of technological and institutional challenges, including establishing the method for calculating the mileage driven, the process by which mileage data is transmitted to a tax collection agency, contingencies to address potential equipment failures, adequate privacy protections, and a strategy for transitioning from the fuel tax to this new method of fee payment. 42281. (a) The department shall develop and implement, by January 1, 2012, a pilot program designed to assess the following issues related to implementing a vehicle miles traveled (VMT) fee in California: (1) Different methods for calculating mileage. (2) Processes for transmitting data to protect the integrity of the data and ensure drivers' privacy. (3) Types of equipment that may be required of the state and of drivers in order to implement a VMT fee, including a discussion of the advantages and disadvantages of the equipment and contingencies in the event of equipment failure. ( The department shall prepare and submit a report of its findings to the appropriate policy and fiscal committees of the Legislature no later than June 30, 2012. The report shall include, but not be limited to, all of the following elements: (1) Recommendations regarding how best to implement a VMT fee in a manner that minimizes confusion and inconvenience to California's drivers while also ensuring their privacy. (2) Given the technological and institutional demands associated with implementing a VMT fee, a discussion of different processes that may be used to transition from the fuel tax to a VMT fee over time. (3) A discussion of issues the Legislature may wish to consider when evaluating whether and how to implement a VMT fee.

I think you will have to paper file the one late one. But you can efile the others now, then you just do only the new one when you file it.

It's an investment bad debt, looks to me. No cite, tho, it's late, I'm tired, and this was filing deadline for farmers day, so I'm beat. [And no, I still have one left to finish, but they did not bring me everything, so I'm going home anyway.] Tomorrow will have to be it.

Well, I just do not see any other way to interpret this one. It's very clear, seems to me. "the basis of the property in the hands of the person acquiring such property is not determined-- (I) in whole or in part under section 1014(a) [iRC Sec. 1014(a)] (relating to property acquired from a decedent)" Her basis IS determined, in part, under IRC § 1014(a), therefore, she's out of luck on this one.

Yes, for the lodging but no for the M&IE deduction. Same as rule for Self-employed. Per diem allowance for lodging may only be used by employers for determining employee reimbursements and exclusion from income. Sole proprietors and employees may not use the per diem allowance to substantiate a lodging deduction: actual receipts are needed. [bracey, TC Memo 1998-254] Rev. Proc. 2005-67 § 7.05 If the amount of the expenses that is deemed substantiated under the rules provided in section 4.01, 4.02, or 5 of this revenue procedure is less than the amount of the employee's business expenses for travel away from home, the employee may claim an itemized deduction for the amount by which the business travel expenses exceed the amount that is deemed substantiated, provided the employee substantiates all the business travel expenses, includes on Form 2106, " Employee Business Expenses," the deemed substantiated portion of the per diem allowance received from the payor, and includes in gross income the portion (if any) of the per diem allowance received from the payor that exceeds the amount deemed substantiated. See § 1.274-5(f)(2)(iii). However, for purposes of claiming this itemized deduction with respect to meal and incidental expenses, substantiation of the amount of the expenses is not required if the employee is claiming a deduction that is equal to or less than the amount computed under section 4.03 of this revenue procedure minus the amount deemed substantiated under sections 4.02 and 7.01 of this revenue procedure. The itemized deduction is subject to the appropriate limitation (see section 2.02 of this revenue procedure) on meal and entertainment expenses provided in § 274(n) and the 2-percent floor on miscellaneous itemized deductions provided in § 67. §4.03 Optional method for meal and incidental expenses only deduction. In lieu of using actual expenses in computing the amount allowable as a deduction for ordinary and necessary meal and incidental expenses paid or incurred for travel away from home, employees and self-employed individuals who pay or incur meal expenses may use an amount computed at the federal M&IE rate for the locality of travel for each calendar day (or partial day) the employee or self-employed individual is away from home. This amount will be deemed substantiated for purposes of paragraphs (B )(2) and (c ) of § 1.274-5, provided the employee or self-employed individual substantiates the elements of time, place, and business purpose of the travel for that day (or partial day) in accordance with those regulations. See section 6.05 (1) of this revenue procedure for rules related to the application of the limitation under § 274(n) to amounts determined under this section 4.03. See section 4.05 of this revenue procedure for a method for substantiating incidental expenses that may be used by employees or self-employed individuals who do not pay or incur meal expenses.