kcjenkins

39 yr commercial building.

The worst thing about those peas is that they usually spit them right back at you, and they stain whatever they land on.

By Ted Needleman Sometimes the most difficult aspect of repurposing an older PC is finding some place to put it. Older PCs tend to be larger PCs, and these days (as always) office space is at a premium. But if you have a monitor, keyboard and mouse you’re not using, you can have a spare office PC that doesn’t take any more room than those three components, can run a Microsoft Office-compatible office suite, and will cost you about 80 bucks, or possibly even less. It won’t run Windows, but it will do word processing, spreadsheets and the like. The heart of the 80 Buck PC is a small microcontroller card called the Raspberry Pi. Microcontrollers were introduced several years ago primarily for engineers, who use them for prototyping devices. The Raspberry Pi was developed by a nonprofit foundation in England to bring computing into schools at a very affordable price. It was released about two years ago in two models, a $25 board and a $35 board. Most people buy the $35 model, as it offers more frills for very few additional bills. Because the Raspberry Pi was intended for the educational market, a complete hardware illiterate can have it up and running in 15 minutes or less. The Raspberry Pi hardware is incredibly easy to get up and going. It has an HDMI video output so you can just plug in an HDMI cable between the Raspberry Pi and an HDMI port on a monitor or TV, and have high-resolution video output. Two USB ports let you plug in a keyboard and mouse. There’s a microUSB connector to connect the same kind of power supply you use to charge your cellphone or tablet, and a socket for an SD card, like the ones uses in digital cameras. That SD card socket is the key to the second part of the easy setup. The Raspberry Pi’s operating system, programs and user files are all contained on an SD card that plugs into it. Another reason why the Raspberry Pi sets up so quickly is that the process is almost completely automated. Check YouTube for step-by-step instructions on how to set up the software. When you place the SD card into the socket on the Raspberry Pi and turn the Pi on for the first time, the system sets itself up and gives you a choice of operating systems you can install. All of these are variations on Linux, and the most common one, and the one I think is best for office use, is Raspbian, which gives you a nice Windows-like interface and a bunch of utilities. And, if you want, you can skip a lot of the setup -- many sellers of the Raspberry Pi let you buy a 4GB or 8GB SD card with the files already installed. Just power up the first time, choose the version of the OS you want, and you’re good to go. Lots of stuff in a small space There’s a lot to like about the Raspberry Pi, and value is probably at the top of the list. The $35 computer is loaded with connectivity. It has 1080 HD HDMI video, a Gigabit Ethernet port and two USB ports. You can use these to connect the keyboard and mouse. If you have more USB devices that you want to connect, like Wi-Fi, use one of the USB ports to connect a powered USB hub, giving you additional ports. It needs to be a powered hub — the Raspberry Pi’s power supply doesn’t provide a lot of power to the two ports on the card. I have my Pi hooked up to an Apricorn NetDock. This gives me four more USB ports (two powered), a DVD burner and room for a hard disk. I haven’t dug into the Linux OS to enable the optical and SSD drives yet, but instructions for doing so are on the Internet, and I’ll get to it eventually. The Raspbian installation provides icons for the Pi Store and the Midori browser. On the Pi Store, you’ll find all sorts of apps, just like in the App Store for iOS or Google Play for Android. One of these is the LibreOffice office suite. It’s free, and after you’ve downloaded and installed it, you’ll have a Microsoft Office-compatible suite that includes a word processor, spreadsheet, and PowerPoint compatible presentation manager. Depending on what you already have and where you shop, you should be able to pull this additional PC together for $80 or less. Here’s how it breaks down: Raspberry Pi $39 Case $10 Power supply $10 HDMI cable $7 SD card $8 ____________________ Total $74 Add in tax and shipping, and you’re just about at the 80 buck mark. Places to purchase the above are easy to find. I’ve dealt with adafruit.com and sparkfun.com with good results. Though I haven’t dealt with them in the past, Canakit has what looks like a great offer listed on Amazon. For $62 and free shipping, you get pretty much everything you need except the free LibreOffice download. So give it a try. If you think you’ll need an extra PC for office-type tasks, it’s going to be hard to beat this approach for economy. And, if you want to be able to use your new 80 Buck PC to use online apps such as TurboTax, just install the Chromium Web browser — It’s Google’s open-source browser, almost identical to Chrome, and works fine with just about any browser-based online application.

The Internal Revenue Service has released the 2015 inflation-adjusted deduction limitations for annual contributions to a health savings account. The deduction limitations are updated annually to reflect cost-of-living adjustments. In Revenue Procedure 2014-30, the IRS said that for calendar year 2015, the annual limitation on deductions for an individual with self-only coverage under a high-deductible health plan will be $3,350. The annual limitation on deductions for an individual with family coverage under a high-deductible health plan will be $6,650 for 2015. A high-deductible health plan is defined as a health plan with an annual deductible that is not less than $1,300 for self-only coverage or $2,600 for family coverage, and the annual out-of-pocket expenses (including deductibles, co-payments and other amounts, but not premiums) do not exceed $6,450 for self-only coverage or $12,900 for family coverage.

It's a wonderful feeling. holding your grandchild for the first time. Congrats, Jack !

From the LA Times, hardly a right-wing source: The disclosure that 1,146 employees who had been disciplined for not paying taxes received a total of about $1.1 million in bonuses draws bipartisan outrage. http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-irs-bonuses-20140424,0,7198534.story#ixzz2zwFSbJs9 From CNN Money: The tax problems include willful understatement of tax liabilities, late payments and under-reporting of income, according to the report issued by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration. The report says that providing awards to employees who fail to pay taxes "appears to create a conflict with the IRS's charge of ensuring the integrity of the system of tax administration." (Appears? You think?)

I used Tenenz for years.

I thought FBAR was an extreme law, but FATCA is unbelievable, IMHO. This is what happens, tho, when tax laws are written for political reasons, apparently without any understanding of economic cause and effect.

1. Avoid the excise tax. Many employers are already making changes to their medical plans in anticipation of the excise tax in 2018. Also known as the Cadillac tax, it’s a 40% tax on the value of medical benefits over a set threshold. Organizations likely to hit the threshold have time to plan for a “soft landing” by phasing in changes to reset benefit cost at a lower level now, Mercer says. The most common strategies are adding in low-cost consumer-directed health plans and eliminating the highest-cost plan offered today. 2. Rethink dependent coverage. All employers should take a closer look at how they subsidize dependent and spousal coverage, Mercer suggests. Employers are increasingly implementing working spouse provisions that either eliminate coverage for spouses with health insurance offered elsewhere or imposing a surcharge on their coverage. The 2013 Mercer National Survey of Employer-Sponsored Health Plans found 16% of large employers have such a provision, up from 12% in 2012. 3. Consider coverage options for part-time and variable hour employees. Extending coverage to all employees working 30 or more hours per week will make up a large part of the increase in health benefit spending due to the ACA, Mercer says. Several strategies can be considered to become compliant with the law. They include limiting the number of hours worked for some employees, extending coverage to all eligible employees, adding a low-cost plan for newly eligible employees or simply paying the shared responsibility assessment. 4. Embrace next-generation wellness strategies. Many employers will add or expand health-management/wellness programs in an effort to reduce health care spending by improving workforce health, Mercer says. The ACA allows employers to increase the value of incentives from 20% to 30% of total plan costs, and up to 50% for tobacco nonuse. 5. Consider a private exchange. Interest in private health insurance exchanges is growing rapidly, Mercer says. A private exchange allows an employer to better manage costs and deliver flexibility and choice to its workforce. Mercer’s survey found that one-fourth of all employers are considering switching to a private exchange to deliver benefits to retirees or actives within just two years — and nearly half would consider switching within five years.

Americans have always enjoyed the privilege of living abroad without losing citizenship. Think Hemingway and Fitzgerald decamping to write in Europe after World War I, or Gen. MacArthur spending decades in Asia around World War II. Expatriates remain Americans, and have generally been welcomed back to our shores with open arms. But today there are at least 3,000 fewer Americans than there ought to be. That’s how many people live overseas and voluntarily gave up their citizenship in 2013 alone. And they won’t be coming back—at least not as Americans. Their decision to become foreigners is being driven, in many cases, by changes to domestic laws. The United States is one of only two countries that attempt to tax money citizens earn while working overseas (Eritrea is the other). And two laws aimed at bringing tax revenue back into the U.S.—the Foreign Account Tax Compliance Act (FATCA) and the Report of Foreign Bank and Financial Accounts (FBAR)—are actually driving Americans away. FBAR focuses on citizens, demanding that anyone with $10,000 or more in a foreign bank inform the IRS about that account. FATCA is even more invasive, because it attempts to compel foreign companies to cooperate with the IRS. Instead, many companies are simply deciding to dump their American customers. Congress passed FATCA in 2010 to make it harder for Americans with foreign accounts to illegally evade U.S. taxes. Unfortunately, the unintended consequence of FATCA has been a painful burden inflicted on innocent law-abiding U.S. citizens residing abroad whom the law is forcing to make life-changing decisions. “I have been kicked out of a Swiss bank,” Brian Dublin told USA Today. “I have also been kicked out of a Swiss pension fund. They told me they don’t want any Americans in the fund. They don’t want to work on behalf of the IRS.” He intends to apply for Swiss citizenship. The law requires Americans to file expensive paperwork even if they don’t owe anything. “If you have to dish out thousands of dollars each year just to retain your U.S. citizenship you start to say, ‘Look, do I really need it that much?’” tax expert Andrew Mitchel explains. Still, the decision to surrender American citizenship isn’t easy. “When I gave up my American passport I was so upset that I went out in the street and vomited,” Donna-Lane Nelson says. But it’s happening more and more often, jumping from 231 people giving up their citizenship at the end of the George W. Bush administration in 2008 to roughly 1,000 in 2012 and 3,000 last year. The United States has always been the exceptional nation, the land of opportunity, even if some Americans chose to pursue opportunities abroad. We’ve been able to lure the best of the best from all around the world to become Americans and help build our economy. However, if the federal government continues to pile on burdensome regulations, that may not always be the case.

Well, actually, Tom, we do not know if it's the client's health issue or his family member. Might be his spouse is the one with the medical bills, for example. But I do agree that taking the funds from the 401K should be a last resort, because it usually ends up costing more than even using a credit card! Plus you can not put it back, which at least the 'loan' option does allow.

My thinking is similar to Jack's, that it's not really about the time involved in the amendment but about your knowledge in knowing how and why and when to amend. And as he said, basing it on time alone will Penalize you for experience. Time may be a factor in the way you set your base fee for a schedule, but it should not be the only factor. Or even the primary one, when it comes to amendments, especially. Likelihood of needing followup correspondence is, IMHO, a more important factor, for example.

A retirement plan may, but is not required to, provide for hardship distributions. Many plans that provide for elective deferrals provide for hardship distributions. Does your client's plan allow them? A hardship distribution may not exceed the amount of the employee's need. However, the amount required to satisfy the financial need may include amounts necessary to pay any taxes or penalties that may result from the distribution. (Reg. §1.401(k)-1(d)(3)(iv)(A)) The exception is code 05 Qualified retirement plan distributions up to the amount you paid for unreimbursed medical expenses during the year minus 10% (or 7.5% if you or your spouse are age 65 or older) of your adjusted gross income for the year.

Saw this on Facebook and thought it has a great message...worth the read and definitely the share! A little girl had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful red haired, freckle faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the top of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the earth it has no time to flow down the spout.. We all stood there, under the awning, just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated because nature messed up their hurried day. I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child came pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day. Her little voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in, 'Mom let's run through the rain,' she said. 'What?' Mom asked. 'Let's run through the rain!' She repeated. 'No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit,' Mom replied. This young child waited a minute and repeated: 'Mom, let's run through the rain..' 'We'll get soaked if we do,' Mom said. 'No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning,' the young girl said as she tugged at her Mom's arm. 'This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?' 'Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, ' If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything! ' ' The entire crowd stopped dead silent.. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain.. We all stood silently. No one left. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. 'Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If GOD let's us get wet, well maybe we just need washing,' Mom said. Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and yes, through the puddles. They got soaked. They were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, I did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing. Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, and they can take away your health. But no one can ever take away your precious memories...So, don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day. I HOPE YOU STILL TAKE THE TIME TO RUN THROUGH THE RAIN. If you've read this all and it's touched you... share it.

It's in the Politics forum, entitled "GBTP Rally 4/13"

Boy are you out of touch! I moved last June. All my boys are out here, so after Don died in Sept and then I had cancer surgery in Jan, I sold my home and moved out here.

For those who don't like links: emphasis added by me. More than 2,800 Internal Revenue Service workers who had been disciplined recently received millions of dollars in bonuses and time off as part of an employee recognition program, a new government audit shows. The IRS has a program that rewards its employees for a job well done, but a report released Tuesday by the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration found that, between October 1, 2010, and December 31, 2012, more than 2,800 recently disciplined IRS workers got more than $2.8 million in monetary awards and more than 27,000 hours in time-off awards. The employee infractions included not paying their taxes. “While not prohibited, providing awards to employees who have been disciplined for failing to pay federal taxes appears to create a conflict with the IRS’ charge of ensuring the integrity of the system of tax administration,” J. Russell George, Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration, said in a statement. The watchdog conducted the audit because of new federal guidance issued in fiscal year 2011 that requires agencies to reduce spending on awards programs beginning in fiscal year 2012. The inspector general recommends that the tax agency’s personnel chief institute a policy requiring management to consider conduct issues resulting in disciplinary actions, particularly the nonpayment of taxes, before awarding bonuses and paid time off. The inspector general said he has been assured by the IRS personnel chief that, by the end of June, the agency will study establishing a policy requiring management to consider disciplinary actions before giving out performance awards. The audit also showed that most IRS workers get cash and time off in the agency’s award program. For fiscal year 2011, the IRS awarded almost $92 million in cash and almost 520,000 hours of time off to 70,500 of its 104,400 workers. In fiscal 2012, it awarded $86 million in cash and almost 490,000 hours of time off to 67,870 of its 98,000 workers. The audit didn’t find any violations with the IRS’ overall awards program, agency spokesman José Manuel Vejarano points out. The IRS has developed a policy linking conduct to performance awards for executives and senior level employees, he said. “Even without a formal policy in place, over the past four years, the IRS has not issued awards to any executives that were subject to a disciplinary action,” Vejarano said. “We are also considering a similar policy for the entire IRS workforce, which would be subject to negotiations with the National Treasury Employees Union.” [email protected]

Nothing beats having a live person tell you where you're going next and reminding you what's coming up later, but the disappearance of the traditional human secretary has left many professionals to managing their own schedules -- or, rather, mismanaging said schedules. Computer apps have attempted to fill the gaps; they range from the abysmal to the pretty good, depending on how much they aspire to be the equivalent of an actual person taking care of your schedule for you. Fantastical 2 is one of those that goes the farthest -- you can even shout out appointments at it and it'll take care of the reset (provided your device supports dictation). It's easy to add events and reminders, and offers a wide variety of ways to quickly and easily view your schedule, and drill down to the details of a particular appointment or event. While it's only available for Apple devices (iPads, iPods, and iPhones), it is localized in English, German, French, Italian and Spanish. http://www.accountingtoday.com/accounting-technology/news/app-of-the-week-fantastical-270362-1.html?utm_campaign=daily-apr%2022%202014&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&ET=webcpa%3Ae2591177%3A2457290a%3A&st=email

Or you can all come to my house, and I'll feed you, and I have wine but nothing harder except a little Kahlua. And you are not allowed to wreck the house I rent.

Well, I love you, Rita.

Hey, Michael, did you find a place? Feedback requested, my sons would like to know what you found, as they may be in Vegas on business soon.

Well, you will certainly be welcome. Let Tom and Joan know [PM] what dates would work for you. Once we settle on a date, we'll post a thread to invite any others who might want to come.

According to the Tax Foundation, today, April 21, 2014, is Tax Freedom Day. It's the day we have worked as a nation collectively to pay our total tax bill for the year. This includes federal and state income taxes for a combined total of $4.5 trillion. Tax Freedom Day is three days later than last year at 111 days into the year. We will spend more on taxes in 2014 than we will on food, clothing and housing combined. EITC was SUPPOSED to help mitigate the ta burden on 'the poor'.