JohnH

Doesn't it just give you a warm, fuzzy feeling to know we're all just pawns being moved around on the Washington Chess Board? I'm more and more in favor of term limits for all politicians - one term in office followed by one term in prison.

I understand your point and your perspective. Expecting someone to demonstrate integrity always equates to an ad hominem attack in the Liberal universe.

The tax warehouse gives you some ways to sniff out certain forms. Schedule C & E are pretty easy if you look at the headings. So is lots of other useful info. If you sort by "Income Tax" and then look at "Total Tax", that might be a hint that EIC is in play if the total tax is lower (although it could also be other things). At least this approach would get you started with eliminating some you're not looking for. With the Education credit and Child Tax credit being split sometimes, this could be a bit of trial and error. But sometimes when analyzing data you want to eliminate 90% of what you're not looking for on the first pass and then focus on the remaining 10% to derive your answers. To do more analysis, you can "mark" them all under "View", then "export" to an Excel spreadsheet under "Reports". It goes right into Excel without any intermediate steps. Once you have it in Excel you can do a lot of the above with organized sorts to drill down to what's important. (For example, you could look at the difference between Income Tax and Total Tax while also weeding out anything above the income limits for EIC). There may be an easier way, but this is what I came up with off the top of my head. Once you have data in Excel, you can pretty much make it dance & sing if you know how to manipulate it.

Since we're talking about odd stuff here, there's something about psychics which has always puzzled me. Often you'll see a case where a psychic is called in to help locate a missing person. Why do they have to be "called in"? A competent psychic should already know the customer is planning to call them in, so they would just show up ready to work and nobody would be surprised by that. Plus it would validate the fact that they are really good psychic - maybe even earn them a higher fee.

"Presumptuous breath" - I like it! Do I have your permission to use it sometime? (I'll use it with or without permission, but I think I should at least show care and concern)

This entire thread is about opinions. My original point was that if somebody spouts off about how they should be paying more taxes than their secretary, then they can validate that statement by actually doing it. That would give them the moral high ground in the debate. Instead, we get lots of heat and smoke but no fire, and Liberals eat it up like catnip. (the smoke analogy is not accidental)

Just following the pattern already established. Don't know why you'd have a problem with it. Btw, the original point still stands, unrefuted as far as I'm concerned.

They are leaving the EIC alone. They just aren't leaving YOU alone. They are forcing tax preparers to become their auditors via the penalty provisions.

One way to deflect an argument is to call the other side silly names. But tired innuendo doesn't negate the original point. The simple fact remains that if Warren Buffet, Bill Clinton, Barak Obama, and other liberals really believe they should be paying more taxes, they should avail themselves of the opportunity to do so. There is a mechanism already built into the system to enable them to assuage their guilt over their low tax rates. Most importantly, it would also set an example that they could then encourage others to follow, either voluntarily or through changes to the tax system. A person of integrity will do the right thing even when not required to do it and even when others aren't doing it. Absent some concrete action on their part, all of the above are just blowing smoke for their liberal sycophants. It's pretty effective. I expect they are laughing all the way to the bank.

Thanks for checking on it. I think they're blowing smoke, and I notice they didn't address the security issue. Maybe they think that half an excuse will address the question. Many corporate types are like that. They insult your intelligence and then deceive themselves into thinking they've responded just because they don't get more push-back.

I usually test-drive one other program each year just to keep my powder dry. But I keep sticking with ATX because they have by far the best product FOR THE PRICE. Drake is a close second, but I personally still prefer ATX MAX and recommend it highly.

This is strictly anecdotal, but I'm convinced that the overall quality of care at a VA hospital depends upon its proximity to a university-affiliated teaching hospital.

No I haven't loaded it yet. Perhaps they've incorporated something along these lines. Will try to check it out in the next day or so. Thanks

I'd like to see a free-text "Sort" field in the return manager. Something that we can use whatever designation we wish as a way to categorize, sort, or arrange returns independent of the "Return Name" info. Even better, allow us the option to sort on both fields and to designate separate sort orders. It would be nice to be able to permanently override the prompt to use their built-in pdf writer when we want to use our own, (such as pdf factory). It gets tiresome having to click off that prompt every time I want a pdf of something. Better yet, provide a pdf writer that allows us to preview the file and also allow us to set a password so we don't have to use somebody else's pdf writer.

jainen: Hope all goes well with your eye surgery - you've every reason to be edgy.

All good ones KC. I'm loading up on meat, butter, and desserts. And a thought for the day. If the Maya could see centuries ago that an asteroid was going to crash into us in 2012, why couldn't they see the Spanish coming?

I can make a pretty good argument for procrastination being an acceptable excuse . Will post it later.

I mentioned this to my class in church this morning. Several members said this would cause them to try Sears before going anywhere else for gift items. We also have several who have sons, daughters, or loved ones in the military so they were pleased to know this.

I agree with Jack. You must have a reason that will make them cry. But it won't hurt to try. When they ignore the letter you send with the return, you can give it another shot by sending a second letter after the notice arrives. You might even try calling them with the client conferenced in on the call after the notice arrives. I've had some situations where we got some consideration on the phone that we couldn't get by correspondence. It all depends on the luck of the draw and how persuasive you are.

Warren Buffet has repeatedly said that he and others like him should be paying more tax. I've heard Bill Clinton and others advance the same argument. They should not make such statements unless they are willing to lead by example. The law as it currently exists already makes provision for them to pay more tax if they truly believe that is what they should be doing. Maybe I can illustrate my point. Let's assume that we learn that the average annual contribution to eric for maintaining this site is $xx. When I discover this, I say that I think everyone should be contributing $xxx. Then someone says we should contribute based on our gross revenue, so I change my mind and say everyone whose gross revenue is under $50K should pay $xx while everyone whose gross revenue is over $50K should pay $xxx because that's the fair thing to do. If my gross revenue is $150K, then I should be willing to go ahead any pay my $xxx if I TRULY BELIEVE it is the fair thing to do. And if I'm a person of integrity, I should be willing to do it even if nobody else does. Plus, if I go ahead and pay my $xxx, I then have the moral high ground to urge everyone else to do the same. Otherwise I'm just a bag of wind. Disclaimer #1: Some will maintain that I'm just a bag of wind regardless of what I do or say, which is certainly your right. DIsclaimer #2: Numbers are pulled out of the air - my gross revenue is not $150K

How Do You Make a Gift to Reduce Debt Held By the Public? Page 88 of the Form 1040 Instructions (attached) will settle this question. This wording has been in the instructions for as many years as I have been preparing tax returns. It's even legal to take a charitable deduction for this payment. Public_Debt_Reduction.pdf

Exactly. I think he's smart to structure his investments on such a way as to minimize his tax liability. Most us do the same to whatever extent possible. But if I honestly believed I should pay more taxes, then if I have integrity I'd voluntarily pay what I think I should pay, regardless of what others are paying. Then when I spouted off about why I should pay more, I could show that I've voluntarily done what is right and use that as leverage to urge other like-minded people to follow my example.

I respect Warren's Buffet's investment acumen, but I take what he says about taxes with a grain of salt. The day he announces he sent in a voluntary payment toward the national debt with his tax return, he will gain some credibility with me. Until then, his disingenuous pronouncements about taxation are nothing more than hot air - much like the politicians who cozy up to him. He isn't willing to put his money where his mouth is.

I'll certainly be praying for you KC.

You are correct - only $27.95 for the entire 15 hrs. I completed mine from the comfort of my computer. (Some people found a deep discount somewhere and only paid $15.00, but I didn't have time to scout that out.)