Tax Time!

[Roadtoad]

http://cagle.slate.msn.com/news/Taxes/Taxes%202004/ramsey.gif

Enjoy...

[jj]

Yeah. I can only write and read international signal processing and audio standards, etc. But I can't read tax law.

Oy!

[epepke]

One of the few benefits of making as little money as I did last year was that I didn't even have to file a return.

[American]

The tax codes are intentionally difficult for selective law enforcement. Many mobsters and criminals have gone to jail for tax problems when murder or other charges wouldn't stick because of disgusting defense lawyers, legal loopholes, and technicalities.

Pot serves the same function. If you can't bust street punks for weapons and gang activity, you can often find pot on them and put them away for that, or at the very least hold violent suspects until more serious charges can be pressed.

[peptoabysmal]

This year was pretty good for me. Got back a small return even after dividends were added in. Relatively painless this year. Thanks, GWB :D

[specious_reasons]

Originally posted by peptoabysmal
This year was pretty good for me. Got back a small return even after dividends were added in. Relatively painless this year. Thanks, GWB :D

I'd be happier about the tax cut if I hadn't loaned the government so much money interest-free for so long.

(Some of that is my fault, for not adjusting withholdings, but the year didn't quite work out as planned, and I doubt I could have predicted my tax situation.)

[epepke]

But seriously, folks, this cartoon is a gross oversimplification of the US tax laws, because there's only one entrance.

An accurate cartoon would have at least 37 entrances, labeled with things like, "If you are of species mus muculus and have a minimum of 284,327 hairs each exceeding 0.432 centimeters and have nostils that can flare to 1.537 millimeters each, enter here."

[aerocontrols]

http://www.preciseaccountingandtax.com/images/subscrip.gif

[WildCat]

Originally posted by epepke
One of the few benefits of making as little money as I did last year was that I didn't even have to file a return.
I'm not a tax code expert, but I believe that you're still required to file. And if you do make $$ this year, and file next, the lack of a return this year will be a huge red flag calling for an audit. But I'm sure someone w/ far better info than me will comment on that.

I'm getting $2300 back between fed and state taxes, I don't know why my boss withholds so much!

[daenku32]

I did my taxes back in February. Why wait until April to get a return? I only waited until April back when I had to pay extra.

[Babylon Sister]

Originally posted by WildCat

I'm not a tax code expert, but I believe that you're still required to file. And if you do make $$ this year, and file next, the lack of a return this year will be a huge red flag calling for an audit. But I'm sure someone w/ far better info than me will comment on that.


This happened to me. In '97 I didn't file because I didn't owe anything. When I filed in '98, I got a nasty-gram from the IRS stating they wouldn't process '98 until they received '97.

I did finally file for '97 and was much surprised to find that I not only got my refund, but it had interest added.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by American
The tax codes are intentionally difficult for selective law enforcement. Many mobsters and criminals have gone to jail for tax problems when murder or other charges wouldn't stick because of disgusting defense lawyers, legal loopholes, and technicalities.

Pot serves the same function. If you can't bust street punks for weapons and gang activity, you can often find pot on them and put them away for that, or at the very least hold violent suspects until more serious charges can be pressed.

:dl:

You're such a dumbass.

[American]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer

You're such a dumbass.


Dumbass with a HUGE tax refund coming and ZERO pot possession charges!

[Bearguin]

Now where's that link to the REO Wagon/Elton John thread????

[specious_reasons]

Originally posted by daenku32
I did my taxes back in February. Why wait until April to get a return? I only waited until April back when I had to pay extra.

I do the same: If I'm getting money back, I file them early. If I'm not, I file on April15th.

[jj]

Originally posted by American



Dumbass with a HUGE tax refund coming and ...


You enjoy giving out interest-free loans, then?

[epepke]

Originally posted by WildCat

I'm not a tax code expert, but I believe that you're still required to file.

Nope. I did the whole bit, agonizing over all the appropriate schedules, and how the hell I was going to report income from a Canadian company, on a 1099 or a Schedule C. So I sat down and read the 1040 booklet, and the threshold for having to file in my category is $7 thousand and change, and I only made $6 thousand and change.

[pgwenthold]

Originally posted by jj


You enjoy giving out interest-free loans, then?

Actually, considering that the alternative is 1.8% in a CD, an interest free loan to the government doesn't bother me all that much, especially for the amount that I get back at the end.

[toddjh]

Anyone with me on a Constitutional amendment stating that no law is enforceable which is beyond the comprehension of a person of normal intelligence putting in a reasonable amount of research? :)

Jeremy

[phildonnia]

Never been audited, but seriously, as long as you didn't actually commit fraud, what's the big deal?

I'd just hand them the same big box full of paper that I went through, and say "Knock yourself out."

[T'ai Chi]

I like the IRS, because by the time I get a refund check, it is like free money because by that time I have forgotten I've paid taxes. ;)

If I was about to die, I'd spend my dying days reading IRS publications. That way my days would seem to last forever.

[Roadtoad]

Originally posted by toddjh
Anyone with me on a Constitutional amendment stating that no law is enforceable which is beyond the comprehension of a person of normal intelligence putting in a reasonable amount of research? :)

Jeremy

Word...

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by American

Dumbass with a HUGE tax refund coming....

Thus proving my point. Any special reason why you allowed the government to hold your money all year? You could have been earning interest on it the whole time. Of course you aren't used to handling money, so maybe it was a rookie mistake. Or maybe you're a bigger dumbass than we thought.

[The Central Scrutinizer]

Originally posted by pgwenthold


Actually, considering that the alternative is 1.8% in a CD, an interest free loan to the government doesn't bother me all that much, especially for the amount that I get back at the end.

So you would rather have your money back rather than your money + 1.8% interest? That's weird.

[American]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer

Thus proving my point. Any special reason why you allowed the government to hold your money all year? You could have been earning interest on it the whole time. Of course you aren't used to handling money, so maybe it was a rookie mistake. Or maybe you're a bigger dumbass than we thought.


Maybe you should check current interest rates, d!ckhead. Unless you don't care if all your cash is stuck in a T-bill for years, it ain't worth it. Not unless it's you and you're a complete moron, I mean, then it doesn't matter cause you'd probably buy something stupid with your money like a Geo or a panty-waist F150.

[Roadtoad]

Well, you could always invest in the Stock Market...

[Suddenly]

Originally posted by toddjh
Anyone with me on a Constitutional amendment stating that no law is enforceable which is beyond the comprehension of a person of normal intelligence putting in a reasonable amount of research? :)

Jeremy

Generally speaking the fact that you don't understand the tax code is a defense to a criminal charge of tax evasion. It just isn't a defense to civil enforcement and collection of back taxes, interest, and penalties.

Other than that we wind up with the central problem of law:

1) If it is too simple the loopholes are obvious and injustice occurs.

vs.

2) If it is too complex people do not understand and injustice occurs.

along with

3) If the law is too specific it will fail to anticipate all possible scenerios leading to absurdity and injustice.

vs.

4) If the law is too general application will either be inconsistent depending on the Judge, causing injustice, or require a system of authority and opinion reporting (go to (2) above).

[pgwenthold]

Originally posted by The Central Scrutinizer


So you would rather have your money back rather than your money + 1.8% interest? That's weird.

You apparently have a reading comprehension problem.