Tax Guru – Ker$tetter Letter

Helping real people win the tax game.

Archive for January, 2004

What Isn’t Taxed?

Posted by taxguru on January 22, 2004

Courtesy of one of the posters on the QuickFinders message board:


Tax his cow, tax his goat

Tax his pants, tax his coat

Tax his tires, tax his shirt

Tax his work, tax his dirt

Tax his chew, tax his smoke

Teach him taxes are no joke

Tax his land, tax his wages

Tax the bed in which he lays

Tax his tractor, tax his mule

Teach him taxes are the rule

Tax his tobacco, tax his drink

Tax him if he tries to think

Tax his booze, tax his beers

If he cries, tax his tears

Tax his bills, tax his gas

Tax his notes, tax his cash

Tax him good and let him know

That after taxes he has no dough

If he hollers, tax him more

Tax him ’til he’s good and sore

Tax his coffin, tax his grave

Tax the sod in which he lays

Put these words upon his tomb:

“Taxes drove me to my doom.”

And when he’s gone we won’t relax

We’ll still be after his inheritance tax!

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Do It Yourself Tax Software

Posted by taxguru on January 22, 2004

PC Magazine has some reviews of tax programs for consumers. These do not cover programs for us professionals to use. I have no comments on any of the consumer software other than the usual GIGO (garbage in, garbage out) warning. While they can help fill in the tax forms, they cannot take the place of a knowledgeable and creative tax professional. I have never felt threatened by any computer program. In fact, some of our clients use these programs in place of our standard organizer when submitting their info to us every year. Needless to say, the final results we end up with almost always look dramatically different from what the clients had come up on their own. These tax programs can do as accurate a job as the mass market tax prep services that are nothing but “form fillers.” Those companies should worry about losing business to do it yourselfers.

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Posted by taxguru on January 22, 2004

Can anyone honestly claim that this would be any worse than following the advice of other so-called investment gurus, such as those who pick stocks on TV?

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Posted by taxguru on January 20, 2004

Financial legacy for the future – Art Linkletter has a good handle on the Social Security scam. It’s reinforcement for my 30 plus year campaign to help people arrange things so as to not flush more of their hard earned money down this toilet.

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Posted by taxguru on January 20, 2004

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What Great Choices:

Posted by taxguru on January 20, 2004

Study: EVERY Democrat Presidential Candidate’s Platform Would Raise, Not Lower, Federal Budget Deficits

Drunken GOP Sailors. Even Bill Clinton and a Democratic Congress didn’t spend like this.

Those who don’t buy into the standard line that we can only choose from the two big parties understand that there is a party that has at its main core the belief in lower taxes and smaller government.

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Posted by taxguru on January 20, 2004

Creative Use of Office Tools – We’ve all heard that “the pen is mightier than the sword,” but how powerful are staplers? Using a stapler to scare away a crook with a knife was a smart move by this tax preparer in Des Moines.

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Posted by taxguru on January 20, 2004

Unfortunately, this is too accurate a representation of how most people are planning for their retirement.

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Posted by taxguru on January 18, 2004

It’s Not What You Spend, It’s What You Don’t Spend That Counts

Republicans Warn Bush on Spending, Deficits

New 10-Step Weight Loss Plan For the Federal Budget Offered

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Posted by taxguru on January 18, 2004

Is Congress Helping Build a Toll Booth for the Internet? – Our rulers are taking their sweet time addressing the issue of taxing the Internet.

Tax changes prove puzzling for investors

Vacation second home tax breaks

How everyone else pays for the lifestyle of the super rich – More “hate the evil rich” propaganda.

California Dems Try ‘Fresh’ Strategy: Higher Taxes

Calif. Lawmakers Back Tax Hike, Defy Schwarzenegger – Why the outward migration from the PRC is not likely to change.

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