Wednesday, August 19, 2009

WHAT’S THE BUZZ? TELL ME WHAT’S A HAPPENNIN’ – WEDNESDAY EDITION

* The TAX GIRL starts the BUZZ off with a good entry in her Ask the Tax Girl series – “Ask the taxgirl: Volunteering and Charitable Deductions”.
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I have just one question for Kelly – which one of the three Girl Scout leaders in the picture is you?
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* I came across this quote recently from United States Freight Co. v. U.S., 422 F.2d 887 (U.S. ct. of Cl. 1970) which says it all (the highlight is mine) -
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"[W]hat makes sense" does not necessarily dictate the definitive answer in the tax area; apparent conceptual niceties often must give way to the hard realities of statutory requirements.”
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* Mary O’Keefe reports on a sting operation on tax preparers in NYS in her post “30% of Preparers in NY ‘Secret Shopper’ Visits ‘Horribly Fraudulent’" over at her BED BUFFALOES IN YOUR TAX CODE blog
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The post was “inspired” by a newspaper profile on William Comiskey, the Deputy Commissioner for Enforcement in the New York State Tax Department. Unfortunately the profile does not give any details on the preparers in the sting or the specific results. Can anyone out there point me to a report or article that discusses the actual sting?
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* The discussion with Kevin that began in my post “We Agree to Disagree” continues with Mary O’Keefe in the comments section. Be sure to check out the comments to this post.
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Mary then carries on in the post “Tax Preparer Objections to Testing--and My Responses” at BED BUFFALOES, providing her response to my comments on her comments.
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My debate with Mary is another good example of how two competent and ethical tax professionals, coming at a subject from different perspectives, can carry on a civil debate on a tax issue with mutual respect and without resorting to personal attacks or put-downs – simply agreeing to disagree.
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* Now for how a discussion should not be conducted - I hope you have read my post "Why Can't We All Just Learn to Get Along?". In it I include a comment that I submitted to a tax blogger who I dared to disagree with (and I am not alone in my disagreement) and who responded not with discussion or debate but with belittling and personal attacks. As of this "writing" my comment was not published.
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Apparently other tax bloggers submitted comments which were also not published. Check out the comments to my post - especially Hal Leahy's extension Tax Court research.
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And a thank you to Trish McIntire who also responded via the post "You're Out" at OUR TAXING TIMES.
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*She likes me! She really likes me! Monica Lawver has included me in the top five of her top ten tax blogs in “Favorite Tax Blogs” over at THE TAX CPA blog.
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With perhaps one exception (for personal reasons) I am in truly great company on her list. And, Monica, you are on my list of Top 10. I only wish you would blog more often.
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* Kay Bell reminds us that “
First-Time Homebuyer Credit Clock Ticking” and discusses some related state tax breaks at DON’T MESS WITH TAXES.
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* IRS HITMAN Richard Close provides a good overview of the topic “
Hobby vs. Business: How to Classify your Summer Business”.
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* Roni Deutch gives us some “
Back to School Tax Tips for the Educator Expense Deduction” at her TAX HELP BLOG.
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TTFN

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