Tuesday, June 10, 2008

TDHTDA!

Too Damned Hot To Do Anything!
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I am not only unmotivated to get back to the GD extensions, due to my 1040 Free time-off, but this heat had drained me of all energy.
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I have been keeping up with online tax blogs and articles, and I just had to comment on an article from WEBCPA.com titled “Government Probes Tax Refund Anticipation Loans”.
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I first read about the GAO study in yesterday’s (June 9th) post at Kay Bell’s TAX BLOG at BankRate.com. In “More Anti-RAL Efforts” Kay points out –
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It's quite clear that Uncle Sam doesn't like refund anticipation loans, or RALs. Congress and other government agencies have been trying for years {and rightfully so – rdf} to eradicate these high-interest loans that impatient taxpayers get instead of waiting for their official IRS refund checks.
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The latest effort to end the loans, or at least keep the heat on providers, comes via a Government Accountability Office, or GAO, undercover investigation of tax preparers earlier this year. The Congressional investigative arm wanted to find out what tax preparers disclose to clients about the loans' fees
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The WEBCPA.com article gave more detail on the investigation. The various businesses offering RALs that the GAO investigated included –“immigrant assistance centers, seasonal tax preparers operating out of trailers, auto dealers and rent-to-own stores that offered to apply the tax refund toward purchases, and even shoe stores. The report includes photos of several of the businesses. A photo of the shoe store shows a sign in its window offering ‘free shoes with processed tax return’."
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That is a new one on me – tax preparation in a shoe store! The best I had seen was a sign in a barber shop that advertised tax preparation services within. You could get your hair cut, a manicure, and your tax return prepared all in one sitting! In my early days in the business I had looked into renting a desk at a local real estate or insurance office to prepare tax returns – but I had never considered renting a chair at the barber shop!
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Granted the great unwashed masses have been known for lapses in judgement. But I can’t imagine anyone with an ounce of intelligence going to a shoe store to have their tax return prepared. You wouldn’t go top a bakery for a root canal. For once there is something worse than going to Henry and Richard.
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But then after 36 years of dealing with the public nothing should surprise me anymore.
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Keep cool!
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TTFN
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PS – Check out this week’s postings to ASK THE TAX PRO
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