Spring Into Taxes
I saw this sign at a landscaping service and tree farm near Ann Arbor this past week:
Dear Winter:
Give it up. It’s Over.
Love, Us.
Says it for me. We’re still sub-freezing here in Michigan. I had to scrape icy windshields again this morning for the umpteenth time. We need more signs of spring--flower buds punching through the permafrost or something like that.
We have been experiencing one rite of spring in our household: tax time. Ughhh. Big Dave’s Tax Preparation Service has been in high gear. I did our taxes, both my sons, and gave some timely advice to my sister-in-law ("no, you can’t claim that deduction; see line 4 of paragraph 6 on page 22.")
I don’t get paid for my service. It’s free. So my elder son found out that you get what you paid for. His Michigan state return seemed stalled. We all had our refunds and he was still waiting impatiently for his hundred-plus bucks. He found a way to check on-line to see where it was at. The state equivalent of the IRS gave him the equivalent line of "your check is in the mail."
Then abruptly he received a different message. He should expect his money in September. The computer couldn’t compute his return. Oh, oh. Wendy and I pored over the copies we made of Greg’s taxes and, sure enough, we put a total on Line 31 when it should have gone on Line 32 . . . a mistake easy enough to see and correct, unless you’re the government. So we just whisked out an amended return on a wing and a prayer.
Greg also did his girlfriend’s taxes. He complained when his figures showed that she would have to pay in over a hundred dollars to the state. So I said Big Dave’s Tax Preparation Service would take a look at them. I found one deduction he missed and filled out a separate form for another deduction I believed she could take. That one’s a bit iffy. She certainly qualifies, but I’m not sure I would survive an audit based on the documentation. I should say I don’t know that SHE would survive an audit. Big Dave’s Tax Preparation Service doesn’t do audits. I’ll wait in the car.
posted by Big Dave T @ 9:04 AM
15 Comments:
We had our taxes done last week, and we're getting money back this year. A substantial amount, actually. Very unusual. We are used to paying a couple of thousand dollars or more.
Yes!!
Well, Dave's Tax Preparation Service should be closing for the year very soon.
Cas
I'm waiting to hear from my accountant. Waiting. Like you are waiting for spring, I am waiting for my tax returns to arrive.
Waiting kinda sucks, doesn't it?
Well, I got the prepared part of our taxes over to the tax man last Tuesday. I am a bit nervous because, with all the kids gone now, we don't get as many deductions. Last year we had four, this year there will just be the two of us. Keep your fingers crossed that we don't have to pay.....I'm glad that you can be of service to your family.
I HEAR YA loud and clear.. I was screaming for the sun to come out the other day.. Who would have thought we would get excited over that?I am beginning to have some hope. Got my whole back yard raked up. WOW... it must be SPRING someplace in MICHIGAN!! OUr snow is gone.. YAY!! Have a great weekend! : )
my husband could probably do ours, but we go to the acct every year-even got a bit back last year and this year!
on another note-my first article w/ the oc register went live yesterday!!!
take a gander-I'm so jazzed-an article that I actually get more than $5 for!!!
http://www.ocregister.com/articles/flat-feet-dr-2011072-ivar-roth#
Hah! I normally use a CPA, even though I do all the work, just because I want representation in case of an audit. My CPA sold his business, so this year I tried a chain service called Liberty Tax. The jury's still out. I argued with my preparer over schedule C and ended up giving in, to my detriment.
Well, on the positive side, it's always such a relief to get it over with each year!
Hugs,
Betty
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Big Dave ~ Ol’ Man Winter definitely has over stayed his visit this year. Global Warming? tsk! tsk! ~ jb///
Bob has finished doing our taxes. Now we can start to plan our summer vacation with the RV. I had said that I didn't even want to talk about it until the taxes were done.
Now that the taxes are done, I don't want to think about the price of gas for the RV.
Hopefully, the weather back there has changed for the better.
CASSIE--I hope to never have to pay into the government again. I'm going to have money set aside for IRAs in the future. If we have to pay, I'll buy an IRA (instead).
LYNILU--It's not like waiting for Christmas. At least with Christmas, you KNOW it's going to come and when.
LUCY--Kids are expensive to raise, but they sure do help at tax time.
CARINE--Informative article. I wonder about the contest for the free foot implants. I never heard of a contest for a free operation before.
BETTY--I think I saw a Liberty Tax office in Ann Arbor. They had a big (fake) Statue of Liberty standing outside.
PEN DRIVE--You look like spam. You gotta go.
LAZY BLOGGER--It seems lately like we jump right from winter to summer here in Michigan. We'll probably have to turn on our air conditioners next week.
MARIA--Too bad you can't deduct gas taxes.
Taxes aren't the only thing that stalled regarding MICHIGAN STATE lately.
How much do you charge out-of-staters? The AMT tax might just bring on my hubby's first gray hair.
Got a tax question for ya, Blog. Can you deduct expenses to march madness bracket challenges?
BABETTE--I would have thought a true Spartan fan our age would be loaded with grey hairs. AMT, AMT, AMT??? Appalachian Mountain Tax? Doesn't sound like you should have to pay that, since you live out west. Send your taxes to Big Dave's Tax Service and I'll give them a whirl.
ANONYMOUS--If your expenses to the March madness bracket challenge were part of a pool at the office, then it would seem that they would qualify as a work-related deduction.
Just remember, I don't do audits and my advice is free. Take it for what it's worth.
(I beat you in the family bracket challenge anyway)
Appalachian Mountain?! You are a good sport, indeed! Are you sure you're a Wolverine, Dave?
AMT stands for Antagonistic to Many Children Tax:
http://www.nfib.com/object/IO_32118.html
Wish it was a little cooler here--it's 86. :o(
I moved to Wordpress--had to. The juju bean heads who owned the domain let it expire.
Here's the addy:
justasimplecountrygirl.wordpress.com
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