Double Takes
With spring temperatures finally settling in here in Michigan I took my trusty, old Schwinn out for a spin (hea, rhymes) on Sunday. Always on the lookout for stray coins, or maybe even a bill.
Found on the ground, found on the ground, I'm just a fool for found on the ground. [Sung to tune of "Pants on the Ground" from American Idol fame]
Did a double take when I spotted the above bill in the grass. A twenty? Wow! But something seemed a bit strange about it. I'll leave that for later.
Anybody do a double take with the price of gas lately? It's $3.90 here in Michigan and climbing.
I did double takes and triple takes on my taxes this past weekend, trying to find the loophole that would leave the IRS owing me instead of the other way around. Didn't happen. Can you deduct expenses related to blogging? I'm desperate.
A friend of mine works for H.R. Block. She's a part-time tax professional and very busy this time of year. I asked her a question about student loan interest--if both spouses filing a joint return have student loan interest to report, is the $2,500 limit then doubled?
She said there was no limit to how much student loan interest you could deduct? Really. I suggested she do a double take on that regulation. She did. Turns out I was right, she had been doing it wrong with her clients. Makes you wonder about H.R. Block.
When I was in Ithaca recently I did a double take on a building across the street from the diner where we were enjoying breakfast. It formerly housed the VFW (Veterans of Foreign Wars) but now some other government entity that assisted veterans occupied the premises. And somebody had removed the V from the building, leaving only the FW.
Considering that this was Ithaca, a liberal college town, does anyone think that somebody vandalized the building to reveal their own anti-war sentiments? Hmmmmm.
Anyway, here's a double take on that $20 bill I found (see picture below). Doesn't look too legal with a real $20 right behind. Maybe I could tell the bank that it was out in the snow all winter and shrunk. I'll have Wendy take it to the bank and pass along that story. Or I could mail it to the IRS and declare that's what inflation and taxes is doing to my income. Shrinking it!
posted by Big Dave T @ 6:03 PM
6 Comments:
Ha, ha, ha!!! I like your plan with the IRS and the $20! Let us know what happens!
I think blogs should count as "entertainment," and we should be able to claim exempt income equal to the time we spend on the blogs. I'll have a huge tax break!! chuckle!!
LYNILU--I'm with you on the tax break. If that doesn't work, I hear some volunteer bloggers over at Huffington Post are suing for pay, since Huffington Post was sold for big bucks. Maybe we should become volunteer bloggers for some upstart media outfit.
make me 3 on the tax break thing Dave and Lynilu. too bad it wasn't real. less of that type of thing happening anymore.
as for gas Dave, I just paid, at Costco mind you, $4.10 for regular.
I like your thinking. Is there some way you could become the IRS czar?
Amazing.. I think the FEDS will be interested in that bill..someone trying to pull off something very illegal maybe.. Hope your Easter holiday is VOID of snow for a change.. I am getting so sick of this winter stuff... take care : )
CARINE--The price of gas here is flirting with $4 a gallon. We're driving less this weekend.
JAN--I don't think the Republicans will tolerate another czar but, sure, I'll take the job.
CAROLDEE--I thought I heard at one time that it was illegal to come even close to making a copy of currency. Even Xerox copies. Wonder if that's still true.
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