Joe and Mary Shit answer the 100 questions posed by Acme* Tax Co and pay their tax bill successfully

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

(*Acme to be generic Any Company as defined by Wile Coyote and Warner Brothers Cartoons.)

There are time-honored, generic questions that get asked about commissions, employer provided perks, usage of your car, do you get a company car, per diems, mileage, car leases, etc.

IF SOMEONE DOESN'T PAY TAXES IT'S BECAUSE THEY DON'T WANT TO AND THEY THINK THEY WILL GET AWAY WITH IT.

It's not all that hard to determine what you owe and when and how to pay it.

Only Super-rich people invest in "tax shelters"

Only Super-rich people scream for "tax cuts"

Only Super-rich people invest in hedge funds.

Only Super-rich care about SHORT TERM capital gains

The rest of us go "huh?" and pay our damned taxes.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

1. What I cannot comprehend

is how these high-earning types don't have an accountant doing their taxes.

I mean, our new Treasury Secretary used TURBOTAX?

I'm not sure these are the people who should be in such responsible jobs.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

2. It is . . . . troubling (chews lower lip)

My stuff is simple and I still want an accountant to sign off and file. And I have paid one for over twenty years.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

4. What is it about?

Control? Secrecy? A test of competency?

WHAT?

I would never dream of doing my own taxes. I'm no accountant, tax specialist, or tax attorney. That's what those people are for, and their fees are so minimal compared to the peace of mind they buy for me.

[napi21]

5. My guess is tht Daschel DID have an accountant. Most of the time

these folks are very busy, and also have someone opening their mail and forwarding it to the appropriate place. Daschel didn't receive a 1099, and most likely, IF there was a conversation between him and his accountant, he didn't think to say anything about the car/driver and the accountant would have had no reason to ask.

Same with the Geitner maid. I know I never would have been constantly asking my nanny if her green card was current.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

6. But, you know,

in the matter of the green card, when you're operating at the level Geithner was, someone should have been asking the maid if her green card was current. No one should ever forget Zoe Baird or Kimba Wood. Especially Democrats.

The accountant SHOULD have known to ask. People at a certain earning level get cars and drivers. In this town (Washington, DC), it's standard, and should have been known to the accountant. When Daschle was a Senator, his car and driver were at taxpayer expense.

But, yes, things get overlooked. I know. The bitch is that Daschle knew about this in June, but didn't pay the taxes until during his vetting process. That pisses me off, and I'm a fan of his.

[sendero]

7. They do..

.. they just don't tell them everything.

[Phoebe Loosinhouse]

9. Yes, there is always that

And as a matter of fact, it sounded like there might be some of that in the Daschle case when he voiced his "concerns" to his accountant. If he had already told his accountant of the perks, than his accountant would have given advice in one direction or the other already, so you're right, it sounds like he didn't quite tell the whole story.

[sendero]

12. I'm joe middle class...

... and I use an accountant. The accountant makes me sign a statement that says, basically, that he stands behind the accuracy of his work, but is not responsible for what you don't tell him.

He has a nice long checklist. If you say "yes" to any item on it, he asks for details and documentation.

I'm EXTREMELY dissapointed in Daschle, he's the last congressman I would expect to pull this kind of bullshit. I can't support his nomination now. Enough of the cheaters and crooks, I'm sick of them, Republican and Democrat.

[Tangerine LaBamba]

10. Geithner didn't

He admitted to using TurboTax.

Daschle, you know, after his time in the Senate as the Leader, where his car and driver were part of the job and paid for by taxpayers, I can understand that he overlooked that in throwing that big briefcase of files on his accountant's desk.

BUT - and this is the big one - he found out about this lapse last June, and didn't pay any of it until the vetting process was already underway. That just stinks.

[cabluedem]

8. Between H&R and Turbotax I'll take Turbotax. nt

[MercutioATC]

3. Actually, plenty of people do what they can to shelter income from taxes...

Hell, I do, and I'm a far cry from "super rich".

I've also completely forgotten to file local income tax forms (actually, forgot to mail them), received a reminder that I promptly forgot about too, and been subpoenaed to the local city hall to provide the documents.

I'm not "super rich", nor do I intentionally avoid paying taxes, but I am a procrastinating idiot sometimes.

[razors edge]

11. It's not all that hard to determine what you owe

and when and how to pay it.

I disagree. The US Constitution and Bill of Rights fit into a small pamphlet, while US tax code would fill a mid sized city phone book.

Our politician and Judges swear to defend and uphold the former and they have no other actual responsibility, yet they can not do it.

Have you ever had a company vehicle that you could use for your own private needs? You have to track every mile driven, was it strictly business, strictly private, or was it transit to work from your residence or back. I used to drive 50,000 miles a year and if you think keeping track of all that is easy, your wrong.

Now sort out which are taxable, which are not, and at what rate. Good luck.

[spanone]

13. if i owed 120 some thousand in back taxes, my house would be gone...they would take it

and put me in jail, not give me a cabinet position