I need to better understand the proposed tax systems. Mainly the fair tax or sales tax versus an income tax. I am writing a paper for school on the viewpoints of TTARA (The Texas Taxpayers and Research Ass.) and CTJ (citizens for tax justice) but cannot gain a clear idea of what each side is proposing. Obviously the republicans want the fair tax, and since TTARA is business minded, I assume they too seek the fair tax, or at least support it. But what is the Dem idea of fair taxation? Do they want an income tax? What is all this talk on CTJ about income tax cuts? I don’t have the patience to sift through all the material so I'm hoping someone can give me a basic idea of the differing positions on the matter. Mainly answer the question of who wants what and why, and who benefits most from each plan.... Also what about the working poor, do they benefit most from an income tax? Etc. Etc.
posted on May 4, 2008 - 17 answers

Where can I get the Italian salary data that was released for less than a day? [more inside]
posted on May 1, 2008 - 3 answers

Bean-counterFilter: How do I find an accountant? I'd ask around, but we have special needs.... [more inside]
posted on Apr 30, 2008 - 3 answers

I have never filed my taxes in Ontario, Canada before. Are there any benefits to doing so even if I have no income to declare?
posted on Apr 30, 2008 - 8 answers

Where should I go to have my taxes done in Toronto (today!)? [more inside]
posted on Apr 30, 2008 - 15 answers

I think that the online tax service I used has messed up the New York State taxes for *anyone* who filed from New York City or Yonkers. Now what do I do? (sorry, long) [more inside]
posted on Apr 27, 2008 - 8 answers

Can someone help me figure out this snippet from an article on our sense of fairness and taxes? [more inside]
posted on Apr 15, 2008 - 9 answers

Posting for a friend: I just filed my Federal Tax extension at 12:00PM midnight. It said it got filed - did I make it? Also, I was not able to file any extension for State Tax in time for the deadline. What will happen and what should I do now?
posted on Apr 15, 2008 - 9 answers

Egads! Last-Minute-(US)Tax-Question-Filter: Can a person generally claim the "Qualified Payments" as listed on their 1098-T form (sent from the university in addition to a W-2) towards an education credit? Or only the amount that they themselves paid, rather than the amount that was paid on their behalf by the university as part of their whole assistantship package? [more inside]
posted on Apr 14, 2008 - 4 answers

TaxFilter: Student abroad (moved in August), and don't want to get red flagged/audited due to sudden drop in income! How do I tell the IRS I moved? [more inside]
posted on Apr 13, 2008 - 4 answers

If I file my federal taxes on time, but pay late, will it affect the timing of my 2008 rebate? What do I need to do to pay the taxes late? [more inside]
posted on Apr 13, 2008 - 5 answers

So I've already filed my tax returns for 2007. But I won't have the money to pay my April 15th taxes until next month. How badly will this hurt me? [more inside]
posted on Apr 11, 2008 - 12 answers

Strips-Tint-US Treasury (bonds)... I need to know the original cost/adjusted basis for reference number: XXXXXXXXX and XXXXXXXXX. What is my tax person asking? How do I get this info? Google has failed me.
posted on Apr 11, 2008 - 3 answers

What date acquired and cost basis should I put for two items reported on a 1099-B, when there are several unknowns? [more inside]
posted on Apr 10, 2008 - 8 answers

Help me create a template for determining when I should DIY or not. [more inside]
posted on Apr 10, 2008 - 7 answers

How does a Harvard postdoc file taxes? [more inside]
posted on Apr 9, 2008 - 14 answers

What are the UK legal system rules and regulations around storing financial, legal and official paperwork as scanned digital copies? [more inside]
posted on Apr 9, 2008 - 7 answers

I inherited a proportional share (a third or a half, usually) of several small IRA accounts last March. I have yet to actually claim these inheritances or do rollovers for them, so technically they're still under the name of the decedent. Do I have any tax obligations for these for 2007? Does the decedent (meaning do I have to do anything for the decedent's 2007 return)?
posted on Apr 4, 2008 - 10 answers

Questions about handling income from housemates and home office deductions. [more inside]
posted on Apr 4, 2008 - 2 answers

Say you report a charitable donation on your taxes, and then, a few years later, you get the organization to give you your money back. How do you report the refund? [more inside]
posted on Apr 1, 2008 - 6 answers

I am a Canadian who worked for two months in the NJ last year. How do I sort out my taxes in the US? [more inside]
posted on Mar 30, 2008 - 13 answers

I'm an arts and entertainment writer for a blog, and I also do freelance writing for a number of newspapers and magazines. I cover movies, art, TV, music, theater, and video games. What kinds of things can I write off on my taxes? [more inside]
posted on Mar 27, 2008 - 10 answers

I’m a writer who is spending more and more time in Los Angeles for work. I live in Florida, and am a Florida resident. My question is this: If I rent a place in LA, because I am spending roughly half of my time there, what deductions can I take advantage of? [more inside]
posted on Mar 27, 2008 - 1 answers

I want to buy my first house AND not owe any Federal taxes for 2007...Traditional IRA Perhaps? [more inside]
posted on Mar 26, 2008 - 15 answers

TaxRebateFilter: I have searched and cannot find a concrete answer. Married, separated for over a year but no legal agreement. Do we need to file jointly to get Mr. Bush's rebate? The reason this is anonymous inside [more inside]
posted on Mar 25, 2008 - 6 answers

StartupFilter: Payroll processing co or part-time bookkeeper for SF Bay Area co? [more inside]
posted on Mar 21, 2008 - 6 answers

Taxes: Should I claim this freelance I did last year? [more inside]
posted on Mar 20, 2008 - 8 answers

Help! I incorrectly filled out my W-4! I'm in the process of rectifying this, but what happens after the fact? [more inside]
posted on Mar 18, 2008 - 6 answers

Getting the taxes done, and trying to figure out the real deal about whether my 2007 move passes muster for deductibility. The distance and time tests are no problem, but thanks to the ultra-soft local real estate market, the length of time it took to sell the old house (16.5 months) puts us outside the IRS's one-year (limit? guideline?) to count as "closely related in time." Can I still get some deduction love? [more inside]
posted on Mar 16, 2008 - 3 answers

Husband's boss did his taxes. I'm not convinced they've been done correctly. [more inside]
posted on Mar 10, 2008 - 13 answers

What is the proper way, in terms of accounting and tax laws, for my small business to pay an independent contractor who is an Israeli citizen in the US on a student visa? [more inside]
posted on Mar 10, 2008 - 10 answers

How do I bust my employer for TAX FRAUD? [more inside]
posted on Mar 7, 2008 - 18 answers

Nevermind that I should have backed up or have them on hand somewhere in a filing cabinet. How can I get a copy of my 2006 tax return on the quick, and on the cheap?
posted on Feb 29, 2008 - 1 answers

I sent out my taxes (for the first time MONTHS early) and sent them Certified Mail (upon the recommendation of an accountant) for the first time as well. I got the little green card back for the State Taxes but I never got one for my Federal Taxes. Does this mean that my Federal Tax return was lost in the mail? How do I go about verifying if my tax return was lost? Can I send them a copy? What do I do?
posted on Feb 27, 2008 - 15 answers

TaxFilter: I work in VA and live in NC. My state taxes are already a nightmare... [more inside]
posted on Feb 27, 2008 - 10 answers

Can you recommend a CPA in Portland, Oregon? [more inside]
posted on Feb 25, 2008 - 4 answers

What info is there on this $800 tax refund for people who made less than 70,000 in 2007? If you have any links or info, I'd love to know!
posted on Feb 24, 2008 - 6 answers

CanadianTaxesFilter: Can I legally claim some of my debt as an "investment expense" if I give up my second job to focus on my business? [more inside]
posted on Feb 21, 2008 - 5 answers

Good news! Going through some old paperwork I just found a check for $2,600 that I'd never cashed from 2003. Bad news! It was a rollover distribution from a 401K at Fidelity, made out to E-trade. Fidelity says they did file a 1099 in the year they cut the check. Am I screwed for the back taxes, plus penalties? [more inside]
posted on Feb 19, 2008 - 12 answers

I have the opportunity to work a job that is paying $ XX /hour full time plus benefits. I've only worked salary jobs in the past, so how do I consider this compared to salary positions. My biggest concern is tax logistics, how is that factored in compared to a salary position? It's in Colorado if anyone has any input from a state tax point of view as well.
posted on Feb 19, 2008 - 5 answers

How do I make pay stubs for myself as a freelancer. [more inside]
posted on Feb 18, 2008 - 7 answers

Did my 401K just blow my IRA deduction out of the water? [more inside]
posted on Feb 15, 2008 - 7 answers

Asking for a friend, can the state of Virginia collect back taxes for the years 1992-3. [more inside]
posted on Feb 13, 2008 - 8 answers

I attended my last semester of college in the spring of this previous year and paid about $6k in tuition, some in January and some in February. When I got my 1080-T from my university, though, it said that I could only claim $414 (about one credit's worth) on my taxes for this year. It seems like this is because they billed me for the semester before the end of 2006, and put it on my 1080-T for last year. Since I actually paid them this year, though, can I claim it on this year's taxes? [more inside]
posted on Feb 12, 2008 - 4 answers

Tip compliance. I made $4000 in wages this year, paid $95 in income tax and another $400 in 'social security tips.' Am I going to get that 400 dollars back in my refund? [more inside]
posted on Feb 11, 2008 - 7 answers

Simple set of calculations/spreadsheet formulas for thinking about the true cost of starting a business or going freelance? [more inside]
posted on Feb 10, 2008 - 3 answers

My W-2 says I paid taxes to both Indiana and California. However, I did not live or work in Indiana at any time during the year 2007. How do I go about getting this fixed? [more inside]
posted on Feb 4, 2008 - 6 answers

Must get rid of a mind-boggling amount of hoarded items, including some theoretically very valuable pieces. Looking for advice on how to do so efficiently and profitably. [more inside]
posted on Feb 2, 2008 - 12 answers

There's a name mis-match between my social security card and my W-2. Can I still file my taxes and get a refund? [more inside]
posted on Jan 31, 2008 - 7 answers

Is there an expense reporting app that's flexible, handy, and will help me finish next year's taxes quickly and easily? I know about excel, quicken, and various financial transaction apps, but what if I drive 100 miles to a tech conference and want to note my mileage? And what if I'm out entertaining clients and I want to pop onto my iPhone to note the total bill for the evening (before I forget the next day to open excel). Are there any web-based flexible apps for doing all the expense reporting you might need for a small business' bookkeeping needs?
posted on Jan 31, 2008 - 7 answers