Ask TaxMama Issue 608 – Hot Diggety Dog

Dear Family,

What a delightful week – nary a technical disaster in sight. I’ve spent the week trying to get AT&T to give me a quote on faster Internet services (like a T-1 line or DSL or…) but after wasting a couple of days on that, I realized something. I work with a small company that handles my 800 lines. When I call National Comtel, I don’t have to go through the voicemail maze or get transferred to 7 different people to find just one who can actually talk to me. I just call National Comtel’s phone number and Julie answers. She knows who I am. She and her team can do the research for me! So I put the project into their hands the other day and they are doing the research.

Of course, getting faster speeds would be no problem if I were to get the Verizon’s FiOS broadband service. After watching their ads on TV, forever, I looked up their Internet speeds. WOW! They really do have a hot product! Even their slowest level (15 download/5 upload for $49.95/mo) is provides more than double the upload speeds available to me through AT&T (18 download/2 upload for about $50/mo).

Alas, FiOS runs through optic fibers – and they haven’t installed them in this area. So, we’re out of luck. If you can get it – do it! The research continues. They’ll be calling any minute!

In IRS News today, we learn about an IRS webinar for Direct Sellers next week. If you’re selling on eBay or at swap meets, or to the public in any other way, it would be worth your time to log in to this complimentary event. We also learn about the top five Tax Scams IRS wants you to avoid. And we bring you 10 Tips to Ease Tax Time for the Military.

In today’s Money Funnies & Inspiration, you get to meet the IT Cannibals.

A Week of TaxMama’s TaxQuips
We start the week off with Janet who is getting a loan modification and wants to know the tax effect, before getting into trouble. Diana is just starting to experience the excitement of Frequent Flyer miles and all those rewards. But, wait! What are the tax consequences all those miles and rewards? Debbie filed her 2009 tax return late – but has refunds. Is she still going to face late filing penalties? We end this week with TaxMama’s admonition about doing proper due diligence when entering information about transations – in Read the Contract.

Lower taxes, achieved ethically = higher profits and increased joy

Small Business Taxes Made Easy

The new, award-winning Small Business Taxes Made Easy is getting lots of attention. Andrew collected some of the reviews and awards generated by this book.

Read the review by Cathy Curtis.

After reading the first few pages, I realized that this tax book was different. First of all, I enjoyed Eva Rosenberg’s voice. She is friendly, knowledgeable, and savvy. She has obviously worked with many small business owners and understands us. You feel like she really cares about your business – No wonder she is referred to as the “TaxMama.”

This week’s question for you – How many ways can you write off your car for business?

Read Chapter 8 of Small Business Taxes Made Easy for more details.

TaxMama’s EA Exam Review Class

Do you want to know more about the IRS Special Enrollment Examination? Please replay Everything you Ever Wanted to Know about the EA Exam.

Last night, TaxMama’s students learned all about Partnerships

Tomorrow, we’re going to do the second Final Review Session for Part 2 of the EA Exam – REALLY learn how to pass the exam.

There is still time to sign up for TaxMama’s EA Exam Review Course.

There is a Family Member discount of 10%.

CPE-Link – The IRS Practice Series is now over.

But there are great classes available! https://taxmama.wpengine.com/earn-cpe-without-leaving-the-office/

You can learn about QuickBooks and Excel, accounting practices and techniques, tax issues and a whole lot more. There are low-cost classes every day – or you can quickly download a self-study class to learn something you need to know right now.

https://taxmama.wpengine.com/earn-cpe-without-leaving-the-office/

Remember to sign up for the whole IRS Practice Series – Self-Study.

Incidentally, if there is anything else you’d like to learn more about, please let me know. We’ll develop the classes for you.

TaxMama Interviews

LA Times, by Liz Weston
Tax strategies for self-employment income

TaxMama Writing:

AccountingWeb.com blog – Is Your Exempt Org no Longer Exempt?

This week’s Equifax article is – Common Mistakes the Self-Employed Make

This week’s Suze Orman article is – Natural Victims

You can find daily TaxQuips into YouTube videos
https://www.youtube.com/taxmama1#p/u

As always, we love your feedback, opinions and ideas.

You are what makes all this fun – and interesting!

Please use the Comments link online.

https://taxmama.wpengine.com/asktaxmama/ask-taxmama-issue-608

TaxNerd gear makes a bold statement year-round. It helps attract the opposite sex!

Shop at www.taxnerd.net or https://www.zazzle.com/taxmama*

Hugs from your favorite TaxNerd,

https://www.zazzle.com/taxmama*

Eva Rosenberg, EA

Your TaxMama®

www.TaxMama.com

Your TaxMama® is watching…out for you.

www.TaxMama.com

www.TaxMama.com/TaxQuips

www.IRSExams.com

www.TaxNerd.net

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TAX CALENDAR

https://taxmama.wpengine.com/tax-calendar-2011/

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08/01/2011 2nd Quarter Payroll Taxes Due

08/01/2011 Deposit FUTA tax if more than $500 was paid through June 30th

08/01/2011 Employer’s Deposit Federal Unemployment (FUTA)

08/01/2011 Employers File Annual Return for Employee Benefits Plan 5500

08/01/2011 Employers File Annual Return for Employee Benefits Plan 5500-EZ

08/01/2011 Employers File request for Extension filing Employee Benefits Plan Return

08/01/2011 2nd Quarter Federal Excise Tax Return & Payment Voucher

08/15/2011 Employers Make Monthly Payroll tax deposit on the 15th of each month

08/30/2011 Time for businesses to consider setting up retirement plans

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From TaxMama® to You!

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Follow TaxMama®’s Tweets – https://twitter.com/TaxMama

You are invited to put a TaxQuips Widget on your phone, social networking page, website, or… You’ll get the TaxQuips as soon as they published – long before they are distributed in by e-mail. It’s a nifty gadget. Just pick up the code and paste into your site or application.

https://www.widgetbox.com/widget/taxmamas-taxquips-daily-tax-podcasts

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