Ask TaxMama Issue 582 – A New Year

The year has just started – and the first business week has flown by! We’ve been busy trying to revive all the Homebuyer’s Credit IRS has rejected for our owners of new manufactured housing. The Taxpayers Advocate Service has been an enormous help with this project. They too, are bewildered about some of the odd rejections from IRS.

My computer died last year thanks to the great service from CyberDefender. (note the sarcasm). They refuse to refund my money, since I was patient and gave them three months to get it right. Hmpf. That’s not going to happen.

I’ve had to buy a new computer; and am busy reconstructing files to work in Windows 7. I HATE changing operating systems. It’s such a pain. But…I just saw something about importing files. Maybe that will save some time. (Can you imagine – when you have ALL the data backed up – but can’t make it appear properly formatted where you need it?) So, if you’re having trouble reaching me, please use the contact form on the site. I’ll get the message. Anyway, things will take a bit longer for the next week or so.

Incidentally, we will be using Twitter more and more often, to get quick notes and updates out to you – www.twitter.com/taxmama . You don’t need to subscribe to Twitter if you’re on Facebook. Just friend me there. The posts will appear there, as well.

The Tax Calendar is up and accessible from any phone at all (that accesses the web). In fact, you can reach our site and view the entire TaxMama site via your phone. Yay!

There’s a lot of activity on the Hill and at the Capitol now that we have sworn in our new legislators. Whether they can improve things or not remains to be seen.

Governor Brown was sworn in here in California this week – and went straight to work. He knows his way around Sacramento, having been in government his entire life. (His father was also governor – and he served a previous term as governor.) Brown’s big goal is to tackle the California budget deficit. I ran some numbers – and see a rather simple solution. I’ll tell you about it next week.

Since my computer went down in the middle of December, I didn’t get to give Lulu the list of other people to whom I promised a book. If you didn’t get your copy yet, let me know. I’m retrieving the list and we’ll ship next week.

You can pick up your own copy inexpensively at Amazon.com. Or tune in to Brent Clanton’s radio show. He’s been giving them away on the air.

Upcoming Live Classes

We’ll be back after tax season. Meanwhile, use the recorded classes as resources.

https://www.cpelink.com/teamtaxmama

There are lots of other great classes here, too. Including Vern Hoven’s year-end update, course on Excel, and specific tax issues you need to learn on the spot – just sign up and download replays of live sessions.

Upcoming on CPE LINK – with CPE for CPAs, EAs, and more

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

SELF-STUDY at CPE LINK:

Homebuyers Credits for Tax Professionals

The specific laws related to your clients. How to get it rigth the first time. What to watch out for. And how to overcome IRS Rejections.

IRS Practice Series: Overview of Collection Issues – Price = ZERO:

This on-demand webcast provides a broad overview of the collections process. From preparing the Power of Attorney – IRS Form 4868, to freezing the collection activity, to Offers-in-Compromise and Appeals, the course will explore the numerous collection issues a practitioner may encounter and lay the ground work for the IRS Practice Series. Topics will be covered in more detail in the dozen courses of The IRS Practice Series – leading to a Tax Mediary (CTM) Certificate upon completion of the series.

https://www.cpelink.com/teamtaxmama

EA Class News

News is flooding in about people passing their exams right now. The rush is in to finish up the testing before the 2010 exam closes on February 28^th.

This time of year, there really isn’t time to start studying for the EA exam and finish it all by the end of the year. Perhaps by the end of February, but only for people who are not preparing tax returns until March.

Register for the full Self-Study class now. Select the one or two parts of the exam you DO have time to study this year. Get the updated material for the other parts next year at no additional charge – and no shipping (within the US).

https://irsexams.com/registration/

Remember, you get a 10% discount on the EA Class if you register for TaxMama’s Family first.

https://taxmama.wpengine.com/membership/family-membership/

The discount code can be found in the Family Look-Ups resource.

https://taxmama.wpengine.com/family-member-resources/

Other TaxMama News and Tax Articles:

The Wall Street Journal’s SmartMoney Tax Blogs have started up. You will find my first contribution about some of the business breaks in the new law. There are some excellent posts and summaries from the other writers. Keep an eye on this page for daily updates – https://blogs.smartmoney.com/tax/

Did you want to have a personal, private, one-on-one chat with Suze Orman? You might be the lucky person each month who will win that prize, and some other goodies.

Just visit Suze Orman’s new MoneyMindedMoms.com site. You will find lots of practical money-saving tips – and ideas to help folks struggling with time, money, conflicts and more.

You can ask Suze questions in the forum – Suze is actually dropping by an answering your questions, just as I do here. Join us and speak to Suze.

You’ll find TaxMama’s columns there each week, along with a dozen delightful women. This week, TaxMama’s blog is about folks being audited for mortgage fraud in Liar, Liar, Pants on Fire!. Jen Goode gives youher New Year’s Resolution. Tricia Meyer gives you An Unbreakable New Year’s Resolution. Doreen Kukral gives you Three Simple Ways to Conserve in Your Kitchen. Kim Rowley has More Ways to Save on Prescription Medications. And Phyllis Shelton asks the big question – Will Health Insurance Pay for Long-Term Care?.

https://www.moneymindedmoms.com/articles/

At Equifax this week, TaxMama tells you that it’s time to Reevaluate Withholding for 2011 and gives you a list of New Year’s Tax Resolutions. Ilyce Glink gives you a list of New Years Financial Resolutions. Dan Solin theme is Retirement Planning: So Many Choices, So Little Time. Linda Rey tells you the 5 Mistakes My Customers Make with Their Insurance. The Equifax Credit team introduces David Bach, who Joins the Equifax Personal Finance Blog.

https://www.equifax.com/blog/tax/en_ff

This week’s AccountingWeb.com site lists the top 10 blog posts of the year. I love the one about boring accountants. Don’t you?

Have you seen AccountingWeb’s new small business publication? Going Concern – focusing on keeping the profits flowing. https://goingconcern.com/subscribe/

In IRS News, we tell you about some Stupid Tax Tricks – Things Not to Do . and we give you Top 10 Tax Time Tips.

https://taxmama.wpengine.com/category/asktaxmama/irs-news/

In Money Funnies today, we tell you about Frank Sinatra, and the million dollars he smuggled out of the US – and about his little-known heroism in Frank Sinatra and the Jews

https://taxmama.wpengine.com/category/asktaxmama/money-funnies/

In TaxQuips this week, We start the week with TW who wants to know the current taxability of capital gains. Capital Gains Rates. Bruce lives in California but earned some income in Texas. Where does he report that income? Both states? Out of State Income. Nunya’s EA tells all her clients to always use the accrual basis. Why? That seems expensive for some. Accrual Basis. we end the week with Michael who drives a lot and wants to know the best way to take deductions for his business vehicle. Deducting Business Car. . https://taxmama.wpengine.com/category/tax-quips/

Note: You can view them all on YouTube, too Daily TaxQuips from TaxMama® – taxmama1’s channel

This year’s first MarketWatch column is the January To Do list, with tips to save you money.

https://www.marketwatch.com/Journalists/Eva_Rosenberg

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-582

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From TaxMama® to You!

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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

Download TaxMama’s 2010 iphone Tax Calendar. My gift to you.

https://snurl.com/taxcalendar

Never miss a tax deadline again!

The customizable tax calendar is here.

Add or Remove dates. Add your own reminders – get alerts.

https://snurl.com/itaxmamapro

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