Wednesday, February 8, 2012
Friday, January 20, 2012
Restaurant Review: Hyman's Seafood, Charleston, SC
By JC Leahy
We took a day trip to Charleston yesterday and our local guide recommended Hyman's Seafood on Meeting Street for lunch. He said the scallops were outstanding.
Outside on the sidewalk, two young women in Hyman's tee-shirts beckoned passers-by with take-out menus. When my wife and I moved to enter the restaurant, one of them accompanied us inside and assigned us to table 51 on the second floor. The place had the informal feel of a college tavern peopled with patrons of middle-age and late-middle age in pairs and threes without children. The menu was replete with seafood.
For the appetizer, my wife ordered fried green tomatoes on grits, to be followed by an entree of haddock with herbal Cajun seasoning on the side, red rice. She was surpassed and pleased to find red rice on the menu, and gave me a quick pep talk about its nutritional value. I ordered an appetizer of alligator meat, and an entree of sautéed sea scallops, and a side of red rice -- along with a bottle of Palmetto Amber.
This was my first time to try alligator meat. When the appetizers arrived, it looked like a plate of well fried oysters. The taste can be best described as evocative of bland chicken nuggets with a hint of cardboard. My wife asked me how it was. I waved my fork once and said, "Not bad. Want to try some?" She cautiously demurred. After a few bites of alligator, I washed it down with a sip of Palmetto Amber Ale. That was a mistake. The ale brought out from the alligator meat an unpleasant aftertaste distinctly like spoiled fish. I would say that if you must eat alligator meat, do NOT wash it down with ale or beer.
The Palmetto Amber Ale was very nice. It is a local brew, said to be only available in Charleston. It has good color, and a full, smooth flavor with a bite a the front. I'm wishing I had picked up a case of it before leaving town.
The fried green tomatoes were a surprise. They were excellent -- a 10 on a 10 point scale. I had never tried them before. I asked Dali how they were. She said they were very good, but a bigger serving than she could eat. Would I like to try some? I cautiously demurred. It was only later in the meal that I decided to try them, and I was shocked. Three tomato slices were served on what appeared to be baked grits with a light cheese sauce. It was a gentle, lightly cheesy, delicate combination which I would recommend to anyone.
The entrees arrived with the red rice in separate small dishes. My wife exclaimed, "That's not red rice. It looks like the cook put something in it to make it look red!"
"Tomato sauce," said the waiter. Red rice in South Carolina is a dish involving rice and tomato sauce. Red rice anywhere else is an actual type of rice. This was a communication problem. My wife had been expecting a healthy, unhulled exotic rice and the waiter had delivered something else.
Well, that's not what I want. Red rice is a particular type of rice. This is just white rice made to look red." She ordered a side of collard greens instead. I decided to stick with the rice and see how it tasted. It turned out to be so bad that I couldn't eat it. I think it was overcooked.
Dali and I nibbled at the collard greens trying to decide whether they were canned. They probably were fresh, but their preparation was very unfortunate. They reminded me of the canned vegetables that I so dislike at Cracker Barrel restaurants. The problem may have been overcooking.
From our local guide's recommendation, my expectation of the sautéed scallops was high. Around 15 very large scallops were served lightly sautéed. They were excellent and the serving size was ample.
The haddock was unremarkable. To me, haddock is by its very nature an unremarkable fish. I didn't try it with the herbal Cajun seasoning, but Dali said the seasoning improved the haddock immensely.
For dessert, I ordered bread pudding a cup of "fresh, locally roasted" coffee. Dali ordered key lime pie. The pudding with its raisins and hints of brown sugar and rum was fantastic. I think that it would have benefited from some sort of sauce, but other than that it was a 10. The key-lime pie was very nice. The coffee was nearly as good as it gets: full-flavored, smooth, and very satisfying.
I packed the leftover alligator meat and s few scallops home with me, but I left the red rice for the garbage.
Hyman's Seafood restaurant is an odd mix of the very good and the very bad. Very good were the scallops, the Palmetto ale, the fried green tomatoes, the bread pudding and the coffee. Mediocre were the ambiance, the wait staff, and the haddock. Abysmal were the alligator meat appetizer, the red rice, and the collard greens. Unfortunately, a few bad items do ruin a dining experience. To my thinking, unsavory vegetables ruin any meal. I rate this restaurant as 2.5 on a 5 point scale, and that is being a little charitable.
Contact information:
Hyman's Seafood
215 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
843-723-8000
We took a day trip to Charleston yesterday and our local guide recommended Hyman's Seafood on Meeting Street for lunch. He said the scallops were outstanding.
Outside on the sidewalk, two young women in Hyman's tee-shirts beckoned passers-by with take-out menus. When my wife and I moved to enter the restaurant, one of them accompanied us inside and assigned us to table 51 on the second floor. The place had the informal feel of a college tavern peopled with patrons of middle-age and late-middle age in pairs and threes without children. The menu was replete with seafood.
For the appetizer, my wife ordered fried green tomatoes on grits, to be followed by an entree of haddock with herbal Cajun seasoning on the side, red rice. She was surpassed and pleased to find red rice on the menu, and gave me a quick pep talk about its nutritional value. I ordered an appetizer of alligator meat, and an entree of sautéed sea scallops, and a side of red rice -- along with a bottle of Palmetto Amber.
This was my first time to try alligator meat. When the appetizers arrived, it looked like a plate of well fried oysters. The taste can be best described as evocative of bland chicken nuggets with a hint of cardboard. My wife asked me how it was. I waved my fork once and said, "Not bad. Want to try some?" She cautiously demurred. After a few bites of alligator, I washed it down with a sip of Palmetto Amber Ale. That was a mistake. The ale brought out from the alligator meat an unpleasant aftertaste distinctly like spoiled fish. I would say that if you must eat alligator meat, do NOT wash it down with ale or beer.
The fried green tomatoes were a surprise. They were excellent -- a 10 on a 10 point scale. I had never tried them before. I asked Dali how they were. She said they were very good, but a bigger serving than she could eat. Would I like to try some? I cautiously demurred. It was only later in the meal that I decided to try them, and I was shocked. Three tomato slices were served on what appeared to be baked grits with a light cheese sauce. It was a gentle, lightly cheesy, delicate combination which I would recommend to anyone.
The entrees arrived with the red rice in separate small dishes. My wife exclaimed, "That's not red rice. It looks like the cook put something in it to make it look red!"
"Tomato sauce," said the waiter. Red rice in South Carolina is a dish involving rice and tomato sauce. Red rice anywhere else is an actual type of rice. This was a communication problem. My wife had been expecting a healthy, unhulled exotic rice and the waiter had delivered something else.
Well, that's not what I want. Red rice is a particular type of rice. This is just white rice made to look red." She ordered a side of collard greens instead. I decided to stick with the rice and see how it tasted. It turned out to be so bad that I couldn't eat it. I think it was overcooked.
Dali and I nibbled at the collard greens trying to decide whether they were canned. They probably were fresh, but their preparation was very unfortunate. They reminded me of the canned vegetables that I so dislike at Cracker Barrel restaurants. The problem may have been overcooking.
From our local guide's recommendation, my expectation of the sautéed scallops was high. Around 15 very large scallops were served lightly sautéed. They were excellent and the serving size was ample.
The haddock was unremarkable. To me, haddock is by its very nature an unremarkable fish. I didn't try it with the herbal Cajun seasoning, but Dali said the seasoning improved the haddock immensely.
For dessert, I ordered bread pudding a cup of "fresh, locally roasted" coffee. Dali ordered key lime pie. The pudding with its raisins and hints of brown sugar and rum was fantastic. I think that it would have benefited from some sort of sauce, but other than that it was a 10. The key-lime pie was very nice. The coffee was nearly as good as it gets: full-flavored, smooth, and very satisfying.
I packed the leftover alligator meat and s few scallops home with me, but I left the red rice for the garbage.
Hyman's Seafood restaurant is an odd mix of the very good and the very bad. Very good were the scallops, the Palmetto ale, the fried green tomatoes, the bread pudding and the coffee. Mediocre were the ambiance, the wait staff, and the haddock. Abysmal were the alligator meat appetizer, the red rice, and the collard greens. Unfortunately, a few bad items do ruin a dining experience. To my thinking, unsavory vegetables ruin any meal. I rate this restaurant as 2.5 on a 5 point scale, and that is being a little charitable.
Contact information:
Hyman's Seafood
215 Meeting Street
Charleston, SC 29401
843-723-8000
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Funny But Informative CPR/Basic Life Support Training Video - 2010 AHA Guidelines
Check out this CPR/Basic Life Support for Health Care Providers training video. It's a HOOT!!
Wednesday, December 7, 2011
HOW TO REPAIR YOUR INTERNET CONNECTION ON YOUR PALM TREO OR CENTRO
By JC Leahy
My Palm 755p wouldn't connect to the Internet for several weeks from any location. I kept getting the message that there was an "error" loading any internet site. I also was unable to send or receive e-mail from the phone. I called Sprint and learned how to "restore Vision services" to reset the Internet connectivity. It worked.
Here's the procedure:
Got to the telephone dialing screen.
Press the code ##3282# . This is called the "data restore code." (It also accesses the menu to unlock you phone.)
Select "Data" at the top left corner of the screen."
Select "Vision Services"
Follow the prompts to "restore Vision services"
That should do it. You can verify Internet connectivity by looking for the little letters "EV" next to the signal-strength-bar icon on your phone. If "EV" is displayed, you have Internet connectivity. Apparently, though, not all Treo's display the "EV" symbol, because my 755p displays no "EV" even though it is now able to access the Internet and send/receive e-mail just fine.
If this procedure doesn't work, your phone will have to be hard-rebooted. This will destroy all data on it but it will also fix your Internet connection. If you call Sprint, they can set up an electronic work order for a Sprint store to back up your phone, hard-reboot it, and restore all your data.
Here's the procedure:
Got to the telephone dialing screen.
Press the code ##3282# . This is called the "data restore code." (It also accesses the menu to unlock you phone.)
Select "Data" at the top left corner of the screen."
Select "Vision Services"
Follow the prompts to "restore Vision services"
That should do it. You can verify Internet connectivity by looking for the little letters "EV" next to the signal-strength-bar icon on your phone. If "EV" is displayed, you have Internet connectivity. Apparently, though, not all Treo's display the "EV" symbol, because my 755p displays no "EV" even though it is now able to access the Internet and send/receive e-mail just fine.
If this procedure doesn't work, your phone will have to be hard-rebooted. This will destroy all data on it but it will also fix your Internet connection. If you call Sprint, they can set up an electronic work order for a Sprint store to back up your phone, hard-reboot it, and restore all your data.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
TAX PLANNING QUESTION: CAN I DEDUCT MILEAGE TO GAMES I REFEREE ??
By JC Leahy
Twitter@jc_leahy
TAX QUESTION, FROM MIKE, IN BOWIE, MARYLAND: As a paid sports referee, what mileage can I deduct when traveling to referee a basket ball game? Can I count the mileage from home to game site and from the game site back to home?
ANSWER: Mike, you are refereeing games as a regular, paid activity. You are paid on a 1099-basis You are, in fact, conducting a small business, and the basketball sites are, in fact, your client work sites. I know from our conversations that there is no out-of-town overnight travel involved. You drive from home to the basketball courts and back.
As a rule, when you use your personal automobile to drive to a business site, or between business sites, or to run business errands of any sort -- you are entitled to deduct automobile costs at the IRS-designated mileage rate. The exception to this rule is commuting. Commuting is travel from home to and from a place of regular employment or business. Commuting miles are personal expenses and are not tax deductible. If you regularly referee at several athletic facilities and you drive from home, the mileage would probably be classified as nondeductible commuting. All other business mileage EXCEPT commuting is deductible. This includes mileage for referee-related business errands of any kind as well as mileage for transportation between any business or client locations.
For your home office to "qualify", it must be your "principle place of business." Ever since the aftermath of the Solomon Case in the early 1990's, it has been much easier for a home office "qualify" as your principle place of business. If any one of these 3 tests is true, your office is your principle place of business:
For documentation, you'll need a contemporaneous log of your mileage, and also some sort of written log or evidence about the before-and-after business use of your home office.
Here's material for further reading:
Small Business Mileage Deductions
Any further questions, of course, let me know!
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Twitter@jc_leahy
 |
| JC Leahy |
ANSWER: Mike, you are refereeing games as a regular, paid activity. You are paid on a 1099-basis You are, in fact, conducting a small business, and the basketball sites are, in fact, your client work sites. I know from our conversations that there is no out-of-town overnight travel involved. You drive from home to the basketball courts and back.
As a rule, when you use your personal automobile to drive to a business site, or between business sites, or to run business errands of any sort -- you are entitled to deduct automobile costs at the IRS-designated mileage rate. The exception to this rule is commuting. Commuting is travel from home to and from a place of regular employment or business. Commuting miles are personal expenses and are not tax deductible. If you regularly referee at several athletic facilities and you drive from home, the mileage would probably be classified as nondeductible commuting. All other business mileage EXCEPT commuting is deductible. This includes mileage for referee-related business errands of any kind as well as mileage for transportation between any business or client locations.
One way to optimize your mileage deductions would be to have a tax-qualified home office for your referee business, and to engage in business related activities in your home office before and after each trip to an athletic facility. That way, when you get in your car, you are not driving from/to HOME; you are driving from/to YOUR OFFICE -- to a game. That's deductible.
For your home office to "qualify", it must be your "principle place of business." Ever since the aftermath of the Solomon Case in the early 1990's, it has been much easier for a home office "qualify" as your principle place of business. If any one of these 3 tests is true, your office is your principle place of business:
- The primary value of your business is delivered in the home office, or
- You regularly meet with customers or prospects in the home office, or
- The primary management or administration of your business is conducted in the home office.
For documentation, you'll need a contemporaneous log of your mileage, and also some sort of written log or evidence about the before-and-after business use of your home office.
Here's material for further reading:
Small Business Mileage Deductions
Any further questions, of course, let me know!
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Sunday, November 13, 2011
GAMES THEY PLAY WITH SOCIAL SECURITY
Question by Bill of Silver Spring, Maryland
Answer by JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Twitter@jc_leahy
Question:
I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits, but I also have to work for extra money to make ends meet. I am a self employed full-time painting contractor. Business has been really tough these past couple of years. Last year, despite my full-time efforts, I made a net of zero at the painting business. This year, so far I have a net $70,000. This income won't reduce my monthly Social Security check, will it?
Answer:
Bill, Congress has made our Social Security benefits into an unfortunate shell game. I won't tax your interest with all the details -- but here are the scraps that relate to your specific retirement planning question.
If you work after you start to receive Social Security benefits, your Social Security benefits may be reduced because of your employment or self-employment income. This only affects you if you are receiving early Social Security retirement benefits. If you have reached your "full" retirement age, your benefits are NOT reduced as a result of other income. Early retirement age is 62. Your full retirement age depends on how young you are..
To determine your full retirement age according to the SSA, look for your birth year in this list
• 1937 or earlier: 65
• 1938: 65 + 2 months
• 1939: 65 + 4 months
• 1940: 65 + 6 months
• 1941: 65 + 8 months
• 1942: 65 + 10 months
• 1943-1954: 66
• 1955: 66 + 2 months
• 1956: 66 + 4 months
• 1957: 66 + 6 months
• 1958: 66 + 8 months
• 1959: 66 + 10 months
• 1960 or later: 67
For example, Bill, based on the above table your full retirement age is 65 years and 2 months because you were born in 1938. Your current age is 71. Since you are older than your full-benefits retirement age, your Social Security benefit will NOT be reduced because of your self employment earnings.
If you were, say 62, not only would you get a reduced Social Security benefit, but that reduced benefit would be FURTHER reduced by $1 for every $2 of income you made in excess of $14,160 annually. So, if you had a net of $70,000 from your painting business, your Social Security benefit would be reduced by ($70,000 - $14160) x 0.5 = $27,920 REDUCTION. In your case, Bill, $27,920 subtracted from your annual Social Security benefit would leave you a remaining Social Security retirement monthly check of approximately zero. It's a lucky thing they don't count negative numbers in that calculation, because if they did, Congress would want YOU to send THEM a check!! LOL!!!
Oh! Wait a minute!! Au sérieux! You might actually have to send Congress a check -- even if you ARE over the full retirement age. No kidding!! Here's how it works. If you earn wages, salary, self employment income or any other kind of income while you are receiving Social Security -- Uncle Sam may want you to send some of that Social Security money back in the form of income tax .
Paying income tax on Social Security retirement benefits DOES seem unfair. After all, every payday for your entire working life you paid FULL Federal income tax, state income tax, and various payroll taxes on EVERY DIME of Social Security once already. To tax you again when you take the money back out of Social Security is to tax you TWICE!!!! But that's the way the system works. Originally, back in the New Deal era, all Social Security retirement benefits were exempt from this double-taxation but Congress just couldn't resist the temptation to change that. You might call this the Raw Deal.
It's definitley a bad investment. Experts often say that your investment in Social Security is one of the least attractive investments you will ever make -- and when you delve into the details, it's not hard to see why.
So it's good-news and bad news for you, Bill. You are old enough so that your monthly Social Security check will not be reduced. You will, however, face double-taxation of some of your Social Security benefits.
I hope this helps. If you need more information, give me a call or enter a "comment" below.
(Question to young folks: So you think your Roth IRA benefits are going to be tax-free when you retire? Hmmmm....)
Answer by JC Leahy, MA Accounting
Twitter@jc_leahy
Question:
I am receiving Social Security retirement benefits, but I also have to work for extra money to make ends meet. I am a self employed full-time painting contractor. Business has been really tough these past couple of years. Last year, despite my full-time efforts, I made a net of zero at the painting business. This year, so far I have a net $70,000. This income won't reduce my monthly Social Security check, will it?
Answer:
Bill, Congress has made our Social Security benefits into an unfortunate shell game. I won't tax your interest with all the details -- but here are the scraps that relate to your specific retirement planning question.
If you work after you start to receive Social Security benefits, your Social Security benefits may be reduced because of your employment or self-employment income. This only affects you if you are receiving early Social Security retirement benefits. If you have reached your "full" retirement age, your benefits are NOT reduced as a result of other income. Early retirement age is 62. Your full retirement age depends on how young you are..
To determine your full retirement age according to the SSA, look for your birth year in this list
• 1937 or earlier: 65
• 1938: 65 + 2 months
• 1939: 65 + 4 months
• 1940: 65 + 6 months
• 1941: 65 + 8 months
• 1942: 65 + 10 months
• 1943-1954: 66
• 1955: 66 + 2 months
• 1956: 66 + 4 months
• 1957: 66 + 6 months
• 1958: 66 + 8 months
• 1959: 66 + 10 months
• 1960 or later: 67
For example, Bill, based on the above table your full retirement age is 65 years and 2 months because you were born in 1938. Your current age is 71. Since you are older than your full-benefits retirement age, your Social Security benefit will NOT be reduced because of your self employment earnings.
If you were, say 62, not only would you get a reduced Social Security benefit, but that reduced benefit would be FURTHER reduced by $1 for every $2 of income you made in excess of $14,160 annually. So, if you had a net of $70,000 from your painting business, your Social Security benefit would be reduced by ($70,000 - $14160) x 0.5 = $27,920 REDUCTION. In your case, Bill, $27,920 subtracted from your annual Social Security benefit would leave you a remaining Social Security retirement monthly check of approximately zero. It's a lucky thing they don't count negative numbers in that calculation, because if they did, Congress would want YOU to send THEM a check!! LOL!!!
Oh! Wait a minute!! Au sérieux! You might actually have to send Congress a check -- even if you ARE over the full retirement age. No kidding!! Here's how it works. If you earn wages, salary, self employment income or any other kind of income while you are receiving Social Security -- Uncle Sam may want you to send some of that Social Security money back in the form of income tax .
Paying income tax on Social Security retirement benefits DOES seem unfair. After all, every payday for your entire working life you paid FULL Federal income tax, state income tax, and various payroll taxes on EVERY DIME of Social Security once already. To tax you again when you take the money back out of Social Security is to tax you TWICE!!!! But that's the way the system works. Originally, back in the New Deal era, all Social Security retirement benefits were exempt from this double-taxation but Congress just couldn't resist the temptation to change that. You might call this the Raw Deal.
It's definitley a bad investment. Experts often say that your investment in Social Security is one of the least attractive investments you will ever make -- and when you delve into the details, it's not hard to see why.
So it's good-news and bad news for you, Bill. You are old enough so that your monthly Social Security check will not be reduced. You will, however, face double-taxation of some of your Social Security benefits.
I hope this helps. If you need more information, give me a call or enter a "comment" below.
(Question to young folks: So you think your Roth IRA benefits are going to be tax-free when you retire? Hmmmm....)
Sunday, November 6, 2011
How to Obtain a Transcript of your Federal Income Tax Return
By JC Leahy, MA, Accounting
Twitter@JC_Leahy
In this case, the transcript was required the Department of Homeland Security U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. My client had filed a Petition to Remove Conditions on Residence (Form I-751) for his wife. The Immigration Service was demanding that he show proof that his marriage was not a sham "entered into in order to evade U.S. Immigration laws." Immigration demanded an "official transcript" from the IRS of one or more joint income tax returns.
His question for me was: "What the heck is a tax return official transcript and how can I get one." An official transcript from the IRS can be obtained free by filing a Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.. It's a free service. Form 4506-T is pretty straightforward. Just make sure you tell them on line 6 what form you want a copy of. Be sure, also, to tell them on line 8 which years' tax returns you want. Here's a link to print a copy of Form 4506-T with instructions:
DOWNLOAD FORM 4506-T, REQUEST FOR TRANSCRIPT OF TAX RETURN
The problem with using Form 4506-T is that is takes considerable time to process. You can speed up the process by using the telephone. Simply call the IRS at 800-908-9946 and make your request verbally. If you are near a FAX machine, they will FAX you your transcript while you wait. In that case, be sure not to call them on the same phone line that the FAX uses.
There is a very similar form in case you need a copy of a tax return with all it's attachments. This if Form 4506 "Request for Copy of Tax Return". It sounds similar, and the form is very similar, but this one costs you a fee of $57 per tax return. A complete copy will show the details of all the attachments to your tax return while a transcript does not. Here's a link to print a copy of Form 4506-T with instructions:
DOWNLOAD FORM 4506, REQUEST FOR COPY OF TAX RETURN
There are all sorts of reasons why you might need a copy of your tax return or even an "official transcript." For example, mortgage loan applications, job applications, security clearance applications. You might want to bookmark this article, just for future reference.
Comments or questions? Enter them as a "comment" to this article.
ADDENDUM:
District of Columbia Tax Contact Telephone Numbers
Maryland Tax Contact Telephone Numbers
Pennsylvania Tax Contact Telephone Numbers
Virginia Tax Contact Telephone Numbers
Contact Data:
JC Leahy, MA, Accounting
JC Leahy and Company, LLC
dba Maximul Legal Refund (TM)
Income Tax Help When You Need It! (TM)
Silver Spring, Maryland
Tel. (301)537-5365
E-Mail jcleahy@taxhelpwhenyouneedit.com
Twitter@JC_Leahy
His question for me was: "What the heck is a tax return official transcript and how can I get one." An official transcript from the IRS can be obtained free by filing a Form 4506-T, Request for Transcript of Tax Return.. It's a free service. Form 4506-T is pretty straightforward. Just make sure you tell them on line 6 what form you want a copy of. Be sure, also, to tell them on line 8 which years' tax returns you want. Here's a link to print a copy of Form 4506-T with instructions:
DOWNLOAD FORM 4506-T, REQUEST FOR TRANSCRIPT OF TAX RETURN
The problem with using Form 4506-T is that is takes considerable time to process. You can speed up the process by using the telephone. Simply call the IRS at 800-908-9946 and make your request verbally. If you are near a FAX machine, they will FAX you your transcript while you wait. In that case, be sure not to call them on the same phone line that the FAX uses.
There is a very similar form in case you need a copy of a tax return with all it's attachments. This if Form 4506 "Request for Copy of Tax Return". It sounds similar, and the form is very similar, but this one costs you a fee of $57 per tax return. A complete copy will show the details of all the attachments to your tax return while a transcript does not. Here's a link to print a copy of Form 4506-T with instructions:
DOWNLOAD FORM 4506, REQUEST FOR COPY OF TAX RETURN
There are all sorts of reasons why you might need a copy of your tax return or even an "official transcript." For example, mortgage loan applications, job applications, security clearance applications. You might want to bookmark this article, just for future reference.
Comments or questions? Enter them as a "comment" to this article.
ADDENDUM:
District of Columbia Tax Contact Telephone Numbers
Maryland Tax Contact Telephone Numbers
Pennsylvania Tax Contact Telephone Numbers
Virginia Tax Contact Telephone Numbers
Contact Data:
JC Leahy, MA, Accounting
JC Leahy and Company, LLC
dba Maximul Legal Refund (TM)
Income Tax Help When You Need It! (TM)
Silver Spring, Maryland
Tel. (301)537-5365
E-Mail jcleahy@taxhelpwhenyouneedit.com
TAX PLANNING: RAFFLE AND CONTEST TICKETS AS TAX DEDUCTIONS
By JC Leahy
TaxHelpWhenYouNeedIt.com
Income Tax Preparation & Consulting
jcleahy@taxhelpwhenyouneedit.com
If I buy raffle tickets from a charitable or educational organization, how much is deductible on my income tax return? For example, what if I buy a raffle ticket from my child's school? How much of that is deductible as a charitable contribution?
The general rule is that if you give something to a tax exempt organization and receive something in return, you must subtract the value of what you received, to determine the amount of your charitable contribution. For example, if you give a charity $10 for a box of candy which normally sells for $8, then only $2 is deductible as a charitable contribution: $10 minus $8. In the case of a raffle ticket, when you buy the ticket, you get something in return - a chance to win the prize. In the IRS's eyes, the value of the CHANCE to win the prize is always WORTH THE PRICE you pay for the raffle ticket; therefore, NOTHING is deductible. So if you buy a $10 raffle ticket from you child's school, zero is deductible: $10 minus $10 equals zero.
The exception occurs if you pay money to a tax exempt organization and then get a raffle ticket free. For example, you might pay $200 regular annual dues to a tax exempt organization and the organization might send you a raffle ticket free of charge. Since you paid nothing for the raffle ticket, EVERYTHING you paid to the charitable organization is deductible. In the example, the full $200 is deductible.
So the answer is: Everything, nothing, or somewhere-in-between, depending on the situation..
TaxHelpWhenYouNeedIt.com
Income Tax Preparation & Consulting
jcleahy@taxhelpwhenyouneedit.com
If I buy raffle tickets from a charitable or educational organization, how much is deductible on my income tax return? For example, what if I buy a raffle ticket from my child's school? How much of that is deductible as a charitable contribution?
The general rule is that if you give something to a tax exempt organization and receive something in return, you must subtract the value of what you received, to determine the amount of your charitable contribution. For example, if you give a charity $10 for a box of candy which normally sells for $8, then only $2 is deductible as a charitable contribution: $10 minus $8. In the case of a raffle ticket, when you buy the ticket, you get something in return - a chance to win the prize. In the IRS's eyes, the value of the CHANCE to win the prize is always WORTH THE PRICE you pay for the raffle ticket; therefore, NOTHING is deductible. So if you buy a $10 raffle ticket from you child's school, zero is deductible: $10 minus $10 equals zero.
The exception occurs if you pay money to a tax exempt organization and then get a raffle ticket free. For example, you might pay $200 regular annual dues to a tax exempt organization and the organization might send you a raffle ticket free of charge. Since you paid nothing for the raffle ticket, EVERYTHING you paid to the charitable organization is deductible. In the example, the full $200 is deductible.
So the answer is: Everything, nothing, or somewhere-in-between, depending on the situation..
Friday, October 28, 2011
HOW TO CHANGE YOUR HOME PAGE IN FIREFOX OR EXPLORER
By JC Leahy
Firefox
Your home page is the page that appears automatically when you start your browser. My Firefox's default home page is AOL. Now that AOL has merged with the hateful-extreme-ultra-liberal Huffington Post, I wanted to change to a different website for my home page. Accomplishing this change is very simple. I decided to make my blog my new home page, at http://jcleahy.blogspot.com/ . Here's how:
That's it!!! Finished!!!!!!! It's as simple as steps 1-2-3, literally.
There is one variation you might find useful. Before you perform the 3 above steps, , GO to the website that you want as your new home page. Then, instead of typing in the address in the Options Window, just select "Use Current Page."
Microsoft Internet Explorer
If you have Internet Explorer, changing your home page is just as simple. Here are the steps:
Support This Blog At No Cost To You !!!!!!!!!
Here's how to support this blog at no cost to you: Change your browser's home page to http://jcleahy.blogspot.com/ .(as outlined above). Then, whenever you want to go to Amazon for shopping, enter the Amazon website by clicking on any of the Amazon advertisements located within blog articles or at the bottom of each page in the blog. If you do this prior anything you buy from Amazon will result in a commission being paid to this blog -- at no cost to you. Even if your Amazon shopping cart is already full, just re-enter the Amazon website through this blog before checkout and the commission will apply to everything in your Amazon shopping cart. Thank you!
Firefox
Your home page is the page that appears automatically when you start your browser. My Firefox's default home page is AOL. Now that AOL has merged with the hateful-extreme-ultra-liberal Huffington Post, I wanted to change to a different website for my home page. Accomplishing this change is very simple. I decided to make my blog my new home page, at http://jcleahy.blogspot.com/ . Here's how:
- From the Menu Bar at the very top of the screen, select "Tools"
- From the Tools drop-down menu, select "Options"
- In the "Home Page" space of the Options Window, just replace the address there with the address you want -- in this case http://jcleahy.blogspot.com/
- Click "OK" at the bottom of the Options Window.
That's it!!! Finished!!!!!!! It's as simple as steps 1-2-3, literally.
There is one variation you might find useful. Before you perform the 3 above steps, , GO to the website that you want as your new home page. Then, instead of typing in the address in the Options Window, just select "Use Current Page."
Microsoft Internet Explorer
If you have Internet Explorer, changing your home page is just as simple. Here are the steps:
- With Internet Explorer open, from the Menu Bar at the very top of the screen, select "Tools." This will bring up the Tools drop-down menu.
- In the the drop-down Tools menu, choose Internet Options. This will bring up the Internet Options window. Make sure you're on the "General" tab.
- In the Internet Options window, simply replace the displayed web address with the address you desire -- in this case http://jcleahy.blogspot.com/
- Click "Apply," then click "OK" at the bottom of the Internet Options window.
Support This Blog At No Cost To You !!!!!!!!!
Here's how to support this blog at no cost to you: Change your browser's home page to http://jcleahy.blogspot.com/ .(as outlined above). Then, whenever you want to go to Amazon for shopping, enter the Amazon website by clicking on any of the Amazon advertisements located within blog articles or at the bottom of each page in the blog. If you do this prior anything you buy from Amazon will result in a commission being paid to this blog -- at no cost to you. Even if your Amazon shopping cart is already full, just re-enter the Amazon website through this blog before checkout and the commission will apply to everything in your Amazon shopping cart. Thank you!
TAX PLANNING: DEDUCTION FOR TRAVEL EXPENSES WHILE ON TEMPORARY ASSIGNMENT
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
TaxHelpWhenYouNeedIt.com
Question from Janice in Chicago:
JC, I read this is taxable, so my question is: I am taking a post-doctoral Fellowship in Washington, DC that pays 94 K and an additional 12,000.00 for housing relocation for a 14 month period. The place I am thinking about renting is 1550 per month almost the same as my mortgage. (Yikes) Will I get a tax break by paying to live in both DC and Chicago? The rent in Dc is unbelievable! No longer will I be making 119/year
Answer:
Hi Janice! I tried calling your home phone but missed you, so here's your answer. Even though you view it as a scholarship, your fellowship, is (1) post-doctoral and (2) requires you to perform services. For both of these reasons, it, indeed, is taxable.
The next question is whether or not your out-of-town expenses are deductible. Generally, if you are away from home for a temporary period of time on business, your expenses for travel meals and lodging are deductible. That is the general rule, but the details can be problematic. The key phrases are "away from home" and "temporary period."
Let's talk about the "away from home" part. To be away from home, you must have a home from which to be away. This is called your "tax home." If you don't have a "tax home" then your home is where you hang your hat. In that event, the IRS views you as an itinerant. Itinerants' travel expenses are not deductible. Your tax home is where you live on a permanent basis and either own or rent. It must continue to be your home while you are away. For example, if you were a young person still living free-of-charge with your parents and you got a temporary out-of-town assignment, your parents' home would not qualify as your tax home because you would not have the burden of rent and other upkeep during your absence. Therefore, your travel expenses would not be deductible. For another example, suppose you owned your home and took a temporary out-of-town assignment and you decided to rent your home out during your absence. In this case, your house does not qualify as your tax home because you have rented it to be a home to someone else. In your case, you have a home in Chicago and I surmise that you are going to keep it there unrented, available to you while you are gone. So your situation in that regard is compatible with having deductible travel expenses.
The next key requirement is that you be away for a temporary assignment. This must be far enough from your tax home to require you to obtain lodging and sleep. Your 14-month assignment several hundred miles away from Chicago certainly meets that test. Your assignment must also be for a definite period. If the period is indefinite, it is not a temporary assignment for tax purposes. Your fellowship is for a definite period, which is good. However, the general rule is that a temporary travel assignment is not temporary if it lasts longer than a year. This seems like an arbitrary rule, but it is a rule, nevertheless. If you could obtain a 12-month assignment, that would be great. If it must be for 14 months, just make sure that the 14-month limit is clearly stated in writing. Then we could ask for a determination from the IRS -- or we could just run with it and hope for the best. After all, your assignment is truly temporary. I would recommend asking for an IRS determination
You are going to receive a separate housing relocation stipend as part of your 14-month compensation package. If your employer thinks this is a non taxable stipend, it will appear on your W-2 in box 12 with a code of "L". When taking deductions, you generally are not allowed to pay for a tax deduction with tax-free money. This would be a double tax break. Therefore, I believe that your travel costs, including meals, transport, and lodging, would only be deductible to the extent that they add up to more than your tax-free housing stipend. In other words, If you have $15,000 of travel costs and a $12,000 stipend, $3,000 is deductible. The stipend in this way would be counted like a reimbursement of travel expenses.
Some caveats: Meals cannot be extraordinary in amount. Also, if you decide to go back and visit Chicago (your tax home) every now and then during your temporary assignment, those costs are personal, not deductible. Finally, clarify with your temporary employer whether they will give you a W-2 or a 1099. I have known some educational institutions to issue 1099's. If you get a 1099, you will have to worry about paying self employment taxes.
I hope this helps, Janice! Let me know if there is anything else I can tell you!
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
TaxHelpWhenYouNeedIt.com (tm)
Tel.301-537-5365
TaxHelpWhenYouNeedIt.com
Question from Janice in Chicago:
 |
| JC |
Answer:
Hi Janice! I tried calling your home phone but missed you, so here's your answer. Even though you view it as a scholarship, your fellowship, is (1) post-doctoral and (2) requires you to perform services. For both of these reasons, it, indeed, is taxable.
The next question is whether or not your out-of-town expenses are deductible. Generally, if you are away from home for a temporary period of time on business, your expenses for travel meals and lodging are deductible. That is the general rule, but the details can be problematic. The key phrases are "away from home" and "temporary period."
Let's talk about the "away from home" part. To be away from home, you must have a home from which to be away. This is called your "tax home." If you don't have a "tax home" then your home is where you hang your hat. In that event, the IRS views you as an itinerant. Itinerants' travel expenses are not deductible. Your tax home is where you live on a permanent basis and either own or rent. It must continue to be your home while you are away. For example, if you were a young person still living free-of-charge with your parents and you got a temporary out-of-town assignment, your parents' home would not qualify as your tax home because you would not have the burden of rent and other upkeep during your absence. Therefore, your travel expenses would not be deductible. For another example, suppose you owned your home and took a temporary out-of-town assignment and you decided to rent your home out during your absence. In this case, your house does not qualify as your tax home because you have rented it to be a home to someone else. In your case, you have a home in Chicago and I surmise that you are going to keep it there unrented, available to you while you are gone. So your situation in that regard is compatible with having deductible travel expenses.
The next key requirement is that you be away for a temporary assignment. This must be far enough from your tax home to require you to obtain lodging and sleep. Your 14-month assignment several hundred miles away from Chicago certainly meets that test. Your assignment must also be for a definite period. If the period is indefinite, it is not a temporary assignment for tax purposes. Your fellowship is for a definite period, which is good. However, the general rule is that a temporary travel assignment is not temporary if it lasts longer than a year. This seems like an arbitrary rule, but it is a rule, nevertheless. If you could obtain a 12-month assignment, that would be great. If it must be for 14 months, just make sure that the 14-month limit is clearly stated in writing. Then we could ask for a determination from the IRS -- or we could just run with it and hope for the best. After all, your assignment is truly temporary. I would recommend asking for an IRS determination
You are going to receive a separate housing relocation stipend as part of your 14-month compensation package. If your employer thinks this is a non taxable stipend, it will appear on your W-2 in box 12 with a code of "L". When taking deductions, you generally are not allowed to pay for a tax deduction with tax-free money. This would be a double tax break. Therefore, I believe that your travel costs, including meals, transport, and lodging, would only be deductible to the extent that they add up to more than your tax-free housing stipend. In other words, If you have $15,000 of travel costs and a $12,000 stipend, $3,000 is deductible. The stipend in this way would be counted like a reimbursement of travel expenses.
Some caveats: Meals cannot be extraordinary in amount. Also, if you decide to go back and visit Chicago (your tax home) every now and then during your temporary assignment, those costs are personal, not deductible. Finally, clarify with your temporary employer whether they will give you a W-2 or a 1099. I have known some educational institutions to issue 1099's. If you get a 1099, you will have to worry about paying self employment taxes.
I hope this helps, Janice! Let me know if there is anything else I can tell you!
JC Leahy, MA Accounting
TaxHelpWhenYouNeedIt.com (tm)
Tel.301-537-5365
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