When I first came to this site in 2006 (thank you Brian) a few posters asked if I would answer some tax questions on deductibility of our medical expenses like travel, room and board, supplies and equipment, etc. I agreed and Brian agreed so off it went. I also expanded it to answering any income tax question and offered to answer questions off site as well. It was popular so I done it every year since.

Here's how it works. If you have a question that pertains to medical expenses ask it on this post. If you have an unrelated Federal income tax question PM or e me.

Remember I am not your paid preparer and am doing this to help you and Brian is allowing this as a benefit to all users so don't even think about suing either of us if I give out incorrect information. If that's agreeable then ask away.

David you are a very good person. I'm sure that you are just swamped at this time of year and to offer to help people is just wonderful of you.

Patty

Dave, No questions just a Thank You for being so kind and generous for those on OCF that may need advice!! Semper-Fi Bob

David,

I would like to know how to forget to pay thousands upon thousands of dollars in taxes, and never get caught until I'm appointed to some office. Can it realistically be done or am I just dreaming?

It can be done without even getting caught on appointment, but the people who know how to do that successfully don't talk about it.

I'll bet the good Senator is wishing he had listened to his tax guy a few years ago when he recommended declaring it! Esp now that he not only lost the appointment but paid the taxes. Not much sympathy coming from people in the process of doing their own taxes!

We in CPA land have talked about this for a while and we find it incredible not in how one doesn't pay their fare share but the audacity they must have to do it, and knowingly, and still run for a position that clearly puts them in THE SPOTLIGHT.

I've been a Lobbyist in Congress for the ABA and believe me hypocacy has existed in Washington for many many many years.

Yeah. well I won't defame any prominent people, but let's just say that some tax cheats had thought they could be top level executives in the IRS until they found about the requirement to formally request an audit themselves. Amazing how many otherwise qualified candidates suddenly discovered "personal reasons" to withdraw their applications. I always thought it was strange that the IRS Commissioner and Chief Counsel, the two presidential appointments had to be fully tax compliant (not belated nor retroactive) but no such requirement for their ultimate boss the Secretary of the Treasury.

I have always thought that anyone in public office..local, state or national should be required to pass a tax audit.

The most stressful thing to me each year and yes, I am in the throes of preparing our tax return, is making sure I have reported everything correctly and completely. It pisses me off that someone being paid by my tax dollars is not doing the same.

David (Brian), perhaps a link to the IRS site (page) where medical deductions are listed in a very comprehensible way would be helpful. I just looked at it over the weekend myself...it is easy to understand. Biggest change this year looks like the mileage allowance changes midyear from 19 cents per mile to 27 cents.

Thanks David for the offer of help...wish I could just hand it all to you and have it magically done. That's what my BIL thinks happens..."you just hand the papers to the CPA and they just figure it out." Obviously, he is not in charge of getting the returns ready for the accountant each year.

Deb

Great minds think alike (you and Brian). Actually Brian suggested that I do just that about 2 years ago and I told him that to put something like that into words I would have to reprint the IRS' instructions almost verbatim. When dealing with the law or an interpretation of it you have to be very careful in picking your words so when the IRS writes their instructions they necessarily have to be very complete and therefore verbose. I just would rather answer specific tax questions than try to cover every possible aspect of this one type of deduction.

My first real job was working for IRS as a Taxpayer Service Representative for the 1976 filing season. This was a GS-4 position and I was one of those who answered questions on the 800 phone line. I received 1 and � months of training and of course became an instant tax �expert� (an internal study at that time showed that 30-40% of the answers given over the phone were in error).

Craig and I had just finished two years in the Peace Corps immediately following college. One of the requirements of this great IRS job was that the past three years of our income tax returns were audited. Since our combined annual income for each of our PC years was $1800 (well below the amount required to file returns) and no income tax was withheld (no need to file for a refund) we did not file returns for 1973 and 1974 (perfectly legal). Well, the auditors went nuts!!! How could IRS hire a GS-4 (salary about $7,000/year) who hadn�t even filed returns for two years? How could two people survive on such a paltry gross income?? We must have cheated on our taxes! We must have been anarchists!! I almost wasn�t hired.

My potential immediate supervisor was so desperate for one more warm body that a compromise was arranged with the auditors. I received a very severe �Letter of Reprimand� which stated that if I ever failed to file returns in the future I would be rounded up and shipped off to Alcatraz.

I ditched this job mid-February for a better one at a different agency. My boss was furious that I �took advantage� of their extensive training and didn�t even finish the tax season!

Needless to say, I always make sure I file our income tax returns in a timely fashion, knowing that somewhere out there, IRS has a folder on me, labeling me as a scofflaw!


Thanks David for your generous offer to answer questions for us. This certainly is �Above and Beyond�.