Tax Carnival #19: The lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer taxes

Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
Those days of soda and pretzels and beer.
Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer.
Dust off the sun and moon and sing a song of cheer.

Ah, summer. It might be hazy where you are, and even during these traditional months of relaxation, things tend to get crazy.

But you better not be lazy when it comes to taxes or it could cost you next filing season.

So with that in mind we present for your early summer consideration our Summer 2007 edition of the 19th Carnival of Taxes.

As we head into the peak summer vacation season, taken via car by most of us, Wenchypoo warns of a dark side to fuel efficiency. His contention, posted at Wisdom From Wenchypoo's Mental Wastebasket, is that state officials use the guise of doing good to jack up gas taxes to fill their coffers.

Did you make some extra money to pay for your summer travels by selling some stuff on eBay? Then you might encounter, according to Kristine over at Tax Tips for eBay Sellers, several tax woes specific to online businesses.

Global businesses also have special tax considerations. Taxquery received a question about the tax liability of an Indian company that hosts sites in the United States. The answer to Is Payment For Hosting Website Subject to TDS? can be found at F.A.Q. on Indian Income Tax Laws.

Speaking of online sites, if you can make enough in Internet sales, you might be able to quit your "real" job. But regardless of whether your income is cubicle compensation or cyber cash, Teri of Personal Finance Advice tells us that if we've got a partner bringing in a paycheck, then we might be able to quit anyway. Why? The hidden costs of the two-income tax trap.

If you do decide to keep your job, here's hoping you're putting away some of your earnings in a retirement account. If that account is a Roth IRA, then regular contributor nickel of Five Cent Nickel wants to make sure you know that the conversion limit on those accounts is going away, and soon.

Retirement saving is just as critical for entrepreneurs. Michelle at GreatFX Business Cards has the scoop on an often overlooked tax-advantaged retirement option for the sole proprietor.

And if your job is with the U.S. armed forces, then Eva, the original Tax Mama now dispensing Tax Quips, reminds military personnel that under the HEROs Act, these savers may be able to contribute for tax years 2004, 2005 and 2006 up until May 28, 2009.

Maybe instead of a summer trip, you decided to stay home and spruce up the place. A lot of folks turn to home equity loans to pay for residential improvements. If that's your case, then you'll want to check out what KRG has to say about the tax advantages of these loans over at FIL-AM WORDS.

Those residential upgrades also could help you get top dollar if you decide to sell. And William at About: Tax Planning has some tips on taxes, and tax savings, for home sellers.

Eventually, summer will pass and a new year will be upon us when you'll have to file a return to account for all your income and deductions. And sometimes you don't get it just right with that first filing. When that happens, you'll want to check out Robert's advice over at THE WANDERING TAX PRO on amending your return.

And with that, we wrap up Tax Carnival #19. Thanks for reading and to all who contributed. Now get out there and enjoy your summer!

We'll be back with a tax independence edition on July 2, so mark you calendar and send in your tax item via our carnival submission form. And you can check out past posts and future hosts at the Carnival of Taxes index page.