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Keep Uncle Sam cranky!

  • It's no wonder Uncle Sam is not very happy here. His vault is empty.
    Don't Mess With Taxes aims to keep him cranky by providing tax and personal finance tips and advice that will put more money in your bank account, not the government treasury.

Great Googly Moogly!

July 2009

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Tax Calendar

  • April 15 has come and gone, but millions now have until Oct. 15 to file their 2008 returns. And millions more have 2009 tax planning to do.
  • There are plenty of year-round tax dates to keep track of, as well as lots of tax-saving moves you can make between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31.
    Find them here each month.


    monthly tax moves
  • July 1: You're halfway through the year. Now's the perfect time to make some midyear tax moves that could cut your 2009 IRS bill. If your life has changed significantly since the beginning of the year, adjust your withholding to more accurately reflect your new life, and tax, situation. Just give your employer a new W-4.

    July 4: Happy Independence Day! Celebrate your independence from future tax hassles. Hire a tax professional now to help get your tax life in shape while there's still plenty of time to plan.

    July 10: Does your job include tips? If so and you received $20 in tips in June, use Form 4070 to report them today to your employer.

    July 17: Are your kids at day camp while you work? You might be able to use that expense to claim the child and dependent care credit to cover some of the costs.

    July 21: It's been summer for month. How's your air conditioner holding up? If you need a new one, make sure it's energy efficient; that way on your 2009 tax return you can claim a tax credit for 30 percent of the cost, up to $1,500. Other energy-saving home improvements also qualify. Get the details at EnergyStar.gov.

    July 31: If you kids are older and working summer jobs, make sure they understand their tax responsibilities. You also can help your youngster get a nest egg head start by helping him or her open a Roth IRA with some of those summer earnings.

    Small Business Tax Calendar -- July: Important filing, deposit and record keeping dates your company needs to know.

Carnival of Taxes

  • Where we party like
    it's 1040 ... Form 1040!


  • Check out the latest
    Carnival of Taxes,
    #55: Tax Fireworks


    Want to be a part of the next one on August 3? Just review the Tax Carnival guidelines
    and then send
    your tax musings, mumblings,
    even music to the
    Tax Carnival submission page
    .
  • Catch up on prevous
    Tax Carnivals in our archives.

Tax Terms

  • Earned income -- It's just like it sounds: Compensation you receive from work, including wages, salaries, commissions, tips and self-employment endeavors. Learn more...
  • Unearned income -- Money that is not gained by work or delivery of a service or product. It's most well-known source is from investments. Learn more...
  • Tax rates/brackets -- The U.S. tax system is a progressive one, in which the greater the earnings, the higher the tax rate. Learn more...
  • See these and other tax terms
    in the perpetually updated
    Tax Glossary.

Cool tax quotes

  • The income tax has made
    more liars out of the American people than golf has.

    -- Will Rogers, humorist
  • I'm proud to pay taxes in the United States; the only thing is,
    I could be just as proud for half the money.
    -- Arthur Godfrey, comedian
  • Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a refund from the IRS, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with. -- Author unknown, from a Washington Post word contest
  • "Internal Revenue Service: The world's most successful mail order business.” -- Bob Goddard, writer
  • "If you are truly serious about preparing your child for the future, don't teach him to subtract. Teach him to deduct." -- Fran Lebowitz, writer
  • "The United States has a system of taxation by confession." -- Hugo Black, Supreme Court Justice

But wait! There's more!

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    the posts shown on this page, Arrow_right click here to go to the Don't Mess With Taxes archives page. There you can browse earlier blog items by the month they were posted or by their category.

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I gotta tell ya ...

  • AKA Disclaimer:
    The content on Don't Mess With Taxes is my personal opinion based on my study and understanding of tax laws, policies and regulations. It’s provided for your private, noncommercial, educational and informational purposes only. It’s not a recommendation or endorsement of any company or product. I strongly suggest that when it comes to filing your taxes, you get additional, professional, paid-for guidance from your accountant and other financial advisers who are familiar with your individual circumstances. In other words, don't blame me!

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Sunday, April 27, 2008

Britney's latest trouble: California taxes

In addition to marital, child custody, career, financial and public relations problems, Britney Spears now can add tax troubles to her list of woes.

Britneyspearsbikini According to the cable television celebrity channel E!, one of Brit's brand-name companies owes the state of California more than $23,000 in taxes. And celebrity, even in star-crazy California, doesn't confer special tax status. If she doesn’t fork over the dough, she’ll end up owing more via interest and fees.

A California Franchise Tax Board document obtained by E! News cites Britney Online Inc., one of the troubled pop star's many name-brand companies, as delinquent in payment of $23,589.17 on its 2004 tax year earnings. In the state tax lien, the FTB warns that "further interest and fees will accrue" if the sum is not paid.

There's no indication that the state's tax interest goes beyond this one company and the 2004 tax year.

And there's no word as to whether Britney, either personally or through her businesses, might have similar tax issues with the feds. But I'll bet that now that this California situation is out in the open, the IRS is taking a closer look at all of Spears' federal filings.

The bad tax news comes on the heels of a court order that Brit pay legal fees totaling more than $400,000 to attorneys who her and her family in various legal cases.

Spears' father Jamie and a court-appointed lawyer took charge of the "Toxic" (for non-Britney fans, that's one of her songs [video here], not an editorial assessment!) singer's financial affairs after fighting for conservatorship of Britney's estate following her hospitalization for mental illness issues in February.

Britney photo courtesy Gossip Girls.

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