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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!

November 2009

Sun Mon Tue Wed Thu Fri Sat
1 2 3 4 5 6 7
8 9 10 11 12 13 14
15 16 17 18 19 20 21
22 23 24 25 26 27 28
29 30          

Tax Calendar

  • April 15 has come and gone.
    So has Oct. 15.
    But there still are moves
    to make in 2009
    to lower your coming tax bill.
    And there's plenty of
    2010 tax planning to do.
  • Each month you'll find tax dates, tips and moves to make between Jan. 1 and Dec. 31
    so you can save tax money
    all year-round.

    monthly tax moves

  • Nov. 3: Vote! Most attention has been on the gubernatorial races in New Jersey and Virginia. But all elections are important. Make sure you do your civic duty.

    Nov. 6: If your withholding is too much or not enough, head to your payroll office and turn in a new W-4 to adjust your payroll withholding.

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

    Nov. 13: Does the number 13 scare you? Then you best stay home today and check out these 13 financial superstitions.

    Nov. 17: The stock market has recovered somewhat this year, so now's a good time to analyze your stock transactions. Roughly calculate your profits and losses so far in 2009 so that you can do some tax planning before the end of the year. Capital gains are taxed at lower rates, but even losses could help offset a potential IRS bill.

    Nov. 23: It's Thanksgiving week, and those of us with much to be grateful for might want to consider giving to those who don't. And your donation to a nonprofit that helps the needy also might provide you a tax deduction on your 2009 return.

    Nov. 27: Happy Black Friday! Retailers look forward to this busiest buying day of the year. So do state and local governments, which get a share of sales taxes collected on most of the purchases. So that you'll know the full cost, taxes included, of your early holiday shopping trip, check out your state's sales tax rate.

    Nov. 27 & 28: If you buy a gun this Friday and Saturday in South Carolina, you won't have to worry about the sales tax. It's the Palmetto State's second annual Second Amendment Sales Tax Holiday.

    Nov. 30: Unless Congress acts soon, the first-time homebuyer credit will end today. But it you're still home shopping, don't worry. It looks like lawmakers will extend it at least a few more months.

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

  • How much tax time remains? Check out our
    2010 Tax Countdown Clock.

2009 Tax Guide

Carnival of Taxes

Horn tootin'

Selected writings
of S. Kay Bell

Improve the IRS

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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.

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!

©©©©© & ®®®®®

Blog Carnivals Archive

Carnival_scene When I first started participating in blog carnivals, I kept a running list on Don't Mess With Taxes' home page.

But the midway there was getting a little crowded, so we struck some of the tents and put most of the rides in storage in this Blog Carnival Archive.

This is a running list of the various carnivals, festivals and cavalcades that included a Don't Mess With Taxes entry.

This listing does not include the Carnival of Taxes. Those festivals of tax fun can be found here.

But for all sorts of other blog carnivals -- personal finance, frugality, even birding, just to name a few -- step right up to this collection of Blog Carnivals of which we've been privileged to be a part.

Carnival of Pecuniary Delightsk #1 (4/4/2009) featuring When renting is the right choice

Carnival of Personal Finance #184 (12/22/08) featuring Time running out to tap FSAs

Carnival of Personal Finance #176 (10/27/08) featuring 401(k) Do's and Dont's

Carnival of Personal Finance #174 (10/13/08): Bailout breaks for you and me!

Carnival of Personal Finance #168 (9/1/08) featuring Legit business expense? Deduction?

Carnival of Personal Finance #163 (7/28/08) featuring State tax holidays on tap

Carnival of Personal Finance #162 (7/21/08) featuring A look at FDIC coverage

Money Hacks Carnival #18 (6/26/08) featuring Tax help for summer camp costs

Carnival of Personal Finance #151 (5/5/08) featuring Readers question rebate delivery methods

Carnival of Personal Finance #149 (4/21/08) featuring The out-of-control tax code

Carnival of Money Hacks #6 (4/2/08) featuring Combat pay and the stimulus rebate

Carnival of Personal Finance #143 (3/10/08) featuring Talking telephone taxes

Carnival of Personal Finance #141 (2/25/08) featuring Filing mom's tax return

Carnival of Personal Finance #137 (1/28/08) featuring Uh oh! Audits are up

Carnival of Money Stories #41 (1/8/08) featuring Incorrect financial punctuation could be costly

Carnival of Personal Finance #130 (12/10/07) featuring Aspirational investing

Carnival of Personal Finance #129 (12/3/07) featuring Are credit cards appropriate 'toys' for kids?

Carnival of Personal Finance #128 (11/26/07) featuring States have money for you, too

Carnival of Personal Finance #126 (11/12/07) featuring $3-plus gas in November, a costly first

Carnival of Personal Finance #121 (10/9/07) featuring Property tax problems for customers of bankrupt lender

Carnival of Education #138 (9/26/07) featuring Tax-saving ways to pay for school

Carnival of Money Stories #27 (9/25/07) featuring Express lane to financial embarrassment

Carnival of Homeowners #12 (9/13/07) featuring Foreclosure's other tax cost

Carnival of Money Stories #25 (9/11/07) featuring Bank error not in my favor

Carnival of Personal Finance #112 (8/6/07) featuring Dough D'ohs!

Carnival of Personal Finance #111 (7/30/07) featuring $1.63 property tax bill horror story

Carnival of Personal Finance, Greatest Hits (6/18/07) featuring News flash: Investing in real estate is risky

Carnival of Personal Finance #104 (6/11/07) featuring Kids and cash

Carnival of Financial Planning (5/17/07) featuring Getting your rocking chairs on the same porch

Carnival of Personal Finance #99 (5/7/07) featuring Biggest tax cheats? Lower income investors

Fiesta de Tejas! #2 (5/6/07) featuring Texas Triumphant

Carnival of Cars (4/28/07) featuring Chicken poop and other stupid tax tricks

Fiesta de Tejas! #1 (4/2/07) featuring Happy Birthday Texas

Carnival of Cars (3/24/07) featuring Rebranding advice for the IRS

Carnival of Money Stories #7 (3/19/07) featuring Sorting through the snail mail spam

I and the Bird #44 (3/8/07) featuring Serendipitous sighting

Carnival of Wealth Accumulation #4 (3/1/07) featuring ID theft season

Carnival of Personal Finance #89 (2/26/07) featuring When's my refund?

Carnival of Money Stories #5 (2/19/07) featuring No good tax break goes unpunished

Carnival of Entrepreneurs (2/14/07) featuring Tax paper chase

Carnival of Personal Finance #87 (2/12/07) featuring Tax-break relief for tax-induced headaches

Carnival of Cars (2/12/07) featuring The lure of the Alps and low taxes

Carnival of Personal Finance #80 (12/26/06) featuring Extender entry instructions

I and the Bird #37 (11/30/06) featuring Thanks for a different bird

Carnival of Personal Finance #76 (11/26/06) featuring Let the IRS help purchase your presents

Carnival of Cars (11/10/06) featuring Hitting the highway with Uncle Sam's help

Carnival of Personal Finance #73 (11/05/06) featuring Tricks, treats and taxes

Carnival of Cars (10/27/06) featuring 1-800-555-$$$$

I and the Bird #35 (10/26/06) featuring A walk on the Wild Basin Side

Carnival of Personal Finance #71 (10/23/06) featuring Are you missing some money?

Carnival of Personal Finance #69 (10/9/06) featuring Money maneuvers for military men and women

Carnival of Cars (10/6/06) featuring New 'liar's affidavit' aimed at auto sellers 

Festival of Frugality #42 (10/2/06) featuring When renting is the right choice

Carnival of Cars (9/29/06) featuring Beyond nest eggs: I and the Bird #33-Swainson's hawk sighting

Carnival of Personal Finance (9/17/06) featuring Stop it, stop it right now!

Carnival of Personal Finance #64 (9/5/06) featuring Here's something Jack Bauer can't fix in 24 hours

Festival of Frugality #38 (9/5/06) featuring So long to Sunday coupons?

Carnival of Cars (9/1/06) featuring Run over by auto repairs and Precious little time left for Prius purchase

Carnival of Personal Finance (8/21/06) featuring Precious little time left for Prius purchase

Carnival of Cars (8/25/06) and Festival of Frugality #34 (8/8/06) featuring Yard sale yearnings

I and the Bird #30 (8/17/06) and Carnival of Investing #34 (8/7/06) featuring Betting my retirement on Avian Select Fund 2006

Carnival of Personal Finance #58 (7/24/06) and Carnival of Cars (7/21/06) featuring Attention, tax-free shoppers

Festival of Frugality #31 (7/17/06) featuring It's a grocery store gas, gas, gas

Carnival of Investing (7/16/06) featuring When being bad pays

Carnival of Cars (7/14/06) featuring Hybrids 'til you heave

Carnival of Cars (7/7/06) featuring June budget busters: Insurance policy renewals

Carnival of Investing #29 (7/3/06) featuring Stock market rate reactions

Carnival of Home Business #1 (7/1/06) and Carnival of Business #10 (6/26/06) featuring Baby got backup

Carnival of Cars (6/30/06) featuring Ford forging on with hybrids

Carnival of Personal Finance #53 (6/19/06) featuring Hot hybrids = lower credit, but the boss might help out and Hearts and flowers

New Carnival Showcase #6 (6/17/06) featuring  Welcome to the Carnival of Taxes

Carnival of Personal Finance #51 (6/5/06) featuring  Give now, get back at tax time 

Carnival of Cars (6/2/06) featuring Honda hybrids added to tax-credit list 

Carnival of Cars  (5/26/06) featuring Call me 

Carnival of Personal Finance #49 (5/22/06) featuring Financial gifts for graduates

I and the Bird #23 (5/11/06) featuring Springtime's natural and financial storminess

Carnival of Personal Finance #47 (5/8/06) and Festival of Frugality #21 (5/2/06) featuring Making your gas money go farther 

Carnival of Cars (4/28/06) featuring Happy $3 a gallon motoring 

Carnival of Personal Finance #45 (4/23/06) featuring IRS error in your favor

Festival of Frugality #20 (4/23/06) featuring My 2.8 cents worth

Carnival of Personal Finance #43 (4/9/06) featuring To err is human, especially at tax-filing time 

Carnival of the Vanities #185 (4/6/06) featuring Tick, tick, tick

Carnival of Investing (4/3/06) featuring Say it with cash

Carnival of Cars (3/31/06) featuring Chiseling little crook 

Carnival of Personal Finance #41 (3/26/06) featuring The slings and arrows of outrageous taxes 

Carnival of Cars  (3/17/06) and Carnival of Entrepreneurship (3/16/06) featuring Historic Texas dance hall tour, Part 3

Festival of Frugality #14 (3/14/06) featuring Slippery attempts to slip one past the IRS 

Carnival of Personal Finance #39 (3/13/06) and Carnival of Debt Reduction (3/12/06) featuring IRS and debt collectors, a partnership made in ... 

Festival of Frugality #13 (3/7/06) featuring Still clipping after all these years 

Carnival of Investing #11 (2/27/06),  Festival of Frugality #12 (2/28/06) and Carnival of the Vanities #180 (3/1/06) featuring Getting and keeping 

Carnival of Investing #10 (2/19/06) featuring By the numbers

100th Carnival de los Gatos (2/19/06) featuring Dog balls 

Austinist's Best of Austin Blogs Week of Feb. 13 (2/17/06) featuring We're #45! 

Carnival of Personal Finance (2/5/06) featuring Taking a chance 

Festival of Frugality #8 (1/31/06) and Carnival of Personal Finance #33 (1/30/06) featuring The real me   

Festival of Frugality #7 (1/23/06) and Carnival of Personal Finance #32 (1/23/06) featuring We don't need no stinkin' … 

I and the Bird #15 (1/19/06) featuring Our own personal Wild Kingdom 

Carnival of Cars (1/13/06) featuring Beep, beep! 

Carnival of Christmas #1 (12/23/05) featuring Ho, Ho, Hand over your taxes and The hell you say 

Carnival of Personal Finance #27 (12/19/05) featuring Family tax advice

Carnival of Personal Finance #25 (12/5/05) featuring A new homeowner tax break on the horizon? 

Carnival of Personal Finance #23 (11/21/05) featuring Monkey, monkey, monkey

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    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

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