This article in AccountingToday by Roger Russell talks about people stealing the identity of dead people and then filing false tax returns to get money from the IRS. Everyone has heard of death and taxes as the two things that are inevitable, but death and tax refunds? You be the judge: http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/death-and-tax-refunds-70161-1.html This scam is harder to unravel as the people whose identity have been stolen normally don’t complain about someone filing on their behalf (they rarely file themselves), so the IRS had better stay on the ball on this one. This is one of those items that is not a dead giveaway, after all (sorry about that.) For financial, accounting and tax musings, You can count on us to count for you! Email: bstonercpa@sbcglobal.net Phone: 818-317-6035 Website: www.briantstonercpa.com Android and the IPhone: Has been Featured On https://twitter.com/bstonercpa
CPA Tax Musings: Two Tax Credits Help Pay Higher Education Costs
This tip from the IRS discusses the tax savings of two education credits: The American Opportunity Credit and the Lifetime Learning Credit. See the details in the link below: http://content.govdelivery.com/accounts/USIRS/bulletins/acc774?reqfrom=share The American Opportunity Credit is harder to qualify for, but gives you a larger credit (plus part of it is refundable, so if you have low taxes you may actually be able to get some cash back!) To qualify for either credit you need to have form 1098T from the qualified school you went to. Most schools have online access to this form through either your student account or the billing area of their website. Call the school admin if you are having trouble finding it. For financial, accounting and tax musings, You can count on us to count for you! Email: bstonercpa@sbcglobal.net Phone: 818-317-6035 Website: www.briantstonercpa.com Android and the IPhone: Has been Featured On https://twitter.com/bstonercpa
CPA General Musings in Burbank: Would LeBron James Succeed as a CPA?
Ok, time to lighten up this tax season a little – how do you think basketball great LeBron James would fare if he had to be an accountant and tax preparer. As someone who played in basketball city leagues in Burbank for 35 years (until I couldn’t guard anyone), I would be interested to see if King James would be as good on a spreadsheet or preparing a 1040 as he is throwing down a windmill dunk or kissing it off the glass? Adam Blitz speculates on this in AccountingToday: http://www.accountingtoday.com/news/would-lebron-james-succeed-as-a-cpa-70139-1.html I personally think Lebron would be great at whatever he does (but in my opinion, Kobe Bryant and Chris Paul would be a little bit better because Lebron is too nice a guy and would give his guys time off while Kobe and Chris would work their guys for 24 hours straight) but all three have the mental fortitude to get through things fine (Kobe might be a little rough on his customers, but they will thank him in the end when he saves them taxes.) For financial, accounting and tax musings, You can count on us to count for you! Email: bstonercpa@sbcglobal.net Phone: 818-317-6035 Website: www.briantstonercpa.com Android [...]