tbg@apollo.uucp (Tom Gross) (03/18/86)
>> "When in doubt, deduct it!" >> >> If you just follow that rule you will ALWAYS come out >> ahead. > Doesn't it bother you at all to break the law? And to steal (yes, >*steal*) from other Americans. I don't see how you can give any other >name to knowingly (or at least negligently) filing a false income tax >return. Who said anything about breaking the law or *stealing* or filing a false return? > From the point of view above you should lie through your teeth. > Your chances of even being audited are no more than one in 50-100; > the penalties would have to be pretty steep to make your expected > return negative. Look, the government isn't going figure out all your deductions FOR you; you have to CLAIM them. All I said was if you're not sure if a given deduction is valid, go ahead and take it. I'm NOT suggesting that you deduct your Brandy consumption as a contribution to "Christian Brothers" (supposedly that has been done) because chances are you KNOW that's not legal. I am saying that if you move and change jobs, for example, and are not sure if the change in commuting distance is exactly enough but you thinks it's close, GO AHEAD and claim the deduction. > I really do despise you. You seem to have no sense of personal > integrity or honor. And it doesn't bother you to steal from others. > Pretty sick in my view. Fortunately the majority (at least for the > moment) seem to agree with me, so the whole society of the United > States doesn't collapse... > Okay, so you're NOT serious. On the odd chance that you are NOT kidding about this, or that someone else thinks I am a crook, I hope my clarification above will clear this up. Tom Gross Apollo Computer, Inc. Chelmsford, MA
jwp@uwmacc.UUCP (Jeffrey W Percival) (03/21/86)
In article <2c91e314.2a75@apollo.uucp> tbg@apollo.uucp (Tom Gross) writes: > >>> "When in doubt, deduct it!" >>> >> Doesn't it bother you at all to break the law? > > Who said anything about breaking the law or *stealing* or > filing a false return? > I fully agree with Mr Gross here. There's a world of difference between claiming something you know is false (mortgage points, for example, when you didn't pay any) and claiming something about which you have a legitimate uncertainty (points on refinancing, for example). The average taxpayer is not a tax lawyer, and cannot be expected to consult one on every ambiguous point because the average tax payer may not even be able to *recognise* an ambiguous point. I try to make the best possible determination of all my claims, without adopting the obsequious strategy of always caving in when I have the slightest doubt. If I later learn that I mis-judged, then I expect to pay the difference. That is *not* stealing. -- Jeff Percival ...!uwvax!uwmacc!jwp
ark@alice.UucP (Andrew Koenig) (03/25/86)
> I fully agree with Mr Gross here. There's a world of difference > between claiming something you know is false (mortgage points, > for example, when you didn't pay any) and claiming something > about which you have a legitimate uncertainty (points on refinancing, > for example). The average taxpayer is not a tax lawyer, and cannot > be expected to consult one on every ambiguous point because the > average tax payer may not even be able to *recognise* an ambiguous > point. It's even worse than that. It's not even possible to ask the IRS about whether a deduction is valid or not. Well, actually it *is* possible but won't do much good because the answers you get are not binding. Thus it is entirely possible to ask "Can I deduct this?" be told "yes," and then have them turn around and disallow it after you've filed.