Hillary Clinton Thread

[Luigi_Daniele]

It’s a terrible ordeal if you have any kind of complexity at all, and it’s not just the number of separate forms one has to fill out. There are all these “mini-rules”. Sure, you can deduct fencing repairs, BUT you have to send a 1099 to the people who do the work. You can deduct hay, BUT you have to send a 1099 to the hauler. In 2012 you could deduct the whole cost of a hay barn, but now you have to put it on a depreciation schedule. You can deduct mileage, ONLY if you’re reimbursed for it and keep a log. But one thing about casual labor is that some people won’t fill out a W-9 because they owe taxes or child support or something, and so what do you do?

If you build a building for commercial use, some of it has to be put on long-term depreciation. Some of the cost is immediately deductible. Some of it goes on a 5-year depreciation schedule. Some on a 7 year schedule. You can pay your grandson for stringing wire, but his parent has to pay the “kiddie tax”. If you have a business, it has to have a separate return if it’s a corporation or an LLC or a partnership. If you have a trust, it has to have its own return (usually, but not always). Some preparers allow an LLC to be a “pass through”, but only if it’s in the operating agreement. Some advise against having it in the operating agreement for some arcane reason.

And, of course, if you hire people regularly, there are the deposits to withholding for state and federal, and returns for those. There is the report to workers’ compensation and to the state for unemployment. And Obamacare is a nightmare all by itself, making it extremely difficult to provide employee health insurance.

My returns are easily two inches thick and cost a fortune. And I’m not even rich by what really rich people would consider rich. My problems are that I’m self-employed, have employees, do some ranching on the side and have some rentals. I do have an estate plan. And some people actually wonder why small business startups are lagging and employment by small business is lagging even more.

Yes, I realize if I worked for a salary at some governmental entity and never invested in anything other than the 401K that somebody else administers (or rely on some unfunded government retirement program), it would be a lot easier. I could probably do my return even without TurboTax. But try to be independent, and you pay dearly for the privilege.

Historically, small business is responsible for 60% of new job creation. It’s a wonder anybody has a job in this country unless they work for the government or some large company.

Amen. Which is why we need a flat tax, or a national sales tax. The latter means that even the drug dealers pay taxes. Works for me.

 

[Theo520]

All her donations to the Clinton Foundation might be morally acceptable, if they were doing good in the world.

Regrettably they spend more on office supplies and rent than on grants. Travel costs equal what they actually give in grants.
I wonder how much Salary, Travel, and Other Expenses goes to her family, Huma & Sydney?

 

[estesbob]

I’m not good at doing taxes, and I hate doing them, but even I find the 1040 easy.

My doctor told me she didn’t need an accountant, that she just used TurboTax to do her tax return. I told her people really don’t need a doctor ,they can just go to web M.D. she thought about it for a minute and said I had a point

I make a lot of money fixing screwed up turbo tax returns

 

[stinkcat_14]

My doctor told me she didn’t need an accountant, that she just used TurboTax to do her tax return. I told her people really don’t need a doctor ,they can just go to web M.D. she thought about it for a minute and said I had a point

I make a lot of money fixing screwed up turbo tax returns

The trick is to know when you need outside help and when you don’t, in both cases. There are times when even turbotax is overkill.

 

[mary_bobo]

All her donations to the Clinton Foundation might be morally acceptable, if they were doing good in the world.

Regrettably they spend more on office supplies and rent than on grants. Travel costs equal what they actually give in grants.
I wonder how much Salary, Travel, and Other Expenses goes to her family, Huma & Sydney?

http://thefederalist.com/wp-content/uploads/2015/04/Clinton-Foundation-2013-Breakdown.jpg

It is amazing how much of a foundations money goes to things other than the stated purpose of the foundation. In an earlier life I was Executive Director of the MS Society in my city and we prided ourselves in spending more than 85% on patient services. It can be done.

 

[Lily_Bernans]

My doctor told me she didn’t need an accountant, that she just used TurboTax to do her tax return. I told her people really don’t need a doctor ,they can just go to web M.D. she thought about it for a minute and said I had a point

I make a lot of money fixing screwed up turbo tax returns

If I had anything at all complicated, I would have mine done by an expert. So far, I’ve had simple returns.

 

[Sy_Noe]

It’s Time for Hillary Clinton to Concede the Democratic Nomination to Bernie Sanders

This is from HuffPo and it isn’t the first liberal source I’ve seen pushing this line.

I’m a Bernie Sanders voter but it would be foolish for Hillary to concede. First of all she has received 2.3 million more votes than Bernie and has a larger lead over him in pledged delegates than Barack Obama had over her. She has 1.2 million more votes than the current Republican leader Donald Trump.

It doesn’t surprise me that a liberal source is pushing this though. She is known to be more of a centrist than Bernie.

And definitely is considered more centrist than say Ted Cruz in a potential general election matchup. Which I think actually might be why I’ve seen some CAF Republicans say they want her to lose to Bernie. It can’t be abortion. Maybe they actually fear her in a general election matchup against their guy.

 

[Lily_Bernans]

I’m a Bernie Sanders voter but it would be foolish for Hillary to concede. First of all she has received 2.3 million more votes than Bernie and has a larger lead over him in pledged delegates than Barack Obama had over her. She has 1.2 million more votes than the current Republican leader Donald Trump.

It doesn’t surprise me that a liberal source is pushing this though. She is known to be more of a centrist than Bernie.

And definitely is considered more centrist than say Ted Cruz in a potential general election matchup. Which I think actually might be why I’ve seen some CAF Republicans say they want her to lose to Bernie. It can’t be abortion. Maybe they actually fear her in a general election matchup against their guy.

I think they fear her no matter who the Repub candidate is, Sy. She has so many more votes than anyone else, and many Democrats who will vote in the general have skipped the primary. Bernie is getting out the new voters, and Hillary is still millions of votes ahead of him, though it pains me to write that since I, too, support Bernie.

I agree with you 100%. It would be foolish for her to concede, especially when she hasn’t be charged or indicted with anything.

 

[Sy_Noe]

I think they fear her no matter who the Repub candidate is, Sy. She has so many more votes than anyone else, and many Democrats who will vote in the general have skipped the primary. Bernie is getting out the new voters, and Hillary is still millions of votes ahead of him, though it pains me to write that since I, too, support Bernie.

I agree with you 100%. It would be foolish for her to concede, especially when she hasn’t be charged or indicted with anything.

I agree. And yes so many more people vote in Presidential year general elections than do at any other time.

 

[DeniseNY]

It is amazing how much of a foundations money goes to things other than the stated purpose of the foundation. In an earlier life I was Executive Director of the MS Society in my city and we prided ourselves in spending more than 85% on patient services. It can be done.

Of course it can be done. That is, when the intent is something other than lining ones own pockets.

 

[Theo520]

It is amazing how much of a foundations money goes to things other than the stated purpose of the foundation. In an earlier life I was Executive Director of the MS Society in my city and we prided ourselves in spending more than 85% on patient services. It can be done.

They claim their staff is doing virtually all the charity work themselves (?)

I’m a Bernie Sanders voter but it would be foolish for Hillary to concede. First of all she has received 2.3 million more votes than Bernie and has a larger lead over him in pledged delegates than Barack Obama had over her. She has 1.2 million more votes than the current Republican leader Donald Trump.

It doesn’t surprise me that a liberal source is pushing this though. She is known to be more of a centrist than Bernie.

Hillary will need to lose the FBI caucus before she would ever withdraw

 

[Lily_Bernans]

We need to talk about Hillary here. Somehow we talk about her on other threads!

She will win New York even though Sanders has outspent her.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I make a lot of money fixing screwed up turbo tax returns

I’ll sure bet you do.

Other than people who just have W-2 income from employment and maybe home interest to deduct, just about anybody needs expert help.

It’s not so much the broad concepts. I understand those. What the experts know, and what I don’t know, are all of the little rules within the broad categories. I don’t see how any layman could possibly know everything it takes to make an even modestly complex return.

 

[stinkcat_14]

I’ll sure bet you do.

Other than people who just have W-2 income from employment and maybe home interest to deduct, just about anybody needs expert help.

It’s not so much the broad concepts. I understand those. What the experts know, and what I don’t know, are all of the little rules within the broad categories. I don’t see how any layman could possibly know everything it takes to make an even modestly complex return.

I think the real question is why do we, as a society, tolerate a dysfunctional tax system. It would seem like tax reform and simplification would make most people better off, which the exception of tax preparers. Yet, neither republicans nor democrats can even suggest tax simplification.

 

[mary_bobo]

I think the real question is why do we, as a society, tolerate a dysfunctional tax system. It would seem like tax reform and simplification would make most people better off, which the exception of tax preparers. Yet, neither republicans nor democrats can even suggest tax simplification.

I have heard a number of Republicans talk about tax reform. IMO it is the Dems who want to continue with confiscatory taxes. That gives more to their programs that only serve to continue people to depend on the government. There was a time, not too long ago, when people were too proud to accept welfare. I think this is what the Great Society has done for us.

 

[stinkcat_14]

I have heard a number of Republicans talk about tax reform. IMO it is the Dems who want to continue with confiscatory taxes. That gives more to their programs that only serve to continue people to depend on the government. There was a time, not too long ago, when people were too proud to accept welfare. I think this is what the Great Society has done for us.

There has been talk, but that is just that, talk. Once they get into office the idea of tax reform goes out the window. I would also argue that the reason we have a welfare state is due to both republicans and democrats. Medicare and Social Security are the two biggest welfare programs we have and neither party wants to touch those.

 

[qui_est_ce]

I think the real question is why do we, as a society, tolerate a dysfunctional tax system. It would seem like tax reform and simplification would make most people better off, which the exception of tax preparers. Yet, neither republicans nor democrats can even suggest tax simplification.

Ted Cruz and Paul Ryan, among others, have spoken of it repeatedly. Who’s the party of no?

 

[mary_bobo]

There has been talk, but that is just that, talk. Once they get into office the idea of tax reform goes out the window. I would also argue that the reason we have a welfare state is due to both republicans and democrats. Medicare and Social Security are the two biggest welfare programs we have and neither party wants to touch those.

True. It would be political suicide to talk about stopping SS and Medicare. Folks even get upset when mention is made that we have to make some adjustments because fiscally we cannot continue with more people taking out than putting into the programs. I believe that if the GOP had a veto proof congress, they might see about altering the tax code. Most people are outraged about the treatment the IRS gives selected groups. At least I would like the opportunity to try.

 

[stinkcat_14]

Ted Cruz and Paul Ryan, among others, have spoken of it repeatedly. Who’s the party of no?

Talk is cheap. What proposals have been voted on in the house and senate? Paul Ryan is speaker of the house, you mean he cannot even get a vote on his proposals?

 

[ringil]

Most people are outraged about the treatment the IRS gives selected groups.

You mean rich people?

I say tax them. They benefit from our capitalist system so let them pay to be part of it.