Wednesday, February 4, 2009

Tax Cheats

It is amazing that poor President Obama has picked so many tax cheats for his cabinet.  I wonder if most people cheat on their taxes or just the more wealthy members of our society.

I don't like to pay fines or penalties so I try to not make mistakes on our income tax forms.  I guess I am just lucky that I don't have a limo at my call or get paid for the extra taxes caused when working over seas which amount was given as a supplement.

The State of IL has for the last number of years (probably 5 of the last 7 years) said that I owe extra taxes because of my estimated taxes.  Our income is very uneven due to some mutual funds that have distributions at the end of the year.  Both the Federal Government & State of IL have a 2210 form that allows for uneven distribution of income.  Every year I fill it out for both the State & Feds.  However, the State ignores it (surprisingly the Feds get it right every time).  So about the middle of the year, the State writes me a letter saying that I owe a certain amount in penalties for insufficient estimated taxes.  The amount is usually not that much (maybe at max $100 usually $10-20) but every year I call them & they say to send in the 2210 form to them.  I do & they rescind the penalty.  The State 1040 form has a box on the back to indicate if the 2210 form was used, I check it before I send it in but they ignore the box & the entire form.  In my files I have a letter entitled "Idiot IL IRS", which I use as a form letter.  I think I should charge them for my time sent gathering the info together & the postage, etc.!

IL likes to have the Income Tax forms send in electronically but they don't accept a 1040 with a 2210 form.  Maybe if they did the form wouldn't be ignored.

INCOME, (n) The natural and rational gauge and measure of respectability, the commonly accepted standards being artificial, arbitrary and fallacious; for, as "Sir Sycophas Chrysolater" in the play has justly remarked, "the true use and function of property (in whatsoever it consisteth -- coins, or land, or houses, or merchant- stuff, or anything which may be named as holden of right to one's own subservience) as also of honors, titles, preferments and place, and all favor and acquaintance of persons of quality or ableness, are but to get money. Hence it followeth that all things are truly to be rated as of worth in measure of their serviceableness to that end; and their possessors should take rank in agreement thereto, neither the lord of an unproducing manor, howsoever broad and ancient, nor he who bears an unremunerate dignity, nor yet the pauper favorite of a king, being esteemed of level excellency with him whose riches are of daily accretion; and hardly should they whose wealth is barren claim and rightly take more honor than the poor and unworthy."

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