Acts/ Dictates/ Mandates/ Mantle - Amy's Thread (Page 54 of 77)

Sometime this week! *crosses fingers* I just need to get through the minefield you Americans call a tax system. Dear heavens and I thought the Australian one was bad. I've never been so grateful for accountants, but I still believe that any average salaried fucking person should be able to complete their income tax return without having a doctorate or an accountant with one. I know more than I did before so that I can check them, but honestly, I had to read a million guides and am not done yet. I will never complain about any income tax guide below 100 pages. Fucking 800+ pages, who the fuck reads/read that?! \endofrant I'm breathing again and looking forward to some Alda humour to brighten the dark tax cloud hanging over my head. Once this is done, I'm going to drink wine, lots of wine.

I support anyone who wants to do that. It's impossible to see how a complex tax system like this could ever support entrepreneurs or small business. I don't think I'm stupid, but this is almost doing my head in. It's the first time since I ever started working that I ever used an accountant. True, it's mostly due to the international aspects of it, but %&$#% am I glad I did. I have a suspicion I'm preaching to the converted though.

I hope everyone has recovered from all their hiccups and is back to their old healthy and happy selves. I'll join you towards the end of this week once I click the 'submit' button!

Way more than I ever knew. Who knew that dual citizenship was such a curse? I just pay the accountant 150 dollars (because I have a rental property) and he sends the paperwork in the mail. Janet must be filing as independent contractor and paying taxes by herself instead of being deducted. I think they have to do this once every three months. Or is it every 6? Not sure.

NJC,

Metastasis, metastasized. You got it right.

Janet, I'm working on more Alda. That comes next. I've got the outlines for two chapters. I just have to write out the story.

Actually, it's worse for dual citizens. I had a US green card. Interesting thing about green cards is that the cards expire, but the status does not. Status is for life unless it's taken away or "abandoned" (live outside the US without visiting). I plan to abandon mine in hopes that the IRS will not tax me as if I were still a US resident, which they do by default. And heaven help you if you have more than $2M in assets when you leave the U.S. They'll tax you there, too, even though that money has already been taxed when you earned it. I won't get hit with that, but I still need to itemize all of my assets on the exit return.

And now back to this thread's regularly scheduled programming...

I haven't heard about FATCA yet, so I'm probably overdue with that one. Only the 8938 have been mentioned so far. I'm not contributing to a 401k at the moment, I'm losing my employer's contribution, but given the penalties and tax implication, I don't think overall I'll be too much worse off. We're also not thinking about buying a property or getting a green card, so when this visa expires, so do I. I really don't want to sit with this kind of shit for the rest of my life.

If you ever need a shoulder to cry on, I know half of your pain!

My favourite is when they say: any proceeds from the sale of XYZ will be taxed, losses are not tax deductible. I'm like, WHAT THE FUCK? Is this for real and legal? But yep, we're the government, do as we say, not as we do. And then they wonder why people started to open offshore accounts and what not. But instead of fixing the fucking system, they just add more complexity on top of the complexity. Then again, don't think big business is far behind the government. I have good reason to say entrepreneurs and small business. Big business can afford the really shady (probably ex-IRS) accountants. But I'll take Dirk's approach and have Amy's thread return to business as usual in three, two, one ...

Janet, are you SERIOUS about going to War next year?  I clapped in front of the keyboard when you wrote that. Will get you the dates. No strings attached. If you can go, then awesome. If not, I'll just have to head to the other ocean. But OMG, it would be FUN!

A

Don't get toooo excited yet ... mr C still needs to be convinced to either (a) come with or (b) let me go while he take care of the kids .... I'm going to try though. I'll even cry crocodile tears about how he is supporting me so much in writing this bloody book and how I appreciate it and he can't stop supporting me now ... or something. But yeah, it would be an amazing experience!!!!!! This year is out, next year stands a much better chance and it gives me time to blackmail mr C!

I've read it. I find myself fascinated by trying to visualize what you took from the chase scene.

The differences... well I guess the big one is mine had villains and the character was getting manhandled kinda badass. That part was unusual for me - I normally have my heroes fight from a position of strength when doing my multi-perspective battles. Considering these, I must approach yours as something new, rather than a replication as you called it.

Some general impressions... there is a lot of exposition in the chapter. Intentional? The wand seemed random. I think I get where you're going with that... but it jumps out that it's important, yet it isn't (at least not to this chapter). I like the humanizing of the sisters... it'll be that much more satisfying when their destiny comes to look them up.

=The Master is Dying= is a solid title.  It's not super-inspired, but at the head of a good list it will do just fine.

On the problem with elves -- linked off the Castiglia House website.

Not sure about Kha.  Anyway, you could make him a quarter-elf.  The 'Problems with Elves' bit could intensify Lucas's taunting.