Don't Mess With Taxes

Today's post is a bit late because, for the first time in months, I took a weekday off. The hubby and I played work hooky and headed to our local movie house to catch a flick, then enjoyed a late lunch.

The film was Sin Nombre, a riveting look at what some people will do to have a chance at a better life.

Whatever your stance on the immigration issue, see Sin Nombre. The movie isn't a policy polemic for either side of this difficult issue. Rather, It provides a vivid, and sometimes depressing and terrifying, view into why so many "nameless" people try to reach El Norte every day.

The movie provided some good discussion for the hubby and me over our meal. We both realize that while we've worked hard for what we have, we also are very lucky to have been born in the United States to loving families.

Even now as I'm settling in to do a little work this afternoon, I've still got that great "what if that had been me?" question rattling around in my head.

So, as I get back into the tax swing of things, it seems only fitting to note that when you have tax "what if" questions, you might be able to find the answer at the IRS. The agency has put together a collection of tax scenarios that many folks are encountering in this economic downturn.

While this IRS video on the "what if" Q&A feature won't win any film festival awards, it does highlight some of the more vexing tax issues -- foreclosure, job loss, 401(k) devaluation, bankruptcy -- that too many taxpayers are having to deal with now.

And looking at that list, again I thank my lucky stars that overall, my life, tax and otherwise, is pretty darn good.