Long-time readers of the ol' tax blog know that in prior tax seasons I conducted several giveaways. That's not happening this year. It's not for lack of opportunity. Neither is it because of issues with the prizes or the companies that made them available. And it's definitely not because I don't love each and every one of you who stops by Don't Mess With Taxes for some tax filing info, tax planning advice or just to catch up on the latest, and goofiest, tax news. It's simply that I'm dealing with some added professional and personal demands this year and... Read more →
Contest
You know what's coming up, right? No, not Valentine's Day. OK, Cupid's holiday is almost upon us. But Feb. 14 this year also is special for taxpayers who've been waiting for the IRS to process their returns. To mark the convergence of the most romantic day of the year and your taxes (yeah, it was weird typing that, but …), I've got something for you almost as good as a box of chocolates or roses: free tax preparation software. For the next three days, I'll be giving away access codes to online tax preparation for federal and state returns. We... Read more →
Actually, it's New Yorker desk diary time, in which you can jot down important tax dates, as well as enjoy the great cartoons. An online friend I met years ago through blogging is now with Condé Nast, publisher of the magazine (and calendars). He dropped me note asking, what with 2010 about half over, did I have any ideas on distributing some of this year's calendars? Being a big fan of the calendars -- Santa has brought the hubby and me one of our own monogrammed diaries for as long as I can remember -- and a tax geek, I... Read more →
I know all y'all have already taken my earlier post about organizing your tax records to heart and have all your 2009 filing material properly categorized and filed. Yeah, me neither. Well, here's one instance where procrastination pays off (but don't tell the hubby that I said that!). To help you get your 2009 tax records under control and give you a head start on your 2010 taxes, I am giving away a NeatReipts mobile scanner. Readers who've been around for a while might remember The Neat Company provided one of these nifty products last year. The scanner not only... Read more →
I feel like one of those late-night cable TV pitchmen screaming, "But wait! There's more!" This morning I shipped off an autographed copy of my book, The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes, to Byrne in Brooklyn. He was the lucky winner of the latest giveaway here on the ol' blog. But, as I said, there's more to come. Two more ways to win: Yes, filing procrastinators, sometimes good things do come to those who wait. I have an item to help you complete your taxes and another to assist you in organizing the paper that you used to file. First,... Read more →
I recently discovered a new financial Web site, FiLife. Well, it's not new; it's been around for a couple of years. But it's new to me. And I didn't exactly discover it. One of FiLife's writers, Kristen Sullivan, got in touch with me. Regardless of how we connected, I'm pleased to say we had a very nice conversation last week and there's online proof of our talk: Q&A with Tax Expert S. Kay Bell. As the FiLife site says, here's the short story: S. Kay Bell, author of The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes offers some advice for first-time tax... Read more →
Fellow tax blogger and tax pro Bruce, known on the Web as taxguy, has done me the honor of reviewing my book, The Truth About Paying Fewer Taxes. For the fact that he took the time to read the book, I am grateful. For his very nice review of it, I am enormously thankful. I recommend you give Bruce's review a look, not just from a self-promotional standpoint, but also because there's something in it for you. In connection with the review, Bruce is giving away a signed copy of my book. Thanks, Bruce, and to those who enter his... Read more →