I also get all kinds of annoyed at the ancestry question because while I know the exact place in Germany where my ancestors came from, it was in the early 1700s, before the Revolution. I have no affinity for Germany and don’t consider myself German-American. I’ll leave that question blank.
I have plenty of family who showed up before the revolution (Dutch and German), and while I think it's cool and their place of origin is interesting, and would readily tell people where my ancestors came from (Scotland, Wales and Ireland in addition to the above), I agree Americans are WEIRD about being obsessed with their ethnic origins, man. People in other countries are like, "Okay, you're American. You're not REALLY Irish."
Though, to be even more weird about ethnic origin and totally go against what I just said - LoveTrains are you a knickerbocker? Just cause I know you're DAR, so I want to see if we're related via New Amsterdam. (Still trying to figure out if I'm related to the Schuylers somehow... I'm currently a "no" on that, although one of my ancestors served under Philip Schuyler's brother in the Revolution - Battle of Saratoga, I think.)
On my fathers side I'm descended from the Cortelyous and Van Wycks of New Amsterdam.
The other thing about the online form was that it required me to put in an email and phone number. Very annoying. I don't trust the government with that. I gave my yahoo email and my landline.
Does this mean we don't get the actual census in 2020? Only this test?!
So my county is participating in a census test. It's a 2018 census as a test for the 2020 census.
It was...odd. I got a letter in the mail and then went to a website. After I checked white it asked me to freetype my origins ( I wrote in Dutch, English).
Anyone else doing this? Is that a new thing? I don't remember that from the previous census.
They recently bought one of our affiliates. It's horrifying. They play these "stories" which is simply trumper propaganda. I switched my local news because of it and have been boycotting the channel. It's WJAR.
It probably won't make it out of committee. The stupid legislative is too busy working on a stadium deal for the paw sox and dealing with speed cameras in school zones.
I have a former coworker who is on a one-man crusade to eliminate DST in our area (New England.) I prefer DST but it’s a weird thing to fixate on.
I generally find it annoying to navigate different time zones which I have to do all day every day at work so the special snowflake states adopting or getting rid of DST will drive me insane if they start to proliferate.
I'll join them. I hate DST. I prefer standard time. It's so horrible when the sun doesn't rise until practically 8 am during DST.
That time I was on a thirty hour delayed Amtrak train we were stopped in Glasgow MT for about 18-20 hours. Home of the scotties!! The town has one stoplight, a pool hall and s McDonald's.
I live on MT and I’m pretty sure I have never stopped or stayed in Glasgow. It really is the middle of nowhere. But I love that you know they are the Scotties. Like the dog or Scottish people?
I think it was the dog. There was a sign in town that said it - actually it may have been painted on a wall. I took this one photo there.
Post by LoveTrains on Feb 20, 2018 23:03:45 GMT -5
That time I was on a thirty hour delayed Amtrak train we were stopped in Glasgow MT for about 18-20 hours. Home of the scotties!! The town has one stoplight, a pool hall and s McDonald's.
I'm sure this isn't right but it wouldn't surprise me at all if my local Dunkin said it. Last summer I got an iced coffee with milk in a reusable mug, and they told me they weren't allowed to stir it for me. (that only happened one time. But what?)
Well, this is one of my major frustrations with DD. LET ME PUT MY OWN MILK IN MY COFFEE. I do not like trusting someone else to do this. Also, I go so rarely that when I say I want cream and they ask, "How many?" I'm like, "HOW THE FUCK DO I KNOW? I GO BY COLOR, MOTHERFUCKER, JUST HAND ME THE GODDAMNED MILK JUG!"
I need minimal interaction with other humans before my second cup of coffee.
That's the best part of dunkies - they make it for me so I don't have to spend time adding milk or sugar or whatever.
Can someone explain to me like I'm a child the difference between a hobby and 'self-employed contractor income'.
I second shoot weddings for another person. I don't have a business. It's not my means of income, nor is it related in anyway to my primary job. I make money from it, yes, but I don't go out and try to make money off it, either. It's something I enjoy doing. I was told this is a hobby and not self-employment (aka, no self employment tax) and to put it under the 'other income' section. If it helps, I'm pretty sure my expenses pretty much negate any money I was given.
You need to fill out a schedule C or C-EZ. Input your income there and you can also deduct your expenses. As long as your expenses truly negate the income you will not have to pay SE tax. If you do have a net income you will need to pay the SE tax. You are self employed as a photographer.
1. I put all of our itemized stuff into turbo tax and the standard deduction is still the better option. We have 3 kids, a mortgage, some low student loans, and are able to claim medical expenses. Does this sound right? I was just surprised. If it matters our income is about $60,000. Our current estimated refund is $4,600 total, but I'm still waiting on a $5,500 w2 which will probably lower it.
2. We stand to have the same income for next year and are having another baby in June. Should I have my husband add an extra withholding to his primary job?
Thank you for your patience! I know these are basic questions that I should probably know the answer to.
Student loans are deducted below the line, which means they aren't part of your itemized deductions. Depending on how much interest plus property taxes plus state income tax, it's possible the standard deduction might be better for you.
Post by LoveTrains on Jan 17, 2018 23:04:41 GMT -5
I am a professional fundraiser and have worked in a variety of independent schools and universities. The easiest thing to do with the highest ROI is to directly solicit parents, alumni and friends for gifts. Have someone draft a compelling letter/message.
I didn't vote as I can't see on the app! I have lunch plans on 2/3 in Dedham at legacy place already...but depending on what time the GTG is I wonder if I can do a twofer that day?
Today is the first day you can buy legal weed in San Francisco!
Maybe I should go participate in a piece of history.
My friend said he tried to stop at my neighborhood dispensary and the lines were insane and he couldn’t get in. All these people must have previously had a way of getting it so I find it fascinating that so many people were anxious to go to a store and buy some.
Not necessarily. I know lots of ppl that don't want weed enough to go through the time and effort to obtain it illegally but would buy some from a dispensary.
I grew up in NJ and have never heard of mini service. Most of the pumps would say full service but they wouldn't check your oil etc. they would maybe was your windshield if it was slow.
Something I like about Mitt is he's pretty rich in his own right, and I think some of the issue with these idiot Rs is wanting or needing more money, Trump included. Some of that is campaign related, which he may end up being beholden to, too, but I think he's less at risk.
I guess I'm resigned to the fact that there will be elected Rs and I'd at least like ones who seem to have some integrity and aren't in danger of blackmail from foreign nations. I also think that compared to Trump and many others, Romney might actually be a halfway decent human. He seems to at least care deeply about his wife and family, so he seems capable of feeling some reasonable emotions. I cannot say I have the same impression of many others from the R party right now.
It's a low bar, obviously. And of course he will vote for shitty policies. But I think he will actually be more of his own man than Jeff Flake (low bar) and will ultimately be better than Hatch, who I think has begun to suck even more over the years.
Under the new tax plan, contributions to a 529 (up to $10k/year) may also be used for private/independent schools for grades k-12.
Is the $10k limit new?
Yes, this is a new rule coming out of the republican tax plan they just passed in December and trump signed last week. In addition to higher ed, you can also now withdraw up to $10k/year for educational expenses for private and independent schools for k-12. That's the new part. The part about it being for private school.
This is perhaps a dumb question, but I saw you mention setting up the LLC in regard to the property tax issue. How does that help? I wasn't aware that the Schedule E deductions, where you would deduct rental property expenses and taxes, were part of the new limitations. SaveSave
IIRC Schedule E losses are limited if you hold the property personally and your income is above a certain threshold. They are not limited, or limited less, if you have an LLC as the holding company for the property, allowing for full deduction of expenses, no matter your income.
Or what andwhat said. Sorry, was responding when she posted
I agree with this. I have a loss for tax purposes on paper on my rental, and I haven't been able to deduct them for years because the deduction is limited. Perhaps I should look into the LLC but I didn't think it would help in my situation.
Also the property taxes will be deducted on the schedule E against rental tax income and will not be part of the $10k personal limit for SALt deductions.
Under the new tax plan, contributions to a 529 (up to $10k/year) may also be used for private/independent schools for grades k-12.
Gah! I hate that I’m considering sending D to a private school in the city. I won’t, but I’m considering it.
This is a huge giveaway to the wealth. Someone could put $200k in a 529 right now for their 5 year old, take away $10k a year for private school, and still be left with over $300k for college (assuming healthy investment growth) in 13 years.
While I agree we need standards, one has to assume almost all homes in the northeast have lead paint. I have no intention of testing for lead or de-leading my home. It's very expensive. I wouldn't bother even if I had children. The big thing is to address paint when it starts chipping, cracking, peeling etc.
But we need to address it at some point - selling/buying houses with it in older pipes/drinking water, Still available in some materials, chips on painted houses/walls of rentals, in our school buildings that can’t afford repairs. It really is affecting children and their cognitive abilities in masses in some areas.
If we have known better by the science for 7+ years, It is not too much to ask a few industries to change and adapt to the newer science over time.
So what do you do when all the houses have lead paint? All the pipes are lead? My city (founded in the 1600s) is slowly replacing the lead lined pipes in the street BUT it's up to each homeowner to replace the supply line to the house. It's several thousand dollars per property and many opted out because they can't afford it. These are people that are going to see their taxes possibly go up because of loss of the SALT deduction.
It would be great if there was federal funding to help with deleading. Maybe the water company could offer low cost loans to do the work. Let's talk about finding money to help address the issue. And the issue of school buildings is absolutely important, especially as with deferred maintsinece there is likely to be peeling/chipped paint.
Post by LoveTrains on Dec 28, 2017 20:10:59 GMT -5
While I agree we need standards, one has to assume almost all homes in the northeast have lead paint. I have no intention of testing for lead or de-leading my home. It's very expensive. I wouldn't bother even if I had children. The big thing is to address paint when it starts chipping, cracking, peeling etc.