When I dashed off my initial thoughts last Monday about the IRS scandal, I didn’t realize that this story would have the “legs” it has proven to have. There are too many sub-plots and twists for even the most plugged-in of watchers (or sharp-eyed Fort Collins tax professionals) to keep track. But ultimately, I agree with what the publisher of the highly-respected, non-profit (IRS-approved since 1970!) “Tax Notes”, Christopher Bergin, said in his pre-publication commentary: The IRS is the accounts receivable center of the United States. Yet, since 2010 we’ve cut its budget by about 8 percent, which means that we’ve drastically cut training for those “low-level” employees who apparently don’t like tea parties. At the same time, we dumped a large chunk of the new healthcare system on the nation’s tax collector to administer [...]  No other government agency touches as many citizens as the IRS. If it implodes, [...]

Many of my tax clients and friends here in the Fort Collins area are reaching a stage in life when healthcare decisions become more and more important. And it’s our business to not only provide counsel and hands-on service to Fort Collins families and businesses as it relates to setting up the best way to make tax-related decisions with your assets, but also to give some counsel on navigating the murky waters of other government programs. Medicare and Social Security fall under this rubric, and I’d like to delve into the fun little world of healthcare funding, which is poised to become even more complex. This isn’t to yet touch on the wonderful world of Obamacare, and how that is changing things (about which I’ll have more to say in future installments). No, this is stuff I’ve pulled together about programs currently on the books, and how they are not [...]

Many of my tax clients and friends here in the Fort Collins area are reaching a stage in life when healthcare decisions become more and more important. And it’s our business to not only provide counsel and hands-on service to Fort Collins families and businesses as it relates to setting up the best way to make tax-related decisions with your assets, but also to give some counsel on navigating the murky waters of other government programs. Medicare and Social Security fall under this rubric, and I’d like to delve into the fun little world of healthcare funding, which is poised to become even more complex. This isn’t to yet touch on the wonderful world of Obamacare, and how that is changing things (about which I’ll have more to say in future installments). No, this is stuff I’ve pulled together about programs currently on the books, and how they are not [...]

I don’t know about you, but I get pretty excited about the spring around here in Fort Collins. When the cold is gone, and the trees don’t seem so desolate … and am I right that the angle of the sun is a bit less harsh? Or maybe it’s just because tax season has finished and I’m getting more sleep? Well, I hope you and your family will have some “spring” this year — in the more figurative sense; whether or not it’s in the next couple of months. The winter always seems longer than it really is (even when it really *is* long!), but I’m also reminded of how necessary it is. You see, like the lifecycle of an economy, I still believe that it’s a *good* thing to experience a time of dormancy. Speaking biologically, plants and flowers often need that time of “being withdrawn” to survive the [...]

What a terrible week we suffered through as a nation last week. I’m still trying to process all of it, honestly, here in my Fort Collins tax office. Life does continue, however, and as such we’re starting to catch our breath around here, after a busier-than-normal tax season. Lots of our Fort Collins clients are on extension (an unfortunate consequence of longer-than-normal IRS delays this year from the last-minute tax deal), so we’ll continue to be around and advising our families and business owners on the best ways to continue their tax minimization strategies. On that note, I have to point out: last Thursday (the 18th) was our “Tax Freedom Day” – that’s the date pegged as the date when you’ve finally worked enough days to pay off your taxes. The rest of the year is your “take home” pay. The date varies year to year (this year it is [...]

Wow, are we here at Team Meyer ever tired! Thanks to you, our Fort Collins tax preparation business has been hopping this year. Because of the delays in the IRS system this year, we have many clients going on extension (about which I wrote last week), and we will continue to work with them … after we take a short break around here for some needed rest! And speaking of the IRS, perhaps I should also thank the federal government for creating a tax system so complex and counterintuitive that it has provided myself and those who work for me with gainful employment. Leaving my own personal Meyer circumstances aside though, I’d be thrilled if our tax system was much simpler. But it isn’t simple, and it is far better to live in the reality of what *is* (and work to make positive change), than to simply moan about a [...]

I’ve been saving up all kinds of wise financial and personal strategies to share with you straight from “Fort Collins Tax Preparer Central”, but I hope you’ll allow me some forbearance. It’s fair to say that the office has been a little busy these last few months as we’ve been preparing tax returns for our Fort Collins and national clients! And, well, since we’re coming up against a hard deadline a week from Monday (April 15th), it’s important that I clarify some things for my clients and friends to whom it applies … But before I get there, a couple quick reminders about what ELSE the 15th means… 1) Monday, April 15 is the deadline to contribute to IRA’s and HSA’s in order to have them count on this year’s (2012) taxes. 2) It is also the deadline to claim the almost $1 billion in unclaimed refunds for returns dating [...]

I was meaning to write my Meyer blogpost this morning, but something else came up. I had to go outside and …I don’t know, sit for while. Writing these every week can be a grind! Especially with barely two weeks left in tax season … I swear I’ll get to it soon though. I know how important it is. But it can wait — for now. Hey, now that I’m outside maybe I’ll go for a walk! Hopefully by now you realize I’m kidding. I truly don’t mean to mock procrastination. I can be guilty of it just as much as the next person at times, when it comes to things I don’t really want to do. And I’ve heard rumors that (for some unknown reason) many people don’t like to file taxes — even here in Fort Collins? It appears that most folks do NOT like to fill out [...]

Firstly, if your March Madness bracket is busted, apparently, you’re not alone. Not that we’ve had much time for those shenanigans around here in our Fort Collins offices — we’re running faster than hamsters in a research lab! Seriously though, it’s crunch time around here … but that doesn’t keep us from reaching out to you this week. And before I get into my main note to you this week, I wanted to make brief mention of an article someone sent us from the New York Times, and its “Ethicist” column. Apparently, there’s a [name withheld] tax lawyer who doesn’t like his clients very much: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/24/magazine/a-tax-lawyers-quandary.html?ref=magazine&_r=0 Because let me be abundantly clear: finding *legal* loopholes for our clients is our job. And, of course, we do so ethically. If the tax law allows it, and it retains the spirit of the law, we do everything we can to help our [...]

Firstly, we’re getting some nice feedback on last week’s message re: “making the switch” to Meyer — and here is a small reminder for you here in Fort Collins (and beyond as well!), in case you missed it… +++++ Make the “switch” to Judy Meyer for your 2012 tax filing — and receive a complimentary post-season tax planning session. ($250 value) First TEN new clients only +++++ And, of course, last week’s news that over 600,000 returns would be delayed due to training errors by Block came on top of the news from the state of Minnesota that TurboTax users would be delayed and affected by programming issues. And then we hear over the weekend that the State of New Jersey will be delaying refunds by 90 days in many cases … It’s already been a wild tax season for Team Meyer. But I do hope that you’re assured that [...]