[srplus]

Originally Posted by monniepoo

I would have to call this inane.

[srplus]

Originally Posted by dieseldog

This is what Florida SAYS they are owed, and they have decreed such to be the case; however, when and if the Florida law is put up to scrutiny before SCOTUS, it will not stand. SCOTUS cases often become ripe to be heard years and even decades after the issue becomes a thorn in the side of folks around the country. This issue is becoming more of a problem precisely because e-commerce is becoming so prevalent. I see e-commerce no differently than how I view mail-order purchases that your grandmother made from the Sears catalog. If Sears had no nexus with Florida, there would have been (back in the day) no sales tax due and owing on any grammy srplus purchases from Sears.

States are looking to squeeze every last dollar of potential tax revenue from every source they can, and as we know, governments expand to the maximum extent that we allow them. What will happen is that the issue will come to a head and SCOTUS will speak. Thus far, we have Bellas and it makes it pretty clear that Florida reaches too far. Florida will continue in its attempts until their money-grubbing stump gets whack off a bit.

To continue this to keep the malcontents happy...

Come visit Florida... We have some very special hidden taxes for you.

Out on the topic.

[srplus]

Originally Posted by dieseldog

so, the final analysis was that you calling them "independent contractors" was an incorrect appellation in the law and the IRS called you on it. Did you consult an attorney PRIOR to having taken that stance and not withholding the taxes or did you just do it because it made things convenient for you at the time? I ask, because there are very definite factors that establish who is and who is not an independent contractor vs. who is or is not an employee.

I completely understand how you feel "burned" from this experience; however, my question is a fair one.

So that you and TUT will understand where I am coming from. First of all I was a Hippie... second, I was not overly fond of Big Government. On the independent contractor situation, I followed the letter of the law and all contractors had written contracts, their own tools and I did not set their hours. It was useful that they worked during normal business hours but never did a contractor say 'I have to go.' and I did not honor their commitments elsewhere... I did sometimes ask if it was possible they complete the task they were working on first if there was a deadline, but if they couldn't do that then I would. An attorney drew up the contract and versed me on the proper paperwork I could and could not have these people do (I always had an attorney do my legal work to insure that I would not have my ass in a vise). I did it strictly because I felt it was in my best interest not to be liable for all the vagarities of the law and be a collection agent for the government.

There was a directive by the head of IRS at the time under Reagan and it was that there was too much non-reporting or under-reporting going on. Instead of the Congress or Regan getting behind Tax Amnesty and getting these people on the rolls it was policy that enforcement was the way to go and since they could not find these people to enforce compliance on and they prolly did not have the resources that the cash strapped, deficit budgeting government needed that it would be better to go after the people that were hiring them

There was a broad compliance push that targeted almost every service business form barber and beauty salons to auto repair shops and construction companies. Almost no matter what the actual case was the agent that was investigating did what he was told and with a broad brush defined all of the people that worked there as employees. Business owners could either make a settlement (the wise thing to do since IRS was taking nickels on dollars to get these people on the tax rolls) or fight it like I did and risk it all. No matter what, it was a lose - lose situation for the small business person in that trap.

Most of my friends and customers with small businesses ponied up and made the settlements (if they had the resources). If they did not they closed their businesses and started anew as employees of another business or from the ground up again. Some of these IRS tactics brought about the Congressional Hearings and the 'Kindler, Gentler IRS'. I was not called to testify. I did decide to stand up for my principles and fought the IRS tooth and nail through the depths of hell. The final settlement included the words that the subcontractors were independent contractors. And my lawyer told me to shut up when I gave the original investigating agent an earful after they settled and told me that I could deduct what they owed me over the next five years from my income taxes. Two of those years ended up in audits for the large deduction that they told me I should take. We finally settled it all in the tenth year of the battle. Total owed to the IRS in the two audits was $35.46 IIRC and that was for meals that they disallowed while I was on an overnight stay (two full nites) because I could not produce a receipt for sleeping in a tent to save money.

To make this even a longer post, I might add that since the Federal Government, acting as Big Brother, has determined that there is no way they can round up all the illegals, they will institute the same kind of policy and go after the enablers. Pretty shit poor policy IMHO. Laws need to be changed to correct the problems.



That is all (for now). [/RANT]

[srplus]

And one of the reasons that the whole thing took so long to play out was I was depending upon my CPA to work on my behalf for the first five years of this crap until I figured out that a friend that I went to High School with was milking me for all it was worth. I went and hired the best Tax Attorney I could find and we got a bookkeeper to go over everything yet again and get it wrapped up.

Total cost to defend myself was just over $30K. But I did recover that after five years by deducting it from the taxes my wife and I paid.

If I had to do it again knowing what I know now I would just settle. It might not have been the right thing to do but it would have been the most expedient and I would be running a multi-million dollar company now with property assets instead of taking my dog to work and renting a shop.

So when Fred stats going on about what is legal and what is not I will not stand down... I can only relate to this kind of stuff as how it plays out in the real world... Bush is President after all and gas is nearing $4 / gallon... not that I wanted his opponent as President because I felt that we were stuck with the lesser of two evils. And basically this was settled by two Supreme Courts... Florida and the US. [/rant] (lowercase)




Oh, and I have most excellent De-Caf today.

I will not bring this issue into the next TUT.

[Hugh Heifer]

Originally Posted by monniepoo

I thought this Korean

[Hugh Heifer]

I woke up this morning with a bad hangover
and my penis was missing again.

[Hugh Heifer]

Originally Posted by dieseldog

Hugh is constipated. He hasn't done his doody yet.

That's all I did!

[Hugh Heifer]

[Hugh Heifer]

Originally Posted by InsanityIsBorn

what colour is the interior?

Blue/gray...ish

[Hugh Heifer]

[Hugh Heifer]

Originally Posted by InsanityIsBorn

....

It is all about the poking.

[Hugh Heifer]

Originally Posted by InsanityIsBorn

TUT29 The original

the TuT that never happened...




we hardly knew thee!

Maybe we should rename that one TuT 29 V 2.0

[Hugh Heifer]

Originally Posted by InsanityIsBorn

for like $3000AUS wuld be a perfect price too!!

Except for the price and pain of the importation

[Hugh Heifer]

Originally Posted by dieseldog

Where's that Whambulance?

[Hugh Heifer]

[Hugh Heifer]

This is fucked up

[Hugh Heifer]

Off to work

[Hugh Heifer]

[Hugh Heifer]

GHAAAAAAA!!!!!

Don't click this. It is 100%

You have been warned. Not safe for home or work or internet cafe...or a full stomach

[Ullr]

Originally Posted by Hugh Heifer

I woke up this morning with a bad hangover
and my penis was missing again.

Love that song.

Mornin fuckers.

[Ullr]

So yesterday morning I responded to the ex-GF's second email by answering her questions (Still single, no kids, etc.) and then very nicely asking how it was she had my work email, that was not published publicly, at a job I had only started a month ago, when i don't even give my friends and family my work email address. Haven't heard from her since, so there must be something she doesn't want to admit.

[Hugh Heifer]

Great stuff here:
Index of /

[Hugh Heifer]

Really out.

[Ullr]

Originally Posted by Hugh Heifer

Really out.

How is Mrs HH handling it?

[Ullr]

[Mars]

Whaddup.

[Mars]

Originally Posted by Ullr

You and I realy need to hit the bc together sometime, and bring marsfucker too. I think we are the only three masochists into earning the turns?

Originally Posted by InsanityIsBorn

SAY WHAT?!?!?

Originally Posted by Ullr

Lol ok, 4 of us, sorry

Originally Posted by Ullr

Please tell me mars skis, you're not all fuckin knuckle draggers are you?

Nail's the only boarder.

I could put together a Eastern Sierra Tour for whatever you guys are up for...

[Mars]

Originally Posted by surfpig

Cali is the place for dat...



Imma try to get 5 or 6 days in...

There ya go...take some pics!

[Mars]

Originally Posted by surfpig

Indeed.

I had ~8000ft of vertical one Shasta trip...

We ski Lassen peak when the road opens, usually Memorial Day weekend or so, Shasta sometime in July, when the higher trailheads open up...

It's Endless Winter here...

I need to move to NorCal.

Seriously.

[Mars]

Originally Posted by Ullr

Um oh hai, CO is teh place to be in teh bakcountreez, kthxbai

Can't match the stability, longevity, and consistency of Cali corn.




No that isn't code for anything.