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On Why Tax Software Companies Are Fighting "Return-Free Filing"
I forgot to file once, and about five years later the IRS helpfully did my taxes for me and told me what I owed for the missed year (plus some hefty fees and penalties). Oops! They actually seemed to do a very fair job of it, though.
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On 14 Million Americans on Disability
@stuffisthings YES. It's become a catchall for individuals who need assistance and at some point might have been better helped by programs that have since ceased to exist. For instance - my MIL is on disability. Nominally, it's because she's a hairdresser by trade, and successfully claimed that due to a liver disorder she's too fatigued to hold her arms up in the air for extended periods of time to cut hair (she also said she has anxiety that renders her unable to drive to and from a job). The reality is, she has a serious drug problem that keeps her from participating in normal society. I'm 100% positive there are potentially better ways to help her, but disability was basically the most straightforward way to help her afford and get access to the medical treatment she needed.
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On SPENT
@bgprincipessa It was stressful, and it really reminded me of the years I spent pretty broke and less than paycheck to paycheck. It also reminded me why my credit got really bad at one point and I'm STILL having to work to fix it.
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On SPENT
@bgprincipessa Yeah, I'm actually pretty handy with amateur vetting (shadowed a lot of large animal vets when I was young, and was really active in 4H). So, I would have tried to treat the pet myself - not sure why that wasn't an option, when I was allowed to fix my leaky pipe myself for $50 instead of hiring a plumber for $150. How is fixing my pet myself different? This isn't hypothetical - over the weekend, my dog was bit pretty roughly in the ear at the dog park. I'm lucky enough that I actually DO have some $ that could cover a vet bill, but the vet was closed. So, I got some hydrogen peroxide, some Nu-Skin (b/c the cut was on an impossible to bandage area) and some extra-sticky medical tape and gauze. Seems to have fixed him up, and that's what I would have done had I been too poor to go to the vet, too.
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On More on the 401(k) Problem
@Mike Dang Has their 401k not bounced back at all? My father's 401k took a massive hit a few years ago, but now it's basically back where it was...the only thing he's missing is what the interest from those funds would have been during the crash years. He's roughly over the standard retirement age (67) and doesn't really do any fancy investing...is this not the case for your parents as well?
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On WWYD: Being a Team Player
@milena Yeah, I've both been rewarded and punished for helping a boss. One was straight up lazy, and while he gave me a lot of lip service, no promotions or raises ever materialized...he just took credit for my work and skated through his job. Another, however, has been awesome about paying it forward and making sure I get recognition and opportunities. Definitely size up what kind of person this new manager is - if he's the first type, then no. If he's the second type, it's a great idea to help him out.
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On WWYD: Being a Team Player
@olivia I don't even say "I don't have time" but will pull up my schedule, look carefully, and say "I won't be able to deliver that until X date unless you want this to be prioritized over my other work" (where X is some date in the unreasonable far off future). This way, it's not "I won't be able to do it" it's "I'm certainly willing to help but am clearly busy with other priorities right now. As a manager, he's entitled to set priorities for the team, but you're allowed to set boundaries for how much you're willing to handle in the short and long term.
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On How Not to Do Your Taxes in Canada
@deepomega Sorry! I def didn't mean to come off as humblebragging. I promise I make very little, so was REALLY looking forward to the bonus to catch up on some bills. Seeing half of it just disappear before I got my grubby paws on it was...depressing. I understand that's the way it is (I clearly don't get these very often) but was REALLY surprised.
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On Lucrative Moves (For You, Not The Government)
@stuffisthings Good point about Saverin. He can have slightly less of my mental hate. But as you say, "Someone who was born and raised in the US moving to a US territory to avoid paying taxes to the US Federal government on proceeds from a NYC-based going concern which they actively manage (and not just passively own shares of) is"...a terrible person. He should be ashamed of himself. I'm proud to pay NYC taxes b/c I love my city and am happy to live here.
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On How I Ruined $60.98 in Tights So Far This Year
Yes! I just spent $7 on some cute Calvin Klein microfiber knit tights at Century 21. They made it about 4 hours before sprouting a hole right on the calf. If the hole is above the knee, I'll keep em (I'm stingy like that) but this one was too obvious. New tights only making it one day of life = so depressing!