Apportioning blame
I'm responding to the February 2013 Editor's Desk (page 3), which suggests complaining about: "clueless taxpayers, criminal preparers or the mixed nuts in Congress." It should read "criminal taxpayers and Congress;" don't blame the tax preparers!
On page 4, your magazine states that the IRS named January 25 Earned Income Tax Credit Awareness Day, an outreach to promote the credit to the many taxpayers who are eligible for it, but don't claim it. I can't believe that this kind of taxpayer exists.
On April 23, 2013, The Hill reported that the IRS overpaid the benefit for the Earned Income Tax Credit program by between 21 and 25 percent, or $11.6 billion and $13.6 billion, in 2012! This amount is more that the Federal Bureau of Investigation wages of $8 billion for that same year. And to top it off, Congress (the opposite of progress), raised the penalties on tax preparers to $500 for improper EITC tax claims, not on the taxpayers (tax crooks)! Taxpayers should be fined, not us.
Benjamin Perlman, CPA (via e-mail)
An accounting sonnet
How do I love thee, let me count the ways.
Whether tis nobler to appreciate Or depreciate depends on the rules.
Accounting rules that is, which are lovely.
Why? you may ask, for they create balance, Order out of chaos, flow of numbers Tracking financial progress, such pure joy.
Assets, liabilities, equity, Revenue, cost of goods sold, expenses.
Reports that show what your bottom line is.
Calculator, spreadsheets, pencils and such Useful tools that are an accountant's friend.
Reconciling brings peace and harmony.
The standard of what is right, good and just.
Cindi West, PA
CA West Bookkeeping
Gunnison, Colo.
