It would seem most all we do is somehow taxed
by some entity, agency, county, city, state or
the federal government.
Be sure and note the last line its an eye opener
Accounts Receivable Tax
Building Permit Tax
CDL License Tax
Cigarette Tax
Corporate Income Tax
Dog License Tax
Federal Income Tax
Federal Unemployment Tax (FUTA)
Fishing License Tax
Food License Tax
Fuel Permit Tax
Gasoline Tax
Hunting License Tax
Inheritance Tax Inventory
Tax IRS Interest Charges (tax on top of tax)
IRS Penalties (tax on top of tax)
Liquor Tax
Luxury Tax
Marriage License Tax
Medicare Tax
Property Tax
Real Estate Tax
Service charge taxes
Social Security Tax
Road Usage Tax (Truckers)
Sales Taxes
Recreational Vehicle Tax
School Tax
State Income
Tax State Unemployment Tax (SUTA)
Telephone Federal Excise Tax
Telephone Federal Universal Service Fee, Tax upon Tax
Telephone Federal, State and Local Surcharge Tax
Telephone Minimum Usage Surcharge Tax
Telephone Recurring and Non-recurring Charges Tax
Telephone State and Local Tax
Telephone Usage Charge Tax
Utility Tax
Vehicle License Registration Tax
Vehicle Sales Tax
Watercraft Registration Tax
Well Permit Tax
Workers Compensation Tax
Income Tax
Tire Tax
Provincial Sales Tax
Goods & Services Tax (GST)
And with my luck when I pass from this world they will have instituted a Mortuary tax!
Isn't it interesting that not one of these taxes existed 100 years ago, and we had absolutely no national debt!
Friday, February 27, 2009
Wednesday, February 25, 2009
Prologue:
The story you are about to read is that of a man who came into the world just nineteen years after the turn of the century. He was the son of a farmer and always loved to work the land.
When his parents passed, It was his life, passion and avocation. The land served him well and provided a modest living for him and his family. As world war II began he left and joined the navy because he felt it was his duty. The story below picks up some years later and so it began.
It seemed I'd known him my entire life, but in reality I'd met him when I was fifteen, I remember it well, his first words to me were "How ya doin’ gal?" It seemed funny when he said it. I'd been taught to say, "Pleased to make you acquaintance or something much more formal than the easy words that rolled off his tongue. Over the next forty years it became the standard greeting between us.
He was my father-in-law but since I'd never known my own father and my step father didn't feel the need to be a parent, he became the image of a dad I'd never known.
He was not an educated man, having only completed the first few years of grade school, but he was a man of great knowledge. He kept up on current events by listening to the radio and reading the daily newspaper. He took great interest in new things that were being invented, without the desire to run out and experience every new gadget that came along. He bought only what he needed and nothing more. He was difficult to buy presents for since he didn't collect anything or have a hobby. His passion was farming, and not many of us could afford a new hay baler or combine. So, without fail, it would be a new flannel shirt, He'd open it and grin, saying it was just what he needed. His smile is something I will always remember, it lit up his whole face, his eyes would sparkle and his dimples would show.
He was born in 1919, in a rural area of Virginia, When his mother passed away he continued to live and work on the old farm, only leaving to serve his country during the war. When he returned he went to work in a cellophane factory. His job was not an easy one, he worked shift work but that didn't stop him from farming. He still plowed the fields, raised cattle and hogs and had a garden that would supply enough vegetables to feed a small army. He was always busy.
Sometimes, when I'd visit, he'd offer me a glass of homemade wine. You've never tasted anything so good. On a few rare occasions he'd tell tales of the times when he was in the war or more often, of his experiences working at the lead and zinc mine, or of the ghosts encountered on the long walks though the dark woods on his way to or from work.
His was a hard life. There were no vacations because he'd never leave his animals for someone else to care for. I don't believe he spent a night away from home after he returned from the Navy. I never heard him say he wished he could get away for a week. His farm was his life.
A month before he passed away I went to see him and when I left he said, “Come back to see us, gal, you're always welcome." His son and I had divorced twenty six years earlier, but as far as I was concerned he was still my father-in-law. When I got the news of his death I couldn't imagine how life would be without him. But, life does go on. My son and grandson will miss him terribly but their memories of him will always be treasured.
He died, as he lived, on his beloved tractor that had carried him over many miles of fields and pasture, only yards from where he was born 82 years ago. Yes, we'll miss him, but only his body is gone, his spirit lives on in all of us.
Kathleen 2002
The story you are about to read is that of a man who came into the world just nineteen years after the turn of the century. He was the son of a farmer and always loved to work the land.
When his parents passed, It was his life, passion and avocation. The land served him well and provided a modest living for him and his family. As world war II began he left and joined the navy because he felt it was his duty. The story below picks up some years later and so it began.
A Man to Be Remembered
He was my father-in-law but since I'd never known my own father and my step father didn't feel the need to be a parent, he became the image of a dad I'd never known.
He was not an educated man, having only completed the first few years of grade school, but he was a man of great knowledge. He kept up on current events by listening to the radio and reading the daily newspaper. He took great interest in new things that were being invented, without the desire to run out and experience every new gadget that came along. He bought only what he needed and nothing more. He was difficult to buy presents for since he didn't collect anything or have a hobby. His passion was farming, and not many of us could afford a new hay baler or combine. So, without fail, it would be a new flannel shirt, He'd open it and grin, saying it was just what he needed. His smile is something I will always remember, it lit up his whole face, his eyes would sparkle and his dimples would show.
He was born in 1919, in a rural area of Virginia, When his mother passed away he continued to live and work on the old farm, only leaving to serve his country during the war. When he returned he went to work in a cellophane factory. His job was not an easy one, he worked shift work but that didn't stop him from farming. He still plowed the fields, raised cattle and hogs and had a garden that would supply enough vegetables to feed a small army. He was always busy.
Sometimes, when I'd visit, he'd offer me a glass of homemade wine. You've never tasted anything so good. On a few rare occasions he'd tell tales of the times when he was in the war or more often, of his experiences working at the lead and zinc mine, or of the ghosts encountered on the long walks though the dark woods on his way to or from work.
His was a hard life. There were no vacations because he'd never leave his animals for someone else to care for. I don't believe he spent a night away from home after he returned from the Navy. I never heard him say he wished he could get away for a week. His farm was his life.
A month before he passed away I went to see him and when I left he said, “Come back to see us, gal, you're always welcome." His son and I had divorced twenty six years earlier, but as far as I was concerned he was still my father-in-law. When I got the news of his death I couldn't imagine how life would be without him. But, life does go on. My son and grandson will miss him terribly but their memories of him will always be treasured.
He died, as he lived, on his beloved tractor that had carried him over many miles of fields and pasture, only yards from where he was born 82 years ago. Yes, we'll miss him, but only his body is gone, his spirit lives on in all of us.
Kathleen 2002
Epilogue:
As I arrived at the funeral home to meet with my sister and the other family members, the sun shown in the sky as those who knew this man gathered to offer their respects. He passed as he had lived, on the land. He layed in the casket in a clean crisp pair of overalls and the best flannel shirt that could be found. This was the way everyone wanted to remember him. As we went to our cars to go to the gravesite police officers arrived on motorcycles to escort the procession to the final place of rest. Just before we arrived at the family cemetary both officers sped ahead and were waiting at the turn on either side of the road. Both stood ramrod straight at attention and when we turned gave him a hand salute that they held until the entire procession had passed. As we arrived at the site we were met by a naval officer and four navy personnel at attention to do honors to his military service. The caskets flag was folded and presented to his widow. Taps played in the air and he had returned to the land that he loved.
Sunday, February 22, 2009
The Golden Years!
>
>LAUGH A LITTLE EVERY DAY....
>A row of bottles on my shelf
>Caused me to analyze myself.
>One yellow pill I have to pop
>Goes to my heart so it won't stop.
>A little white one that I take
>Goes to my hands so they won't shake.
>The blue ones that I use a lot
>Tell me I'm happy when I'm not.
>The purple pill goes to my brain
>And tells me that I have no pain.
>The capsules tell me not to wheeze
>Or cough or choke or even sneeze.
>The red ones, smallest of them all
>Go to my blood so I won't fall.
>The orange ones, very big and bright
>Prevent my leg cramps in the night.
>Such an array of brilliant pills
>Helping to cure all kinds of ills.
>But what I'd really like to know
>Is what tells each one where to go!
>
Remember! There's always a lot to be thankful for.
I am sitting here now thinking, how nice it is
That wrinkles don't hurt.
>
>LAUGH A LITTLE EVERY DAY....
>A row of bottles on my shelf
>Caused me to analyze myself.
>One yellow pill I have to pop
>Goes to my heart so it won't stop.
>A little white one that I take
>Goes to my hands so they won't shake.
>The blue ones that I use a lot
>Tell me I'm happy when I'm not.
>The purple pill goes to my brain
>And tells me that I have no pain.
>The capsules tell me not to wheeze
>Or cough or choke or even sneeze.
>The red ones, smallest of them all
>Go to my blood so I won't fall.
>The orange ones, very big and bright
>Prevent my leg cramps in the night.
>Such an array of brilliant pills
>Helping to cure all kinds of ills.
>But what I'd really like to know
>Is what tells each one where to go!
>
Remember! There's always a lot to be thankful for.
I am sitting here now thinking, how nice it is
That wrinkles don't hurt.
Monday, February 16, 2009
We Need Optimism not Fear Mongering
Well, my name isn't Joe and I'm not a Plumber but my family and I are one of those average families that Joe represented in our most recent election campaign. We made a modest living, raised two children and lived within our means as best we could. We bought several homes as our family grew and in later years as our children got older we saved what we could toward our 401K's in hopes of supplementing our pensions and social security.
We struggled in our early years and not until we had reached beyond middle age did we start to see some glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel toward our retirement future. Finally, the mortgage was gone, the credit cards were paid off and what are we faced with? The greatest fallout of our market system since the crashes of 1929 and more recently 1987.
We should have seen it coming with the exposure of the Enron debacle and the TYCO president going to jail for tax fraud sending their employee 401K's into a crash dive. In some ways my family was lucky, with good advise from some wise investors from an earlier time. We were fortunate, I listened and did not as the saying goes "put all my eggs in one basket". Even with that caution I still lost 30% of my investments and when retirement time came for me I still had not gained it all back. We did see the glimmering of what was about to happen though and given our ages we moved almost all our investments to the money market side of our accounts to help protect them.
What most concerns me now though is our news media. They have taken every chance to bombard us with how bad things are, how we are in a spiraling fall from which we may never recover. Words like "Pending Disaster", "Catastrophic Fallout" and "Economic Failure" are all part of their engaging news reporting.
How should these "stimulus packages / spending bills" be spent? My first inclination is that we need to get people back to work. Start moving forward again. Stop dwelling on what we've done and look toward what we need to do to repair the damage. Once there is income flowing then we can begin to see progress. Less homes will go into foreclosure, car loans won't be defaulted on, banks won't be stuck with housing assets they can't sell. Investors will be enclined to buy not sell.
Then the American economy will right itself because it is comprised of the brightest and best the world has to offer and we unlike any other nation have free will. We can listen to whom we want, evaluate all sides of an argument or even choose to go in our own direction. Stop the fear mongering!
Editorial Comment
Toms Tidbits
We struggled in our early years and not until we had reached beyond middle age did we start to see some glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel toward our retirement future. Finally, the mortgage was gone, the credit cards were paid off and what are we faced with? The greatest fallout of our market system since the crashes of 1929 and more recently 1987.
We should have seen it coming with the exposure of the Enron debacle and the TYCO president going to jail for tax fraud sending their employee 401K's into a crash dive. In some ways my family was lucky, with good advise from some wise investors from an earlier time. We were fortunate, I listened and did not as the saying goes "put all my eggs in one basket". Even with that caution I still lost 30% of my investments and when retirement time came for me I still had not gained it all back. We did see the glimmering of what was about to happen though and given our ages we moved almost all our investments to the money market side of our accounts to help protect them.
What most concerns me now though is our news media. They have taken every chance to bombard us with how bad things are, how we are in a spiraling fall from which we may never recover. Words like "Pending Disaster", "Catastrophic Fallout" and "Economic Failure" are all part of their engaging news reporting.
How should these "stimulus packages / spending bills" be spent? My first inclination is that we need to get people back to work. Start moving forward again. Stop dwelling on what we've done and look toward what we need to do to repair the damage. Once there is income flowing then we can begin to see progress. Less homes will go into foreclosure, car loans won't be defaulted on, banks won't be stuck with housing assets they can't sell. Investors will be enclined to buy not sell.
Then the American economy will right itself because it is comprised of the brightest and best the world has to offer and we unlike any other nation have free will. We can listen to whom we want, evaluate all sides of an argument or even choose to go in our own direction. Stop the fear mongering!
Editorial Comment
Toms Tidbits
Saturday, February 7, 2009
A tribute to Virginia Military Institute - VMI
VMI was heard in Inaugural Parade
When I settled in for the evening to watch the Inaugural Parade. I checked the Line-up for the parade and there was VMI next to last. It looked to be a long wait.
As the groups marched past the camera, I noticed that a number of militarily uniformed units had someone obviously out of step. I chalked it up to the cold, noise, and other factors that we might be unaware of. I wasn't really optimistic about VMI.
Then, in the far background the camera picked up the VMI front rank begin its column-left onto Pennsylvania Avenue. The camera took some shots of the colorful group in front of them but kept panning back to the steadily approaching gray wall. On they marched. It soon became apparent that this was not a single company or battalion it was the entire Corps, and just as in 1864, they were on the move with something to prove.
One could almost feel the solid chunk as heels dug in together, concentrating not just on getting it right, but getting it right.
Watching the gray wall roll toward the reviewing stand, I saw no one out of step, On they came, rank after rank. The announcer told us that 1200 and some Cadets were appearing in VMI's 13th Inaugural Parade. As the first battalion passed in review, the camera panned to the review stand in time to see Mrs. Obama watching, clearly saying "WOW" and giving them two thumbs up.
Just as it has for 170 years , the VMI Corps of Cadets stood tall for Virginia. Old Stonewall had it right so many years ago--VMI wasn't just there, VMI was heard from.
I truly wish I could write as eloquently as this but the credit for this article goes to John D. Grim from New Market, Va. from the RTD. This is the video that is mentioned in this article if you want to watch it. Use the left arrow to go back to the blogsite if you would like to read other articles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoXlNUPvKS8
John
Thank You
When I settled in for the evening to watch the Inaugural Parade. I checked the Line-up for the parade and there was VMI next to last. It looked to be a long wait.
As the groups marched past the camera, I noticed that a number of militarily uniformed units had someone obviously out of step. I chalked it up to the cold, noise, and other factors that we might be unaware of. I wasn't really optimistic about VMI.
Then, in the far background the camera picked up the VMI front rank begin its column-left onto Pennsylvania Avenue. The camera took some shots of the colorful group in front of them but kept panning back to the steadily approaching gray wall. On they marched. It soon became apparent that this was not a single company or battalion it was the entire Corps, and just as in 1864, they were on the move with something to prove.
One could almost feel the solid chunk as heels dug in together, concentrating not just on getting it right, but getting it right.
Watching the gray wall roll toward the reviewing stand, I saw no one out of step, On they came, rank after rank. The announcer told us that 1200 and some Cadets were appearing in VMI's 13th Inaugural Parade. As the first battalion passed in review, the camera panned to the review stand in time to see Mrs. Obama watching, clearly saying "WOW" and giving them two thumbs up.
Just as it has for 170 years , the VMI Corps of Cadets stood tall for Virginia. Old Stonewall had it right so many years ago--VMI wasn't just there, VMI was heard from.
I truly wish I could write as eloquently as this but the credit for this article goes to John D. Grim from New Market, Va. from the RTD. This is the video that is mentioned in this article if you want to watch it. Use the left arrow to go back to the blogsite if you would like to read other articles. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AoXlNUPvKS8
John
Thank You
Friday, February 6, 2009
52M in cuts for Chesterfield Co Schools
This post would fall under the "commentary" category. Simply put this is what I see from my perspective.
Chesterfield County has been one of the top Virginia school districts for many years and is the county that this writer resides in. It too has fallen victim to the economic downturn. It will most likely be the second largest cuts of any division in Virginia as reported by Superintendent Marcus Newsome. He stated that every student and every staff member will be affected by these cuts.
No raises will be forthcoming this year and each and every employee will be subject to a two day furlough (time off without pay) during the school year. If you would like to see more details about these cuts you can visit http://www.chesterfield.k12.va.us/ for added details.
I truly believe in hard times you often must make hard decisions and most often not pleasant ones. Having said that though it would seem our new superintendent has some form of immunity. Recent interviews have indicated he is purportedly to receive a substantial wage increase in the coming year which he says was agreed to when he took over the school district. Seems he is invoking the CEO immunity rule that wall street uses.
Leadership is from the top down and Mr. Newsome would gain far more respect by adding himself to the list of "staff" subject to these hard decisions.
Chesterfield County has been one of the top Virginia school districts for many years and is the county that this writer resides in. It too has fallen victim to the economic downturn. It will most likely be the second largest cuts of any division in Virginia as reported by Superintendent Marcus Newsome. He stated that every student and every staff member will be affected by these cuts.
No raises will be forthcoming this year and each and every employee will be subject to a two day furlough (time off without pay) during the school year. If you would like to see more details about these cuts you can visit http://www.chesterfield.k12.va.us/ for added details.
I truly believe in hard times you often must make hard decisions and most often not pleasant ones. Having said that though it would seem our new superintendent has some form of immunity. Recent interviews have indicated he is purportedly to receive a substantial wage increase in the coming year which he says was agreed to when he took over the school district. Seems he is invoking the CEO immunity rule that wall street uses.
Leadership is from the top down and Mr. Newsome would gain far more respect by adding himself to the list of "staff" subject to these hard decisions.
Wednesday, February 4, 2009
Minimum IRA Distributions (MRD)
Minimum IRA Distributions (MRD)
Breaking news! Most seniors should know by now that a congressional amendment recently went into place allowing those over the age of 70 1/2 to waive taking those distributions (RMD) to be taxed from their IRA's. Caution though, it is only good for 2009. After that the amendment is set to expire unless its renewed for another year.
Waiver of 2009 Required Minimum Distributions
On Tuesday, December 23, 2008, President Bush signed into law H.R. 7327, the Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008, which waives the 2009 required minimum distribution (RMD) from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and plans, such as:
Traditional IRAs
Simplified Employee Pension (SEP)
Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE)
Inherited IRAs, including inherited Roth IRAs
Defined Contribution Plans [such as 401(k), Profit Sharing, and Money Purchase plans]
403(b)(7) custodial accounts.
This means that if you are turning age 70½ in 2009, you are not required to begin taking the RMD from your retirement account in 2009. If you are over age 70½, you are not required to continue to take your RMD for 2009.You may still choose to take a distribution, although it is not required.
As a reminder, if you turned age 70½ during 2008, then you must continue to meet your RMD for 2008.You have until April 1, 2009, to complete your RMD requirement. If you are over age 70½, you are also required to continue your RMD for 2008
Breaking news! Most seniors should know by now that a congressional amendment recently went into place allowing those over the age of 70 1/2 to waive taking those distributions (RMD) to be taxed from their IRA's. Caution though, it is only good for 2009. After that the amendment is set to expire unless its renewed for another year.
Waiver of 2009 Required Minimum Distributions
On Tuesday, December 23, 2008, President Bush signed into law H.R. 7327, the Worker, Retiree, and Employer Recovery Act of 2008, which waives the 2009 required minimum distribution (RMD) from individual retirement accounts (IRAs) and plans, such as:
Traditional IRAs
Simplified Employee Pension (SEP)
Savings Incentive Match Plan for Employees (SIMPLE)
Inherited IRAs, including inherited Roth IRAs
Defined Contribution Plans [such as 401(k), Profit Sharing, and Money Purchase plans]
403(b)(7) custodial accounts.
This means that if you are turning age 70½ in 2009, you are not required to begin taking the RMD from your retirement account in 2009. If you are over age 70½, you are not required to continue to take your RMD for 2009.You may still choose to take a distribution, although it is not required.
As a reminder, if you turned age 70½ during 2008, then you must continue to meet your RMD for 2008.You have until April 1, 2009, to complete your RMD requirement. If you are over age 70½, you are also required to continue your RMD for 2008
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