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[slim 1,525]

You mentioned several times about "working off the books". This demonstrates a willingness to violate the law, tax regulations, etc. So, why not just take it a bit further? Just send the consulate fake documents concerning how much you make. You can make it look like you make, oh, say $60K/year. Why not? What's a little more deception and illegality? Go for it man! Be sure to come back and report the results.

Cheers!

AKDiver

p.s.: congrats on passing the exam

Sure, why not?

It's not like they have time to double check with the IRS!

Your girl will be so proud! She will say, "You will have no problem in Russia!"

[teukros 0]

OK... forgive me for being cranky - I guess I'm in a bad mood right now (time issues, money problems, and chronic sleep-deprivation)

First, back in May or something like that, I asked my "off the books" employer to put me ON his books, he didn't want to (he couldn't afford to). As I was depending on him, at the time, for both money (not enough for rent however) AND food (anything that was expired, I could take home), I didn't press the issue. And FYI, off the books work in the United States aggregates to about 500,000,000,000 dollars a year.

Second, I fully intend to report (my best guess of) the earnings from this job (maybe 5,000 USD altogether) and to pay taxes on them.

Third, I don't appreciate the tone.

Fourth, I am amazed at how badly my initial post was misinterpreted/misunderstood. DESPITE my posting followup clarifications.

Fifth, Diana was approved for her K-1 Visa Friday morning. She was interviewed by an officer who was an attractive young woman. Diana reported that she had a kind face.

The interview was conducted in English. It lasted for about five minutes. The officer asked a few very simple questions like how long have you known each other, how did you meet etc. She DID NOT ask for co-sponsor papers. She liked the fact that I am a nurse and Diana felt that the officer was trying to convince HER: "Don't you know, he will always be able to find a job!"

You mentioned several times about "working off the books". This demonstrates a willingness to violate the law, tax regulations, etc. So, why not just take it a bit further? Just send the consulate fake documents concerning how much you make. You can make it look like you make, oh, say $60K/year. Why not? What's a little more deception and illegality? Go for it man! Be sure to come back and report the results.

Cheers!

AKDiver

p.s.: congrats on passing the exam

Sure, why not?

It's not like they have time to double check with the IRS!

Your girl will be so proud! She will say, "You will have no problem in Russia!"

[akdiver 3]

First, back in May or something like that, I asked my "off the books" employer to put me ON his books, he didn't want to (he couldn't afford to).

Uh huh.

As I was depending on him, at the time, for both money (not enough for rent however) AND food (anything that was expired, I could take home), I didn't press the issue.

No, of course not, Tax-free income, why would you press the issue?

And FYI, off the books work in the United States aggregates to about 500,000,000,000 dollars a year.

Other people break the law and don't pay their fair share, so why should you? The taxpayers can make it up by paying more than they should have to anyway. I understand completely.

Second, I fully intend to report (my best guess of) the earnings from this job (maybe 5,000 USD altogether) and to pay taxes on them.

Uh huh. Be sure to include the 15.4% FICA tax, as well as the interest and penalties for willful non-compliance. That should add about another $30K, if you report your non-compliance and pay everything off soon.

Third, I don't appreciate the tone.

Gosh, I'm so sorry! I didn't know I was upsetting you. You have my deepest apologizes.

She liked the fact that I am a nurse and Diana felt that the officer was trying to convince HER: "Don't you know, he will always be able to find a job!"

One way or another - legally or illegally.

Cheers!

AKDiver

[teukros 0]

AKDiver, what is your problem? Believe it or not, some people have to struggle in life. I live in Harlem and take the subway to work in the Bronx. In the third busiest Emergency Department in the United States, like I said.

And I wanted to be able to show that I had been working because I thought it might help our case at the embassy. So don't accuse me of lying.

[akdiver 3]

AKDiver, what is your problem?

The list is seemingly endless. There is way more than just one (:

Believe it or not, some people have to struggle in life.

Yeah, I wouldn't know anything about that. The world was given to me on a silver platter.

So don't accuse me of lying.

Lawbreaker!!!!

Cheers!

AKDiver

[teukros 0]

A Social Darwinist. Are you one of those people who voted for Bush twice? Tell me, do you think we should "stay the course" in Iraq?

So don't accuse me of lying.

Lawbreaker!!!!

What kind of a fantasyland are you living in? I did honest work, I earned a small amount of money, I'll declare it on my tax form.

Talk to anyone from New York City (or probably, any large city). There are many, many small businessess that need help but which simply can not afford to pay employees "on the books". I know for a fact that the guy that I was working for was in this situation (and then there was a period of time that he was laid up with a broken ankle and I went a little "above and beyond" with a couple of 82 hour weeks. I helped him to stay in business and I helped my neighborhood and I am very proud of that).

It is not a stretch to say that the City's economy depends upon "off the books" workers.

Do yourself a favor and read this book:

Off the Books: The Underground Economy of the Urban Poor

by Sudhir Alladi Venkatesh

AKDiver, what is your problem?

The list is seemingly endless. There is way more than just one (:

I'll take your word for that.

[Satellite 1]

There are many, many small businessess that need help but which simply can not afford to pay employees "on the books".

In this situation the employer should hire you as an independent contractor (IRS 1099). The employer's tax liability is almost nothing yet you are both completely within the tax law, assuming you fall under the definition of an independent contractor.

[russ 1]

It is not a stretch to say that the City's economy depends upon "off the books" workers.

Calm down guys!

AK - it sounds like he is trying to do the right thing. His employer is the one to blame here, not him.

Teuk - Declaring income that you don't have a 1099 for isn't a big deal, it is treated the same way. You are talking about such a small sum that it won't trigger penalties (for not making quartarly payments). The legal standard would be that it would have changed your tax bill by more than 10% (unlikely). Anyway, the IRS won't care. They don't generally do much about late estimated taxes if the amounts are small.

Working off the books is a problem for two reasons - work authorization (not you) and EMPLOYERS not paying payroll tax/workman's comp/etc. The worker is doing nothing wrong, as long as they report the income on their schedule C.

[akdiver 3]

removed per request of OP.

[russ 1]

From the description of the job, he clearly would not qualify as an IC.

Hardly. If people did not cooperate with these conspiracies to violate the law, the guy would either follow the law, or go out of business. Why should he get out of being taxes? If he can't afford to be in business, then he shouldn't be in business.

Working off the books is a problem for two reasons - work authorization (not you) and EMPLOYERS not paying payroll tax/workman's comp/etc. The worker is doing nothing wrong, as long as they report the income on their schedule C.

This is simply not true. It is illegal to knowingly work under such conditions. He is participating in a conspiracy to defraud the government out of taxes. Even if he declares the income on the federal return, the government is still short the FICA tax that is owed on this income.

Cheers!

AKDiver

Sat, AK is right on this one. The test for 1099 is that the contractor works under his own direction, and chooses how/where the work will be done. This wouldn't pass. It would be the employer that would get in trouble though. The IRS could go after them for the payroll tax they should have paid. State's AG could go after them for workman's comp as well (unlikely, there are bigger fish to fry in NYC).

At least in the US, there is nothing really wrong with working "under the table" as long as you report the income - at least for the person doing the work. Most of the work I do is not as an employee.

AK - if you decalre income on your schedule C, you are in fact paying FICA, SS (double!), and income tax. You end up paying the employer's share. (It is taxable income, plus the self employment tax).

[mrsushi66 0]

Dude, I am not a fan of our President either but guess what he was elected. Dont have to like the man but respect the office. People voted him in and that is the way it is.

I get the whole voicing your opinion and your free to say what you want but voicing or even hinting at violence against an elected official can get you attention you really do not want, especially one that high. Of course you will do as you see fit just my voicing my opinion and looking out for ya.

[slim 1,525]

Heard on the radio the other day.....

"The American people aint stupid, President Bush.... I voted for you twice, but I aint votin for you a third time."

And they wonder how he got reelected.

[mrsushi66 0]

Heard on the radio the other day.....

"The American people aint stupid, President Bush.... I voted for you twice, but I aint votin for you a third time."

And they wonder how he got reelected.

That is pretty sad.

First thing I said when President Bush was elected for a second time was, all hail term limits!!!

[akdiver 3]

AK - if you decalre income on your schedule C, you are in fact paying FICA, SS (double!), and income tax. You end up paying the employer's share. (It is taxable income, plus the self employment tax).

Yeah, IF you report it that way, as self-employment. There are other ways to report such income too. On a related note, if you're going to report it as self employment, then you are claiming to be in business. If you're claiming to be in business, then in most jurisdictions, you need a business license, and need to pay quarterly taxes to the controlling jurisdiction on that income, are subject to business property tax (in many places), and so, on, and so on. The number of laws getting broken just keeps going up and up.

Dude, I am not a fan of our President either but guess what he was elected. Dont have to like the man but respect the office. People voted him in and that is the way it is.

I have plenty of respect for the office - certainly more than the person currently holding it.

I get the whole voicing your opinion and your free to say what you want but voicing or even hinting at violence against an elected official can get you attention you really do not want

Who said anything about violence? I'm just talking about government policy. If you think government policy does not include such acts, you're really out of touch with the news. The government gives people a fair trial and sentences them to death all the time. Those are the lucky ones. The unlucky ones just get killed in the middle of the night and the body disposed of in a place where it will never be found. These are the "enemies of the state" that the people of the republic are not even allowed to know about.

First thing I said when President Bush was elected for a second time was, all hail term limits!!!

We have term limits - they're called ELECTIONS! If people are dumb enough to keep voting for the same morons over and over again, then certainly they should be elected. People get the government they deserve.

Cheers!

AKDiver

[slim 1,525]

I love the Off Topic forum!