Taxes Sub-forum?

[KayDeeCee 4,893]

There are a lot of posts each year about how to file taxes during certain immigration processes. They seem to be scattered about different forums. It might be nice to have a sub-forum somewhere to group all the tax questions together. For now, I have been putting many of them in the General Immigration-Related forum. If anyone has ideas of a better place to stick them, then I am all ears.

[TBoneTX 45,288]

I've wanted to bring up this idea for a long time, si man. This merits discussion.

[Darnell 8,478]

Ya, I think it's time, as 'taxes' carry across many of the sub-forums here.

[Ryan H 3,812]

I've wanted to bring up this idea for a long time, si man. This merits discussion.

I've had this on my mind as well.

[Pooky 3,784]

I think you would need to be really careful with a taxes sub-forum. There is a significant risk for financial injury, should incorrect advice be posted and then acted upon. In turn, this may bring legal consequences.

Scattered around the fora as they are is still a risk. Gathering all of them together in one place may be seen as trying to provide tax advice. The legal position for this and a workable disclaimer would need working out beforehand to protect the site, its administration and its members, should something go wrong

Think of it as similar to the UPL issue, but involving the IRS.

[Zedayn 485]

I don't think its any more an issue to provide tax advice as we already provide immigration advice. Yes there may be risk associated with people accepting and acting upon tax advice, but how is that different from people accepting and acting upon immigration advice that is already given?

And the disclaimer you mention already exists: Important Disclaimer: Please read carefully the Visajourney.com Terms of Service. If you do not agree to the Terms of Service you should not access or view any page (including this page) on VisaJourney.com. Answers and comments provided on Visajourney.com Forums are general information, and are not intended to substitute for informed professional medical, psychiatric, psychological, tax, legal, investment, accounting, or other professional advice.

I also agree there should be a sub-forum for tax related questions and advice

Edited February 14, 2014 by Zedayn

[Dave&Roza 748]

I think you would need to be really careful with a taxes sub-forum. There is a significant risk for financial injury, should incorrect advice be posted and then acted upon. In turn, this may bring legal consequences.

Scattered around the fora as they are is still a risk. Gathering all of them together in one place may be seen as trying to provide tax advice. The legal position for this and a workable disclaimer would need working out beforehand to protect the site, its administration and its members, should something go wrong

Think of it as similar to the UPL issue, but involving the IRS.

When a person completes their tax return they are signing that they think it is true and correct. IMHO, to shift the blame to some forum because you accepted the advice, but did not check it, is what is really wrong with this country--not owning up and taking responsibility for your actions. I also see this covered under the TOS otherwise why do we participate in helping people thru the maze of immigration. Add to that the maze of the IRS tax code, I think it would be a good idea. You can see that there are several people who will recommend filing as single when the person is actually married. Several accountants recommend this as well, but are they right? What is their legal exposure when they tell their accountant to sign the tax return and submit it? The accountant my Mother used basically had a statement that they would defend you in front of the IRS, but it was limited to the information you provided them.

IMHO, this is a non issue as the person signing the form is the one who is to take responsibility for its completeness and accuracy. I feel it is already covered under the existing TOS, but then I am no lawyer and I have not stayed at a Holiday Inn in quite a while either.

I would like to see a new sub-forum for tax related issues. Maybe a disclaimer at the top of the forum that states use the advice at your own risk can be displayed along with a reminder to read the TOS as an extra CYA for the site.

Dave

[NikLR 13,227]

I agree a tax sub-forum would be awesome!

[Darnell 8,478]

Pooky - bad advice, wrong advice,

USUALLY gets slammed on,

as this is a peered discussion forum,

folk talk and vette things all the time.

I think the legal aspects are already covered in the TOS, fwiw.

[Darnell 8,478]

When a person completes their tax return they are signing that they think it is true and correct. IMHO, to shift the blame to some forum because you accepted the advice, but did not check it, is what is really wrong with this country--not owning up and taking responsibility for your actions. I also see this covered under the TOS otherwise why do we participate in helping people thru the maze of immigration. Add to that the maze of the IRS tax code, I think it would be a good idea. You can see that there are several people who will recommend filing as single when the person is actually married. Several accountants recommend this as well, but are they right? What is their legal exposure when they tell their accountant to sign the tax return and submit it? The accountant my Mother used basically had a statement that they would defend you in front of the IRS, but it was limited to the information you provided them.

IMHO, this is a non issue as the person signing the form is the one who is to take responsibility for its completeness and accuracy. I feel it is already covered under the existing TOS, but then I am no lawyer and I have not stayed at a Holiday Inn in quite a while either.

I would like to see a new sub-forum for tax related issues. Maybe a disclaimer at the top of the forum that states use the advice at your own risk can be displayed along with a reminder to read the TOS as an extra CYA for the site.

Dave

Good Points, Dave - let me add a bit more, aye?

Anyone with a foreign spouse living outside the USA,

and using a tax preparer of any kind in the USA,

has a 90 percent chance of being told to

file as single,

as that tax preparer only wants the fees for filing,

whether right or wrong.

Those preparers that DO KNOW about this, know it's a slog and takes longer time

to first file as 'married filing jointly' .

Secondly, filing that first year online, with a foreign spouse living outside the country, filing 'married filing jointly', is impossible. Folk choose to do something else for that first year and forget about it till the next year or subsequent years, as they love the convenience of filing online.

That's it, that's all I wanted to add in to yer stuff.

[Pooky 3,784]

Pooky - bad advice, wrong advice,

USUALLY gets slammed on,

as this is a peered discussion forum,

folk talk and vette things all the time.

I think the legal aspects are already covered in the TOS, fwiw.

Being covered was my main concern, having lived through the UPL bunfight.

If the TOS disclaimer is sufficient for the Site Admin, then why not?

[Darnell 8,478]

Hello to all Mods and Cap'n Ewok.

Could you please talk a bit about this, in yer next Cap'n and Mod online meetup?

Thanks so much, and Thanks in advance !

[Kathryn41 3,205]

Hello to all Mods and Cap'n Ewok.

Could you please talk a bit about this, in yer next Cap'n and Mod online meetup?

Thanks so much, and Thanks in advance !

We will certainly add this to the agenda for discussion at our next Mod meeting. Thanks, everyone, for the suggestion.

[Darnell 8,478]

Yay ! Mucho Besos !!!

[Captain Ewok 1,891]

I think we can ad this as a forum. Maybe a broader category such as "US Immigration Financial & Tax Discussions" or something similar. That way the forum will be useful all year.