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Tag: Consult your tax advisor

Confirmed: There Is a Shortage of Good Accountants in the Sex Industry

Way back in March of 2010, we shared with you a plight in our country: there simply are not enough good accountants serving professionals working in the sex industry. At the time we learned of Companions (NSFW unless looking at semi-nude women is kosher), an escort service in Salt Lake City whose proprietors slightly underreported their income which resulted in a tax evasion conviction. We wondered if this particular industry was dry of good accountants and tax advisors who might be able to assist entrepreneurs such as these and the professionals they employ to avoid similar situations.

As happens from time to time, someone with direct knowledge reached out to us and we now have at least one person on record confirming our suspicions:

Hello Caleb,

I came across your March 23, 2010 article, Is the Shortage of Good Accountants in the Sex Industry an Opportunity? and felt compelled to write. You see, I am a tax preparer that has been servicing the adult industry since 2006, doing my best to help those in the industry with knowledge and compassion. What began as helping a few phone sex operators and dancers file their tax returns with dignity has grown into a big part of my business. So, the answer to your question is, yes, the shortage of good accountants in the Sex Industry is indeed an opportunity – for those who wish to practice with ethics and respect. If you wish, you may find more about me and what I do from my website www.taxdomme.com.

I am now eager to peruse the rest of your website.

Best,
Lori, The Tax Domme

For anyone in need of services, the Tax Domme has a new office location in downtown Seattle and if you’re looking to carve out your own niche practice, you can get in touch with Lori for tips on anything you might want to know. For example, what happens when a well-to-do john needs a companion on a round-the-world trip? If animals are a regular part of the business, is it better to lease or buy? Would whips, chains, spreaders, etc. purchased by dominatrix be eligible for a §179 deduction? All relevant questions that have no doubt come up in the world of the Tax Domme.

So here’s an opportunity to be had people. As long as you manage to keep things professional you can cater to a virtually recession-proof industry. Can’t say we never told you.

Last Minute Tax Help Ideas: Advice From Gary Busey

With just over 24 hours until the tax filing deadline, some taxpayers may be getting desperate and many CPAs are too swamped to take any last minute clients. Faced with such a dilemma, some people are freaking out since it’s rumored that any non-compliance with the IRS will inevitably lead to interrogation techniques approved by the Bush Administration. To avoid this, you’ll need someone that is impervious to physical pain, high stress and has a smile that will frighten yet calm the most anxious of procrastinating taxpayers.


To wit:

Tip for Pro Athletes: Getting Fined May Have Tax Advantages

[caption id="attachment_8735" align="alignright" width="260" caption="Chad, sans sombrero"][/caption]

Misbehaving athletes (or fun hating NFL, NBA, MLB administrators) should take note, getting fined can apparently do wonders for your itemized deductions.

That’s according to a report from Darren Rovell at CNBC, anyway. He cites sports accountant Robert Raiola of Van Duyne, Behrens & Co. who says that fines are “classified as ordinary business expenses,” so once the amount of those expenses exceed 2% of the taxpayers adjusted gross income, the expenses are deductible.


Of course, what isn’t mentioned is that it’s likely that a professional athlete’s itemized deductions would probably be limited since it’s safe to assume that their itemized deductions are greater than $166,800. So in other words, it might work out well for Chad Ochocinco to get fined on a weekly basis for wearing sombreros, bribing officials, and/or any other tomfoolery that the NFL finds fineable but without all the information it’s difficult to determine if this is actually a worth tax-planning strategy. Athletes – please consult your tax advisor that is probably already robbing you blind.

Need A Tax Deduction? Get Fined For Something [CNBC via Tax Policy Blog]

Let’s Try Out the White House’s Tax Savings Tool

After yesterday’s words of wisdom from Joe Biden on your taxes, we stumbled across the “tax savings tool” that’s so easy a caveman Joe Biden can do it.

We actually do believe the VPOTUS when he says it’s easy because he made the announcement yesterday with two men who aren’t exactly known to be tax mavens: IRS Commish Doug “I find the tax code complex” Shulman and Tim “I think I’ll try using TaxCut this year” Geithner.

Try your hand this thing and make up your own mind, after the jump.

Our feeling that it’s like tax planning a step or two above what Fisher-Price might put out. Which, for the majority of the American People, might still be tricky.

White House Unveils Online Tax Savings Tool [Web CPA]

Tax Day Countdown: Five Overrated Tax Planning Ideas

There is plenty of tax advice floating around this time of year but the problem, as you may expect, is that not all of it is useful for everyone. Sure, you can throw read every piece of advice out there but some of that advice is worth ignoring or at the very least, investigating further so you can find out for yourself if it will actually benefit you.

We asked Mike Callahan, tax director at Spicer Jeffries LLP in Greenwood Village, CO, to pay us another visit, this time with ideas or strategies that he thought were overrated so that you can sort out some of the noise.


• Buying a car for the “write-off” – Mike told us that deductions related to depreciation on cars are extremely limited. He said, “If you need a new car, fine. But don’t expect a huge tax benefit.”

• Maxing out your mortgage – According to Mike, borrowing as much as possible to purchase a home because of the interest deduction is not worth it. “If your combined federal and state tax rate is 30%. 70% of your interest payments are going out the door.”

• Check your W-4 – Withholding a lot of taxes during the year so you can get a big refund is not the way to go. Mike puts it this way, “You just gave Uncle Sam an interest free loan. Adjust your withholding so you come close to breaking-even at tax time.”

• Running up a credit card on deductible expenses before year-end – This one should be a face-slap moment but, “Using a credit card to prepay expenses before year-end if you can’t afford to pay the balance when the bill comes next month.”

• Don’t sock money in an IRA away if you need it now – Mike said that saving money doesn’t do much good if you plan to withdrawal it later, “[Don’t] contribute to an IRA when you need the money. You’ll end-up withdrawing the funds andsubjecting yourself to a 10% penalty,” and more taxes. And by “need” Mike isn’t referring to your Range Rover payment. Good choices people.

More tax advice:
Six Small Business Tax Strategies for the Entire Year
Tax Day Countdown: Five Tax Planning Ideas for Individuals