The Tax Preparation Blog

Posts Tagged ‘preparation’

Question: I am hoping to attend college in Toronto, CA. I am doing lots of research and planning & have some questions.?

My folks live in the US. Right now I live with them and have all of my possessions at their house.

They are willing to mail some of my items to me since I can’t take everything I would like to have at school with me when I first go there.

Which categories of items would be easiest and quickest to get through customs via the mail from the US to Canada?

We thought it would be easiest to send like items together to simplify and expedite the process. Here are the categories we’ve come up with so far:

books
family photos
video tapes
clothing
camping gear
extra bedding and towels
tax preparation paperwork – receipts, etc.
computer printer
camera gear – several cameras – still and video

Please feel free to suggest any other categories that I should consider.

Thanks for your input:)

Answer: It doesn’t really matter, all customs stuff in my experience is just about the same (except possibly for stuff like prescription medication and food).

You should not mail camera equipment, the post office will not take care of it as well as you will, the lenses could be broken. Same with your printer, and the photos (if they are framed with glass). If you decide to mail it, make sure it is packaged *very* well, lots of padding.

Clothes, camping gear, towels, sheets, photos, books, you can mail it all separately, but the heavier and bulkier it is, the more you pay.

Unless you are going winter camping, you probably won’t need any camping gear.

Regarding everything you mentioned, remember: if you mail it to yourself, you can sometimes pay duties and customs fees, it might be cheaper to just rent a u-haul truck and drive it over yourself.

Do not mail the tax documents, bring them yourself. If you must mail them, insure them, and send it by courier.

Baytex Announces Heavy Oil Acquisition

CALGARY, ALBERTA–(Marketwire – Jan. 14, 2011) – Baytex Energy Corp. (TSX:BTE) (NYSE:BTE) is pleased to announce that it has entered into an agreement to acquire heavy oil assets located in the Seal area of northern Alberta and the Lloydminster area of western Saskatchewan. The assets are being acquired through a combination of a corporate acquisition of a private company and an asset …

Serge Portnoy, CA 416-736-9677

Toronto poised to hike recreation fees to find $23-million

Weddings, false fire alarms among proposed increases

Canadian Pension Income Tax Splitting Services | pension-income-splitting.com

Question: Tax preparation for railroad employee?

I’m wondering if I should file a 1040EZ or if it’s worth finding a professional to get the deductions I may be entitled to? (I do not have dependents and I am not a homeowner). I’ve been searching online for a CPA that has experience w/railroad employees and I’m not having any luck. (I live near Chicago). Thanks for any help in advance!!

Answer: If you are not a homeowner, a 1040EZ should be fine.

Opponents fight to protest outside Church of Scientology

Church officials say they want to be left alone A Chicago judge will decide this month whether a city code prevents protesters who oppose Scientology’s teachings from expressing their discontent any time the church’s doors are open or only during its conventional Sunday worship service.

Tax Preparation for Newlyweds Chicago

Question: Anyone know of any good tax preparation courses..online? taken any course?

Im looking for something that has a good reputation and is for real. and of course affordable. i looked through a couple but im curious if anyone has taken an online tax prep course and your thoughts on it. which one was it? or should i just do the h and r block one?

Answer: Take the H&R Block one. You can’t learn by sharing an instructor’s experience by taking an online class. Online classes are fine for some things, but something as detail oriented as taxes needs to be learned by having live interchange with a person who has been there. And there is NO tax class as good as H&R Blocks class. (I should know, I have been teaching it for years!) And it is dirt cheap. They keep changing the price up and down, but I think it like $100 this year.

Wiley Registered Tax Return Preparer Exam Review 2012 (Wiley Tax Return Preparer Competency Exam Prep: Individual Tax Filing) $35.06 The most effective system available to prepare for the new Tax Return Preparer Competency ExamIn recent years, the role of third party assistance in tax return preparation within the United States has become more significant. To acknowledge this trend, the IRS is strengthening partnerships with tax practitioners, tax return preparers, and other third parties in order to ensure effective tax admini…

Income Tax Fundamentals 2012 (with H&R BLOCK At Home(TM) Tax Preparation Software CD-ROM) $111.00 INCOME TAX FUNDAMENTALS 2012, 30E provides readers with a concise, practical, and time-tested introduction to the most important areas of tax law. For over thirty years, this textbook has been the market-leading standard due to its step-by-step workbook format that walks readers through real examples using actual tax forms. And, with plentiful study tools, including online interactive self-quizzes…

Your Guide to the CFP Certification Exam: A Supplement to Financial Planning Coursework and Self-Study Materials (2nd Edition) $8.33 **2nd Edition**           YOUR GUIDE TO THE CFP CERTIFICATION EXAM provides the essential tools you need to pass the demanding ten-hour exam.  CFP instructor Matthew Brandeburg helps you diagnose your problem areas and develop an action plan, so you can stay organized and face the exam with confidence.  Whether you’re challenging the exam for the firs…

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BRCC offering online tax prep classes

WEYERS CAVE —Blue Ridge Community College, in partnership with The Income Tax School, offers online courses in tax preparation.

Online Auctions: Tax Lien and Deed Training

Question: Should we use H&R block to to fill our tax returns?

Hello, I am a first-time home buyer, and my husband and I hope to get an Obama stimulus package. Our tax return should be quite simple, just joint return and no additional forms. My husband insists that we should use H&R block service to get a stimulus money, I believe that we can just fill our taxes online as the taxes look simple. Could you advise us? Thank you!

Answer: I would say that you can do it yourself. Use Turbo Tax it is a great e filing tool and it walks you through the process step by step.

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TurboTax Deluxe Federal + E-file + State 2011 for PC [Download] $29.26 TurboTax Deluxe: Guides you step-by-step to maximize your deductions…

TurboTax Home & Business Federal + E-file + State 2011 for PC [Download] $74.71 TurboTax Home & Business: For your self-employment & personal income taxes…

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Land trusts to benefit from preservation program’s return

A federal program that provides tax incentives to property owners who give up their development rights will return in 2011 after a one-year absence.

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