Just read in local paper; NY State will NOT be mailing out tax forms in
2009. Taxpayers will need to download forms from internet, make copies from masters in libraries, obtain electronically thru tax programs, etc.Part of a trend to go all electronic I trust? I must be getting old, but I like the feel of paper and I personally don't want to print out tens of pages of forms and manuals on my own printer.
More likely they realized how few people actually used the tax packages they were sending out, since anyone who uses a preparer or tax software prints them directly with the info both in text and scannable bar codes.
R's, John
Yep, I know how you feel, and notwithstanding the fact that tax work is my ... hmmm... one of my main activities in life, I would like to see every congressman have to prepare his own tax return with no help except maybe web reference to irs.gov's excellent web site, and in pencil! No calculator.
others I'm sure will agree with me.
Happy new Year! ChEAr$, Harlan Lunsford, EA n LA
In article , snipped-for-privacy@bellsouth.net (Harlan Lunsford) writes: | Andrew D. Schmidt wrote: | > Just read in local paper; NY State will NOT be mailing out tax forms in | > 2009. Taxpayers will need to download forms from internet, make copies | > from | > masters in libraries, obtain electronically thru tax programs, etc. | > | > Part of a trend to go all electronic I trust? I must be getting old, | > but I | > like the feel of paper and I personally don't want to print out tens of | > pages of forms and manuals on my own printer. | > | Yep, I know how you feel, and notwithstanding the fact that tax work is | my ... hmmm... one of my main activities in life, I would like to | see every congressman have to prepare his own tax return with no help | except maybe web reference to irs.gov's excellent web site, and in | pencil! No calculator. | | others I'm sure will agree with me.
I think they should have to use a pen like the rest of us. But they can use a calculator.
On a serious note, I have an ongoing problem with form paper. The material they used to use in the 1040 package was great for my Uniball pens. It absorbed just the right amount of ink without smearing. The (recycled?) stuff they tried a few years ago was pretty much incompatible with those pens. The more recent version is better but still not great. The paper I normally use to print forms on my laser printer (Hammermill Tidal DP) is ok but still no where near as good as whatever they used years ago in that 1040 package. Any ideas what I might try? It has been suggested that the kind of paper I want for the pen will not actually work well in the laster printer, but it should be worth a try.
On the subject of paper records in general, I was watching a program about Madoff's scam on CNBC the other night. They had a couple who lost their retirement savings and a representative of SIPC. The latter kept emphasizing the need for the former to produce statements showing everything they had ever invested with or received from Madoff's LLC because all the records at the firm itself were completely fictitious. (I suspect they want to treat it as a pure pyramid scheme rather than an insurance claim--the poor couple probably doesn't realize that they might end up owing money. :() The couple kept pointing out that nobody keeps paper records going back 28 years (well, I do, but it's not a bad argument). My conclusion is that no matter how much the banks and the government tell you that you don't need a paper trail anymore, when something goes wrong they will still demand it.
Dan Lanciani ddl@danlan.*com
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