gk10002000

35 minutes ago, Thailand J said:

I filled online on  the IRS Free File Fillable Forms website. Filed on Feb 20, got my refund Mar 3 deposited into my Interactive Brokers account.

I can not use that free online filing as that has income limits I make more than. 

20 minutes ago, Why Me said:

I mailed in my paper return about the same day. I owed taxes which I paid via Direct Pay. The reason for filing early was that last year they sent me a notice that part of my income was not earned, therefore could not be excluded via Form 2555 and billed me a few hundred more. They were wrong but it took a fair amount of back and forth to straighten out.

 

So, I decided to go early this year giving me plenty of time in case they wanted to pick a fight again. It's good to hear that they processed your paper return so quickly. I am going to assume then that if I don't hear from them by April that my return was checked and passed.      

I always try to get a little refund, just because the penalty for owing can be stiff.  So I over with hold at work, etc.  The one or two times I owed money I sent them a check with my return.  My thought was that if they cashed the check with the words I had written on it saying closing Tax return, then they agreed with my tax return and the matter was closed.  Of course I am sure it is possible they might cash the check in any event even if they thought more taxes were owed and they would consider it only a partial payment. 

FYI:  I file my federal return by paper.  I use the IRS PDF fillable forms.  I mailed in my return on Feb 21.  Today March 17 my refund was direct deposited in my Etrade checking account.  So just over three weeks soup to nuts and at no cost except the envelop and the stamp.  Curiously the IRS said there was a calculation error and my refund was a bit lower than I expected.  But the online status doesn't tell you the details beyond that.  I am supposed to get some notice in the mail with the details by March 22.  I know there was no math error as my return is fairly simple and I check things over and over both manually and with some help from Excel.  I can only imagine some different interpretation of something although as I just checked things again I see nothing wrong with my return.  Oh well.   I have to file a California NR return for last year so this is why I like to do the Feds first in case there are issues. 

Oh and many states are announcing two or three month filing extensions with no penalties or fees even if you owe taxes.

5 hours ago, spiekerjozef said:

I don't have a smart phone.

same here

3 hours ago, elliss said:

 Who in their right mind , would travel to Thailand , with all this uncertainty ...

 

I was planning on going.  I don't mind the uncertainty from a health point of view.  I am not concerned about getting ill.  now all the travel restrictions, forms, smart phone (I don't have a smart phone) are valid concerns and I probably will not travel.  I was planning about 90 days (60 day SETV with a 30 day extension) starting around April 20 after what was going to be Songkran.  Guess I will stay on this contract job and just dosh up for when things do calm down

What about people that don't have a smart phone?

1 hour ago, thaibeachlovers said:

You do realise that testing everyone would be beyond the capability of the existing labs to do, don't you?

by the math:  USA testable population:  ~ 300 Million.  10,000 tests per day would still take 30,000 days to test everybody.  If 100,000 tests per day, it would still take 3,000 days ( >8 years).  And by then the test results might be meaningless as people are re-exposed.  So just how and what do people expect from testing?

by the math:  USA testable population:  ~ 300 Million.  10,000 tests per day would still take 30,000 days to test everybody.  If 100,000 tests per day, it would still take 3,000 days ( >8 years).  And by then the test results might be meaningless as people are re-exposed.  So just how and what do you expect from testing?

  here in New Jersey, schools are closed. Nearby New York City, too as well as many restaurants closed, bars closed, malls, closed, many businesses are closed.  So now kids are home but so many parents are not home or have to work two jobs so now they are stressed.  people are out of work.  School graduations delayed or postponed.  College entrance exams, SATs, ACTs, GREs canceled.  Now people will not be able to get into planned colleges next year or next.  Degrees are postponed, life situations come up and people have to now drop out of college.  Family stresses are going to be huge both emotionally and financially. 

  The stress and hardships from these actions, and closures are long term effects that don't make the news and will result in pain and suffering and deaths.  None of that is unexpected from any crisis.  The point is to  be aware of that.   Political near term actions are being driven.  Lawsuit fears are not even mentioned yet, but I can imagine all sorts of workplace or city or even government agencies that did not take appropriate measures to protect their workers.  I bet there are law firms preparing briefs by the tons.

oh if Pattaya beach was clean and swimmable and the lovely Thai ladies and all the fun night life were there too.

Well, obviously not going to help tourism if tourists have to stay holed up in their hotel.  But hopefully airlines and travel companies really are notifying people in advance

absolutely stupid and will do more harm than good.

The article says restaurants can sell food and it said people can go out to buy food.  Does that mean the people can still go out and eat or does it mean they can only go shopping at markets for food

One week?  hmmm.  wonder if it is temporary approval of a disability benefit?  I have never heard of regular social security benefits starting in one week.  I am 63 in May but still working a bit since a contract job through a crazy high rate at me so I took it after "retiring" from Northrop.  I plan to wait another year or more for SSA as I have plenty of passive income to draw upon

On 2/28/2020 at 6:09 AM, Gumballl said:

Not a very convincing argument.

 

At 62, I will collect $2066. If I defer to age 67, then it is $3016. If I wait until age 70, then it is $3764.

 

Obviously much higher than the 20% figure you assumed between ages 62 and 67.

 

Also, at some point in time, I will need to draw monies from my 401-K/IRAs; might as well do that between the ages of 62-67.

what many overlook is how much they will now have for MAGI (income) for a year.  When you start taking 401k or IRA distributions those are taxable (unless ROTH IRA).  The more money you make, the more of your social security benefit is taxable.  And your medicare payments are based on your income, so there are reasons to consider keeping your income low, say at around the 87k level which is the lowest medicare Supp B bracket. 

   Income may not be a big issue for many people, but for some, it behooves you to take a look at what your yearly income level may be.

And this is just a recipe for disaster.  disease transmission, etc.  Too many monkees in too close contact with people

the video made the late night comedy show here in the USA.

here is a boots on the ground report from Clifton New Jersey where I am currently working on a contract assignment.  Went to Stop and Shop grocery store last night.  Not particularly busy.  All toilet paper and napkins and paper towels were gone.  All boxes of Pasta were gone.  All cans of regular corn were gone, but there were plenty of cans of cream corn.  Most of canned vegetables were gone with the exception of green beans.  Canned carrots, potatoes, gone.   Many vegetables were gone from the produce section:  No Potatoes, no Onions, no Garlic, bags of salad.  Many fruits were gone, pears, oranges, etc.  Literally no Frozen vegetables in the freezer.   Meats and milk and other dairy all fully stocked.

  Later went to Shop Rite, another large grocery chain.  Again, All Pasta was gone.  Even Kraft Mac and Cheese which I like once a week!  Produce was fully stocked, potatoes, onions, etc.   Pallets of Scott paper products were being unloaded as I shopped.  Canned vegetables were a little more abundant.  Frozen vegetable choices were slim.

  Local city was closing the elementary schools for a while.  Willowbrook Shopping mall is still open.  I can see the New York City skyline from my hotel across the river just as a reference point for where I am.   Yeah a few dozen cases allegedly reported.   Some unconfirmed rumors they may shut down the work location.  Broadway shows in NY are closed, theaters are told to only allow 50% capacity seating.  Nothing I can do about any of that nor care much about.  If work shuts down, well, I go back to my home in Florida and hang out.

   Not seeing any panic, just some stupid things.  Road traffic looks light for this Sunday as I look out over the local roads and freeways visible from my hotel

90 day reporting always has been daft.  It accomplishes little, except maybe create jobs for Thailand paper shufflers

4 hours ago, DubleA said:

So he doesn't have to pay the IRS.  Seems very logical to me. 

I believe that is his main and only reason for doing this.  Dodgy income at best, tax implications of money he gets from his cult church or however he is supported, etc.

  Give us a status update when he becomes a senior.  with no access to Medicare, or any social security benefits.  Or how about when Thailand decides to renounce his citizenship?  Such things do happen.  How about legal issues in Thailand?  Do you think he will be treated like a Thia or a foreigner, despite what his ID card says. 

  He left himself extremely vulnerable to many things

stupid choice to lose the option of a safe haven or port.  The only thing that keeping citizenship might have done to cause him problems is he may have tax liability for money and business overseas.  I doubt he has any legitimate income or business.

  Now he has lost all Medicare eligibility, and any social security eligibility.  So be it.  Give us an update when he becomes a senior citizen

here is a boots on the ground report from Clifton New Jersey where I am currently working on a contract assignment.  Went to Stop and Shop grocery store last night.  Not particularly busy.  All toilet paper and napkins and paper towels were gone.  All boxes of Pasta were gone.  All cans of regular corn were gone, but there were plenty of cans of cream corn.  Most of canned vegetables were gone with the exception of green beans.  Canned carrots, potatoes, gone.   Many vegetables were gone from the produce section:  No Potatoes, no Onions, no Garlic, bags of salad.  Many fruits were gone, pears, oranges, etc.  Literally no Frozen vegetables in the freezer.   Meats and milk and other dairy all fully stocked.

  Later went to Shop Rite, another large grocery chain.  Again, All Pasta was gone.  Even Kraft Mac and Cheese which I like once a week!  Produce was fully stocked, potatoes, onions, etc.   Pallets of Scott paper products were being unloaded as I shopped.  Canned vegetables were a little more abundant.  Frozen vegetable choices were slim.

  Local city was closing the elementary schools for a while.  Willowbrook Shopping mall is still open.  I can see the New York City skyline from my hotel across the river just as a reference point for where I am.   Yeah a few dozen cases allegedly reported.   Some unconfirmed rumors they may shut down the work location.  Broadway shows in NY are closed, theaters are told to only allow 50% capacity seating.  Nothing I can do about any of that nor care much about.  If work shuts down, well, I go back to my home in Florida and hang out.

haha, I am the reverse.  I am staying in my home country instead of going to Thailand.  Too many travel un certainties is the primary reason.  I am not concerned about getting ill from the COV 19 given my age and health.

There are some Thailand meditation retreats advertised online that will help handle visa arrangements.  Some seem to be a bit high end and might not quite be what you are looking for, but it may be an option

Well the majority of people are stupid despite allegedly being educated.  Irrational fear i.e panic over anything.