HDTenEightyP/NetNews huggingface dataset:
From: pamiri@uci.edu (Peter Amiri)
Subject: How to get a merchant Visa/MC Account?
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
Organization: Dimensional Software
Date: 1 Sep 92 22:25:29 GMT

I am trying to set up a merchant visa/mc account but am having very little
luck doing so since I run my business part time and out of my home. Are
there any known banks that have less restrictions for startups. 

If there is a FAQ or archives that has this information, can someone be so
kind to point me in the right direction. 

Peter Amiri
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: fritz@hpfcbig.sde.hp.com (Gary Fritz (tmp))
Subject: Re: Lexis,Nexis please
Reply-To: Gary Fritz <fritz@hpfcbig.sde.hp.com>
Organization: HP SESD, Fort Collins, CO
X-Newsreader: Tin 1.1scd1 PL4
Date: Sun, 23 Aug 1992 20:42:51 GMT

For the uninformed and curious among us:  just what IS Nexis/Lexis?

Gary
Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: ghoetker@sti.nasa.gov (Glen Hoetker)
Subject: Re: OFFSHORE SOFTWARE FACTORIES?
Organization: Goddard Space Flight Center
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 13:48:46 GMT

perezc@woods.ulowell.edu writes:

>	I have this idea about setting up an 'off shore' software 'factory'
>in the Philippines (i.e. in the Asia/Pacific rim). 

> Does this carve out a niche for software development?

I occassionally interact with a company that does just this thing.  Several
American companies are making use of such services, including, I understand,
John Deere.  The Soviet Union is opening up as another source of talented
low cost programming talent.

The real key, I have been told, is determining what your overseas
programers are capable of, creating a tight quality control environment and
convincing clients that you've done so.  Working with existing software
firms might solve some problems that recruiting individuals would raise.  
Depending what country you're in, the existing infrastructure could already
be quite good.  

Good luck!!

-Glenn Hoetker

Newsgroups: misc.entrepreneurs
From: billd@gdstech.GRUMMAN.COM (Bill D'Camp)
Subject: Re: OFFSHORE SOFTWARE FACTORIES?
Organization: Grumman Corporation
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 23:54:27 GMT


I could be mistaken, but I don't believe you will find an abundance of
well-educated software engineers willing to work for low wages in the
Philipines, or any other country in the Pacific Rim.  The ones that at
all ambitious and well-educated are well paid wherever they are.  Many
of them travel to other countries (US, Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore,
etc), to ensure that they get adequate compensation.  Software
engineers in Korea earn way above the norm when compared with other
occupations requiring a university degree.  Your idea does not seem
terrible practical to me.  To introduce all of the ideas you mentioned
you would require a goodly number of expats for training your
employees, this would be quite expensive.

Spend some time in the area, and you'll see why this is unlikely to
work.

--
    _   /|
    \`o_O'
      ( )    Aachk! Phft!
       U
billd@gdstech.grumman.com
-- 
    _   /|
    \`o_O'
      ( )    Aachk! Phft!
       U
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: tan@infonode.ingr.com (Maribel Tan-Vanderzijp )
Subject: Is business travel expense reimbursement taxable ?
Organization: Intergraph Corporation, Huntsville, AL.
Distribution: misc
Date: Fri, 28 Aug 1992 22:03:41 GMT


Excuse me if the question is very basic and may have been asked before.

Speaking of taxable income on reimbursed job expense. If the reimbursement
is paid on a separate check from the payroll and the value does not 
appear on the W-2 form, and the travel is a company sponsored business
trip, does it have to be reported (added) as income at the end of the
year when filing 1040 and then deducted back as business expense ? or 
it need not be mentioned at all.

a. assuming one is claiming itemized deduction.
b. cash advance for the trip + balance reimbursement is exactly equal to 
   travel expense, and air ticket is purchased directly by the company.

Thanks for the wisdom of the net.

please reply directly to tan@infonode.ingr.com or maribel@maribel.b23b.ingr.com

since I don't read the news daily, and your posted reply may expire before I
got time to scan through the posting.


Maribel
Newsgroups: misc.taxes,misc.invest
From: acheng@ncsa.uiuc.edu (Albert Cheng)
Subject: Re: Is there going to be a tax credit or what!!!!!
Originator: acheng@shalom.ncsa.uiuc.edu
Organization: Nat'l Ctr for Supercomp App (NCSA) @ University of Illinois
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 21:58:14 GMT


In article <1992Sep2.201905.8293@cci632.cci.com>, jmv@cci632.cci.com (James Villard) writes:
>So I can get a sure $800 or chance the $5,000. WHAT DO I DO!!!
>This has been driving me nuts for months - If this thing
>does not go through before NOV. it will be useless - By then
>it will be hard to get a closeing date by the end of 92.

Buy it now if you find one you like and can afford.  Sellers are
not dumb.  They will hold the price firmer if the tax credit really
passes and there are this stamped of buyers.  And who knows what may
happen to the mortage rate which is at its all time low for most
first time home buyers.  It has no place to go except up (but then
Alan G. always surprises us.)
From: fierro@uts.amdahl.com (Doug Fierro)
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
Subject: Re: Is there going to be a tax credit or wh
Date: 3 Sep 92 19:49:41 GMT
Organization: Amdahl Corporation, Sunnyvale CA

In article <1992Sep3.185534.13568@mcs.anl.gov> djc@phebos.aps.anl.gov writes:
>If the legislation goes through, what constitues purchasing a house.  I am currently
>having a house built.  I will hopefully close before 12/31/92.   If someone signed
>a contract to have the house built BEFORE the "start" date of the legislation and
>closed within the "window" then what happens?  (As I understand we don't get 
>property taxed until closing so I am running on the assumption that is what is 
>meant by purchase of the house).
>
>Thanks,
>
>Dan.

   Also, isn't the proposed tax break for first-time home buyers?

  Doug

-- 
                                                     Doug Fierro
                                      |\             UTS System Software
  O                         __________|_\______      CASE tools development
  \_.______________________| * * * * * * * * */      fierro@uts.amdahl.com
 __\____                   |=================/       (408)746-7102
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: shm@syl.syl.nj.nec.com (Shailendra Majmundar)
Subject: SEP/IRA calculations
Reply-To: shm@syl.nj.nec.com
Organization: NEC Systems Laboratory, Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 2 Sep 92 23:10:08 GMT

The IRA SEP/IRA tax guide says that employer-employee total contribution
towards SEP plan can be the lesser of 15 % (13.0435% of the net compensation)
or $30,000. Could someone explain to me where the number 13.0435 come from?
I tried all combinations of FICA (7.65 employee + 7.65 employer) exemptions,
but could not come to this number.

Thanks in advance,

Sam
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: ewm@cbnews.cb.att.com (edward.w.mcfarland)
Subject: Re: Why Are You Volunteering?
Organization: AT&T
Distribution: usa
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 1992 17:24:59 GMT

In article <c9Fi03Uq59H500@amdahl.uts.amdahl.com> fierro@uts.amdahl.com (Doug Fierro) writes:
>In article <pkershaw-120892123244@dce.com.> pkershaw@dce.com writes:
>>Did you know that there is NO law that requires you to pay Income Tax?
>>Did you know that there is NO law that requires you to file a Return?
>>ThatUs right!
>>INCOME TAX IS COMPLETELY VOLUNTARY!
>
>  Am I missing something here, or does the Sixteenth Amendment to the
>Constitution of the United States spell it out specifically? (affectionately
>referred to as the amendment that allows goverment to steal):
>
>      Amendment XVI
>
>      The Congress shall have power to lay and collect taxes on incomes, from
>      whatever source derived, without apportionment among the several States,
>      and without regard to any census or enumeration.
>
>
>What is unclear about this?  I hope no moron believes that this argument will
>hold up in court...
>
>  Doug
>-- 
>                                                     Doug Fierro
>                                      |\             UTS System Software
>  O                         __________|_\______      CASE tools development
>  \_.______________________| * * * * * * * * */      fierro@uts.amdahl.com
> __\____                   |=================/       (408)746-7102
>~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

One key word in the 16th amendment is "income."  There must be a legal 
definition of the word income for the courts to legally enforce a tax on it.
IRS code ("code" is NOT law) does not define income in a legal way. 
Nowhere in the reams of code will you find any more than inference. No legal
definition exists.  

     Ed McFarland                       We make history the old-fashioned
     ewm@mvuzr.att.com                  way, we revise it!

           "Almost anyone can be on TV, I prove it nightly."
                           -David Letterman
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: jittlov@gumby.cs.caltech.edu (Mike Jittlov)
Subject: Willie Nelson v.s. the IR$
Summary: Willie Nelson v.s. the IR$
Keywords: curiosity
Organization: California Institute of Technology, Pasadena
Date: Sun, 30 Aug 1992 22:47:50 GMT

In a large article in Sunday's (Aug 30, 1992) L.A. Times,
it's reported that "in the fall of 1990 the Internal Revenue
Service charged that [famed country singer Willie] Nelson
owed $16.7 million in back taxes, interest, and penalties.
The IR$ later seized most of his assets, including considerable
real estate, and sold them at auction."

Question:  why didn't Mr. Nelson, with all his considerable
talent, resources, savvy and advisors, simply "de-tax" - as
recommended in this NewsGroup?

-mjj
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: djc@aps.anl.gov (Dan Ciarlette, Diagnostics)
Subject: Re: Is there going to be a tax credit or wh
Reply-To: djc@phebos.aps.anl.gov
Organization: Argonne National Lab -- APS
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 1992 18:55:34 GMT

If the legislation goes through, what constitues purchasing a house.  I am currently
having a house built.  I will hopefully close before 12/31/92.   If someone signed
a contract to have the house built BEFORE the "start" date of the legislation and
closed within the "window" then what happens?  (As I understand we don't get 
property taxed until closing so I am running on the assumption that is what is 
meant by purchase of the house).

Thanks,

Dan.
From: McAldon International Inc. <mcaldon@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
Date: 27 Aug 92 21:14 PDT
Subject: Re: IRS Audit
Nf-ID: #R:1992Aug27.173720.3464@porthos.cc:-768485317:cdp:1427800049:000:1480
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!mcaldon    Aug 27 21:14:00 1992


|I need some advice on what to expect in an IRS audit.
|In their letter, they say they want to see receipts
|and proofs for every deductions/depreciations claimed.
|While I have most of these, I can't find receipts for
|some expenses claimed.
|Can somebody share with me their IRS audit experience?
|My audit is scheduled for Tuesday morning 9/2/92.
|KK Lam

I've been through this several times but not recently, so maybe my
experience is out of date.  Sounds like you're having an office audit
-- you go to them.  This is not as bad as when they descend on you:-(
Anyway, Rule 1 is, stick to the topic they're asking about and do NOT
get chatty about anything.  Next, if you can't give ANY substantiation
for deductions, you probably will lose them.  So try to reconstruct in
some way what they were.  Maybe affadavits from persons involved? Or
photos?  Also, remember the IRS guys often have been through this many
times.  They may appear to be friendly but beware.  OTOH, I was audited
by one guy who was interested in my business because he had ideas about
doing the same thing and we got along famously.  Meaning he gave me a
clean bill:-( Lastly, if you get stuck with an insufferable prick, you
can ask not to deal with him because of personality conflict.  Ask for
the supervisor.  I also did this with good results.  DMcKenzie.

|    mcaldon@igc.org     | Opinions dispensed herein not guaranteed |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||


Newsgroups: misc.taxes,misc.invest
From: bills@sequent.com (Bill Sears)
Subject: Re: Is there going to be a tax credit or what!!!!!
Organization: Sequent Computer Systems Inc.
Distribution: usa
Date: Thu, 3 Sep 92 17:09:56 GMT

In article <1992Sep3.123548.28367@meaddata.com> richt@meaddata.com writes:
>In article <1992Sep2.201905.8293@cci632.cci.com>, jmv@cci632.cci.com (James Villard) writes:
>|> I am posting this to misc.taxes and misc.invest because frankly
>|> its the only two I read and it kind of deals with both. A very large
>|> investment action depending on future taxe breaks.
>
>   There is a paragraph or two in MONEY magazine this month about
>   it.   I  can't remember what article it was in, but I'm pretty
>   sure it was in  the first  ten pages.  It  was mentioned  when
>   they are talking  about taxes in  general.  MONEY said that it
>   has been  changed  from $5,000 to  $2,500  and it will  be for
>   those who purchased a home BEFORE 1/1/93.  It does not mention
>   what  date  the  house  had  to  be purchased  after,  though.
>   Hopefully for the full year since I  closed  my first house on
>   1/29/92.

I believe that the date range was from sometime in late July (sometime
during the last week) through the beginning of '93.  If you closed in
the first half of the year, you're out of luck.  The start date coincided
with the day that the legislation was introduced into congress.

  bills
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: shla@spf.trw.com (Sheila Wallace)
Subject: Re: FICA payoff for 1992
Organization: TRW Sensor Data Processing Center, Redondo Beach, CA
Date: Wed, 26 Aug 92 16:46:45 GMT

In article <1992Aug24.204147.1163@tss.com> burke@tss.com (Jim Burke) writes:
>Does anyone know the FICA payoff amounts for 1992?
>

I'm assuming you mean the salary limits at which FICA payments
are no longer taken out.  According to my first paycheck of the year, 
the limits for this year are $55,000 and $130,200 (I can't remember 
which limit is for Medicare and which is for Retirement, though).

Sheila

-- 
Sheila Wallace		(shla@spf.trw.com)
TRW, One Space Park, R2/2162, Redondo Beach, CA 90278
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: iba@kronos.arc.nasa.gov (Wayne Iba)
Subject: Sales tax on (out of state) CD club orders
Organization: NASA/ARC Information Sciences Division
Distribution: usa
Date: Mon, 31 Aug 1992 19:32:36 GMT


I recently joined Columbia House CD club and was told by a friend 
that they charge Calif sales tax -- supposedly they are required by
Calif.  They are located in IN or IL.  I always thought that
out-of-state operations couldn't charge me sales tax.  

Does anyone know the scoop?

Thanks.
--wayne (iba@ptolemy.arc.nasa.gov)

Newsgroups: misc.taxes,misc.consumers.house
From: fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com (Fred Christiansen)
Subject: Re: biting the capital gains bullet:  when do I have to do it?
Organization: Motorola Computer Group, Technical Systems Operations
Distribution: na
Date: Tue, 25 Aug 1992 19:48:08 GMT

Some gentle netters have responded to this by saying I shall have to amend
my 1991 tax return.  That I know.  The question is *when*, since I'll have
to pay on the capital gain and I need to be saving $$ toward that end.

>(Q2)  When will I have to pay on the capital gains of the previous residence?
>	a) when I move into the new house?
>	b) on the 2 year anniversary of the sale of the previous residence?
>	c) in April 1994, the 2 year anniversary of my filing 1991 tax return?
>	d) something else?  (none of the above)

Some have indicated that I can use the value of the new home at the 2 year
anniversary and use that to determine what capital gain can be deferred
and what must be taxed.  That would seem to indicate that sometime (how
much time?) after (b) will be the time to file the amended return.

A tax preparer should know.  But sometimes they aren't 100% right.  Which
is why I arm myself with knowledge from The Net.  Thx.
-- 
Fred Christiansen, Motorola, 2900 S Diablo Way, Tempe, AZ 85282  "Canajun, eh?"
fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com  ||  uunet!phx.mcd.mot.com!fredch  ||  +1 602-438-3464
  On Attitude & the Immune System:  A sound heart is the life of the flesh:
    but envy the rottenness of the bones.  Prov 14:30
From: McAldon International Inc. <mcaldon@igc.apc.org>
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
Date: 27 Aug 92 21:15 PDT
Subject: Re: reducing capital gains by factoring
Nf-ID: #R:1992Aug27.214454.9159@bellahs.co:-822094530:cdp:1427800050:000:1224
Nf-From: cdp.UUCP!mcaldon    Aug 27 21:15:00 1992


|So people who sell houses and have capital gains want to
|reduce their exposure by factoring inflation because of
|some notion of buying power of dollars?  Well by the
|same token, why can't I reduce ordinary income by 
|factoring inflation?  Ridiculous? Yes.  Inflation is BAD, but
|is BAD for everyone, not only house sellers.  We would
|in effect be subsidizing (additionally) home purchasers'
|investments.  Inflation hurts stock sale gains, bond yields,
|regular savings yields etc.  This is a foolish proposition.
|Though if I owned a house I sure would like it! :-)
|-John Jamison

I won't reopen this old can of worms any more except to say there's
much current discussion about the Administration's right to index (not
factor) capital gains based on a new interpretation of the Constitution
and the legal meaning of the word "cost."  If Bush gets desperate, he
may try to do it, IMHO.  Much as I would like to see this happen, it
isn't worth it to vote for Bush.  DMcKenzie.

                         |        Vote for the environment          |
|    mcaldon@igc.org     |        Vote against Bush/Quayle          |
|||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
              
            

Newsgroups: misc.taxes
From: nihong@oregon.uoregon.edu (Hong Ni)
Subject: Pls help me understand a section of the Welfare and Institutions Code
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Oregon
Date: 30 Aug 1992 02:44 PDT  


Greetings!

Could someone out there help me understand a section of the Welfare and
Institutions Code in California's ballot pamphlet?  It goes like this:

>As a condition of eligibility for aid paid under this chapter, each applicant
>or recipient shall:
>(1) [Assign to the county any rights to support from any other person such 
>applicant may have in their own behalf or in behalf of any other family 
>member for whom the applicant is applying or receiving aid, and which have 
>accrued at the time such assignment is made.]  ...

Should "such applicant" be "such applicants" to correspond to "their own 
behalf", and "such assignment" be "such an assignment"?

The previous section in the pamphlet talks about group home programs. 
Please help me analyze the part in [ ].  Break it down and paraphrase it,
if you could.  I will appreciate you help.

E-mail directly to nihong@oregon.uoregon.edu

Regards,

Hong Ni
Xref: sparky misc.taxes:3085 misc.consumers.house:11704
From: ald@clipper.ingr.com (Al Date)
Newsgroups: misc.taxes,misc.consumers.house
Subject: Re: biting the capital gains bullet: when do I have to do it?
Date: 1 Sep 92 18:53:10 GMT
Distribution: na
Organization: Intergraph Advanced Processor Division - Palo Alto, CA

In article <heflin.715021902@pink1> heflin@rtsg.mot.com (Suzanne Stratton Heflin) writes:
>fredch@phx.mcd.mot.com (Fred Christiansen) writes:
>
>>Some gentle netters have responded to this by saying I shall have to amend
>>my 1991 tax return.  That I know.  The question is *when*, since I'll have
>>to pay on the capital gain and I need to be saving $$ toward that end.
>
>>>(Q2)  When will I have to pay on the capital gains of the previous residence?
>>>	a) when I move into the new house?
>>>	b) on the 2 year anniversary of the sale of the previous residence?
>>>	c) in April 1994, the 2 year anniversary of my filing 1991 tax return?
>>>	d) something else?  (none of the above)
>
>>Some have indicated that I can use the value of the new home at the 2 year
>>anniversary and use that to determine what capital gain can be deferred
>>and what must be taxed.  That would seem to indicate that sometime (how
>>much time?) after (b) will be the time to file the amended return.
>
>I am not sure why you are mentioning the value of the new home.  As far as
>I know, that does not figure into the equation.  I have been told that as
>long as you have a replacement home within two years that cost the same or
>more than the home you sold, you can defer all the capital gains.  If the
>home costs less than the one you sold, you cannot defer any of the capital
>gains.  For example, let's say you bought a home several years ago for
>$150,000.  You sell it for $200,000: $50,000 capital gains.  Within 2 years,
>you have anew home that cost $215,000.  You can defer the $50,000 capital
>gains.  If, instead, you have a new home that cost $180,000, you still owe
>the capital gains tax on the $50,000.  It would be nicer if you only owed
>it on $20,000 (200,000 - 180,000), but my understanding is that it doesn't
>work that way.  I have been told that if your new home costs even $10 less
>than the one you sold, you are liable for all of the capital gains.  
    

                 NOT!!    NOT!!    NOT!!


Repeat after me:  "You are liable for the lesser of
                   1. The Old Gain, or 
                   2. The New Step-down in price."


So, if the step-down is $10, you will pay tax on the $10.

If the step-down is $20,000, you will pay tax on the $20,000.

But if the step-down is $100,000, you will only pay tax on 
the $50,000 old deferred gain.

Of course, it may be necessary to add gold plumbing fixtures to
the new house to raise its cost basis (within 24 months of the sale
of the old house), which reduces the size of the 
step-down, in order to avoid the bulk of the liability from coming due.  

But it is far better to have gold bath fixtures than to give your 
gold to the government.    (8-)


--Al Date
From: carl@Cayman.COM (Carl Heinzl)
Newsgroups: misc.taxes
Subject: Re: Middle Class Hit Again in 1992 Tax Bill
Date: 25 Aug 92 20:02:24 GMT
	<1992Aug19.224810.18859@PA.dec.com>
	<1992Aug20.105121.2984@anomaly.sbs.risc.net>
	<1992Aug20.184904.5842@progress.com>
	<1992Aug24.201538.15553@anomaly.sbs.risc.net>
Organization: Cayman Systems Inc., Cambridge, MA
In-reply-to: kd1hz@anomaly.sbs.risc.net's message of 24 Aug 92 20:15:38 GMT
bcc: carl


>>  Ways to get money from a company:
>>  
>>  - Tuition reimbursement is taxed

>This is incorrect. The Feds do not tax tuition reimbursement.

Bzzzz.  Thanks for playing.  You must report as income any tuition
reimbursements that your company pays you on Form 2106.  Only tuition
and related expenses for classes that meet a set of guidelines (job
related, etc) are deductible expenses so it is entirely possible that
your company will give you tuition reimbursement that will give you a
POSITIVE number on form 2106 which will then be added back in
somewhere (I've never had a positive number on this form so I don't
know). 

For example a company may pay a technician for schooling so he can
receive an engineering degree.  This is not deductible since it will
enable to to enter a new line of work that he wouldn't have been able
to do otherwise.  While not as obvious as the typical cases cited
(engineer getting a law degree, etc) this most clearly does not come
under the heading of deductible expenses and is one of the more
probable cases of a company paying for schooling that isn't
deductible.

-Carl-
--
Newsgroups: misc.taxes,misc.legal
From: nihong@oregon.uoregon.edu (Hong Ni)
Subject: What is called "lease-revenue bond"?
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41    
Organization: University of Oregon
Date: 30 Aug 1992 02:46 PDT  

Could someone explain lease-revenue bond to me?  Thanks.

Please reply by email.
Newsgroups: misc.taxes