A Boring Chat About Taxes

So there was a dinner conversation when I visited PittState that entailed what one could claim on their taxes.

Here are the things that went up for debate:

Clothing--Can you claim it? The answer is yes, but the clothes must be expressly used for work. My thinking, this is a risky claim unless you can establish that the suit you bought and claimed on your taxes will only be used at work. My guess--this tax exemption is primarily for military personnel, emergency workers, law enforcement, etc..

Contest Fees--Can you claim them?  The answer is yes. They are professional expenses. I do wish there were better ways of keeping receipts for these other than cancelled checks and non-winning notifications, though.

Subscriptions--Can you claim them?  The answer is yes. They are professional expenses. They can also be construed as donations to non-profits, depending on the type of journal.

Other things to claim that people forget--Computer purchases, printer purchases, anything that has to do with writing, postage, shipping expenses.

Gas is tricky. You can't claim fuel costs if you drive your car to and from work, but you can claim fuel when going to reading engagements.

Sorry to bore you, but I just got my tax refund and I have an excellent accountant--whose expenses, by the way, I can write off on my taxes.

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My reading trip to Los Angeles is shaping up.

I've got a reading at the Cobalt Cafe on April 27th, at 9PM.

A reading on the campus of Cal State Fullerton on April 28th, at 1PM.

A reading for the Third Area Reading Series on April 29th at 7PM.

And there's one other event I'm working on with Ching-In and Neil Aitken, Kundiman alumni.

More on the other event as I gather information.

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I've been reading a lot of submissions for the persona anthology I'm co-editing with Stacey.

Trends--a lot of mythological personas and a lot of Civil War personas. This is just from the sample that I've read and I should be reading more right now, but instead I'm blogging.

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This is the last high-prep week of the academic quarter. Next week will consist of presentations and conferences. I'm ready to move on to the next bit of teaching. Trying to assist students with long poems is quite taxing. There's a lot of reading and back reading--I'd teach it again, but not for awhile.

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Current Spin:

I've got tickets to see them Sunday at the Nightlight Lounge. Should be subdued.