Wednesday, February 20, 2019

Tax time…Confusion time..



Trucks of Art:
 1909 Motor Home

And now:
I probably tell this every year. If I do, just go on to the next blog. LOL

My brother was a VERY successful business man, I was in business. Brother Jr. asked who did my taxes. My answer was, "I do" (saying it like, doesn’t every one?) I had always filed our taxes since age 17.
“You need a CPA son!”
“I can read as good as anyone Junior and besides that costs money.”
“It isn’t simple, find you a CPA, take him your books and ask if he can pay his salary.”

Just to prove Junior wrong I found Marvin. Feeling a little strange, I said, “MY big brother said I should bring my books to you and ask if you can pay your salary?”

He smiled and took the books. Over the next 10 years he saved me a lot. THEN HE HAD THE AUDACITY TO DIE.

Then later the boy that had bought Marvin’s accounts called and said,”Mr. Darnell you owe a few thousand dollars in taxes how do you want to handle it?” 

I told the kid in no uncertain terms I would get a new bookkeeper. He said, “We need to talk when you come to pick up your records.”

MY EYES were opened. I learned Marvin had been lying on my taxes over the years. He had added a few hundred thousand $ in expenses that I did not have. OUCH! 

Son Mark who was always my point man said, “Dad, I will pay the taxes, you have carried me for years, I owe much more than that for taxes of mine you have paid.”

I kept the kid as a CPA. Another customer of Marvin’s came to me and asked what I was going to do? I told him I was going to pay correctly from now on and hope I was never audited. (That was about 25 years ago, I should be safe).

Nite Shipslog

PS: Truthfully I could never understand all the forms Marvin used. I just signed them. I smile when people want to see a millionaire’s tax returns, like he fills them out or can even read them, he has attorney’s to do his.
In Nixon’s time in office one year he paid $750 in taxes. All legal. Sherry and I had paid about $2000. Nixon was my commander in chief. LOL

ps2: New book.  I expect to sell 10 paperbacks to me for the family and probably 5-10 e-books.  It is a long book 410 pages. I thought would be of interest to the family!(Sherry & Evelyn like the book.) !

7 comments:

Mevely317 said...

I wholeheartedly believe in having a CPA prepare most folks' taxes … that is, if they don't take the standard deduction. (And I'm not just saying that on account I worked for CPAs for many, many years.) Old Marvin's probably not the only professional to manipulate the numbers; good thing y'all weren't discovered!

PS - Forgot to mention yesterday, but I'm definitely going to order your #13.

NanaDiana said...

How horrible of that CPA to do that to you...and I am sure you aren't the only one that "benefited" from his services. Glad you are on the straight and narrow now. I would hate to see your sweet wife parked in the prison parking lot in the camper waiting for you to get out!

Good luck with your book!!!!! Hugs- Diana

Susan Kane said...

We have used the same CPA as our Mom used. She always always verified that the cost was right. We do the same.

May Marvin pay his eternal duty in whatever place he ends up.

Your son is a sweet man.

betty said...

The tax guy that did our taxes back in 2016 I had my questions about if some of the things he let us take as deductions were things we should take or not, etc., but he was with H and R Block who we always had our taxes done through. He was an independent accountant/tax man until getting ready to retire when he had H and R Block buy his business and then he had to work for them for a year or two. We were the final year that he was working and I think he let things slide. We haven't been audited yet, so fingers crossed. Always good to try to be upfront and pay what we owe in taxes. Still got to get ours done this year, but its early :)

betty

Glenda said...

My taxes are done, a sigh of relief. Mine are simple these days however, I have a tax preparer (not as expensive as a CPA) do them. I think of it as an "investment" in peace of mind. What a shameful thing for Marvin to do, it could have been a big "bump in the road" if discovered.

Lisa said...

We have an Accountant that does our taxes.(you may know as Dan at Pace tax in Gastonia). He is my moms cousin. Hes is great and knows his stuff. I always walk out knowing more than I did when I walked in. I have never had to pay taxes. So far, We always come out on the good end though it gets smaller every year.

From wet and stormy Gtown
Lisa

I'm mostly known as 'MA' said...

With great thanks to the simple life I don't have to do taxes anymore. You don't have to pay tax on Social Security unless you make more, and I don't. For years though I did have a CPA do my taxes when I worked and I thought if something was wrong, that he did, then he was the one responsible. But like you say, after 25 years you shouldn't have to worry at all, one way or the other. Good you found a responsible one in the mix.

Love and hugs!
'ma'