Useless Conversation

[Sand]

Where in Chicago is your interview?  If it's downtown, you might be better off driving and/or finding a hotel to stay at outside the city.  If it's in one of the suburbs (even one of the inner ring burbs) it shouldn't be too horribly expensive, unless you're around one of the airports.

Schamburg, right off I-90.  There's an extended stay suites I just found via Google maps right across Roselle for only $65 a night.  It's (their estimate) a 20min drive to O'Hare.   Lots of bad reviews for the hotel, but hell so long as there's no bedbugs I'm ahead of the game vs. anyone trying to stay in Cincinnati.   

Thanks for the well-wishes folks.  To get back in the spirit: You're all a bunch of bastards.

Wait. They are bringing you up for the interview right? Shouldnt they be covering transportation and hotel lodging?

[Sand]

My guess is some smartass lawyer told the client he could trade an asset to another party for $1 and it would be a legal contract. The client believed this would probably avoid any income.

However, tax law doesn't see it that way due to the economic substance over form test.

Yep.  It's more interesting than that because involves the US, Canada, VT, New York, Quebec, Ontario, and a crossborder estate.


Mostly, I just get pissed of because people don't bring us in when they're structuring these things, and we're playing catch up 3 weeks before the deadline.

Edit:

I gave up on that for the afternoon, so back to trying to get a hold of this guy in Bahrain.   

Is this involving an island in Canada held as an asset by an American non-profit?

[Merusk]

Where in Chicago is your interview?  If it's downtown, you might be better off driving and/or finding a hotel to stay at outside the city.  If it's in one of the suburbs (even one of the inner ring burbs) it shouldn't be too horribly expensive, unless you're around one of the airports.

Schamburg, right off I-90.  There's an extended stay suites I just found via Google maps right across Roselle for only $65 a night.  It's (their estimate) a 20min drive to O'Hare.   Lots of bad reviews for the hotel, but hell so long as there's no bedbugs I'm ahead of the game vs. anyone trying to stay in Cincinnati.   

Thanks for the well-wishes folks.  To get back in the spirit: You're all a bunch of bastards.

Wait. They are bringing you up for the interview right? Shouldnt they be covering transportation and hotel lodging?

Shit like that doesn't happen for peon positions, which is what this essentially is. It's not management, it's day-to-day labor that could easily be filled by any of the other draftsperson in the world with residential experience.  That's also ignoring the 14% unemployment rate for Architects in Chicago right now and I don't even have the license to claim that title yet so I'm just another unemployed Intern with a much higher pay grade.    So, yeah, not pushing it. 

If I take the job it'd be for the opportunity to move to Chi-Land and have income while doing so. The city is 35% more expensive but I'd be taking a 1k/year pay cut just to be at the cap for the position offered, meaning I'm taking a BIG pay cut to do it. (Hooray for living on a fraction of what I made as it was.)  I currently don't even know if there's a position I could move into with a higher pay grade.  Their answers on the possibility of moving up to another position in time or future pay raises will determine yea or nay for me.

it's also an excuse to go up to Chicago for a day. I haven't been in 7 years so I'm due.

[Lantyssa]

When I bought my home last year I forgot to cancel my renter's insurance through Travelers.  The bill for renewal finally got forwarded so I called them and they gave me no grief and brought up reimbursement for the months I didn't live their on their own.

I realize I shouldn't be so jaded that this surprises me, and there are probably laws to cover this, but I respect that they're doing the right thing without prompting and just wanted to say it.  A+ for Travelers' customer service.

[Strazos]

Has a lot to do with who is speaking it.

No way, their alphabet has grunts for some letters. It's not terrible, but...it has some pretty ugly pronunciations.

[WayAbvPar]

Fuck Boeing. 

Hey, any time you can put your thumb in the eyes of France AND Alabama at the same time, that is a good day's work.

 

[SnakeCharmer]

 

[Musashi]

Shit like that doesn't happen for peon positions, which is what this essentially is. It's not management, it's day-to-day labor that could easily be filled by any of the other draftsperson in the world with residential experience.  That's also ignoring the 14% unemployment rate for Architects in Chicago right now and I don't even have the license to claim that title yet so I'm just another unemployed Intern with a much higher pay grade.    So, yeah, not pushing it. 

If I take the job it'd be for the opportunity to move to Chi-Land and have income while doing so. The city is 35% more expensive but I'd be taking a 1k/year pay cut just to be at the cap for the position offered, meaning I'm taking a BIG pay cut to do it. (Hooray for living on a fraction of what I made as it was.)  I currently don't even know if there's a position I could move into with a higher pay grade.  Their answers on the possibility of moving up to another position in time or future pay raises will determine yea or nay for me.

it's also an excuse to go up to Chicago for a day. I haven't been in 7 years so I'm due.

There's a lot of things about living in Chicago that blows.  But the architecture isn't among them.  Remember what Daniel Burnham said.  And if you forget it's written on the wall of the foyer in the Tribune Tower.  Good Luck.

[Fraeg]

I has a view.   After more years than I care to admit I finally have an office with real honest to goodness windows (damn big ones to) and an amazing view of the Sandia Mountians here in Albuquerque.

Amazing... years spent in cubes, years in inner offices with no view, and now windows!!!   And you know what?  the goddamn glare is driving me nuts, all those years living as a troglodyte and now when I experience true natural light I find it irritating 
I realize I just need to rearrange my office, but I find it pretty funny that I had simply forgotten all about sunlights glare on computer screens.

[ghost]

Do you feel a bit like Gollum, Fraeg? 

Congratulations on the promotion, or even just the change in perspective if that is all it was. 

[Fraeg]

cheers, and thanks, not really a promotion, but the right person retired 

[Yegolev]

Hey, any time you can put your thumb in the eyes of France AND Alabama at the same time, that is a good day's work.

[Sky]

Had an odd moment last night. We took my mother out to dinner at our local mexican joint, they were playing a cd of flamenco and spanish classical tunes. I've been working on two of the songs and regularly play a third (fully in repertoire/memorized). Made me feel pretty good, but it was odd after eating there for so many years to hear stuff I know primarily through playing it.

[WayAbvPar]

Hey, any time you can put your thumb in the eyes of France AND Alabama at the same time, that is a good day's work.

This made me laugh far harder than it should have. Is that Peter Dinklage?

[Sky]

I only know that he's an angry elf.

[Yegolev]

This made me laugh far harder than it should have. Is that Peter Dinklage?

I was convinced that I had seen the movie this is from but currently I cannot remember what it is.

[Cyrrex]

And even stranger, I think I've seen that exact same scene...only without the little person.  Maybe it was shown in another movie as well?

[Paelos]

Fun little thing I learned today. The government has a plan to forgive your student loans if you plan on working in public service for 10 years.

[Salamok]

This made me laugh far harder than it should have. Is that Peter Dinklage?

I was convinced that I had seen the movie this is from but currently I cannot remember what it is.

Looks like it is from Penelope, unless he has more than 1 movie where he plays a guy with 1 eye.

[Yegolev]

Fun little thing I learned today. The government has a plan to forgive your student loans if you plan on working in public service for 10 years.

Kick'em while they are down.

[Nebu]

Fun little thing I learned today. The government has a plan to forgive your student loans if you plan on working in public service for 10 years.

Unfortunately for me, they don't consider being a university professor as "public service".  If I'm wrong, please send me a link.  I have well over $100k I'd like to have forgiven.

[Yegolev]

Another mortgage refinance at 3.875 for ten years, closing tomorrow.  Rock on.

In other news, we plan on advertising our son as eight years old so that we don't have to pay the ridiculous rate for renting a booster seat with a car while in Colorado next week.

[Cyrrex]

Fun little thing I learned today. The government has a plan to forgive your student loans if you plan on working in public service for 10 years.

Unfortunately for me, they don't consider being a university professor as "public service".  If I'm wrong, please send me a link.  I have well over $100k I'd like to have forgiven.

You're paid via the public dole, are you not?  Sounds like public service to me.  Unless professors are exempted due to some of their money coming (sometimes) from foundational monies.  I'm sure there would have to be tons of exceptions to a program like this anyway, otherwise everyone would know about it.

[Paelos]

Fun little thing I learned today. The government has a plan to forgive your student loans if you plan on working in public service for 10 years.

Unfortunately for me, they don't consider being a university professor as "public service".  If I'm wrong, please send me a link.  I have well over $100k I'd like to have forgiven.

Search where you work here: http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/

If you're on that list, your loans would qualify. There are obviously hoops and catches, and I would have to be your CPA to go into them, but it's a good thing to bring up with whomever does your work.

[Sky]

Fun little thing I learned today. The government has a plan to forgive your student loans if you plan on working in public service for 10 years.

I wish they had a plan to forgive the fucking first time home-buyer "credit" that was actually a loan if you took it in the first eight months of the two+ years it ran. That's going to be a low-level burn for 14 more years as I enjoy not getting a federal return until I'm almost retired.

[Murgos]

If you're on that list, your loans would qualify. There are obviously hoops and catches, and I would have to be your CPA to go into them, but it's a good thing to bring up with whomever does your work.

So, my company is on that list but the code is "none: A public charity with a 50% deductibility limitation."

How do I tell what that means?

[Paelos]

If you're on that list, your loans would qualify. There are obviously hoops and catches, and I would have to be your CPA to go into them, but it's a good thing to bring up with whomever does your work.

So, my company is on that list but the code is "none: A public charity with a 50% deductibility limitation."

How do I tell what that means?

It means you're a normal 501c3. If you work at a 501c3 non-profit, your loans qualify.

[Nebu]

Search where you work here: http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/

If you're on that list, your loans would qualify. There are obviously hoops and catches, and I would have to be your CPA to go into them, but it's a good thing to bring up with whomever does your work.

Bah, nothing.  Apparently being a prof isn't considered public service as much as working for a pro life organization. 

Thank you very much for the link though.  I appreciate the help. 

[Johny Cee]

Search where you work here: http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/

If you're on that list, your loans would qualify. There are obviously hoops and catches, and I would have to be your CPA to go into them, but it's a good thing to bring up with whomever does your work.

Bah, nothing.  Apparently being a prof isn't considered public service as much as working for a pro life organization. 

Thank you very much for the link though.  I appreciate the help. 

Is this the program:  http://www.finaid.org/loans/publicservice.phtml ?


Being a professor is a public service (i.e. for a charitable or government org), it's just that the link that Paelos posted looks like it mostly focuses on Section 501(c)3s.

Many, many, many other charitable orgs are rendered charitable under different sections of the law, so wouldn't show up. 

If your employer gives a tax deduction for donations to the college/college fund, then yes it is some form of charitable org.  In general, "Museums & Colleges" get their charitable exempt from a different section of the statute.

All "governmental" type organizations, for instance, also qualify as "charitable" organizations for tax deduction purposes by definition, and don't even need to apply.

[Johny Cee]

Fun little thing I learned today. The government has a plan to forgive your student loans if you plan on working in public service for 10 years.

I wish they had a plan to forgive the fucking first time home-buyer "credit" that was actually a loan if you took it in the first eight months of the two+ years it ran. That's going to be a low-level burn for 14 more years as I enjoy not getting a federal return until I'm almost retired.

Dude.  It's a 0% long-term loan.


On the other hand, I had my closing in October the year before the program started so I missed out on getting anything by three months.

[Paelos]

Search where you work here: http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/

If you're on that list, your loans would qualify. There are obviously hoops and catches, and I would have to be your CPA to go into them, but it's a good thing to bring up with whomever does your work.

Bah, nothing.  Apparently being a prof isn't considered public service as much as working for a pro life organization. 

Thank you very much for the link though.  I appreciate the help. 

If you are an educator, I'm almost certain you are qualified. Who does your taxes? We might be able to work something out if you like. PM me if you're looking for something.

[Johny Cee]

Search where you work here: http://www.irs.gov/app/pub-78/

If you're on that list, your loans would qualify. There are obviously hoops and catches, and I would have to be your CPA to go into them, but it's a good thing to bring up with whomever does your work.

Bah, nothing.  Apparently being a prof isn't considered public service as much as working for a pro life organization. 

Thank you very much for the link though.  I appreciate the help. 

If you are an educator, I'm almost certain you are qualified. Who does your taxes? We might be able to work something out if you like. PM me if you're looking for something.

As an aside:

How about that Small Employer Health Insurance Credit?  Fucking pain in the ass, but I've been seeing some significant tax benefits if you qualify.

[Paelos]

Luckily most of ours are just S's with only the owners and contract workers, so we don't get a lot of it.

It may apply to 5-10 of our clients, but I do some many real estate holding returns it doesn't come up. 

[bhodi]

Since we're back on this, I have to ask - if $1 isn't an appropriate amount, what *is*?

[Paelos]

Since we're back on this, I have to ask - if $1 isn't an appropriate amount, what *is*?

Typically the correct amount is what it would be worth to a third party at an arms length transaction. The IRS frowns on related party transactions or any transaction that avoids what they refer to as "economic reality."