My name is Mark Goodfield. Welcome to The Blunt Bean Counter ™, a blog that shares my thoughts on income taxes, finance and the psychology of money. I am a Chartered Professional Accountant. This blog is meant for everyone, but in particular for high net worth individuals and owners of private corporations. My posts are blunt, opinionated and even have a twist of humour/sarcasm. You've been warned. Please note the blog posts are time sensitive and subject to changes in legislation or law.

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Who says Accountants don't have a sense of Humour

From what I can tell, Kerry Freeman a US accountant, has created a series of animated videos to market his accounting practice. In this video made by Kerry, there are two animated characters, one a young problem client wanting a "big tax refund" and the other a frustrated accountant, trying to explain you just don't automatically get a "big refund" by filing. I have actually met people like this over the years.

Keeping this blog on the lighter side, here is a link to the top ten wackiest income tax deductions taxpayers have claimed in filing their US income tax returns.

Oblivious iPod Listeners

In the past two weeks, I could have easily hit three different people with my car if I was not paying attention. All three of these individuals were totally oblivious to me and their surroundings as they listened to their iPods. One person walked across the street unaware that the light had turned green and two others walked across the parking lot in my building while I was driving to my parking space. I figured this was not a unique experience and got multiple hits when I googled the topic including this article in the Washington Examiner.

As noted in the article, iPod users need to start paying attention to their surroundings, or risk becoming "street pizza".

The blogs posted on The Blunt Bean Counter provide information of a general nature. These posts should not be considered specific advice; as each reader's personal financial situation is unique and fact specific. Please contact a professional advisor prior to implementing or acting upon any of the information contained in one of the blogs.

4 comments:

  1. How about a list of the top ten wackiest things that you CAN deduct? I'll start you with #1: Homeopathic services.

    http://www.cra-arc.gc.ca/E/pub/tg/rc4064/rc4064-e.html#eligible

    Watch out for psychic readings... they can't be far behind.

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  2. Skuj,while not my cup of tea, I have met people who swear by Homeopathic services & remedies. What you consider wacky, others consider a godsend.

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  3. Homeopathic "medicine" is no more effective than sugar pills or regular water (no efficacy beyond the placebo effect), according to the collective weight of scientific and medical evidence. The pseudoscientific theory of Homeopathy is contradicted by the sciences of chemistry and physics.

    Even if you put forth the argument that people can be healed by placebos, on what basis should this be a deduction, when say vitamins and fitness memberships (which are scientifically viable to improve health) are not? If I believe that cigarettes cure cancer, should I deduct those too? No – decisions must be based on evidence, using the scientific method. Rationality must always win.

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  4. This was supposed to be a light and humourous blog day.I am not getting into a homeopathic medicine discussion, you had your say and presented your case, end of thread.

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