#irs back tax relief

[besttaxpro]

Besttaxpro

Tax Attorney in 6040 Main St Suite #102, Rockford, MN, USA 55373

Phone- 763-477-4205

Email- josh@besttaxpro.com

Website- https://www.besttaxpro.com

Joshua specializes in successfully resolving cases in all areas of tax resolution including liens, levies, & other IRS collections cases. He is experienced in all aspects of Tax Resolution cases regarding Currently Not Collectible, Offer in Compromise & Installment Agreement cases. Joshua also represents individuals and small businesses before the IRS and Minnesota State Department of Revenue in income tax audits. For the past 10 years, he has been licensed to represent taxpayers before the Internal Revenue Service as an Enrolled Agent.

We are open on- Mon - Sun: - 8:30 am - 6 pm.

Google Maps- https://goo.gl/maps/aR5YQvzLVRcj9evU7

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #16

April 26-May 3 2024

President Biden announced $3 billion to help replace lead pipes in the drinking water system. Millions of Americans get their drinking water through lead pipes, which are toxic, no level of lead exposure is safe. This problem disproportionately affects people of color and low income communities. This first investment of a planned $15 billion will replace 1.7 million lead pipe lines. The Biden Administration plans to replace all lead pipes in the country by the end of the decade.

President Biden canceled the student debt of 317,000 former students of a fraudulent for-profit college system. The Art Institutes was a for-profit system of dozens of schools offering degrees in video-game design and other arts. After years of legal troubles around misleading students and falsifying data the last AI schools closed abruptly without warning in September last year. This adds to the $29 billion in debt for 1.7 borrowers who wee mislead and defrauded by their schools which the Biden Administration has done, and a total debt relief for 4.6 million borrowers so far under Biden.

President Biden expanded two California national monuments protecting thousands of acres of land. The two national monuments are the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and the Berryessa Snow Mountain National Monument, which are being expanded by 120,000 acres. The new protections cover lands of cultural and religious importance to a number of California based native communities. This expansion was first proposed by then Senator Kamala Harris in 2018 as part of a wide ranging plan to expand and protect public land in California. This expansion is part of the Administration's goals to protect, conserve, and restore at least 30 percent of U.S. lands and waters by 2030.

The Department of Transportation announced new rules that will require car manufacturers to install automatic braking systems in new cars. Starting in 2029 all new cars will be required to have systems to detect pedestrians and automatically apply the breaks in an emergency. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration projects this new rule will save 360 lives every year and prevent at least 24,000 injuries annually.

The IRS announced plans to ramp up audits on the wealthiest Americans. The IRS plans on increasing its audit rate on taxpayers who make over $10 million a year. After decades of Republicans in Congress cutting IRS funding to protect wealthy tax cheats the Biden Administration passed $80 billion for tougher enforcement on the wealthy. The IRS has been able to collect just in one year $500 Million in undisputed but unpaid back taxes from wealthy households, and shows a rise of $31 billion from audits in the 2023 tax year. The IRS also announced its free direct file pilot program was a smashing success. The program allowed tax payers across 12 states to file directly for free with the IRS over the internet. The IRS announced that 140,000 tax payers were able to use it over their target of 100,000, they estimated it saved $5.6 million in tax prep fees, over 90% of users were happy with the webpage and reported it quicker and easier than companies like H&R Block. the IRS plans to bring direct file nationwide next year.

The Department of Interior announced plans for new off shore wind power. The two new sites, off the coast of Oregon and in the Gulf of Maine, would together generate 18 gigawatts of totally clean energy, enough to power 6 million homes.

The Biden Administration announced new rules to finally allow DACA recipients to be covered by Obamacare. Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) is an Obama era policy that allows people brought to the United States as children without legal status to remain and to legally work. However for years DACA recipients have not been able to get health coverage through the Obamacare Health Care Marketplace. This rule change will bring health coverage to at least 100,000 uninsured people.

The Department of Health and Human Services finalized rules that require LGBTQ+ and Intersex minors in the foster care system be placed in supportive and affirming homes.

The Senate confirmed Georgia Alexakis to a life time federal judgeship in Illinois. This brings the total number of federal judges appointed by President Biden to 194. For the first time in history the majority of a President's nominees to the federal bench have not been white men.

[definitelynotafurinasimp]

*appears out of being thought into existence*

Hear me out- Topaz with s/o doing the “I don’t care who the IRS sends I’m not paying my taxes” when Topaz tries to ask them out a date (it’s light hearted teasing though)

If you manifest this idea into writing would be great

*disappears out*

“I don’t care who the IPC sends, I am not paying my taxes”

characters: Topaz x gn!reader

warnings: none

a/n: Do I have any clue about Topaz’ character? What a great Joke! Will this be outdated the picosecond she appears in the story? Absolutely! Why am I still writing for her? Bc she’s cute and I absolutely adore her!

Anyway, hope you enjoy!

Topaz

You had always had an… unique sense of humor, saying things that would make people not accustomed to it freeze in confusion, too baffled to say anything. Only for the at first small grin on your face to grow larger and larger, feeding off the uncomfortable silence. And while you luckily agreed to keep them at a minimum, you always found the most unfitting –or fitting if she were to see it from your perspective– moment to make up for it.

As Topaz finally arrived in front of your apartment, having made sure to wake up a bit earlier so she still had time to spend with Numby before heading out, she took one last glance at her reflection in a nearby puddle before ringing your doorbell. Counting the seconds it took you to open the door.

…20, 21, finally a click before the door opened slightly. Faster than usual, she thought, only for the door to open completely, revealing you standing behind it, favorite mug in hand.

“Hey Y/N! I still have some time before I have to go to that meeting, wanna grab a coffee?” It wouldn’t have been the first time the two of you went to go drink coffee together, but judging from the look on your face, the feeling you might not have been much of a morning person slowly crept over Topaz.

“I don’t care who the IPC sends, I am not paying my taxes.”

You were joking. You had to be. Nobody would be dumb enough to tell the up and coming star of the IPC that they weren’t paying taxes. Not even y-... well, there was a chance.

When Topaz’ mind finally managed to claw its way back into the real world however, the sight of the shit-eating grin spanning ear to ear on your face was enough to make her breathe out a sigh of relief before letting out a small chuckle.

“What a way to start my day. You’re paying for the coffee today”, she declared as she turned around, waiting long enough for you to put away your mug before walking in the direction of the shop, you quickly catching up to her before your usual banter continued.

Even though she knew you were joking, Topaz will check your file in the tax archives… just to make sure.

[galeorderbride]

👉🏼👈🏼 may you do headcanons for Rolan, Dammon and Wyll with a GN or Fem Tav that isn’t very physically strong, but an absolute beast with magic? I’m talking like, they’re breaking a sweat picking up a large battle axe, but casting spells is like second nature to them? Healing, debuffs, and attacking spells. They don’t make a show of it, but are quite proud of it. (My lil Tav is a bard and storm sorcerer, if that helps) (btw: I hope you have a nice day! 💖)

May you have a nice day too, anon! Thanks for this cute request! And also for your patience!

Tags: F!Tav (no appearance described), T rating, I went a little fluffy with these.

Headcanons below for Wyll, Dammon and Rolan (in that order):

Wyll:

Wouldn’t doubt you for a second! Since he joins Tav’s side as a companion, he’d see first hand how much of a beast she would be with magic. He might poke a little fun at her for struggling to move large rocks or missing a hit with her staff, but when she incinerates a goblin in one hit from a mere fire bolt cantrip, there can be no debate that Tav is a force to be reckoned with. Everything is all in good fun, and he’d become drawn to the little moments he’d see her playing with strands of weave to pass the time. Firelight glowing against her skin, cheeks blush from a glass or two of wine as purple strands flowed around her.

In between those fascinating moments, he’d take advantage of Tav’s lack of physical aptitude. Offering to pick up heavy objects for her, carry supply boxes to and from, chop wood for the fire (in hopes that she was in the sight line to be watching). For the first time, he’d feel useful without having to rely on his warlock powers. Simply labouring to help someone, and a person he grew to care about very deeply, at that. Seeing her smile and thank him every time was just a bonus.

His favourite moment was after fighting the Bullette in the Underdark. A particularly taxing beast, and one that took a sinister swipe at him as he got a little too close with his rapier. The creature left a large gash on his arm, blood pooling out of the wound and staining his shirt. Tav wasn’t a cleric, he accepted having to wait until arriving at camp for Shadowheart’s help. But he was wrong.

Tav sat him down on a broken tree stump and began to hover her hand over the wound. Azure particles of healing magic sealing the cut and cleaning off the drying blood. Wyll shivered at her touch, overwhelmed by both the feeling of sizzling weave and the intimacy between them. Foreign to him after so many years playing the Blade of Frontiers, avoiding the ire of Mizora. He inched a little closer to Tav on the log, sighing in relief as the agony of his injury disappeared. Left only with their faces inching closer.

“You are full of surprises,” he said.

Dammon:

He’s all about smithing, crafting tools and weapons with the heaviest, toughest metals. Infernal iron being the most interesting to him. Getting to know Tav had provided much needed motivation to keep with his work, as she’d allow him to information dump on his favourite kinds of elements, how much he learned in his time in Avernus, even showing her blueprints he created. She was simply a joy to talk to, and had fascinating things to say about all things magic. Reminding him a bit of Rolan, but not quite so proud of her gift.

Ultimately, he is charmed by Tav’s humility. Treating magic as a labour of love rather than a weapon or status symbol to behold. In perfection, there was imperfection, Dammon knew that well. And he was positively charmed when Tav tried to help him move a large battle axe out of the way, struggling to drag it to the nearest corner of his makeshift shop. Trying to hide the grunts and heavy breaths as she used both arms to slide the weapon back. Dammon grinned, stuck in how adorable she looked when she didn’t notice him noticing her. He blew his cover, laughing out loud when Tav swore under her breath and used a sending spell to drive the axe into the corner with a smack against the wooden bearing.

“Were you watching me just now?” She asked, brow raised in a cheeky expression.

He raised his hands in defeat. “Was a little difficult when you sounded like an ox in pain.”

She scoffed, containing her laugh, “Don’t you know how to compliment a lady.”

Dammon cleared his throat, masking the nervousness that still coated his face every time she did something even adjacent to flirting. Leave it to a sorcerer to render someone speechless, a charisma only championed by a witty warlock.

Tav smiled, patting his shoulder as she said, “Don’t worry, just joking around. You’re right, after all, I am the weakest link when it comes to strength. It’s either magic or endurance, really.”

“Well,” Dammon started with a careful smirk, “You certainly showed that axe who’s boss with that magic of yours.”

Dammon had a silent thought as the two of them eyed each other from across the shop. A potential, an idea he dared not think too hard about lest he jinx any chance of it happening. Maybe the two of them could make up for what the other didn’t have. She could bring forth a strong, admirable magic while he supplied the strength, the tools. He’d never be a Herculean warrior, but he could lift pounds and pounds of heavy metal after years of blacksmithing. And if she were ever in need of such services, he’d be there in a heartbeat.

Rolan:

Both him and Tav are casters, fascinated and intertwined with the magic of the weave. One might think that Rolan would find friendly solidarity with a fellow spell caster, but things are never that simple with him, are they? At first, Rolan might be a little dismissive towards Tav, especially if she’s a sorcerer rather than a wizard. He’d humour the times he’d see Tav do magic, acknowledging it to be impressive but unpractised. Ignoring the eye rolls from Cal and Lia who saw right through his ruse.

That ruse being that, deep down, Rolan felt a little envious of Tav’s abilities. Especially as the goblins closed in on the Grove, Tav and her companions fought alongside the tieflings atop the fortified gate. Her spell work was decisive, powerful. High level spells and cantrips wreaking havoc on the goblins below, a firebolt at the oil barrels causing an explosion. Followed by a skilled thunder wave to knock spiders off the platforms. This wasn’t to say he didn’t do his part, a detail oriented and savvy wizard. But as capable as he was, he also found himself with the nasty habit of comparing himself to others.

After the fight, Rolan sat on a pair of discarded boxes as Cal and Lia excitedly re-enacted the battle. Joking and horsing around with some of the tiefling kids while the adults began to pack up for the road. Tav was there as well, doing her part to contribute as always. Smiling and chatting with the refugees as she walked slowly up the path to the Grove. She ended at Rolan, standing over him with a soft grin, glinting in the dusty sunlight behind her. Hair moving in the little breeze, wafting with the scent of fresh water and florals. An aura that, somehow, left him calm. A feeling he’d been having since the party at her camp. When he’d managed to actually talk to her for a few minutes without trying to prove himself. He thought back to that a lot.

“Mind if I sit down with you?” She asked, seating herself on the box next to his when he nodded.

“I figured you’d be out there helping pack everyone’s wagon,” Rolan said, eyes shifting from side to side, unable to look her in the eye without an embarrassing blush not even his complexion could hide.

She chuckled, “Admittedly, I’m not much help. Bex and Danis did their best to humour me as I struggled to put a single box on the wagon. Hard not to give up after a minute.”

Rolan sighed, “I see. I’m not the strongest out there either. Not exactly a talent of most wizards.”

“At least we have our magic,” she said. “I enjoyed creating those little illusions with you at the party. Maybe we can do that again sometime?”

He thought back to that moment, when she caught him performing a little magic for Cal and Lia. She clapped for him, a blip of encouragement next to the teasing of his siblings. Tav and him walked off together, he wasn’t exactly sure how she convinced him to do that, and they did more illusory magic together. Creating different colours and effects, Tav even created a stag, saying he reminded her of the calm but confident creature. He was a nervous mess the entire time. Fumbling words, avoiding eye contact. Never gaining the courage to tell her how much he enjoyed that night.

He cleared his throat, shrugging off the lurching anxiety over what the right thing to say was. “If we manage to cross paths again. Perhaps we could.”

Tav smiled, knocking her arm against his playfully. “I look forward to it.”

[dandylovesturtles]

Raph and Leo trick or treat

Uhhhh this one is breaking the rules but I had an idea and no one asked for Leo and Raph trick, so here we go.

CW: death (of OCs, no major characters), violence (not particularly graphic)

———

Just seconds ago they were watching a movie together. Leo got up, said he wanted more tea. Raph offered to get it for him, because Leo still needed crutches, still had nasty cracks in his shell, but Leo shook his head and said he wanted to move around.

Now, there are six people in their home, and Raph has idea how they got here.

Humans, all of them. Adults, big guys, some of them even taller than Raph. They’re wearing military fatigues and vests and helmets, and they’re armed to the teeth. EPF is emblazoned on their lapels.

They’ve positioned themselves to block Leo and Raph off from each other. Three gun barrels trained on each of them. Raph wonders how they got past Donnie’s security system.

Calling for help is no use. Mikey and Splinter have gone to the Hidden City for supplies, and Donnie’s looting a junkyard. Maybe this is why they’re attacking now. It’s just the two of them, and Leo is in no state to fight.

Raph feels frozen, unsure what to do. He doesn’t have his weapons - if he summons them, will they shoot him? Shoot Leo? He doesn’t know if bullets would pierce their shells. He doesn’t want to find out.

“Heyyyy guys,” says Leo, his voice light despite the situation. “Are you from the IRS? Sorry, we’ll get right on those taxes.”

“Quiet,” barks one of the men.

“Oh yeah, right to remain silent.” Leo chuckles in a strained way. “Never been good at that one.”

“You will come with us,” the same man says. “We are authorized to use force if you do not cooperate.”

“Sorry, my dad says not to go with strangers.”

Raph can’t see it, but he hears it: the slam of something his little brother’s face; Leo grunting in pain; the clatter of his crutches as he stumbles and falls.

Something inside Raph wakes up and roars.

They are outnumbered. They are unarmed. They are just kids, facing down adults with guns and armor and forceful expressions.

And Raph will fight tooth and nail, to his last breath, to protect his family.

His ninpo crackles as it engulfs his fists. He hears one of the men shout in surprise. There’s a gunshot, then another.

Raph barely registers it. His only thought is to protect Leo. He knows nothing else.

It’s a few minutes later when the static clears. “Raph!” Leo is calling, and he sounds panicked, and it shakes Raph back to awareness.

There’s blood everywhere. The air stinks with it. And there are bodies. Six of them, mangled and bent and impossibly small on the ground.

The red of his ninpo falls away and Raph stares in uncomprehending shock.

They’re dead.

He killed them.

It had been easy.

“Raph,” Leo says again, something begging in his tone. “Raph, come on, snap out of it. We can’t stay here.”

“I killed them,” he says.

“It was self-defense,” Leo answers immediately. “They broke into our house. They had guns.”

“It was easy,” he says, and feels sick.

“They attacked us,” Leo argues. He’s shaking and so is Raph. “You were protecting me.”

Raph stares at his hands. He feels like they should have blood on them, but they don’t. His ninpo shielded him from the spray.

“Raph,” says Leo, voice somehow measured despite everything. “Donnie’s alone.”

It’s this that finally shakes him out of it. His other little brother is alone. What if they’re after him, too?

He looks at Leo. There’s a trickle of blood coming from his nose where he got hit. He’ll have a shiner for sure. But he’s unhurt otherwise. His eyes are big and worried but they aren’t afraid.

“We have to get out of here,” Leo reiterates. “We can get the tank. Get Donnie and Dad and Mikey and figure out what to do.”

Raph nods. Right. They can’t just stand around. They can’t stay here with the-

He takes a deep breath. “I’ll carry you, you try to get Donnie on the comms.”

Relief floods Leo’s face, and he nods. “Great plan, big guy.”

Raph lifts Leo in his arms, grabbing his crutch and tucking it under his shoulder before he’s moving. Away from the stench of blood and death.

Leo calls Donnie on the comm, and he answers right away. He already knows, and Raph listens as the twins work out a meeting point. Leo doesn’t tell Donnie what happened. Just says they’re okay.

It will do for now.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Elizabeth Warren on weaponized budget models

In yesterday’s essay, I broke down the new series from The American Prospect on the hidden ideology and power of budget models, these being complex statistical systems for weighing legislative proposals to determine if they are “economically sound.” The assumptions baked into these models are intensely political, and, like all dirty political actors, the model-makers claim they are “empirical” while their adversaries are “doing politics”:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/03/all-models-are-wrong/#some-are-useful

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/04/cbo-says-no/#wealth-tax

Today edition of the Prospect continues the series with an essay by Elizabeth Warren, describing how her proposal for universal child care was defeated by the incoherent, deeply political assumptions of the Congressional Budget Office’s model, blocking an important and popular policy simply because “computer says no”:

https://prospect.org/economy/2023-04-04-policymakers-fight-losing-battle-models/

When the Build Back Better bill was first mooted, it included a promise of universal, federally funded childcare. This was excised from the final language of the bill (renamed the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill), because the CBO said it would cost too much: $381.5b over ten years.

This is a completely nonsensical number, and the way that CBO arrived at it is illuminating, throwing the ideology of CBO modeling into stark relief. You see, the price tag for universal childcare did not include the benefits of childcare!

As Warren points out, this is not how investment works. No business leader assesses their capital expenditures without thinking of the dividends from those investments. No firm decides whether to open a new store by estimating the rent and salaries and ignoring the sales it will generate. Any business that operates on that basis would never invest in anything.

Universal childcare produces enormous dividends. Kids who have access to high-quality childcare grow up to do better in school, have less trouble with the law, and earn more as adults. Mothers who can’t afford childcare, meanwhile, absent themselves from the workforce during their prime earning years. Those mothers are less likely to advance professionally, have lower lifetime earnings, and a higher likelihood of retiring without adequate savings.

What’s more, universal childcare is the only way to guarantee a living wage to childcare workers, who are disproportionately likely to rely on public assistance, including SNAP (AKA food stamps) to make ends meet. These stressors affect childcare workers’ job performance, and also generate public expenditures to keep those workers fed and housed.

But the CBO model does not include any of those benefits. As Warren says, in a CBO assessment, giving every kid in America decent early childhood care and every childcare worker a living wage produces the same upside as putting $381.5 in a wheelbarrow and setting it on fire.

This is by design. Congress has decreed that CBO assessments can’t factor in secondary or indirect benefits from public expenditure. This is bonkers. Public investment is all secondary and indirect benefits — from highways to broadband, from parks to training programs, from education to Medicare. Excluding indirect benefits from assessments of public investments is a literal, obvious, unavoidable recipe for ending the most productive and beneficial forms of public spending.

It means that — for example — a CBO score for Meals on Wheels for seniors is not permitted to factor in the Medicare savings from seniors who can age in their homes with dignity, rather than being warehoused at tremendous public expense in nursing homes.

It means that the salaries of additional IRS enforcers can only be counted as an expense — Congress isn’t allowed to budget for the taxes that those enforcers will recover.

And, of course, it’s why we can’t have Medicare For All. Private health insurers treat care as an expense, with no upside. Denying you care and making you sicker isn’t a bug as far as the health insurance industry is concerned — it’s a feature. You bear the expense of the sickness, after all, and they realize the savings from denying you care.

But public health programs can factor in those health benefits and weigh them against health costs — in theory, at least. However, if the budgeting process refuses to factor in “indirect” benefits — like the fact that treating your chronic illness lets you continue to take care of your kids and frees your spouse from having to quit their job to look after you — then public health care costings become indistinguishable from the private sector’s for-profit death panels.

Child care is an absolute bargain. The US ranks 33d out of 37 rich countries in terms of public child care spending, and in so doing, it kneecaps innumerable mothers’ economic prospects. The upside of providing care is enormous, far outweighing the costs — so the CBO just doesn’t weigh them.

Warren is clear that there’s no way to make public child care compatible with CBO scoring. Even when she whittled away at her bill, excluding millions of families who would have benefited from the program, the CBO still flunked it.

The current budget-scoring system was designed for people who want to “shrink government until it fits in a bathtub, and then drown it.” It is designed so that we can’t have nice things. It is designed so that the computer always says no.

Warren calls for revisions to the CBO model, to factor in those indirect benefits that are central to public spending. She also calls for greater diversity in CBO oversight, currently managed by a board of 20 economists and only two non-economists — and the majority of the economists got their PhDs from the same program and all hew to the same orthodoxy.

For all its pretense of objectivity, modeling is a subjective, interpretive discipline. If all your modelers are steeped in a single school, they will incinerate the uncertainty and caveats that should be integrated into every modeler’s conclusions, the humility that comes from working with irreducible uncertainty.

Finally, Warren reminds us that there are values that are worthy of consideration, beyond a dollars-and-cents assessment. Even though programs like child care pay for themselves, that’s not the only reason to favor them — to demand them. Child care creates “an America in which everyone has opportunities — and ‘everyone’ includes mamas.” Child care is “an investment in care workers, treating them with respect for the hard work they do.”

The CBO’s assassination of universal child care is exceptional only because it was a public knifing. As David Dayen and Rakeen Mabud wrote in their piece yesterday, nearly all of the CBO’s dirty work is done in the dark, before a policy is floated to the public:

https://prospect.org/economy/2023-04-03-hidden-in-plain-sight/

The entire constellation of political possibility has been blotted out by the CBO, so that when we gaze up at the sky, we can only see a few sickly stars — weak economic nudges like pricing pollution, and not the glittering possibilities of banning it. We see the faint hope of “bending the cost-curve” on health care, and not the fierce light of simply providing care.

We can do politics. We have done it before. Every park and every highway, our libraries and our schools, our ports and our public universities — these were created by people no smarter than us. They didn’t rely on a lost art to do their work. We know how they did it. We know what’s stopping us from doing it again. And we know what to do about it.

Have you ever wanted to say thank you for these posts? Here’s how you can: I’m kickstarting the audiobook for my next novel, a post-cyberpunk anti-finance finance thriller about Silicon Valley scams called Red Team Blues. Amazon’s Audible refuses to carry my audiobooks because they’re DRM free, but crowdfunding makes them possible.

[Image ID: A disembodied hand, floating in space. It holds a Univac mainframe computer. The computer is shooting some kind of glowing red rays that are zapping three US Capitol Buildings, suspended on hovering platforms. In the background, the word NO is emblazoned in a retrocomputing magnetic ink font, limned in red.]

[gottalottarocks]

Hello! Here are some regulations open to comment within the next month that I think are pretty relevant:

Force Airlines to Protect Wheelchairs in Transit - due May 13

Docket No. DOT–OST–2022–0144 (must address DOT at top of the comment)

Taxing Stock Buy Backs - due May 13

Docket No. REG-118499-23 (and address the IRS)

Expand Student Debt Relief - due May 17

Docket No. ED-2023-OPE-0123

Banning Use of Shock Devices on those Developmental Disabilities - due May 28

Docket No. FDA–2023–N–3902

Once again please make sure the docket number above is listed in your comment. Most of the time I think it's fine, but your comments may not be counted without the ID for the proposed regulation. If you want more info about writing public comments check out my post here. I recommend saying things like "I strongly support this proposed regulation because..." and get a little personal with it. Also comments that are too similar to each other will be counted together as part of a mass writing campaign so try to avoid copy and pasting.

Here are some additional resources on the above proposed regulations

[odinsblog]

Republican hostage demands include:

Increasing and not cutting the defense budget, nor the Border Patrol budget

Cut funding to the following programs and agencies by 51 percent: Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), the Social Security Administration, Environmental Protection Agency, Veteran’s Assistance Program, Health and Human Services, Department of Education, Department of Housing and Urban Development, the Justice Department, the State Department, the Department of Transportation, NASA, the Labor Department, and more (source)

Rescind any student loan relief and make borrowers pay back any payments that were paused or recently forgiven

Defund the IRS so that it cannot go after wealthy tax evaders

New, harsher work requirements for Medicaid recipients

Raise the work retirement age for people enrolled in the SNAP, from 50 to 55 years old

More stringent work requirements for food stamp recipients

Deregulation of drilling and mining permitting

Repeal any tax breaks that encouraged using renewable energy sources

Pledges to increase domestic production of oil and other fossil fuels

In short, the Republican demands to raise the debt ceiling is a manufactured crisis. It’s yet another GOP wish list to attack poor people by eviscerating the social safety net, while simultaneously deregulating big businesses and defunding the government agencies that could hold polluters and exploiters accountable

👉🏿 https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/heres-whats-in-the-gop-bill-to-lift-the-u-s-debt-limit

👉🏿 https://www.dataforprogress.org/blog/2022/12/12/voters-want-congress-to-raise-the-debt-ceiling-and-protect-social-programs

👉🏿 https://www.cbsnews.com/amp/news/debt-ceiling-house-republicans-bill-limit-save-grow-act/

[lady-manfredi]

It's been a few weeks since you've joined the team, in a sense that is. Your first meet with the big burly teddy bear Barney (that's what you call him in your head) was over a cup of coffee as he vetted your skills at managing some books.

A few weeks in and you got the hang of it just fine, bringing some much needed order in this ground zero he called business. Most of the time you stayed to yourself, a choice of yours, just in case. And some good portion of the time you could have sworn Barney tried his best to keep you from interacting with he guys, or the other way around, you're not completely sure yet.

It was now 4.30PM and you were almost done for the day, just compiling the last bits of a file to be handed over to the IRS first thing in the morning. You were also glad that Barney told you the guys would be here after lunch, packing for a mission and due for takeoff at 5PM.

You decided to wait it out.

The day's hard work staring at papers and the computer screen quickly caught up with you, eyes burning with exhaustion. Pinching the bridge of your nose and closing your eyes, you let out a big sigh. That though, was abruptly replaced by a stiff feeling of urgency. "Oh shit." you muttered as your eyes landed on the very bottom of the tax form in front of you.

This one required Barney's signature or else you'd both be screwed.

You practically jumped out of your chair, knocked over the pencil case and albeit kicked the trash can trying to get to the window displaying the hangar below.

A sigh of relief. They're still here.

And now the hard part. You actually have to walk out there, heels, dress and everything, in front of the boys to get the boss' sign-off.

"Just breathe."

"You can do it. It's no biggie. It's just some boys, that's all." you told yourself as a desperate attempt at hyping yourself up.

With the time ticking, you made your way down the metal stairs to the hangar floor, the clicking of your heels resounding through the large space.

You saw them all turn towards the sound, baffled by it in such a place. Face set and papers in hand you pretended not to notice the stares, the elbow bumps they exchanged, and the shift in energy as you made a beeline towards the man himself.

"Barney, I need these papers signed right now, unless you want to get fined by the IRS." You could bet your voice was notably shaky and all you could think about was how badly you just wanna get this over with.

Meanwhile, Barney turned around as though he had all the time in the world, gave a calm "yes, ma'am" and took the papers from you at snail's pace, finally singing the damn thing.

As soon as he handed them back, you spun on your heels and without glancing anywhere else, you made your way back to the office with a brisk walk.

Once out of their view, you felt the energy shift again as commotion rose up; the clanking and clicking of guns and ammo boxes being loaded up on the plane bringing a familiar wave of calm.

You heard the plane's engines roar to life and in a minute they were gone.

-----

As the plane rose to a comfortable altitude, Barney heard a snicker from the man in the co-pilot's seat. When he looked over though, he was met with the boyish excitement and tight lips of Lee Christmas trying hard to keep his laughter in.

"What?"

Lee barely got the words out before he burst out into a bellowing laugh.

"Didn't think bossy was your type."

At that, Barney felt a heat rise up to his ears and he couldn't help the bashful smile that stretched over his features.

[expresstaxrescue]

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[lindsaywesker]

Good morning! I hope you slept well and feel rested? Currently sitting at my desk, in my study, attired only in my blue towelling robe, enjoying my first cuppa of the day. Welcome to Too Much Information Tuesday!

The acnestis is the part of the back that is impossible to scratch.

Talking to your best friend is sometimes all the therapy you need.

In 2017, Netflix tweeted, "Love is sharing a password".

Regular farting can be a sign of good intestinal health.

Most Brits have said "I love you" to three or fewer people.

Having large breasts can take five years off a woman's lifespan.

The iPhone is the second highest selling product of all time, behind the Rubik's Cube.

Your heartbeat will synchronise with your date's if the date is going well.

The difference between promises and memories is that we break promises and memories break us.

If Mount Everest were placed at the very bottom of the deepest ocean, the peak would still be submerged by a mile of water.

British spies used semen as invisible ink during World War 1. A method invented by Captain Sir Mansfield Cumming. (True story.)

In 2020, human triphallia — having three penises — was reported for the first time in history.

If you replace the ‘w’ in ‘where’ ‘what’ and ‘when’ with ‘t’ you get answers to your questions.

An Oxford University study has found that for every person you fall in love with and accommodate into your life you lose two close friends.

People who get their news from Twitter tend to be more educated than those who get their news from Facebook.

That awkward moment when you hear something that kills you inside but you have to act like you're fine.

Herring talk out of their arses, communicating by firing bubbles from their backsides that sound like high-pitched raspberries.

A fake friend likes to see you do well but not better than them. Pay attention.

Men who actually remove your bra instead of grabbing the cups and pulling them down are much better in bed.

When someone smells good, it automatically makes them more attractive.

Sometimes you have to walk away from people, not because you don't care, but because they don't.

Whitney Houston’s cover of Dolly Parton’s song ‘I Will Always Love You’ earned Dolly $10m in royalties.

Swedish-built cars (Saabs, Volvos) are specifically reinforced so that the occupants will survive if they hit a moose.

In 1964, Guinness attempted to have beer officially recognised as a food for tax reasons. They failed.

In 2013, an Ohio man was confirmed as legally dead, despite him appearing in court to overturn the decision.

Dolphins get high by sucking on a pufferfish and passing it around, the same way humans pass a joint.

Marijuana is the oldest natural, purest, and healthiest pain relief medication in the world. Its use dates back to 10 B.C.

You will never look like the girl in the magazine. The girl in the magazine doesn't even look like the girl in the magazine.

The more attracted you are to a person, the easier it is for them to make you laugh.

Einstein gave his $32,000 Nobel Prize money to his first wife, Mileva, as part of their divorce settlement.

Haptodysphoria is the feeling you get from running your nails down a blackboard.

Girls who have more 'guy friends' than 'girl friends' go through less depression and anxiety.

You likely overestimate how interesting you are to talk to but underestimate how good you are at dancing.

The more you spend on an engagement ring, the more likely you are to get divorced.

Actor/film director Tyler Perry recently fired his entire accounting staff after finding out the IRS owed him $9 million due to overpayment.

Dimples may be cute, but they are an inherited genetic flaw caused by a fibrous band of tissue that connects the skin to an underlying bone.

Bond Street station is finally open. Just £500m over budget. While the north is begging for trains, London spent £660m on one Crossrail stop.

Assuming each vampire feeds once a month, starting with one vampire, it would take two and a half years for the whole human population to become vampires.

According to research by Funiture and Home, more than twice as many British and Irish people aged 55-64 sleep naked (29%) as those aged 18-24 (13%).

“We are just an advanced breed of monkeys on a minor planet of a very average star. But we can understand the Universe. That makes us something very special.” (Stephen Hawking)

The British royal family has an estimated net worth of $88 billion. Saudi Arabia's royal family has an estimated net worth of $1.4 trillion.

In 2001, a Belgian beer society convinced a local primary school to offer beer at lunch rather than fizzy drinks. The move was intended to prevent childhood obesity but proved unpopular with parents.

After the Glastonbury Festival 2019, scientists tested the nearby Whitelake River for traces of illicit drugs and found that the levels of cocaine were high enough to disrupt the lifecycle of the European eel.

A tautological compound is a word with two parts that have the same meaning, e.g. ‘sledgehammer’ (hammer-hammer), ‘pathway’ (way-way), and, if one etymological theory is correct, ‘slowworm‘ (snake-snake).

Okay, that’s enough information for one day. Have a tremendous and tumultuous Tuesday! I love you all.

[thelivelead00]

Navigating the complexities of IRS tax debt is a daunting task for individuals and businesses alike. Whether it’s unpaid back taxes, liens, or impending audits, tax debt issues can create overwhelming stress. For tax resolution professionals, connecting with individuals struggling with tax debt is critical to providing solutions, and that’s where The Live Lead comes into play.

In this blog post, we’ll explore why targeting IRS tax debt leads is essential for tax professionals and how The Live Lead can provide exclusive, high-quality leads to help grow your business.

Why IRS Tax Debt Leads Matter

Tax debt is a growing issue that affects millions of Americans. According to the IRS, over 11 million taxpayers owe the IRS more than $125 billion in back taxes, interest, and penalties. Many of these individuals are unaware of their options, and that’s where tax resolution professionals step in.

For tax professionals and attorneys, finding potential clients with IRS tax debt problems can be challenging. Not everyone actively seeks help, and many may not even know that professional assistance is available. That’s why generating targeted IRS tax debt leads is a powerful way to connect with those in need of your services.

The IRS tax debt leads market offers immense potential, but only when approached with a focused strategy. These leads are pre-qualified individuals or businesses facing tax debt issues and seeking professional assistance to resolve them. By tapping into these leads, tax professionals can establish a pipeline of potential clients ready for solutions like installment agreements, offers in compromise, or penalty abatement.

The Live Lead Advantage: Exclusive, High-Quality IRS Tax Debt Leads

At The Live Lead, we understand that not all leads are created equal. Our focus is on delivering exclusive IRS tax debt leads that are verified and pre-qualified, ensuring you only connect with individuals genuinely in need of tax debt relief services.

Here’s what sets us apart:

Real-Time Leads: Time is crucial in the tax debt resolution industry. That’s why we offer real-time leads, ensuring that you’re the first tax professional to connect with a potential client. This immediate connection increases the chances of conversion and allows you to offer timely assistance.

Pre-Qualified Leads: We do the hard work for you by filtering and pre-qualifying leads. Our process ensures that the individuals or businesses you connect with meet specific criteria, such as owing a certain amount in tax debt and being actively interested in resolving it.

Exclusive Leads: Unlike many lead generation services that sell the same lead to multiple businesses, The Live Lead offers exclusive leads, meaning that you won’t be competing with others for the same client. This ensures that your efforts are focused on converting one-on-one, high-potential prospects.

Customized Lead Generation: Every tax professional has different needs. Whether you specialize in small business tax issues, individual tax relief, or IRS audit defense, we offer customized lead generation solutions tailored to your unique area of expertise. This ensures that the leads you receive are perfectly aligned with your services.

Affordable and Scalable Solutions: Whether you’re a solo practitioner or a large firm, our lead generation services are designed to be both affordable and scalable. We provide flexible plans that allow you to choose how many leads you want per day, week, or month, helping you control your growth and costs.

How to Maximize Your IRS Tax Debt Leads

While getting high-quality IRS tax debt leads is crucial, converting those leads into loyal clients requires a strategic approach. Here are some tips to maximize your success:

Prompt Follow-Up: When you receive a lead, follow up quickly. Individuals dealing with tax debt are often overwhelmed and are more likely to work with the first professional they connect with.

Clear Communication: Be transparent about the process, fees, and potential outcomes. Tax debt issues can be confusing, so clear and consistent communication will build trust.

Offer Free Consultations: One way to convert leads is by offering a no-obligation consultation. This helps potential clients see the value in your services without feeling pressured.

Provide Educational Resources: Many clients are unaware of the various tax relief options available to them. Providing educational resources like blogs, guides, or webinars can position you as a trusted authority in the field.

Conclusion

Finding and converting IRS tax debt leads doesn’t have to be difficult when you partner with the right lead generation service. The Live Lead is committed to helping tax professionals grow their business by delivering high-quality, exclusive IRS tax debt leads in real-time.

With our proven lead generation strategies, you can focus on what you do best: helping clients resolve their tax issues and gain financial freedom. Let us help you unlock the full potential of your business by connecting you with individuals who need your expertise today.

[expertcostseg-us]

The history of cost segregation essentially goes back to the beginning of the income tax in the U.S. Ever since the congress started imposing income taxes on the wealthy, their lobbyists have been seeking relief. https://www.whatiscostsegregation.com/

[jamesvince9898]

Comprehensive Tax Services in Corpus Christi: Your Trusted CPA for IRS Relief, Financial Planning, and More

Introduction:

Managing your taxes efficiently is vital to maintaining financial health, both personally and for your business. Whether you're dealing with unfiled tax returns or looking for professional help with financial planning, finding the right Certified Public Accountant (CPA) can make all the difference. Hopkins CPA Firm, located in Corpus Christi, Texas, is your go-to partner for a range of financial services. With expertise in tax preparation, IRS Offer in Compromise, tax resolution, and more, our firm is dedicated to providing solutions that ease the burden of tax complexities.

This article delves into the core services offered by Hopkins CPA Firm, covering tax resolution services, IRS representation, and financial planning. Whether you're in Corpus Christi, Austin, Dallas, or anywhere in Texas, our experienced CPAs are equipped to help you tackle IRS problems, prepare your taxes, and plan for a secure financial future.

The Importance of a Local CPA in Corpus Christi

Corpus Christi has a unique blend of industries, including oil and gas, tourism, and agriculture, all of which have specific tax requirements. Having a CPA who understands these local nuances can make a big difference in how your taxes are handled. At Hopkins CPA Firm, we are deeply familiar with the tax laws and regulations that affect businesses and individuals in this area. From helping with unfiled tax returns to negotiating with the IRS, our team provides the personalized service that you need.

Local knowledge matters, especially when dealing with the IRS. Whether you are in Corpus Christi or another city like Austin or Dallas, understanding state and federal tax laws is essential. That’s why our team specializes in handling complex tax issues, whether for businesses or individuals, ensuring compliance and minimizing liabilities.

Unfiled Tax Returns Help: Get Back on Track

One of the most stressful issues taxpayers face is unfiled tax returns. The IRS takes this very seriously, and failure to file can result in severe penalties, wage garnishments, or even legal consequences. At Hopkins CPA Firm, we specialize in helping individuals and businesses who have fallen behind on their tax filings. Our team will work diligently to ensure all necessary paperwork is completed and filed, helping you avoid costly penalties.

Our firm not only assists in catching up on unfiled tax returns but also provides advice on how to stay compliant moving forward. We take a personalized approach, understanding your financial situation and offering solutions that fit your specific needs.

IRS Offer in Compromise: A Lifeline for Taxpayers

If you owe a significant amount of back taxes and are unable to pay the full amount, you may be eligible for an IRS Offer in Compromise (OIC). An OIC allows you to settle your tax debt for less than what you owe, provided you meet certain conditions. Hopkins CPA Firm has extensive experience in negotiating Offers in Compromise with the IRS, and we can guide you through the entire process.

Navigating the Offer in Compromise program can be complex. It requires a thorough understanding of your financial situation and the IRS's strict criteria. Our experienced CPAs will assess your eligibility, prepare the necessary paperwork, and negotiate with the IRS on your behalf. Our goal is to help you reduce your tax burden and give you a fresh start.

Tax Preparation for Individuals and Businesses

Tax preparation is not a one-size-fits-all process. Whether you’re an individual or a business owner, your tax situation is unique. Hopkins CPA Firm offers comprehensive tax preparation services tailored to meet your specific needs. We handle everything from basic tax returns to complex corporate filings, ensuring that every deduction and credit is claimed.

Our team stays updated on the latest tax laws to ensure compliance while maximizing your refund or minimizing your tax liability. By using a professional CPA firm like ours, you can be confident that your taxes are being prepared accurately and efficiently.

CPA Services in Austin and Dallas, Texas

Although our main office is located in Corpus Christi, we proudly extend our services to individuals and businesses in Austin and Dallas. These cities are home to growing industries and dynamic economies, each with its own unique tax challenges. Whether you are a tech entrepreneur in Austin or a corporate executive in Dallas, Hopkins CPA Firm is here to help you navigate the tax landscape.

Our CPAs understand the specific tax laws that affect businesses and individuals in Austin and Dallas. We offer the same level of personalized service to clients in these cities as we do in Corpus Christi, ensuring that your taxes are managed with the utmost care.

Financial Planning: Preparing for the Future

Financial planning is an essential aspect of managing both your personal and business finances. At Hopkins CPA Firm, we offer more than just tax services; we provide comprehensive financial planning solutions to help you achieve your long-term goals. Whether you are planning for retirement, saving for a child’s education, or managing your business's financial growth, our team has the expertise to guide you every step of the way.

Our financial planning services are tailored to your unique circumstances, helping you create a roadmap for your financial future. We offer investment advice, retirement planning, estate planning, and more, ensuring that your financial health is in good hands.

IRS Help: Resolving Tax Issues

Facing the IRS can be intimidating, especially if you owe back taxes or are dealing with penalties. At Hopkins CPA Firm, we provide professional IRS representation to help you resolve these issues. Whether you are facing wage garnishments, tax liens, or audits, our team has the experience to represent you effectively.

Our IRS resolution services include negotiating payment plans, requesting penalty abatement, and filing appeals when necessary. We work closely with the IRS to ensure that your tax issues are resolved in a timely and favorable manner.

Conclusion:

When it comes to managing your taxes and financial future, the right CPA can make all the difference. Hopkins CPA Firm in Corpus Christi is committed to providing comprehensive tax services, from unfiled tax return assistance to IRS Offer in Compromise, tax preparation, and financial planning. Whether you’re in Corpus Christi, Austin, or Dallas, our experienced team is ready to help you navigate the complexities of tax law and achieve financial success.

[westernwind]

My Job is to Watch Dreams Die

By /u/jobthreadthrowaway

I work at a real estate office. We primarily sell houses that were foreclosed on by lenders. We aren't involved in the actual foreclosures or evictions - anonymous lawyers in the cloud somewhere is tasked with the paperwork - we are the boots on the ground that interacts with the actual walls, roofs and occasional bomb threat.

When the lender forecloses - or is thinking of foreclosing - on a property one of the first things that happens is they send somebody out to see if there is actually a house there and if there is anybody living there who needs to be evicted. Lawyers are expensive so they send a real estate agent or a property preservation company out to check. There is the occasional discovery of fraud where there was never a house on the parcel to begin with, but such instances are rare. Sometimes this initial visit results in discovering a house that has burned down or demolished, is abandoned or occupied by somebody who has absolutely no connection with the homeowner. Sometimes the houses are discovered to be crack dens or meth labs, sometimes the sites of cock or dog fighting operations, or you might even find a back yard filled with a pot cultivation that can't be traced back to anybody because it was planted in yet another vacant house in a blighted neighborhood. The house could be worth less than zero - blighted to the point where you can't even give it away (this is a literal statement, I have tried to give away many houses or even vacant lots with no takers over the years) or it could be a waterfront mansion in a gated golf community worth well over seven figures that does not include the number "one". Sometimes they are found to have been seized by the IRS, the local tax authority, the DEA or the US Marshal. Variety is the rule. The end results are the law.

If the house is occupied my job is to make contact and determine who they are: there are laws that establish what happens to a borrower as opposed to a tenant and the servicemember relief act adds an additional set of questions that must be answered. Some of the people have an idea of why I am there. Some claim they never knew they were foreclosed on, or tell me that they have worked something out with their lender, some won't tell me a thing and some threaten me to never return in the name of the police, their lawyer, or the occasional "or else/if I were you". During one initial visit the sight of 50-60 motorcycles parked on the lawn suggested that we try again the next day. At a couple the police had cordoned off the area and at one they were in the process of dredging the lake searching for the body of a depressed former homeowner.

If nobody is home I have to determine if they are at work, on vacation, in the army, wintering/summering at their other home, in jail, in a nursing home, dead or if they moved away. It isn't easy. Utilities can be left on for months. Neighbors can be staging the yard and house to appear occupied to prevent blight in their neighborhood. By the same token people will stop cutting the lawn for months, let trash and old phone books pile up on their porch, lose gas and electric service and continue to live in properties that have not only physically unsafe to approach but are so filthy that when it comes time to clean them out the crews have to wear hazmat suits. One house had a gallon pickle jar filled with dead roaches on the porch. Somebody lived in that house and thought that was a logical thing to do. People like me are tasked with first contact.

Evictions are expensive and time-consuming. Ultimately once the process gets that far there isn't much that can be done to prevent it. You didn't pay your mortgage, the lender gets the house back. There are an infinite number of reasons why the mortgage couldn't be paid, some are more sympathetic than others, but in the end you will be leaving the property willingly or not. The lawyers handle the evictions - they churn through the paperwork in the background, ten thousand properties at a time. They have it down to rote function based on templates, personal experience with the various judges and intimate knowledge of the federal, state and municipal laws, along with dealing with the occasional sheriff who refuses to evict somebody, the informal policies established by the local judges and a myriad of other problems that can arise. As a business decision many lenders have determined that it is cheaper to settle with the occupants - instead of going through the formal eviction they will offer cash. In exchange for surrendering a property in reasonably clean condition with the furnace still hooked up, the kitchen not stripped and the basement not intentionally flooded the lender will cut the occupants a check. It costs much less than an eviction, provides reasonable hope that the plumbing won't freeze and can take a fraction of the time to obtain possession. This is where the personal element becomes real.

Some people jump at the chance. They don't want to live here anymore. They may be getting married and moving in but couldn't sell the unneeded house. They have a new job across the country, they're moving to the other side of the planet. They were renting and found a better place in a neighborhood where the thieves don't grin at them through the kitchen window while they disconnect a running air conditioner knowing that the average response time for the police is measured in weeks for a call like that. The cash is a down payment, a security deposit (since their landlord never returns theirs), or maybe a moving van. These are the best cases. Sometimes they are happy to hear from me. Other times, not so much.

When I make first contact and explain that the lender is offering them money to leave sometimes they tell me that they haven't slept for months, knowing that something was going to happen but never knowing if tomorrow was the day when somebody kicked in their door and threw their kids out on the lawn. Their lenders won't tell them anything, they have nothing to go on but horror stories from other people that they never knew. It never occurred to them that they should call an attorney and ask what was going on. I can be the first people to discuss their situation who isn't a debt collector: you can hear the release of a massive weight in their voice. It isn't much, but at least it is something.

Or they can get angry and defensive, tell me that they were never foreclosed on, tell me that I am trespassing and owe them $5,000 in "land use fees" for "using" their property as I walk to the front door. They threaten to sue, they threaten to call the cops, they say I should look under my car before I start it from now on. They send letters written in various forms of English - one time scribed in crayon - detailing their rights and how I am violating some maritime treaty from the 1700s. In my travels I have learned that if you copyright your name you can't be named in any kind of legal action, if you never write down your ZIP code then you aren't a resident of the United States and that if I tell somebody that their lender is offering them money to vacate while leaving the staircase (yes, these get stolen) and driveway (yes, these get stolen) in place then I am guilty of slave trading under some United Nations something or other.

For those who reject the deal, nothing changes. They don't lose any rights and it isn't counted against them in any way - neither the lawyers nor the courts care because the lenders don't have to offer anything - the eviction process continues. I listen to the stories why they can't/won't take the deal. They can't afford anything else. They don't have anywhere else to go. They want to make the eviction as expensive as possible. They're going to get "a big settlement" from some vague lawsuit any day now. They want their kids to finish out the school year. They intend to take the furnace as soon as they find a new house. All kinds of reasons. Some are heartbreaking, others not so much.

For those who do take the deal, at the appointed date and time I meet them at their former home. I walk the yard and enter every room. I open every drawer and cupboard making sure the house is clean and doesn't have old engines, toxic chemicals or dead dogs lingering anywhere. Sometimes the kids are there, maybe waiting in the car, maybe not. I see the marks on the wall showing how the kids grew over the years. I see the anguished poetry scribbled on the wall by stoned teenagers and the occasional hole punched in the wall. One woman handed me the key to her reinforced bedroom door - during the divorce her now ex-husband was still living in the house and she had to barricade herself in at night. Another said "right there is where I found my son - he couldn't handle losing the house".

Sometimes they don't want the money and don't want to be evicted so they sign a waiver stating that everything left inside can be disposed of. Hospital beds. Oxygen tanks and wheelchairs. Hundreds of boxes of shoes. A mannequin. A 2nd grader's homework portfolio. A wedding album filled with pictures with one person torn out. Get rich quick "business plans". 40 years worth of drafting documents. To the lenders and the lawyers, these things don't exist - they close the file and order a trashout. Sometimes I linger as I check the basement for mold and lead. I am the final period on so many significant chapters. To most other people it is just part of the job but in so many other universes this is where I ended up. There is no difference between myself and these people other than the intangible twists of experience.

And so I listen. I feign dispassion but I'm not fooling anybody. Somehow they can tell that I care and thank me even as they admit that it isn't my fault, that it isn't my responsibility to listen. I've stood inside another's dream for an hour as they spoke, not really to be heard but to say goodbye - to leave the ghosts behind.

They go to the car and return with the openers.

The keys are peeled from a ring.

They thank me. Sometimes they cry.

And they're gone.

I wait for their car to vanish before I put up the sign. To most everybody else it is just another house on just another block in just another city in just another financial catastrophe.

But I was there. I saw the dream end.

But at least I don't make them turn out the lights one last time as they leave.

That's my job.

[lexingtontaxgroup]

Life Without Tax Debt

**IRS Back on Track: Let Lexington Tax Group Ease the Pressure** Facing IRS collections? With the IRS ramping up efforts post-pandemic, more individuals and businesses are seeking relief. Lexington Tax Group provides expert solutions, including Offers in Compromise and Currently Not Collectible status. Let our experienced team handle your IRS issues today. Take the first step toward resolving your IRS debt. Visit www.LexingtonTaxGroup.com or call 800-328-8289 for a free consultation. #IRSDebt #TaxResolution #TaxRelief #IRSNegotiation #TaxExperts