Give unto Caesar
Feb. 8th, 2003 04:58 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
flexagonWell, I almost just did my federal taxes. I say "almost" because I have not done the math to figure out the exact capital losses on the crappy stock I sold sometime last year... I have to dredge up when I bought it and for how much, and do the whole Schedule D thing. The nice thing, though, is that $1400 (or so) in losses means that much more moola that isn't taxed. So instead of a $860ish return, which is what it would be if I'd never heard of the market, I'll get back more than that... maybe $280 more, assuming a capital gains tax of 20%. Kewl. And in case you were concerned that the $280 will be sneaking out of my retirement fund where it really belongs, fear not; I will be very good and prorate things so that it goes back to whence it came, and the rest of the return can go to short-term savings (a.k.a. the condo fund).
(And if I'm lucky I won't be selling any stock this year, and next year won't have to bumble through all this. Sigh.)
My always melodramatic dad has also done his taxes, and is more or less blaming the divorce for the fact that he owes several thousand dollars, because my mom isn't there to share the "liquidation burden". Well, no, Dad, the fact that you realized a lot of profit by selling several pieces of large machinery is why you owe several thousand, and you knew you were going to be taxed on the income, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU!? So what's the fucking surprise? Make this point, though, and he'll go off on how he never complains and how his whole life has been this one big sacrifice so that others can be happy. I know... you can't ask the mentally ill to be rational, since by definition they aren't, and this little litany is what he reverts to when pressed too hard on any point. But it drives me batshit anyway.
(And if I'm lucky I won't be selling any stock this year, and next year won't have to bumble through all this. Sigh.)
My always melodramatic dad has also done his taxes, and is more or less blaming the divorce for the fact that he owes several thousand dollars, because my mom isn't there to share the "liquidation burden". Well, no, Dad, the fact that you realized a lot of profit by selling several pieces of large machinery is why you owe several thousand, and you knew you were going to be taxed on the income, didn't you? DIDN'T YOU!? So what's the fucking surprise? Make this point, though, and he'll go off on how he never complains and how his whole life has been this one big sacrifice so that others can be happy. I know... you can't ask the mentally ill to be rational, since by definition they aren't, and this little litany is what he reverts to when pressed too hard on any point. But it drives me batshit anyway.
