Gail in Virginia

I agree with John H., and before the personal banker asks it doesn't do any good to put one of the companies in the wife's name - it is still common ownership.

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Thanks to all of you for your good wishes!

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I practice in Virginia, and until recently was of the opinion that cohabitation violated local law and therefore prohibited a person from claiming a person of the opposite sex as a dependent. However, when this question was asked of the Virginia Department of Taxation recently, this is what they posted in their FAQ's site: "6. In Virginia, does cohabitation violate local law? Specifically, can one person claim another as a dependent if that person has no income and lived with the taxpayer all year? Neither of these issues is a matter of Virginia tax law. If a filer properly claims another person as a dependent for federal purposes, that person may also be claimed as a dependent on the Virginia return. However, the determination as to whether such a claim is proper on the federal return is a matter of federal tax law." If you care to look at the whole site, it is http://www.tax.virginia.gov/site.cfm?alias=TaxProfessionals and go to Tax Professionals FAQ. After this response, I am not sure what to tell people. But if it is a matter of federal law, and if federal law states except where in violation of local law, it seems to me that you still can't claim your significant other in VA.

You have my deepest sympathy. I am fortunate enough to still have my mother, and I cannot imagine the shock that it will be to lose her.

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I am at home, and so I do not have access to my usual research materials, but if he elects to be a professional day trader so that all expenses can be deducted without regard to the 2% limitation, wouldn't he then have to file on a sched C and pay SE tax on his gains? Are you sure this is what the situation calls for?

I am so glad that things worked out as well as they did, and I hope the Noxema works. Avon Skin-So-Soft is also supposedly good for keeping the bugs away, but as bad a reaction as you had I would not rely on any home remedies alone. And thanks for the reminder of how quickly our lives can be changed, and that we need to be thankful for all that we have! Happy Memorial Day to everyone!

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In Virginia, a car can be totaled just because of the monetary value of the repairs and the title will stay the same. My son just "totaled" our Chevy Tahoe. The difference between what State Farm would pay me to total the vehicle and what the repairs would have cost was fairly minimal BUT they would have had to guarantee the repairs as long as I owned the vehicle. I think that is what tipped them over to totaling the car. However, I talked to them about buying it back and that was an option. None of the damage was severe enough to warrant changing the title - I would have kept the same title as before had we chosen that route and done the repairs ourselves.

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If you are sure it is nothing, I am sure you right. But we can, and will, pray for you all the same.

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I hope your dad gets better soon! Thanks Taxbilly! You are very thoughtful!

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Just for argument's sake, it could be a 1099-INT, and it could not make a difference because the taxpayer had sufficient deductions to put her in a no-tax situation. And if the case is something like that, I probably would not bother to amend it.

I am not sure I understand your question. Is you client living in the foreign country as a bona fide resident, or for 330 days a year? Are they working for a foreign employer in a foreign country, or are they living and working here in the US and providing services to a foreign employer? If they are in the US, then no, the foreign earned income exclusion does not apply. And most foreign employers do not report anything to the US, because they are not answerable to the US tax laws but only those of their own country. That does not mean the income is not taxable in the US if the recipient is a US citizen, even living abroad.

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