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Doug Thorburn's Wealth Creation Strategies

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Quick index to Articles by Subject:

A. Deductions for Everyone
B. Taxes, Stealth Taxes, Penalties and Other Lies
C. Alcoholism and Financial Abuse
D. Real Estate, Stocks and Other Financial CommentsReal Estate, Stocks and Other Financial Comments
E. Client Administration, What to Send, Extensions, Etc.
F. Filing Requirements and Record Keeping Tips for Small Businesses/Rental Property Owners
G. Education Incentives
H. Political-Economic Commentary
I. Using Changes in Marginal Tax Rates, ‘Income Averaging,’ Roth Conversions and Roth IRAs to Create Wealth
J. Traditional IRAs, Other Tax-Deferred Plans and Miscellaneous Articles on Roth IRAs and Social Security
K. Mortgages and Other Debt
L. Audits and the IRS
A. Deductions and Credits for Everyone
  1. How to Maximize Your Stimulus Payment (pp. 7-8, Issue #66 Summer 2020 (Part I)
  2. The New W-4 and How to Calculate Your Withholding (pp. 7-8, Issue #65 Fall 2018 Part IV)
  3. More on the TCJA: Increased Child Tax Credits, Lower Rates on Social Security Beneficiaries and the (Mostly) Demise of the AMT (pp. 1-3, Issue #63 Fall 2018 Part II)
  4. The Best of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA): New, Lower Tax Rates, the QBID and New and Improved Depreciation (pp. 2-8, Issue #62 Fall 2018 Part I)
  5. Charitable Donations, "Bunching", and Donor Advised Funds (DAFs) (pp. 1-3, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  6. Planning for Major Renovations on Rentals? Read This. (pp. 5-6, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  7. Health Savings Accounts Offer Extraordinary Tax Savings Opportunities (pp. 6-8, Issue #59 Summer 2016)
  8. Should You Install Solar? First, Reduce Power Consumption to Save on Solar Panels—but Then, You Might not Go Solar! (pp. 1-5, Issue #58 Summer-Fall 2015)
  9. Repair vs. Capitalization Rules for Rentals and Businesses (pp. 1-3, Issue #56 Winter 2015)
  10. Audit-Proofing Charitable Donations (pp. 1-2, issue # 55, Fall 2014) *
  11. Contemporaneous Records Essential for Auto Deductions via Optional Mileage Rate or Actual Costs (pp. 2-3, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  12. New “College Access Tax Credit” for CA Taxpayers Yields a Big Return (p. 5, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  13. Increase and Ensure Deductions via Simply-kept Good, Solid Business and Rental Property Records (pp. 1-4, issue # 54, Spring-Summer 2014)
  14. Charitable Donations and “Proper” Receipts: Intent is Irrelevant; Tax-Deferred Exchanges: Intent Matters (pp. 5-6, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  15. Optional Method for Calculating Home Office Deductions (pp. 6-7, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  16. Hobby Loss Rules: Can You Deduct the Cost of Your Dog? (pp. 5-6, issue # 49 Summer 2012)
  17. Direct Donations from IRAs Can Save Far More Than Those for Which You Write a Check (p. 1-2, Issue #43 Winter 2011)
  18. Making Work Pay (pp. 3-4, Winter 10)
  19. Auto Donations No More: The Case of Kars4Kids (pp. 5-6, Issue #39 Winter 10)
  20. Energy, Education, Homebuyer, Auto Sales Tax and Bonus Depreciation Credits and Deductions (pp. 1-2, Issue #37 Summer 2009)
  21. Sell a Profitable Mutual Fund, Take a Tax Loss (p. 2, Issue #36 Spring 2009)
  22. Mining Inherited Stocks and Real Estate for Tax Losses (p. 4, Issue #36 Spring 2009)
  23. How to Deduct Losses in Roth IRAs (But Be Careful!) (p. 5, Issue #36 Spring 2009)
  24. Why a Health Savings Account May be Better than an IRA (p. 3, Issue #31 Winter 2007-2008)
  25. No More Deductions for Undergarments (pp 2-3, Issue #26 Summer-Fall 2006)
  26. Energy Conservation (p. 1, Issue #24 Jan-Apr 2006)
  27. Business Mileage Rates and Year-End Planning Opportunities (p. 6, Issue #23 Nov-Dec 2005)
  28. Health Savings Accounts: A Paradigm Shift in Health Care (pp. 1-6, Issue #20 Feb-Apr 2005)
  29. Sales Tax Deduction Revived...Sort Of (pp. 3-4, Issue #19 Dec 2004-Jan 2005)
  30. "SUV Deduction" Gone...Partly (p. 2, Issue #19 Dec 04-Jan 2005)
  31. New Tax Laws to Complicate Your Life (pp. 1-3, Issue #19 Dec 2004-Jan 2005)
  32. Tax Free Gains on Main Home (p. 4, Issue #19 Dec 2004-Jan 2005)
  33. Charitable Donations of Autos Goes Away (p. 3, Issue #19 Dec 2004-Jan 2005)
  34. "Use Tax:" Sales Tax for Internet Purchases (p. 3-4, Dec 2004-Jan 2005)
  35. Year-End and Upcoming Tax Season Tips (pp. 1-6, Issue #16 Nov-Dec 2003)
  36. Bunching Deductions (pp. 3, Issue #16 Nov-Dec 2003)
  37. Capital Gains and Losses (pp. 1-2, Issue #16 Nov-Dec 2003)
  38. Kinder, Gentler Monolith (incl. Update on Home Office Rules (pp. 1-2, Issue #15 Sep-Oct 2003)
  39. A Mess for Divorcing Couples: Who Gets the Tax Benefits for Children? (p. 4, Issue #15 Sep-Oct 2003)
  40. Withholding Will Change, But Don’t Change Your W-4 (p. 1, Issue #14, Jul-Aug 2003)
  41. New Federal Income Tax Rates (p. 1, Issue #14 Jul-Aug 2003)
  42. Taxes on Capital Gains and Dividends Plummet (p. 2, Issue #14 Jul-Aug 2003)
  43. Tax Cuts FONTZ-MISC for Everyone (How Much of a Cut is it Really?) (pp, 2-3, Issue #14 Jul-Aug 2003)
  44. Tax System Run Amok (An Array of Tax Credits) (p. 3, Issue #14 Jul-Aug 2003)
  45. The Importance of Reporting All Your Income (pp. 5-6, Issue #14 Jul-Aug 2003)
  46. Weight Loss Programs May be Deductible (p. 2, Issue #13 Mar-Jun 2003)
  47. New 30% Depreciation Allowance for Business and Rental Property Owners (p. 2, Issue #13 Mar-Jun 2003)
  48. “So, What’s Deductible?” Cat Food? (p. 1, Issue #12 Jan-Feb 2003)
  49. Office-in-Home Deductions (p. 1-2, Issue #10 Sep-Oct 2002)
  50. Business Gifts: When a Gift is Not a Gift (p. 2, #10 Sep-Oct 2002)
  51. Charitable Donations of Automobiles: Fad Goes Mainstream (pp. 2-3, Issue #10 Sep-Oct 2002)
  52. Selling, Trading or Giving Away a Vehicle Used for Business (pp. 3-4, Issue #10 Sep-Oct 2002)
  53. Letters to Doug (Lower Tax States and Incorporating for the Young Entrepreneur) (pp. 3-4, Issue #10 Sep-Oct 2002)

    54. < RETURN TO INDEX
B. Taxes, Stealth Taxes, Penalties and Other Lies
  1. Why You Should Expect Increased Taxes after the Death of a Spouse (pp. 1-3, Issue #68 Fall 2020 part III)
  2. Catastrophic Long-Term Economic, Financial and Other Effects of Lockdowns (pp. 6-8, Issue #68 Fall 2020 part III)
  3. More on the TCJA: Errata (p. 1, Issue #65 Fall 2018 part IV)
  4. Tax Savings Strategies Under the New TCJA: Bunching Deductions, Using Donor Advised Funds (DAF’s), Direct Charitable Transfers (DCT’s), Roth Conversions, Starting a Business, and Increasing the Size of a Home Office (pp. 2-5, Issue #65 Fall 2018 part IV)
  5. A Critique of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) (pp. 1-7, Issue #64 Fall 2018 part III)
  6. California and Many Other States Do Not Conform to Federal Changes Under the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA) (pp. 7-8, Issue #64 Fall 2018 part III)
  7. More on the TCJA: A New Marriage Penalty, Entertainment Deductions – Gone!, Complexity of the QBID, EBE and Investment Expenses and Most Personal Casualty Losses (pp. 3-8, Issue #63 Fall 2018 Part II)
  8. New Rules to Take Higher Education Credit (p. 7, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  9. High Taxes on High Income Earners Reduce Everyone’s Wealth: Wealth is Created by Investors and Entrepreneurs, Never by Government (pp. 1-4, Issue #60 Fall 2016)
  10. Disincentives to Produce More – Astronomic Marginal Tax Rates on Productivity (p. 5, Issue #58 Summer-Fall 2015)
  11. Tax Considerations Encourage Bad Behaviors (pp. 5-7, Issue #58 Summer-Fall 2015)
  12. Death and Taxes-Planning Before and After (pp. 1-5 Issue #57 Spring-Summer 2015)
  13. Just How Much is One’s “Fair Share”? – Taxes Paid by Income Groups (p. 8, Issue #57 Spring-Summer 2015)
  14. Tax Traps for those Selling Homes Used as Anything Other Than a Home—Ever (pp. 3-4, Issue #56 Winter 2015)
  15. Passing Laws Using the “Stupidity of the American Voter” (p. 6, Issue #56 Winter 2015)
  16. The Government Lies to Us Because “It’s Good for Us” (p. 8, Issue #56 Winter 2015)
  17. Taxation of Bitcoin (and other crypto-currencies) (pp. 5-6, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  18. Errata for “New stealth tax rates on upwardly mobile extraordinary producers” from issue # 52 (p. 8, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  19. New stealth tax rates on upwardly mobile extraordinary producers (pp. 1-2, issue # 52, Fall 2013)
  20. 2013 tax increases under the purported health care act (pp. 3-5, issue # 52, Fall 2013)
  21. Marriage penalties increase and worsen, with great charts (pp. 5-7, issue # 52, Fall 2013)
  22. The “individual mandate” penalty (p. 8, issue # 52, Fall 2013)
  23. Means-testing Social Security and Medicare will worsen already-exorbitant tax rates (p. 6, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  24. Maximum tax rates by state—where will productive Californians move to? (p. 7, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  25. Capital gains tax rates are 15%--and zero, 5%, 32% and many rates in-between (p.7, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  26. Who pays taxes? Charts, by income level (p. 8, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  27. Foreign financial assets must be reported to the IRS (pp. 1-4, issue # 49, Summer 2012)
  28. The Medicare premium surcharge: another hidden tax bracket (pp. 6-7, issue # 45 Summer 2011)
  29. Cap Gains: Taking Profits this Year and Losses Next Year Could be the Optimal Tax Strategy (p. 7, Fall 2010)
  30. LLC Costs and Benefits (p. 6, Fall 2010)
  31. Try Planning When we Don't Know What Next Year's Tax Law Looks Like! (p. 8, Late Summer 10)
  32. 110% tax rate hits some in the nominal 25% tax bracket (p. 7-8, Spring-Early Summer 10)
  33. Making Work Pay Credit hits kids (p. 8, Spring-Early Summer 10)
  34. Avoiding underestimated tax penalties for Californians (pp. 4-5, Fall 09)
  35. Other 2009 tax changes, including a CA stunner for dependents (p. 3, Summer 09)
  36. When is mortgage interest deductible--and when isn't it? (p. 6-7, Summer 09)
  37. Marriage Tax Penalties for Social Security Recipients (Summer 07)
  38. Kiddie Tax Hits 23-Year-Olds (Summer 07)
  39. Lose Your Home to Foreclosure, Pay Tax on a Gain. Huh? (Summer 07)
  40. Teens Become Subject to the Kiddie Tax (Summer-Fall 06)
  41. Avoiding Underestimated Tax Penalties (Summer-Fall 06)
  42. The Tax Cost of Living in California v. Other States (May-Jun 06)
  43. Is it deductible? Yes. How much tax will it save? Zero. (May-Jun 06)
  44. Adjusting Tax Thresholds for Inflation (May-Jun 06)
  45. Tax and Financial Myths of the Month (Jan-Apr 06)
  46. There's Hope: The AMT Hits a Senator (Oct-Sep 05)
  47. Turbotax vs. the Tax Professional: When the right tax is the wrong decision (Jul-Aug 05)
  48. The Alternative Minimum Tax and You (Jan-Apr 04)
  49. Huge Percentage Increase in Tax Hits California (Jan-Apr 04)
  50. Marriage Penalties: 1-1/2 Down, 24-1/2 to Go (Sep-Oct 03)
  51. No Indexing = Higher Hidden Taxes (Mar-Jun 03)
  52. Who Pays Income Tax? (Mar-Jun 03)
  53. Letters to Doug (shifting and smoothing taxable income) (Nov-Dec 02)
  54. The Importance of Informing Us About Substantial Changes in Income or Deductions (May-Jun 02)
  55. The Ups and Downs of Tax Deferred Annuities (May-Jun 02)
  56. Russia Would Put Doug Out of Business (May-Jun 02)
  57. Withholding the Right Amount: More Challenging Than Ever (May-Jun 02)

    58. < RETURN TO INDEX
C. Alcoholism and Financial Abuse
  1. Recessions, quality of work and alcoholism (p. 7, issue # 46 Fall 2011)
  2. When should I be skeptical of mail that appears official or important? (pp. 5-7, issue # 46 Fall 2011)
  3. You don't need to pay a mail scammer to have your property taxes reduced (pp. 5-6, Fall 09)
  4. How do Alcoholics Get Away with Financially Abusing Others? (Winter 07-08)
  5. Elders are Subjected to Financial Abuse via Lunch Seminars (Winter 07-08)
  6. Other Recent Scams -- Annuities, LLCs and Nigerians (Winter 07-08)

    7. < RETURN TO INDEX
D. Real Estate, Stocks and Other Financial Comments
  1. Huge Tax Trap for Those Expecting a Full Exclusion of Gain, who did Not Always Use Their Home as a Main Home (pp. 3-4, Issue #56 Winter 2015)
  2. The purported health care act incentivizes direct payments to medical providers (pp. 3-5, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  3. Taxation of Bitcoin (and other crypto-currencies) (pp. 5-6, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  4. Timely financial quotes (p. 3, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  5. Values of stocks and bonds, like real estate, can move inversely to interest rates (pp. 4-5, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  6. Should I refi and, if so, should I take a 15-year or a 30-year mortgage? What if I buy a home--same question? (pp. 6-8, issue # 49, Summer 2012)
  7. How much down payment should we make if we purchase a new home? (pp. 7-8, # 49, Summer 2012)
  8. How aggressively should we invest our retirement funds? (pp. 7-8, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  9. A retrospective look at the housing crash, seven years in: have we bottomed? (pp. 1-5, issue # 47 Winter 2012)
  10. Reconsidering earthquake insurance with new, lower premiums (pp. 1-5, issue # 45 Summer 2011)
  11. Excessive Unproductive Debt is the Key Problem (pp. 1-2, Fall 2010)
  12. The Wealth of Individuals Part 7: Roth Conversions (pp. 1-7, Spring-Early Summer 10)
  13. A quartet of books make sense of the financial crisis and show how to protect what you have (pp. 1-3, Winter 10)
  14. The Wealth of Individuals Part 6: buy and hold is not forever (pp. 4-5, Winter 10)
  15. Amazing quotes on the FHA, crony capitalism and more (pp. 6, Winter 10)
  16. How much bigger was this real estate bubble than the last one? (p. 8, Fall 09)
  17. My favorite financial blogs and sites (p. 6, Fall 09)
  18. The Wealth of Individuals Part 5: Cash can be King (pp. 3-4, Fall 09)
  19. If you buy a timeshare, buy a USED timeshare (pp. 1-2, Fall 09)
  20. The Wealth of Individuals Part 4: assessing one's tolerance for risk (p. 1, Spring 09)
  21. The wealth of individuals Part 3: investments move in "spurts." Above all, avoid losses (Winter 08-09)
  22. An Austrian school of economics perspective on the crash (Winter 08-09)
  23. The Wealth of Individuals Part 2: Why Low Taxes on the "Rich" is Good for the "Upwardly Mobile" (Fall 08)
  24. Crony Capitalism—Not Free Markets—Caused the Economic Catastrophe (Fall 08)
  25. Eight Reasons Real Estate Hasn't Yet Bottomed and a Method of Valuing Property (Cap Rates) (p. 5, Summer 08)
  26. The Wealth of Individuals: Why Avoiding Debt, Stability and Starting to Save Earlier Rather Than Later are Essential to Long Term Wealth Creation (Summer 08)
  27. Reverse Mortgages: An Expensive Last Resort (Winter 07-08)
  28. Real Estate Succumbs to a Perfect Storm (Fall 07)
  29. Requiem for a Bubble: Unsold Inventory Skyrockets (Summer 07)
  30. Lose Your Home to Foreclosure, Pay Tax on a Gain. Huh? (Summer 07)
  31. How Should I Take Title to Property? (Winter 06-07)
  32. The Real Cost of Dinner (Summer-Fall 06)
  33. Real Estate Chills (Summer-Fall 06)
  34. Debunking the Myths of Home Prices (Summer-Fall 06)
  35. The Power of Compound Growth in a Postage Stamp (Jan-Apr 06)
  36. The Real Estate Bubble, Part lV (Nov-Dec 05)
  37. More Indication of a Bubble (Nov-Dec 05)
  38. The Pros and Cons of Investing in Land (Nov-Dec 05)
  39. The Real Estate Bubble, Part III (Oct-Sep 05)
  40. Froth in the Real Estate Market (Jul-Aug 05)
  41. California Real Estate Prices May Be Peaking (Oct-Nov 04)
  42. The Stock Market Bubble Returns (Jul-Aug 03)
  43. Letters to Doug (what caused the stock market bubble?) (Mar-Jun 03)
  44. Letters to Doug (should you sell despite a huge tax liability?) (Jan-Feb 03)
  45. What Caused the Stock Market Collapse? (Nov-Dec 02)
  46. Markets, Psychology and Real Estate (Nov-Dec 02)
  47. Barely Back Inside the Box: Overvaluation Extremes (Sep-Oct 02)
  48. The Blame Game (Jul-Aug 02)

    49. < RETURN TO INDEX
E. Client Administration, What to Send, Extensions, Etc.
  1. Tax Law Changes For the Upcoming Year (pp. 5-6, Issue #59 Summer 2016)
  2. A Convoluted End to Tax Season – “Emancipation Day” (pp. 7-8, Issue #58 Summer-Fall 2015)
  3. Changes in Entity Due Dates and Increased Penalties for Late-Filed 1099s (p. 8, Issue #58 Summer-Fall 2015)
  4. No, we do not need K-1s for retirement plans—except…. (p. 8, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  5. Tax return identity theft takes another victim (p. 8, issue # 54, Spring-Summer 2014)
  6. The challenge of tax season; a change to appointments (pp. 1-2, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  7. Extensions can be disallowed if taxes owed are far from your estimate (pp. 2-3, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  8. Tax return identity theft (p. 4, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  9. Broker elections for stock and mutual fund sales (p. 8, issue # 47 Winter 2012)
  10. New enforcement expected for "use" tax (think: Amazon purchases) (p. 5, issue # 47 Winter 2012)
  11. Our "client survey" results...and who do we think like? (pp. 7-8, issue # 46 Fall 2011)
  12. Year-End Reminders (Fall 07)
  13. Prevent Tax Tragedy: Call Us Before You Act! (Summer 07)
  14. The Importance of Getting Your Tax Info to us Early (Spring-Summer 07)
  15. Who Are You? (Spring-Summer 07)
  16. When am I Obligated to Pay for City Business Licenses? (Winter 06-07)
  17. New Rules for Registered Domestic Partnerships (Winter 06-07)
  18. Plan for Income Changes in November (Feb-Apr 05)
  19. Telecommunications Checklist Addendum for '04 (Dec 04-Jan 05)
  20. Notes From Doug (report on Doug’s work in the field of alcoholism) (Sep-Oct 03)
  21. Tax Season Potpourri (on informing us of changes, why our fees change and timely information for IRAs) (Jul-Aug 03)
  22. Don’t Send the Kitchen Sink! (Jan-Feb 03)
  23. Should We Just Put You on Extension? (Jan-Feb 03)
  24. Extensions and First Quarterly Estimates (Jan-Feb 03)
  25. Last Minute Extensions and IRAs (Jan-Feb 03)
  26. Your Local Theater (Sep-Oct 02)
  27. Mammoth Beckons (Jul-Aug 02)
  28. Electronic Filing (May-Jun 02)
  29. Caller ID and Call Blocking: Friends and Foes (May-Jun 02)

    30. < RETURN TO INDEX
F. Filing Requirements and Record Keeping Tips and Other Strategies for Small Businesses/Rental Property Owners
  1. Records to Keep and How Long to Keep Them (With a Listing of Statutes of Limitations) (pp. 1-3, Issue #67 Summer 2020 part II)
  2. How to Fill Out the New W-4 to Break Even (pp. 6-8, Issue #67 Summer 2020 part II)
  3. Tax Saving, Strategies Under the New TCJA: Starting a Business and Increasing the Size of a Home Office (pp. 4-5, Issue #65 Fall 2018 Part IV)
  4. What I Found Purging Old Records (pp. 1-2, Issue #62 Fall 2018 part I)
  5. The Best of the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act (TCJA): New, Lower Tax Rates, the QBID and New and Improved Depreciation (pp. 2-8, Issue #62 Fall 2018 part I)
  6. New Deadlines and Penalties for Filing 1099s, W-2s, Partnership Returns and Corporate Returns, (pp. 3-4, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  7. Planning for Major Renovations on Rentals? Read This. (pp. 5-6, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  8. Challenges for the Would-Be Entrepreneur: The Tax Code is Stacked Against Entrepreneurs (pp. 6-8, Issue #60 Summer 2016)
  9. Penalties for Non-Filing of 1099s Increased to $250 (p. 8, Issue #58 Summer-Fall 2015)
  10. The ultimate “how to” create personal, business and rental property records, simply (pp. 1-4, issue # 54, Spring-Summer 2014)
  11. Foreign financial assets must be reported (pp. 1-4, issue # 49, Summer 2012)
  12. How long should various records be kept? (p. 7, issue # 47 Winter 2012)
  13. Audits are increasing: tips on improving your recordkeeping habits now (pp. 3-5, issue # 46 Fall 2011)
  14. Simplified Recordkeeping Simplified (Fall 07)
  15. When am I Obligated to Pay for City Business Licenses? (Winter 06-07)
  16. City of Los Angeles Business Tax (Dec 04-Jan 05)
  17. An Update on Record Keeping (Jan-Apr 04)
  18. 1099 Filings for Business and Income Property Owners (Jan-Feb 03)
  19. Reporting New Subcontractors During the Year (Jan-Feb 03)

    20. < RETURN TO INDEX
G. Education Incentives
  1. New Rules to Take a Higher Education Credit (p. 7, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  2. Letters to Doug (control over investments vs. disbursal) (Jan-Feb 03)
  3. Education, Deductions, Credits and Tax Free Growth (Nov-Dec 02)

    4. < RETURN TO INDEX
H. Political-Economic Commentary
  1. Catastrophic Long-Term Economic, Financial and Other Effects of Lockdowns (pp. 6-8, Issue #68 Fall 2020 part III)
  2. The Lockdowns and Hysterical Response to “the Virus” Will Decimate Small Businesses, With a Discussion of AB5 and Independent Contractors vs Employees (pp. 3-6, Issue #68 Fall 2020 part III)
  3. What is “the Virus?” (p. 1, Issue #66 Summer (vol. I)
  4. Tax Savings, Strategies Under the New TCJA: Bunching Deductions, Roth Conversions, “Smoothing” Income and Deductions (pp. 2-6, Issue #65 Fall 2018 part IV)
  5. Towards a More Rational Tax System (p. 7, Issue #65 Fall 2018 part IV)
  6. How to Stay Healthy and Create Wealth During the Pandemic, Including an Alternative View on Masks (pp. 4-6, Issue #66 Summer (vol. I)
  7. Bitcoin Users Beware – The IRS is Cracking Down (p. 6, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  8. A Little History of the Corporate Income Tax (pp. 7-8, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  9. A Personal Note: Why I Do What I Do (p. 8, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  10. High Taxes on High Income Earners Reduce Everyone’s Wealth: Wealth is Created By Investors and Entrepreneurs, Never By Government (pp. 1-4, Issue #60 Fall 2016)
  11. The Higher the Mandated Minimum Wage, the Greater the Damage to the Job Prospects of the Young, Newly Sober and Unskilled (pp. 4-5, Issue #60 Summer 2016)
  12. Why Wages Rise (it’s Entrepreneurial Capitalism, not Government Mandates) (p. 5, Issue #60 Summer 2016)
  13. Challenges for the Would-Be Entrepreneur (pp. 6-8, Issue #60 Summer 2016).
  14. Strategies For the Young to Create Wealth: Understand the Basics, but also the Effect of Marginal Tax Rates on Selecting a Retirement Plan, as Well as Type, Temperament and Alcoholism (pp. 5-7, Issue #57 Sprint-Summer 2015)
  15. King v. Burwell: The Case that Determined We Are No Longer the Land of the Free (pp. 4-6, Issue #56 Winter 2015)
  16. Government Funded HSA’s are a Reasonable Compromise to Replace Top-Down Medical Care (From Ben Carson’s “One Nation”) (pp. 6-7, Issue #56 Winter 2015)
  17. If We Expect Medical Care to Be Less Costly, It Needs To Be Taken Out of the Hands of the Government (p. 7, Issue #56 Winter 2015)
  18. The purported health care act incentivizes direct payments to medical providers (pp. 3-5, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  19. Timely quotes on health care, the state as unicorn, and 1689 Bill of Rights (p. 8, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  20. Inequality creates wealth for everyone (pp. 4-6, issue # 54, Spring-Summer 2014)
  21. Errata for “New stealth tax rates on upwardly mobile extraordinary producers” from issue # 52 (p. 8, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  22. New stealth tax rates on upwardly mobile extraordinary producers (pp. 1-2, issue # 52, Fall 2013)
  23. 2013 tax increases under the purported health care act (pp. 3-5, issue # 52, Fall 2013)
  24. Other’s rants (via great quotes) on the role of government (p. 8, issue # 52, Fall 2013)
  25. The demise of DOMA: careful what you wish for (p. 3, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  26. Report your room rentals or lose your home! (p. 8, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  27. A libertarian view of morality, philosophy and the presidential election (pp. 1-5, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  28. Means-testing Social Security and Medicare will worsen already-exorbitant tax rates (p. 6, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  29. Maximum tax rates by state—where will productive Californians move to? (p. 7, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  30. Who pays taxes? Charts, by income level (p. 8, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  31. Draconian penalties are inappropriate in a free society: a deep discussion of the penalties for failure to report foreign financial assets, and other penalties (pp. 1-5, issue # 49, Summer 2012)
  32. Government malincentives as the primary impetus for the housing bubble (pp. 1-5, issue # 47 Winter 2012)
  33. The Draconian state part 1: foreign bank account reporting issues (p. 8, issue # 47 Winter 2012)
  34. The "Buffet Rule": just who is the better steward of your money, you or government? (pp. 1-3, issue # 46 Fall 2011)
  35. A Lesson in Medical Incentives: My Story of Acid Reflux (p. 8, Winter 2011)
  36. Restating Pollsters Questions, Especially About Tax Increases, May Result in Different Results (pp. 4-6, Winter 2011)
  37. What is a Libertarian? Part 3: Where we can Compromise (pp. 2-4, Winter 2011)
  38. What is a Libertarian? Part 2: Wealth, Debt and the Limits of Government (pp. 2-5, Fall 2010)
  39. Doug's Rant: Almost Everyone Can be Wrong and Government is the Problem (pp. 1-2, Late Summer 2010)
  40. Obama Anti-Care: Breathtaking Arrogance, the End of Medical Innovation and an Awful Precedent in Taxation (pp. 3-5, Late Summer 2010)
  41. What is a Libertarian? Part 1: Basic Philosophy and Rights and Boundaries (pp. 5-6, Late Summer 2010)
  42. The Arrogance of a Government Economist and a Government Planner (p. 7, Late Summer 2010)
  43. A quartet of books make sense of the financial crisis and show how to protect what you have (pp. 1-3, Winter 10)
  44. Amazing quotes on the FHA, crony capitalism and more (pp. 6, Winter 10)
  45. Why we are doomed to repeat history: the myths of the Great Depression and the cause of unemployment (p. 8, Fall 09)
  46. More thoughts on the economy and why things could get ugly (pp. 7-8, Fall 09)
  47. CA once again says "to hell with the job creators" (pp. 4-5, Fall 09)
  48. Thoughts on the economic mess and why things could worsen (pp. 7-8, Summer 09)
  49. CA increases taxes at a rate FAR greater than inflation and population growth (pp. 4-5, Summer 09)
  50. Sophisticated government officials make egregious errors. Are some people more equal than others? (p. 6, Spring 09)
  51. Dear Barack (Fall 08)
  52. Dear John (Fall 08)
  53. Medical Care: Government Regulations are the Problem; a Free Market with Choice and Competition is the Cure (Summer-Fall 08)
  54. How Lower Taxes Raise Tax Collections (Winter 06-07)
  55. Eliminate--or Severely Curtail--the Estate Tax (Winter 06-07)
  56. The "Meathead" Tax: Universal Pre-School at What Price (May-Jun 06)
  57. A Flat Tax (Jan-Apr 06)
  58. Interstate Telecommuters Face an Appalling Tax (Jan-Apr 06)
  59. Oil and the Enabling of Despots (Nov-Dec 05)
  60. Death and Taxes (Oct-Sep 05)
  61. Health Savings Accounts: A Paradigm Shift in Health Care (Feb-Apr 05)
  62. Principled Voting (Oct-Nov 04)
  63. 2004 Election, Iraq and Gridlock (Oct-Nov 04)
  64. The California Election (Nov-Dec 03)
  65. The LA Times and the Election (Nov-Dec 03)
  66. Coping with the High Cost of Medical Care (Jan-Apr 04)
  67. Tough Love for California Government (Jan-Apr 04)
  68. Doug’s Ideal Flat Tax (Sep-Oct 03)
  69. Privatize Iraq’s Oil (Sep-Oct 03)
  70. North Korea (Sep-Oct 03)
  71. California in the Charts (Sep-Oct 03)
  72. Total Recall (Sep-Oct 03)
  73. The Politics of Envy (expanding the child tax credit) (Jul-Aug 03)
  74. The Real Story of Thanksgiving (Nov-Dec 02)

    75. < RETURN TO INDEX
I. Using Changes in Marginal Tax Rates, ‘Income Averaging,’ Roth Conversions and
Roth IRAs to Create Wealth

        Understanding “Marginal Tax Rates”

  1. Real Tax Brackets: Not the Advertised Ones (pp. 3-4, issue # 13, March-June 2003)
  2. What Tax Bracket Am I In? (pp. 3-6, issue # 28, Spring-Summer 2007)
  3. What Tax Bracket Am I In? Part 2: A Focus on Social Security Recipients (pp. 3-6, issue # 29, Summer 2007)
  4. What Tax Bracket Am I In? Part 3: A Focus on Low Income Earners (pp. 4-6, issue # 30, Fall 2007)
  5. Income Averaging: Making the best of a low income year (issue #21, Jul-Aug 05)

    Income Averaging Using Roth Conversions and Roth IRAs to Create Wealth

  6. A New Start Date for RMD’s and The Value of Income Smoothing: The Example of Inherited IRAs (pp. 3-6, Issue #67 Summer 2020 part II)
  7. Long-Term Tax Savings Opportunities for Clients Who Experienced Declining Income – Lockdown Edition (pp. 1-4, Issue #66 Summer 2020 (part I)
  8. Challenges for the Would-Be Entrepreneur: The Tax Code is Stacked Against Entrepreneur (With a Trumpian Footnote) (pp. 6-8, Issue #60 Summer 2016)
  9. Financial History and Unpayable Pension Promises (pp. 7-8, Issue #57 Spring-Summer 2015)
  10. Buy a car with tax savings from “income averaging” via Roth conversion (pp. 1-3, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  11. Creating tax-free retirement income via Roth IRA contributions (p. 4, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  12. Should future low-income retirees contribute to traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs? (pp. 5-6, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  13. When I need money, should I withdraw from my Roth or non-retirement account? (pp. 6-7, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  14. Why should I do a Roth conversion if I’ll be in the same bracket for the rest of my life? (pp. 7-8, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  15. Roth IRAs as a long-term tax shelter (p. 7, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  16. Means-testing Social Security and Medicare will worsen already-exorbitant tax rates (p. 6, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  17. Should you do an IRA, a Roth or a 401k? (pp. 3-4, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  18. Bankers and brokers continue to give bad advice re: Roth conversions (p. 5, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  19. When can you spend the money in Roth IRAs that came from conversions? (pp. 5-6, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  20. Dad died. Is it too late to do (another) conversion? (pp. 6-7, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  21. My IRA contribution/conversion didn't go through timely. What can I do? (p. 7, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  22. How does a Roth conversion differ from a Roth contribution? (pp. 7-8, issue # 45 Summer 2011)
  23. What if I need funds in an emergency and most of my assets are tied up in Roth conversions? (p. 8, issue # 45 Summer 2011)
  24. Using Roth conversions to average your income (pp. 1-5, issue # 44 Spring-Early Summer 2011)
  25. Delaying the start of Social Security for purposes of longevity insurance and effecting Roth conversions at low tax rates (pp. 6-8, issue # 44 Spring-Early Summer 2011)
  26. More Myths of Roth Conversions (pp. 7, issue # 43, Winter 2011)
  27. The Extraordinary Tax Shelter Value of a Roth IRA (pp. 1-2, issue #40, Spring-Early Summer 2010)
  28. Basics of Roth Conversions (pp. 2-3, issue #40, Spring-Early Summer 2010)
  29. Myths and Realities of Roth Conversions (p. 4, issue #40, Spring-Early Summer 2010)
  30. Sometimes, Even Bankers and Brokers Don't Understand Roth IRAs and Roth Conversions (pp. 6-7, issue #40, Spring-Early Summer 2010)
  31. Missed Opportunities with IRAs, Roth's and Roth Conversions (pp. 5-6, issue #40, Spring-Early Summer 2010)
  32. Contribution history can be essential when withdrawing from Roth IRAs (p. 5, issue #36, Spring 2009)
  33. Traditional-to-Roth conversions can be a great strategy even for Social Security recipients (pp. 2-5, issue #35, Winter 2008-2009)
  34. New Roth IRA Strategy for High-Income Earners (pp. 1-2, issue #27, Winter 2007)
  35. I Can't Contribute to My Roth IRA Because... (pp. 4-5, issue #25, May-Jun 2006)
  36. Withdraw from Pension, Roll to Roth (Nov-Dec 03)
  37. Roth IRAs for Everyone—Even Low Income; Taking a Loss on a Roth IRA (pp. 4-5, issue #14, July-Augist 2003)
  38. Gambling and Roth IRAs (Jpp. 1-2, issue #9, Jul-Aug 2002)

    39. < RETURN TO INDEX
J. Traditional IRAs, Other Tax-Deferred Plans and Miscellaneous Articles on Roth IRAs and Social Security
  1. Why Roth Conversions Should Be Accelerated While Both Spouses are Alive (pp. 1-3, Issue #68 Fall 2020 part III)
  2. Congress Makes the Direct IRA Charitable Transfer (DCT) “Permanent” (pp. 1-4, Issue #59 Summer 2016)
  3. Defer RMD Withdrawals with Deferred Longevity Annuities (p. 7, Issue #58 Summer-Fall 2015)
  4. Roth 401ks and Roth IRAs are very different (pp. 6-7, issue # 54, Spring-Summer 2014)
  5. Two IRA rollovers within 12 months cost a fortune; avoid indirect rollovers (pp. 7-8, issue # 54, Spring-Summer 2014)
  6. Should future low-income retirees contribute to traditional IRAs or Roth IRAs? (pp. 5-6, issue # 53, Winter 2014)
  7. There are unseen risks in borrowing from your 401-k (p. 8, issue # 51 Winter-Spring 2013)
  8. Means-testing Social Security and Medicare will worsen already-exorbitant tax rates (p. 6, issue # 50, Fall 2012)
  9. The pros, cons and features of annuities (pp. 1-3, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  10. Should you do an IRA, a Roth or a 401k? (pp. 3-4, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  11. Should you buy gold inside your IRA? (p. 5, issue # 45 Summer 2011)
  12. Delaying the start of Social Security for purposes of longevity insurance and effecting Roth conversions at low tax rates (pp. 6-8, issue # 44 Spring-Early Summer 2011)
  13. Direct Donations from IRAs Can Save Far More Than Those for Which You Write a Check (p. 1-2, Winter 2011)
  14. Missed Opportunities with IRAs, Roth's and Roth Conversions (pp. 5-6, Spring-Early Summer 10)
  15. Traditional-to-Roth conversions can be a great strategy even for Social Security recipients (Winter 08-09)
  16. Why an IRA Can be the Best Savings Vehicle (Summer 08, chart top of page 4)
  17. Why a Health Savings Account May be Better than an IRA (Winter 07-08)
  18. How are Social Security Benefits Taxed? (Summer 07)
  19. New Charitable Giving via IRA for the Elderly Strategy (Winter 06-07)
  20. Low-Income Savers Retirement Credit Made Permanent (Winter 06-07)
  21. When NOT to Contribute to a 401-(k) (Summer-Fall 06)
  22. Avoiding Social Security Tax (Summer-Fall 06)
  23. The Power of Compound Growth in an Inherited IRA (Jan-Apr 06)
  24. Real Estate for Your IRA (Jan-Apr 06)
  25. Roth 401(k)s and 403(b)s Available in 2006 (Oct-Sep 05)
  26. Tax Myth-of-the-Month: "A Roth IRA is Almost Always Better than a Traditional IRA" (Oct-Sep 05)
  27. Health Savings Accounts: A Paradigm Shift in Health Care (Feb-Apr 05)
  28. Retirement Plan Annual Limits '04 & '05 (Feb-Apr 05)
  29. IRA Arbitrage: Earn 25% on Your “Investment” (Sep-Oct 03)
  30. Letters to Doug (Roth IRAs and gambling) (Sep-Oct 02)
  31. Letters to Doug (unstoppable Medicare taxes) (Sep-Oct 02)
  32. Positive Changes in Retirement Plans for the Self-Employed and Small Corporations (Jul-Aug 02)
  33. Traditional vs. Roth IRAs Revisited: 401-Ks, Roths, or Pay Off Debt? (Jul-Aug 02)
  34. New Low Income Pension “Savers Credit” Trickier Than We Thought (Jul-Aug 02)
  35. New Mandatory Minimum Withdrawals: Less Than Ever (Jul-Aug 02)
  36. The Greatest Ponzi Scheme Ever (Jul-Aug 02)
  37. Social Security Maximum Wage Base Increases at a Rate Far Greater Than Inflation (Jul-Aug 02)

    38. < RETURN TO INDEX
K. Mortgages and Other Debt
  1. Should you refinance? Should you go with a 15-year or 30-year mortgage? (pp. 6-8, issue # 49, Summer 2012)
    >> View HTML or PDF
  2. Should you refinance? Sometimes you should, even if you think you shouldn't (pp. 6-7, issue #37, Summer 2009)
    >> View HTML or PDF
  3. The New Bankruptcy Law: An End to Spending as We Know It (Issue #23, Winter 2005) >> View HTML or PDF
  4. Misleading Financial Advertisements: "Cash Call" and the "HMS Capital Loan" (Oct-Sep 2005) >> View HTML or PDF
  5. Equity Enhancement Programs (Nov-Dec 2003) >> View HTML or PDF
  6. Should You Pay Your Mortgage Off or Just Pay it Down? (Jul-Aug 2002) >> View PDF
  7. Traditional vs. Roth IRAs Revisited: 401-Ks, Roths, or Pay Off Debt? (Jul-Aug 2002) >> View PDF

    8. < RETURN TO INDEX
L. Audits and the IRS
  1. The Statute of Limitations for Audits Can Be Much Longer Than Three Years (Don’t Shred Without Reading This First!) (pp. 4-5, Issue #61 Late Fall 2016-Early Winter 2017)
  2. Audit-proofing charitable donations (pp. 1-2, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  3. Tax court enforces IRS rules on contemporaneous records for driving (pp. 2-3, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  4. Taxation of Bitcoin (and other crypto-currencies) (pp. 5-6, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  5. Who must file FBAR (foreign) reports? (p. 7, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  6. New “deals” offered for (1) taxpayers with previously undisclosed foreign accounts and (2) non-filers of Form 5500 for Keogh-like retirement plans (p. 7, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  7. Is that the IRS calling? (p. 8, issue # 55, Fall 2014)
  8. Win audits with good, solid, simply-kept business and rental property records (pp. 1-4, issue # 54, Spring-Summer 2014)
  9. The “individual mandate” penalty (p. 8, issue # 52, Fall 2013)
  10. Many (most for us) CP2000 computer-generated audit letters are completely wrong (pp. 4-5, issue # 48 Spring 2012)
  11. The Draconian state part 1: foreign bank account reporting issues (p. 8, issue # 47 Winter 2012)
  12. New enforcement expected for "use" tax (think: Amazon purchases) (p. 5, issue # 47 Winter 2012)
  13. Audits are increasing; improve your recordkeeping habits now (pp. 3-5, issue # 46 Fall 2011)
  14. Recent IRS Audit and Tax-Collection Stories: Big Issues (Winter 2011)
  15. Recent Success Stories from Tax Season and Audit Representation (Jul-Aug 05)
  16. New TCMP-Like Audits (May-Jun 02)
  17. Tax Evasion With Offshore Bank Accounts (May-Jun 02)

    18. < RETURN TO INDEX