Bad Tax Advice!

Is there such a thing as a dumb question? When talking about individual tax law, I really don’t think there it. I mean, we are talking about an agency that (sometimes) doesn’t define your child as your Qualifying Child, but who (sometimes) defines someone totally not related to you in any way as a Qualifying Relative.

But there are plenty of dumb answers. Hey, it’s the Internet, where bad tax advice is almost as abundant as baby sloth videos! On facebook groups and internet message boards throughout the land, Well Meaning Internet Strangers ™ are offering abundantly bad and often dangerous tax advice. This is a collection of *actual* quotes I’ve seen in my own person Internet groups, followed by why, exactly, the advice isn’t always good. As an Oregon resident, I will talk about trickeries specific to Oregon as well as Federal law.

Taxes are complicated. The best answer that a qualified tax person can give, without a pretty comprehensive background interview, is, “it depends.” Which is why nothing here should be considered tax advice. After all, I’m just another Well Meaning Internet Stranger ™! True, I’m an Enrolled Agent and a Licensed Tax Consultant, but if you get anything from reading this blog, it should be that you shouldn’t take tax advice on the Internet; if you have a question, ask your tax person, who can give you an answer based on YOUR situation. I suggest looking here for a qualified pro, if you don’t already have one. You may also qualify for FREE tax help, through the IRS VITA program, AARPs Tax Aide program, or other local options like Portland’s CASH Oregon coalition.

Enjoy!