Your thoughts on act 165

[Automatic Monkey]

It's not a matter of the law being unfair, more of it being illegal. Winnings are winnings and losses are losses- those words have meanings. If I split aces, and one side wins and the other loses, I do not have winnings, even though half of the split won.

What the authorities seem to be asking for is a vig on all payouts, rather than a tax on winnings, and I don't believe the legislature ever agreed to that.

 

[fsscout]

Yes, there is everything illegal about not reporting your winnings simply because the IRS wasn't informed.
With all due respect, if you can't answer your question, you really shouldn't be offing advice on a subject you obviously know very little about.

You are right if you win more than you lose you are supposed to report that. It would be wise not to suggest doing something illegal. The point I was trying to make but apparently was unclear, why would you list unreported winnings as income when you can adjust that income with loses, thus making it a wash. If you read the tax law on gambling, what I suggested technically is illegal but I doubt the IRS would make an issue out of that when your net gain is zero. So I retract my advise to the OP and now suggest to do exactly what the law says even if it may open a can of worms.

As regards to my knowledge of the tax law, I would venture to say I know tax laws better than the majority of people who post to this board. I won’t get into detail about the time an IRS auditor tried to make me pay more than I owe. Let’s just say I did a bit of research and turned the tables on her.

I have been a business owner and a GM of a construction company. In addition to income taxes I dealt with all types of taxes such as unemployment, over the road and numerous taxes that most are not aware of. Every accountant I have worked with applies common sense in regards to incomes taxes. Lets avoid red flags.

So shadrock do not move to Hawaii. You may find yourself in a very awkward position. Do the right thing, at least in regards to Hawaiian law, and report all winnings even that dollar you once won despite the fact it took $2 to win it, or just keep your mouth shut knowing there is no way Hawaii could prove you won a few dollars gambling.

 

[QFIT]

The point I was trying to make but apparently was unclear, why would you list unreported winnings as income when you can adjust that income with loses, thus making it a wash.

Because that appears to be illegal in Hawaii. Nothing new about this. Hawaii is anti-gambling.

In any case, forums are not a good source of tax advice.

 

[fsscout]

Because that appears to be illegal in Hawaii. Nothing new about this. Hawaii is anti-gambling.

In any case, forums are not a good source of tax advice.

QFIT you make a good point. I will not voice my opinions and personal experiences in regards to income taxes any more at least in regards to law. That is better left for the tax lawyers and accountants.

 

[fsscout]

For those interested in what the Hawaiian gambling tax law says and the resaoning behind it just google "Hawaii gambling tax laws".

 

[shadroch]

Because that appears to be illegal in Hawaii. Nothing new about this. Hawaii is anti-gambling.

In any case, forums are not a good source of tax advice.

It would be illegal anywhere. What the IRS requires is that you report both your winnings and losses if you want to make them a wash. losses are reported on Schedule C, so if you claim the standard deduction and file a short form, you must report winnings and can' t deduct losses.
Are our laws fair? No, but who ever said they were in the first place?
Is it fair that an 18 year old can kill or die for his country, but is legally too immature to have a drink?

 

[fsscout]

It would be illegal anywhere. What the IRS requires is that you report both your winnings and losses if you want to make them a wash. losses are reported on Schedule C, so if you claim the standard deduction and file a short form, you must report winnings and can' t deduct losses.
Are our laws fair? No, but who ever said they were in the first place?
Is it fair that an 18 year old can kill or die for his country, but is legally too immature to have a drink?

Shadroch, I took the exact position as your statement “Is it fair that an 18 year old can kill or die for his country, but is legally too immature to have a drink?” about 40 years ago in a college logic course when the Vietnam War was a major issue and 18 year olds could not vote.

I was shot down by the majority of my classmates. By the way it was a night class so the majority of students were much older than 18. The consensus was that the ability to shoot a rifle had nothing to do with the ability to make decisions in regards to voting, marriage, drinking, etc. Now that I am much older I still have failed to see the light. No one will ever convince me that it is right that an 18 year old is given the privilege of dying for his country and not be given all the privileges that a 21 year old has.

 

[chichow]

Hawaii is a heavier handed state

Hawaii had gas cap price laws.
Hawaii effectively has everyone covered by health insurance.
Many benefits are done at the state level.

Its a Hawaiian thing. I wouldn't be concerned about it spreading like Hula dancing.

 

[QFIT]

If gambling was "fair," then it could be argued that there would be no such thing as advantage play.

 

[Bojack1]

Is it fair that an 18 year old can kill or die for his country, but is legally too immature to have a drink?

Actually if you are an 18 years old in the service you are legally allowed to drink while on base. They understand you have made an adult decision and you are rewarded with the choice of an adult beverage if you so choose while being on military property.

That being said it brings me to a situation I had a couple of years ago in a supermarket parking lot. I was approached by these kids on skateboards that asked me to buy beer for them. I said sorry guys thats illegal the answer is no. One started ranting about how he was old enough to die for his country but was not allowed to buy a beer. This infuriated me. I grabbed this punk by the throat and told him until you put an f'n uniform on and head into battle there ain't a chance in hell you are dying for this country. You sure is hell aren't going to be getting my sympathy rolling on a skateboard while kids your age really do die for this country. If you came up to me in uniform, you'd have a pretty convincing argument that I might consider breaking the law for. I let him go and he didn't say a word. Of course when I came out of the store all my tires were slashed. Thats okay, I never saw the kid again, and even if I did it wouldn't matter, I'm not out to beat up young punks, just let em know its not their age that makes them unable to enjoy their rights, its their choices.

 

[Automatic Monkey]

Actually if you are an 18 years old in the service you are legally allowed to drink while on base. They understand you have made an adult decision and you are rewarded with the choice of an adult beverage if you so choose while being on military property.

That being said it brings me to a situation I had a couple of years ago in a supermarket parking lot. I was approached by these kids on skateboards that asked me to buy beer for them. I said sorry guys thats illegal the answer is no. One started ranting about how he was old enough to die for his country but was not allowed to buy a beer. This infuriated me. I grabbed this punk by the throat and told him until you put an f'n uniform on and head into battle there ain't a chance in hell you are dying for this country. You sure is hell aren't going to be getting my sympathy rolling on a skateboard while kids your age really do die for this country. If you came up to me in uniform, you'd have a pretty convincing argument that I might consider breaking the law for. I let him go and he didn't say a word. Of course when I came out of the store all my tires were slashed. Thats okay, I never saw the kid again, and even if I did it wouldn't matter, I'm not out to beat up young punks, just let em know its not their age that makes them unable to enjoy their rights, its their choices.

Brilliant.

The right answer would have been to tell them to go down to the VFW hall with their tale of woe about not being able to drink, as they'd be really sympathetic to kids old enough to be in the military. Dummies would have probably done it too, it would have been fun to watch.

 

[RJT]

Actually if you are an 18 years old in the service you are legally allowed to drink while on base. They understand you have made an adult decision and you are rewarded with the choice of an adult beverage if you so choose while being on military property.

That being said it brings me to a situation I had a couple of years ago in a supermarket parking lot. I was approached by these kids on skateboards that asked me to buy beer for them. I said sorry guys thats illegal the answer is no. One started ranting about how he was old enough to die for his country but was not allowed to buy a beer. This infuriated me. I grabbed this punk by the throat and told him until you put an f'n uniform on and head into battle there ain't a chance in hell you are dying for this country. You sure is hell aren't going to be getting my sympathy rolling on a skateboard while kids your age really do die for this country. If you came up to me in uniform, you'd have a pretty convincing argument that I might consider breaking the law for. I let him go and he didn't say a word. Of course when I came out of the store all my tires were slashed. Thats okay, I never saw the kid again, and even if I did it wouldn't matter, I'm not out to beat up young punks, just let em know its not their age that makes them unable to enjoy their rights, its their choices.

I'm not sure i'm seeing the moral that you are trying to get across here Bojack. Is it that kids should go join the army if they want to be allowed to drink? Or is it that the only 18 year old who is responsible enough to drink is the one who joins the army?
Dealing with a large range of kids 5 days a week and seeing the ones that chose to go off to join the army at a young age, these aren't the kids that are responsible enough to make decisions like that. In fact i'd go a lot further than that and say that in general they tend to be the thugs, bullies and trouble makers that a) cause teachers no end of hassel and b) make their responsible and hard working peers (the sort i could entrust my wallet to at the start of the day and know i'll get in back intact at the end) lives a misery.
The kids that head off to join the army, in my experience, don't tend to do it out of some noble need to serve their country - the first world war idea of all our lads running down to the recruitment office to sign up to protect king and country simply doesn't hold up today - instead what we get is miscreants that think getting to shoot guns and kill people all over the world will be really cool.
As it is, the kids in your story aren't the responsible ones either, they are just whiny little piss ants that have latched on to some pop culture politics simply because it fits with their notion of how unfairly the world has treated them. I whole heartedly agree that they're not responsible enough to decide whether they should be allowed to drink or not and if they were allowed to drink would probably do something damaging or violent to the community. That however doesn't mean that those youngster that sign-up to the armed forces should be held up as the bar that the rest of our youth should strive to achieve.
Perhaps this is just a culture difference - maybe things are different in the states.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGJESEUYaQg
I've seen Doug Stanhope do a far better job of this bit and make a sharper point with it at other times, but this is the best i can find just now.

RJT.

 

[Bojack1]

I'm not sure i'm seeing the moral that you are trying to get across here Bojack. Is it that kids should go join the army if they want to be allowed to drink? Or is it that the only 18 year old who is responsible enough to drink is the one who joins the army?
Dealing with a large range of kids 5 days a week and seeing the ones that chose to go off to join the army at a young age, these aren't the kids that are responsible enough to make decisions like that. In fact i'd go a lot further than that and say that in general they tend to be the thugs, bullies and trouble makers that a) cause teachers no end of hassel and b) make their responsible and hard working peers (the sort i could entrust my wallet to at the start of the day and know i'll get in back intact at the end) lives a misery.
The kids that head off to join the army, in my experience, don't tend to do it out of some noble need to serve their country - the second world war idea of all our lads running down to the recruitment office to sign up to protect king and country simply doesn't hold up today - instead what we get is miscreants that think getting to shoot guns and kill people all over the world will be really cool.
As it is, the kids in your story aren't the responsible ones either, they are just whiny little piss ants that have latched on to some pop culture politics simply because it fits with their notion of how unfairly the world has treated them. I whole heartedly agree that they're not responsible enough to decide whether they should be allowed to drink or not and if they were allowed to drink would probably do something damaging or violent to the community. That however doesn't mean that those youngster that sign-up to the armed forces should be held up as the bar that the rest of our youth should strive to achieve.
Perhaps this is just a culture difference - maybe things are different in the states.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGJESEUYaQg
I've seen Doug Stanhope do a far better job of this bit and make a sharper point with it at other times, but this is the best i can find just now.

RJT.

Im not trying to get any moral across here. I do not preach nor do expect anyone to look toward me for the definition of what moral value is. I live my life a certain way and my decisions are based on that. Right or wrong I live and deal with the consequences of my thoughts and actions. I do not expect all or even many to agree with me, nor do I care.

As to who should be able to drink, well technically thats for the law to decide. But the fact is that if you sign your name to a piece of paper agreeing to serve this country you are allowed special privileges that others not doing so do not. Even if you do it for less than noble reasons it is a fact that they will let you drink while on a military base. I certainly doubt that any kid would join the armed forces for such a reason, especially in a time of war, but I don't care what the reasoning behind it is. As for me, I am guilty of naively if thats what you think, being proud of what those who wear this country's uniform stand for. I do know that there are bad apples in every bushel, but thats not what I choose to focus on. I am not a fool, I know most kids who join the service mainly do it for other reasons than fighting a war for our country, but that doesn't make them any less heroes to me when they do.

My girlfriends father was, and brother is New York City firemen. They have what some would say the best jobs going. They work only 2 days a week, have side businesses, get full medical benefits, and when at work sleep, watch TV, work out, and eat most of the time. But when they are called to actually do the job they were trained to do, it doesn't make it less valuable because of the other reasons they may like their job. The fact that they can, and do lose their life performing their job makes them special, even if they are just regular people with flaws. We all have them, we just all don't risk our lives in our jobs, and I am proud of those that do.

But back to the drinking issue. I'm not looking for a mental breakdown for someone who chooses to join the military, or runs into burning buildings, or who wears a badge and has to wrestle with crackheads on the street. I just respect the job they are hired to do. The individual may be a different story, but until they prove themselves an idiot to me, they have my respect, and I just might break the law for an underage marine looking to have a beer. I know that makes me wrong in the eyes of many including the law. But I am not perfect and my beliefs in this matter are still of an old school mentality. Afterall, I have seen people decades over the legal drinking age not responsible enough to be drinking. Age is not the only determining measure of responsibility, although it does factor in. But if a young man or woman has made a responsible enough decision that they have earned the right to fight for this country, I will give them the benefit of the doubt.

 

[RJT]

My girlfriends father was, and brother is New York City firemen. They have what some would say the best jobs going. They work only 2 days a week, have side businesses, get full medical benefits, and when at work sleep, watch TV, work out, and eat most of the time. But when they are called to actually do the job they were trained to do, it doesn't make it less valuable because of the other reasons they may like their job. The fact that they can, and do lose their life performing their job makes them special, even if they are just regular people with flaws. We all have them, we just all don't risk our lives in our jobs, and I am proud of those that do.

Firemen are an entirely different ball game. The fire service is hardly an attraction to those of a violent disposition - it offers the chance for heroic deed and risk of life for those of a selfless disposition, those willing to put other's welfare before their own. It's not a job that people with more base desired and impulses are likely to be drawn to and is likely to be a draw to people with a deep well of character.
And that said, my previous comments about the military are a generalisation. There are good as well as bad within their rank, it is however a job that people of a more violent disposition could find sate for desires that elsewhere in society, would be condemned.
I appreciate your more traditional views and the respect that you feel the armed forces are due, i'm just not sure that many of that group deserve the blind high regard that you would give them. Unlike your family who would selflessly risk their lives for the welfare of others, my experiences have shown far from such an alturistic drive in the young men i've known who've chosen that path. I intend no offence to those that do chose the armed forces for noble reasons, their willingness to serve a higher purpose is indeed commendable, but there reputation will get sullied by others in the path with less enlightened goals.

RJT.

 

[SystemsTrader]

Dealing with a large range of kids 5 days a week and seeing the ones that chose to go off to join the army at a young age, these aren't the kids that are responsible enough to make decisions like that. In fact i'd go a lot further than that and say that in general they tend to be the thugs, bullies and trouble makers that a) cause teachers no end of hassel and b) make their responsible and hard working peers (the sort i could entrust my wallet to at the start of the day and know i'll get in back intact at the end) lives a misery.
The kids that head off to join the army, in my experience, don't tend to do it out of some noble need to serve their country - the first world war idea of all our lads running down to the recruitment office to sign up to protect king and country simply doesn't hold up today - instead what we get is miscreants that think getting to shoot guns and kill people all over the world will be really cool.
RJT.

From my observation there are actually 3 groups that sign up for military service. RJT you have just described one of them perfectly. The second group are kids from economically depressed regions. They join to escape the lack of jobs or educational opportunities in their area and mostly come from poorer families. This group tends to stay in and make a career out of it. The third group are kids who have no idea what to do after high school and are looking for a bit of adventure and perhaps some travel opportunities while wondering what to do with their lives. These tend to be city kids and when their minimum service time expires, they get out.

 

[sagefr0g]

I'm not sure i'm seeing the moral that you are trying to get across here Bojack. Is it that kids should go join the army if they want to be allowed to drink? Or is it that the only 18 year old who is responsible enough to drink is the one who joins the army?
Dealing with a large range of kids 5 days a week and seeing the ones that chose to go off to join the army at a young age, these aren't the kids that are responsible enough to make decisions like that. In fact i'd go a lot further than that and say that in general they tend to be the thugs, bullies and trouble makers that a) cause teachers no end of hassel and b) make their responsible and hard working peers (the sort i could entrust my wallet to at the start of the day and know i'll get in back intact at the end) lives a misery.
The kids that head off to join the army, in my experience, don't tend to do it out of some noble need to serve their country - the first world war idea of all our lads running down to the recruitment office to sign up to protect king and country simply doesn't hold up today - instead what we get is miscreants that think getting to shoot guns and kill people all over the world will be really cool.
As it is, the kids in your story aren't the responsible ones either, they are just whiny little piss ants that have latched on to some pop culture politics simply because it fits with their notion of how unfairly the world has treated them. I whole heartedly agree that they're not responsible enough to decide whether they should be allowed to drink or not and if they were allowed to drink would probably do something damaging or violent to the community. That however doesn't mean that those youngster that sign-up to the armed forces should be held up as the bar that the rest of our youth should strive to achieve.
Perhaps this is just a culture difference - maybe things are different in the states.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UGJESEUYaQg
I've seen Doug Stanhope do a far better job of this bit and make a sharper point with it at other times, but this is the best i can find just now.

RJT.

lmao RJT, i was one of those little assholes you described above.
but hell i was drinking long before 18 years old (quit drinking much at all, long ago, though, just enjoy a beer every so often anymore, fuzz's up the mind to much so i rarely indulge). quit high school and joined the service because i thought i could get easier access to pot (gave that up as well long ago, just more fuzz, lol) and be free of the drudgery the school system was foisting upon us all, be my own man, free sort of thing. but, as far as hassling the teachers, well, sorry, i give them an F as a grade because they essentially failed with me (i will admit some of them were excellent people), whatever i did show their ass's before leaving that i could easy get straight A's unlike their teacher's pet run of the mill goody goody two shoes mediocre students, who by the way were miserable enough on their own with out my help.
that said, i was one miserable little young smart ass those three long years i spent in the military, lmao. and that said, i'll say the military was one hell of an education, doubtless some of the most important things about life that i know were learned as a result of having been through that hell. and no, i had zero, nada, zilch desire or intrigue with the idea of shooting anyone. i just wanted to be free, be my own man, stand on my own two feet and like i said, i thought i could get pot easy, lol.
whatever, as a degree d university educated high school drop out at least because of the military i didn't have to spend a dime of my parents money for that education.
oh yeah, and i'm not really that bad of a person and neither are you.:laugh:
i'd trust you with my wallet and i hope you would me with yours as well.
but as far as the drinking thing, military or not, well that's just nonsense cause if the dudes want to drink they will, it's that simple, no big deal.

 

[bigplayer]

My friend from Hawaii is going to visit Las Vegas. He is a nonprofessional gambler. The problem is the does not know when to quit. Hawaii passed a law that say "Taxpayers with income from gambling activities will be required to include all winnings in gross income and will not be allowed to offset any of their gambling winnings by theirgambling losses. Under prior law, gambling losses could be used up to the amount of any gambling winnings." What are your thoughts on this act/ law

It will severely effect non-professional machine players. It will have no impact on table players since casual players report nothing anyway. Professional players who live in Hawaii can file Schedule C and deduct losses on that form before it hits the state form and federal 1040. Many table players players who don't file Schedule C still just put their net win on form 1040 as other income and say nothing about either losses or how that "other income" was derived. Some just say they cut lawns for cash. That's the power of cash accounting.

BTW, I'm not suggesting that anyone use these techniques, I'm just commenting on some people I heard about through the grapevine.

 

[RJT]

From my observation there are actually 3 groups that sign up for military service. RJT you have just described one of them perfectly. The second group are kids from economically depressed regions. They join to escape the lack of jobs or educational opportunities in their area and mostly come from poorer families. This group tends to stay in and make a career out of it. The third group are kids who have no idea what to do after high school and are looking for a bit of adventure and perhaps some travel opportunities while wondering what to do with their lives. These tend to be city kids and when their minimum service time expires, they get out.

Over here there are 2 groups. It's not seen as relief from economic or social depression over here so much, and very few people regard it as an adventure. So along side the affore mentioned group you also get people who are educated looking to go straight into an officers role or people that are looking for the army to train them in some specific area - engineer, computer tech etc. Those sort i have no issue with.

RJT.

 

[RJT]

lmao RJT, i was one of those little assholes you described above.

Quite frankly your post proves that you weren't.
The fact is the group i'm talking about sit in the bottom classes and fail - they don't get A's or anything what-so-ever.
I'd also ask questions that i already know the answer to - so don't feel the need to answer. Were you the sort of kid that would beat someone unrecognisable? That enjoyed fighting one smaller boy with 3 mates? Needed only the most flimsy justification to enact violence on someone they didn't know (are you such and such? did you post on your Bebo page that <insert place> sucks? Smack)? Were you the kind of guy that used to go out drinking at the weekend and go round the streets with your mates looking for someone to attack? You weren't. You were disenfranchised with the education system and i can't blame you for that. Education by it's very nature will always fail some kids, i appreciate that, but there are other kids that have been failed long before they reach education and their home life has already done the damage.
While i feel sorry for this group of society, i'm not going to ignore the reality that they have grown up to be violent and nasty people and that they have a stonger tendancy than the general population to head towards military service after their school years. You just hope that they either learn from the experience and change or never get promoted, then you get new reports of the shameful behaviour (torturing, sexual abuse etc) of innocents in other country, by soldiers who are acting outside orders and realise that not all of them do change.

RJT.

 

[QFIT]

My girlfriends father was, and brother is New York City firemen. They have what some would say the best jobs going. They work only 2 days a week, have side businesses, get full medical benefits, and when at work sleep, watch TV, work out, and eat most of the time. But when they are called to actually do the job they were trained to do, it doesn't make it less valuable because of the other reasons they may like their job. The fact that they can, and do lose their life performing their job makes them special, even if they are just regular people with flaws. We all have them, we just all don't risk our lives in our jobs, and I am proud of those that do.

Last I looked, sanitation workers, truck drivers, fishermen, loggers and meat packing workers have more dangerous jobs according to OSHA.