I love credit cards so much! v2.0 (see first page for add'l details)

[Alexle2007]

We've used an accountant for over 25 years. Our taxes have always been very complicated. I'm a non-practicing attorney and I wouldn't dream of attempting them myself. Checking them is difficult enough.



It's going to be brutal! I live in CA and we are right up there with you guys in SALT pain.



Ditto from me. I wait until last possible second. Last year I was able to us my AMEX platinum business to get 1.5x points on a big tax bill. Silver lining We are in the same boat with AMT--been hit by it for last 20 years. Part of the living in CA premium I'm hoping the new tax law helps with AMT at least.

We did seem to avoid AMT this year but it is saying there might be subject to underpayment penalty. Just ridiculous! DH and I both claim 0 plus have extra withheld. It doesn’t help that we have a super low interest rate so we barely any interest. (Although I am not complaining since I would much rather see the $ go towards principal.) I am thinking maybe the Arrival + for DH so we would get 2x and meet the spend.

 

[palhockeymomof2]

This makes me so happy to hear!! LOL!

I do my sister's taxes, and when she comes over I start by doing a spreadsheet and calculating the expected result. She's always like "why do you do this" and I tell her, I won't know if something is wrong if I don't first know the right answer!

Agree with you...my DH asks me the same thing...thinks I’m wasting my time...
..I also do both of my kids taxes and MILs

 

[calypso726]

Lurker here...I was just telling DH we need to jump on the CC churning bandwagon

Regarding taxes...for those of you who do your own taxes online (Turbotax, etc), I would suggest running your information through a couple of different companies to make sure you're getting the best possible refund. For some reason, my refunds are always higher when I use H&R Block. I told my sister this and she went from owing on Turbotax to getting a refund on H&R Block. Never hurts to check.

Totally agree. I know others that got different results too. We’ve used an accountant for years now simply because HR Block had me owing $6,000 in current and back taxes way back in my early 20’s. I was waiting tables back then putting myself through college. I mentioned it to a regular customer and he asked to see them since he was an accountant. He redid them and saved me $5,000.

That's truthfully pretty concerning! To come to a different result, something must be input differently. There should be no difference regardless of who you use. Granted, I am a tax geek and spreadsheet geek so I know not everybody can do this, but I have a spreadsheet where I independently input all my figures and calculate my AGI, itemized deductions, taxable income, and tax burden, etc and verify it against the tax preparing software to make sure it's right.

I also might feel like this when preparing my taxes vs. the major tax software...

I recall hearing from co-workers that they’ve gotten different results depending on the platform or software or whatever. I wouldn’t know myself since we just go to our tax guy.

 

[CaliforniaGirl09]

We did seem to avoid AMT this year but it is saying there might be subject to underpayment penalty. Just ridiculous!

That is ridiculous. I'm holding out hope, but I won't know for a while. We have to wait for all our investment 1099s, etc. I usually don't know until close to April

 

[Haley R]

We use an accountant too but DH spends so much time preparing them for the accountant I'm not sure why.



I was tallying up my 2018 Amex spend and I did the same-paid the large initial tax bill with the Plat Biz to meet MSR and get 1.5 x MRs. Between 2017 taxes and estimated taxes, 25% of my (too large) spend with Amex went to the IRS. Ugh. At least we don't have state taxes here. Silver lining!

@Haley R - I eat like a 5 year old. The nice thing about CP is that it has kids' food on the buffet so no shame in mac and cheese and chicken fingers as well as "adult" food on your plate. TBH I could just eat mac and cheese and mashed potatoes all day.

@linzjane88 - we're freezing here in NW FL. It's in the 40s! Hopefully it will warm up in Orlando for your trip.

@MKTokyo - congrats on the good news-house and a venue! Whoo hoo!

I’m actually happy about eating at crystal palace. I love Mac and cheese too!

 

[wanderlust7]

We did seem to avoid AMT this year but it is saying there might be subject to underpayment penalty. Just ridiculous! DH and I both claim 0 plus have extra withheld. It doesn’t help that we have a super low interest rate so we barely any interest. (Although I am not complaining since I would much rather see the $ go towards principal.) I am thinking maybe the Arrival + for DH so we would get 2x and meet the spend.

You may not have to pay the penalty, IRS is waiving some of it this year. There was one year Turbo Tax added an underpayment penalty to our return, I paid it, but then IRS refunded it.

https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-wa...and-estimated-tax-payments-fell-short-in-2018

 

[Alexle2007]

What do you like there? The problem for me is I’m such a picky eater. I sometimes order off the kids menu to get something a little more plain

So you now have me super curious as to how you are going to eat in Japan? I have no interest in going to Asia since DS and I would starve there. Poor DH is Vietnamese and I want nothing to do with it. Way too exotic for me! Heck, when we go to PF Chang’s DS and I special order there. Me- beef and broccoli hold the garlic, onion and ginger (and I give DH the broccoli so I really just eat the beef) and DS- side of lo mein no garlic and meat.

 

[Haley R]

I'm still trying to figure out what this is...

Brooklyn nine nine

 

[Haley R]

So there are several of us going at the same time, right...

@Haley R , @SouthFayetteFan , myself, and @linzjane88

how exciting. I am super annoyed with the weather situation though. Esp the pm we plan to do DAH at MK. I'm not sure if I want to stick with it now or not.

We already bought our tickets so we will be there but I’m definitely packing layers. Even 39 is cold to me being from the Midwest. We just might not eat much ice cream that night

 

[DisneyMandC]

Gotta love Citi IT... has let me charge $500 to my new card, but can't find my account number to set up my online account. Guess that means I don't have to pay the bill?

 

[Haley R]

So you now have me super curious as to how you are going to eat in Japan? I have to interest in going to Asia since DS and I would starve there. Poor DH is Vietnamese and I want nothing to do with it. Way too exotic for me! Heck, when we go to PF Chang’s DS and I special order there. Me- beef and broccoli hold the garlic, onion and ginger (and I give DH the broccoli so I really just eat the beef) and DS- side of lo me in no garlic and meat.

I like ramen and pretty much all meat as long as it isn’t spicy. I won’t eat seafood though. The good thing with me is I don’t actually eat that much when I eat so I only need small amounts of food at a time. We are staying at an Airbnb and an apartment hotel with a kitchen so I probably will buy some things for myself to make that I know I will like. There’s always fast food too as an option. I’m not opposed to trying new foods in Japan either

 

[GlamMistress]

So there are several of us going at the same time, right...

@Haley R , @SouthFayetteFan , myself, and @linzjane88

how exciting. I am super annoyed with the weather situation though. Esp the pm we plan to do DAH at MK. I'm not sure if I want to stick with it now or not.

Kind of wish I was going to the World too - I'll be on a Disney cruise while many of you are at WDW. I'm sure we'll have fun in the Bahamas. I miss Epcot tho!

 

[Alexle2007]

@Haley R , @SouthFayetteFan , myself, and @linzjane88

how exciting. I am super annoyed with the weather situation though. Esp the pm we plan to do DAH at MK. I'm not sure if I want to stick with it now or not. [/QUOTE]

We’ll be in Orlando also at that but we are headed to the dark side. DS refers the thrill rides they offer.

 

[disneymagicgirl]

We already bought our tickets so we will be there but I’m definitely packing layers. Even 39 is cold to me being from the Midwest. We just might not eat much ice cream that night

no ice cream, no Peter Pan, and fireworks are during the event time...sigh

 

[disneymagicgirl]

Kind of wish I was going to the World too - I'll be on a Disney cruise while many of you are at WDW. I'm sure we'll have fun in the Bahamas. I miss Epcot tho!

so jealous. You'll have a blast!

 

[havaneselover]

I’m headed to Orlando Thursday for work. Taking a trip to Naples as well. Will be in FL for eight days. Guess I’m packing cashmere sweaters and uggs!

To those of you going to the parks, I hope the forecast improves. But I think if dressed appropriately it will be fine.

 

[Psychodisney]

That is ridiculous. I'm holding out hope, but I won't know for a while. We have to wait for all our investment 1099s, etc. I usually don't know until close to April

Same. Our family business info usually isn't ready until close to 4/15. I made a huge dent in my Spark MSR with my estimates last week.
I'll help my three young adults with theirs via Turbo tax. Thank God theirs are still simple.

 

[Haley R]

no ice cream, no Peter Pan, and fireworks are during the event time...sigh

I’m okay with no Peter Pan and we aren’t planning to watch fireworks anyway. I honestly think I’ll still eat ice cream even if it’s cold out

 

[Oscar Madison]

I try to avoid telling people. I’m happy to help someone with their plans for WDW if they’ve already booked. Some friends are going for the first time with their five year old son in April, so I told them I’m more than happy to recommend the best rides for them and food.

On credit cards, I keep it super vague. One coworker knows that I get a lot of credit cards, and she occasionally asks me for a recommendation. I actually sent her a link for the CFU this morning. All my family knows is that some of my credit cards give me “points” and that we’re going to WDW this year on “points.”

To my moms credit, she actually does pretty well with the cash back deals on her BoA card and using Ibotta and other cash apps. I told her about the Sams Club deal and she’s going to sign up for that. She also did the Fidelity sign up last year. I might try to get her to get a Chase card soon. The CFU or CF would be great for her since she doesn’t travel but would love the cash back.

Yes, this is my strategy too. I offer to help if they have already booked. FP, ADRs, etc. But, I keep all thoughts of churning to myself.

 

[tink1970]

So you now have me super curious as to how you are going to eat in Japan? I have no interest in going to Asia since DS and I would starve there. Poor DH is Vietnamese and I want nothing to do with it. Way too exotic for me! Heck, when we go to PF Chang’s DS and I special order there. Me- beef and broccoli hold the garlic, onion and ginger (and I give DH the broccoli so I really just eat the beef) and DS- side of lo me in no garlic and meat.

LOL! That's me as well. My DH is Filipino and I can't eat anything at his family gatherings. I'm just allergic/intolerant to so many things now (I could eat more when I was younger). It's frustrating but Japan does have McD's and KFC.

I like ramen and pretty much all meat as long as it isn’t spicy. I won’t eat seafood though. The good thing with me is I don’t actually eat that much when I eat so I only need small amounts of food at a time. We are staying at an Airbnb and an apartment hotel with a kitchen so I probably will buy some things for myself to make that I know I will like. There’s always fast food too as an option. I’m not opposed to trying new foods in Japan either

LOL-my favorite place to eat in Japan was McDonald's. I lived off of it when my mother didn't cook, basically. Between having a kitchen and eating noodles you should be fine.