Tax Debt Settlement

Boy! It’s been awhile and I’m glad to “be back”. I hope you are having a great new year in this 2010 and why not? I mean, yes, there’s rampant unemployment and bills need to be paid and businesses are not reaching their goals and schools need to be funded and the state has no idea where they will actually find sufficient sources of what they perceive to be necessary funding and our own city council is in crumbling disarray and… Whew! I’m starting to bring MYSELF down. Sorry. I’ll get off that. But why?

For a very good reason. Positive begats positive. Negative begats negative. That is to say that life proves to us over and over again that the more positive our attitude and actions are the more positive our experiences and outcomes will be. It’s just an undeniable fact of life.

In recovering from my open heart surgery, (exactly four years ago this week), I was one bitter son-of a gun and I let that linger for much too long of a  time. How did I expect to have positive things and positive people around me if I didn’t seem to have a positive bone in my body? The more positive I try to be, the more focused I am on BUILDING for the future, not tearing down but BUILDING….that’s a purely positive action…the more of that I exhibit, honestly, the more positive things flow my way and you know what, I love it!  And surprise – I get twice as much accomplished!

I could dwell on that topic for a month of Sundays but that’s not what you “tune in” here for, now is it?  So, what’s UP in U.P?

Hey. I got a postcard from a friend of mine who’s in the south sea islands on his well-deserved annual vacation!  He was around here about a month ago.  Thought you might agree…he deserves this.

Speaking of hard work, we’ve got a staff over there at the city that’s scrambling like a dozen eggs, doing more with less. That’s for sure. After the end of year staff cuts, staff members still have a bit of a hard time explaining all the hats they are wearing simultaneously. The harsh part of that were those who were let go. It’s the economic times we are in. I understand that. The only thing to do now, is to support the people who are here to support us. Those who are juggling jobs like a circus entertainer need to be given the rights that go along with the responsibilities. We’ve given them a lot to do. Now, we need to let them do it or they are absolutely bound to fail, with micromanagement, interference, etc. I hate to sound boring but treat them Positively and the quality of people we have in this city will care well for us and our neighborhoods.

Set them up to succeed.  Don’t harass them toward failure!

Mommy/Daddy and Me starts their Kids Love Soccer program Monday 1/25 for the 2-3.5 year olds.  Want to know more?  Hit the city website at www.ci.university-place.wa.us   While you are there, watch for info on the other YOUTH SOCCER programs for the various age groups.

Did you read the “big news” in the Tribune about the development at the Chambers Bay golf course?  Well, before you conclude that they are about to break ground on a hotel and everything else, understand that there’s no money on the table, yet and without it, it’s talk.  The developer happens to be an old friend of mine and actually a damned fine person (who I used to fight with constantly as kids…but that’s a different story….he really is a good guy).  But we do need to understand that if development of the nature being proposed does not have all the major glitches worked out and if it isn’t funded and ready to break ground aggressively within  about the next year or so, it’s not going to happen.  A committment has been made by our county to the USGA that Chambers Bay WILL be ready to host the U.S. Open in 2015 and if a development of this nature is not completed, well, let’s just say that a construction site is NOT where the USGA will host their tournament.  They always have an alternate site ready.  So, it’s either time to put up, strike the full agreement and break ground or go find another project.  All I’m saying is they’ve got to get a move on.  That’s the developer’s responsibility.  Commercial development monies are tight (Oh, THAT’S the understatement of this year!) as evidenced by the pace at Town Center but investment monies ARE there.  If the project is right and there is sales job extraordinaire being conducted…the $$$ will flow.

Since former Pierce County Exec, John Ladenberg first made it known that he wanted to see the course sited there, I always thought view residences could fund a lot of good things on site.  That is to say, the sale of impeccable view lots for multi-million dollar homes which would not be in the way of anything planned or in place today, could produce revenue to fund the building of a number of the other amenities you want in a destination resort such as Chambers Bay COULD become.  The developer  with a memo on the table, Jim Burkhouse, is a smart and successful guy.  If there’s a way to do it in this economy, he’ll figure it out.  The county would love to see it but it CANNOT get in the way of preparations for or the hosting of the US Open just five short years from now.  So, I suspect it’s an Elvis deal.  “It’s now or never”.

What else is up in UP?  I hate to sound like a broken record but if you’ve got somebody at your house interested in ballet, Polynesian dance, guitar or so many other instructional options, check out the city website.  Some are underway but many have more sessions starting shortly.  www.ci.university-place.wa.us

And for the not-so-young youngsters around here, the AARP Driver Safety course is set for Wednesday and Thursday 1/27 & 28 at the Senior Community Center on Grandview. Call 564-1992 to complete the required pre-registration.

Hey, by the way, let’s thank those folks, offices and companies who stood up to foot the bill to sponsor our Youth Basketball Coed League.  When you see the folks associated with these sponsors, please take the time to express your THANKS.  Sponsors make it possible for our kids to have this experience!  AHBL, Mercedes Nepute LMP, the Law Office of Clayton R. Dickson, Way Out Records, the UP Volunteer Center, Tacoma Bike LLC, Westside Community Bank, Owens Press Inc, the Pain Clinic, Alarm Works NW and Team Insurance. When city funds are tight, WE ARE THE CITY!!!  Isn’t it time for us to step up and make sure the programs which make this such a desireable place to live are maintained?

Sponsored youth athletics IS possible, isn’t it?  We can’t quite now, though.  We’ve really got to ratchet it up for the upcoming sports seasons.  Just think how many youngsters play softball and baseball. 460-2530 is the number to call at Parks and Rec to find out how you or your company can be a sponsor for U.P. Youth Athletics.  It’s important!

There’s so much more going on around University Place these day and we’ll get back to it all but before I close out with an updated look at U.P. real estate allow me to finish with just one simple thought.  If you never support any taxation levy ever again in your voting life, support the current request for University Place Schools.  There are those who say “Now is not the time, not in this economy.”  While I put off things I would like to buy right now for my wife and myself, I cannot put off funding for our school system. Yeah, sure my kids are all grown and long out of school.  That’s not the point and I take issue with ANY senior who says, “Don’t tax me. It’s somebody else’s turn.”  Well, you know what?  When we were putting our kids through school, we needed the support of the seniors who already had and you know that’s the truth!  It’s our turn to step up and support what those youngsters need, what our school district needs to remain one of the best in the state.  By the way, if you want to negatively affect the value of your home and property, just stop supporting our schools.  They backslide and so does your home’s value!  Undeniable Fact!  See that old black and white photo of Mr. George Curtis and friends in front of the old original U.P. Elementary School? (Yes, yes I did.)  Do you see what the sign said?   And now,  U.P. schools still need our support.  U.P. kids DESERVE it!

So, what has the U.P. real estate market been up to lately?   (Shhhhh Do you hear that quiet?)  It might be an overstatement to say you could hear a pin drop but it’s been very, very quiet.  In fact, since the day after Christmas there have only been seven U.P. residential sales close.  That included one condo.  Seven!   I have closed seven in one day…No, I haven’t. Five is my record but seven is very, very slow for a city of our size, especially for a period of nearly a month.  Two factors are to be kept in mind. Yes, the obvious…we’re in the heart of a very slow market but on top of that is the reoccurring factor of “Seasons”.  This is NOT the season for big sales in residential real estate.  We are approaching a traditionally stronger period but January is just a slow month and that’s ALWAYS a fact.  Now, couple that with the down market we are in and you get the picture.  Is that to say U.P. homes won’t sell now?  No, not at all. In fact, I’m listing a VERY marketable U.P. home next week and I promise you, it’s going to sell!  It’s a great 5-bedroom, beautifully remodelled home with a fantastic fenced yard, ringed by evergreens and … I’ll tell you all about it when I put it on the market.  In the meanwhile, WHAT’S SELLING?

REAL ESTATE SALE OF THE DAY: In an effort to help you keep tabs on this continually changing real estate market in University Place here’s another recently sold U.P. home with details from public information.  (In fact, to catch up, here are several)  SOLD:  7607 Chambers Creek Road West.  It started at $497,500 and after  dropping the list price to $449,950, they sold it for $412,000 in a mere 753 days….WHAT?!?  That’s over two years!  Yep, it is.  But that includes a period of time when they were offering a developement as part of the listing.  Overcomplicated deals aren’t going together right now. Those monies are hard to find.  Simple, well priced home deals work.     SOLD:  4108 Brouse Blvd West in the Heitman Addition near Curtis.  They listed it for $229,900 and sold it 53 days later for $225,000.  Another rambler, this one from 1963 offering 1,447 square feet including 3 beds and 1.5 baths. This home had some remodelling inside with Corian counters, cherry cabinetry, vinyl windows and hardwood floors and even as small as it is, it was relatively desireable and the price was right on.  So, it didn’t linger on the market as so very many are, here today.  The house on Sunset (above) sold in 247 days.  SOLD:  8314 63rd St St West. Now here was an owner-occupied home that was neither a Short Sale nor a bank owned property.  Oh, the market is just loaded with those at the moment and WILL be for some time to come.  Here was a home in comparatively excellent condition and it was originally listed for $395,000 but it was dropped to $330,000.  Why?  Because those cut rate deals on the bank owned and short sale properties effect EVERY home on the market.  In 91 days they took $335,000 for this 3 bedroom, 2.5 bath, 2,125 square foot home built in 1990 in the Danbridge community above Chambers Creek Road.  It’s only fair to add that they pay $157 per month in homeowner’s dues, there.  When you are looking at value and monthly payments, you’ve really got to look at the whole picture and those association dues are a legitimate part of that.  SOLD: 2019 Sunset Drive West.   Listed at $315,000 then eventually dropped all the way down  to $249,000 then sold for $245,000.  It was a bank owned 1954 rambler with 3 beds and 1.75 baths on a third of an acre with a 2-car garage. 2,644 square feet.  It closed on 12/30.  It took 434 days for this house to finally sell and close. Oh they had earlier sales…FOUR OF THEM!  None of them got past the inspection phase.  Think there was a problem with this house?  Oh, just maybe?

 

PAT MADDOCK     

Coldwell Banker Bain REALTORS      3560 Bridgeport Way     University Place, WA  98466      patmaddock@cbbain.com

Who is this guy?

As a top producer with Coldwell Banker Bain REALTORS in University Place, Pat Maddock is the former President of the Tacoma-Pierce County Association of REALTORS and the 2009 Vice-President of the Washington REALTORS, the statewide trade association of professional members of the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). He also serves the University Place – Fircrest Division of the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce on it’s Board of Directors and he serves the City of University Place on the Economic Development Commission. But most importantly, he’s been a University Place native since 1953. Pat is also a 20-year Air Force veteran.

You can find him at the Bridgeport office of Coldwell Banker Bain.  If you want to know something about University Place real estate, talk with someone who certainly does!

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Is the IRS all bad? The IRS is not all about seizing assets, bank accounts, and wages. The IRS does provide ways to reduce your actual taxes through Tax Credits. What makes a credit different from a deduction? A credit lowers your actual amount of taxes. A deduction lowers your actual taxable income.

Late filing of the tax return is an important issue as not only can it attract a late filing fine but also brings the accounting and finance quality into attention. Accounting & Finance for your 2008 Tax Return – Do not Be Late With nearly a fifth of smaller businesses this year being expected to hand in their 2008 tax return in late, new research shows just how deeply concerning it is that small businesses including sole traders and self employed businesses are not on top of their accounting & finance and are not getting their tax and income records organised on time. HM revenue and customs supply the choice to complete the Inland Revenue tax return forms or online self assessment which includes use of a tax calculator, so accounting & finance should be completed in good time and before the online tax filing deadline. With the 2008 tax return deadline being 31 January 2009, online self assessment in the late stages is the best way to complete and submit your business’ tax and income records. A self employed business has an option of using a tax calculator when completing the paper based revenue tax forms. The online self assessment actually uses financial software being a tax calculator to calculate your tax liability meaning the final figures are worked out by the HM revenue and customs tax accounting software system on your behalf leaving not much else for you to do. It is a far easier means of recording accounting & finance transactions, compared to using your own tax calculations which leaves far too much room for costly errors. HM Revenue and Customs Fines For Late Tax Returns The HM Revenue and Customs issues fines for late tax returns which are issued in increments of £100 the minute the deadline has passed. Failing even to hand in a 2008 tax return within 6 months of the tax deadline means you will attract yet another £100 so making sure you plan and organise your tax return well, along with completing accounting & finance details and submitting revenue tax forms (or filling out online self assessment at the HMRC website before deadline) will save you the worry that comes from being chased to pay fines that can otherwise (and very easily) be avoided. With direct experience of people at the brunt of such HM Revenue and Customs fines, it really makes a lot of sense to be prepared and take care with your 2008 tax return. Sole traders, inexperienced with accounting and finance matters may not like the paper based revenue tax forms with many small business owners mentioning how complicated the tax return forms are. The online self assessment facility is always recommended being easily accessible providing you have registered and already have passwords. Obtaining the HM revenue and customs gateway password takes 7 to 10 days as it is sent by post after the sole trader has registered to file the tax return online It is also free to use but if you do prefer the paper tax returns then login to use the tax calculator – and if you don’t already have your government gateway passwords and access then now is the time to register to allow yourself the time to prepare your tax and income details. Preparing tax and income is not exciting nor is it invigorating, however being prepared in advance means that 2008 tax returns can be filed and put away before the January deadline. The alternative to completing your own revenue tax forms is hiring a good accountant or using an accounting software package that will automatically complete the tax return form

Bill Conklin discusses the income tax. Anti-IRS.com

IRS tax debt

If you happened to be one of the unfortunate individuals to owe tax debt from your past years, or you have paid your taxes for the current year, and still expect to owe further taxes to the IRS in the form of IRS debt, it’s possible for you to find a solution to redeem your taxes. The actual solution lies in not ignoring to pay your debt. Even though the IRS can collect the taxes up to ten years, it possesses many other powerful options to recover, and chances are it will. If you have outstanding IRS tax debt, the best possible solution is to utilize your savings, or alternatively borrow some funds to clear the debt. By paying your entire outstanding dues, it’s possible to save upon the penalties and fines, which are likely to be levied in case you decide to avail more time and clear your taxes over a period of time. If one borrows against some asset value such as your home, it’s quite possible the interest incurred might be tax deductible. It’s also possible to avail tax relief if you can represent your case properly to the IRS.

Tax attorney services

Since last few years, tax attorneys, and the services offered by them have been in high demand, especially since the tax season is approaching soon. Many taxpayers are likely to need tax help. While selecting your representative to deal with your IRS issues and concerns, it is quite important to retain somebody who can represent you to the best of his or her abilities, and not have conflicts while representing your case to the IRS. Even though the tax attorneys can be quite knowledgeable, properly trained, and have the ability to handle your issues, it is found that they can lack in aggressiveness when it comes to representing you to the IRS. The thing is most agencies like to maintain good terms with the tax authorities, since their entire business is dependent upon special tax clients, helping out tax debtors in availing IRS debt help, and good market reputation. It’s sad that IRS often takes advantage of some timid and docile tax attorneys because it knows that firm prefer to keep a positive image, and IRS can well damage the reputation through propaganda. It’s generally believed that it’s expensive to retain a good tax attorney to avail IRS debt relief. At a first glance, the client might feel that the tax laws are simple to understand and straight forward. So they often feel they can communicate directly with the IRS and avail an acceptable situation. This could turn out to be a mistake, since IRS rules can be interpreted in many different ways, and IRS is an expert in that. So it’s recommended not to take any chances, and have an effective arbitration by employing the services of an experienced tax attorney to get effective tax debt settlement.

Short.  Simple.  True.  Pass It On.  Spread the Word.

Learn more about your legal rights from Anti-IRS.com.

Learn about your legal rights.