Message Board Policy

[Brad Imsdahl]

The disclaimer at the bottom of this message board reads as follows:

“Disclaimer: This message board allows participants to freely exchange ideas and opinions on areas concerning taxes. The comments posted are the opinions of participants and not that of Tax Materials, Inc. We make no claim as to the accuracy of the information and will not be held liable for any damages caused by using such information. Tax Materials, Inc. reserves the right to delete or modify inappropriate postings.”

In general, this disclaimer is a legal disclaimer, releasing Tax Materials, Inc. from liability of any damages caused by the comments of message board participants. For example, a taxpayer may read comments from a participant, file his/her tax return accordingly, and then suffer IRS penalties and interest when an IRS audit determines the advice followed was incorrect.

The disclaimer says participants are allowed to freely exchange ideas and opinions on areas concerning taxes. That is not an open invitation to express any and all ideas and opinions, as the disclaimer goes on to say “Tax Materials, Inc. reserves the right to delete or modify inappropriate postings.”

What are inappropriate postings?

Basically any posting we feel is not appropriate for our message board. We are in the business of selling tax publications to tax professionals. As an incentive to attract customers, we offer this free service that allows our customers to communicate with each other in a public forum, while maintaining their ability to remain anonymous, if they so choose. We do not feel it is appropriate to post information that may be viewed as offensive to other customers.

An obvious posting that is offensive to our customers is spam and pornographic links. Hundreds of registered users over the years have been banned without warning for doing this on our message board.

Another obvious posting that is offensive to our customers is direct insults hurled at other message board participants. Certainly everyone can agree that we should not allow participants to “freely exchange ideas and opinions” that directly insult other participants.

Another type of posting we feel is offensive to some of our customers is engaging in partisan political debates. Even when these postings start off discussing tax policy, inevitably the discussion turns negative as participants often “freely exchange ideas and opinions” in a combative argumentative manner. Many of our customers are “turned-off” by partisan political arguments, and the level of message board participation usually drops when such arguments are allowed to continue. Our policy is to delete these types of postings and send emails to those involved asking them to refrain from posting comments on political subjects.

Another example of postings that is offensive to some of our customers is bashing the business practices of big national chain tax preparation firms. For example, many of our customers are H&R Block employees. Some H&R Block employees have expressed their opinion that they are not personally offended when negative comments are made concerning the company they work for. That is not true for everyone. We have received complaints from customers concerning the negative comments made on this message board about H&R Block. Imagine if you hosted a public message board for your tax clients, and then some of your clients began bashing the business practices of your other clients.

If you receive an email from us asking you to refrain from posting comments on certain subjects, please do not view it as censorship. The email is a request that you respect our right to limit the free exchange of ideas and opinions on this message board to subjects concerning the preparation of income taxes.

[Uncle Sam]

Message Board Policy

To Brad -
While I don't disagree with you on the general policy - and I do respect TMI's discretion to delete offensive type posts, and while I am not directly involved in this present matter with taxea - I DO wish to comment on the last few words of your message:
"subjects concerning the preparation of income taxes".

I will guess that the majority of the posters on this board are independent sole practitioners and partners (as well as corporation shareholders) of tax preparation firms with professional licenses to protect and when subjects like HRB and similar national firms are discussed, it's an expression of "disgust" for the poor quality level of service provided to taxpayer customers that we witness when new clients come to us and show us their workproduct.
Now I did not see taxea's offensive post - so I know nothing about its content, nor am I in any way objecting to the use of your authority as moderator of this forum to delete it.
But we as independent practitioners need to air our frustrations with other practitioners regarding what we see as injustices of the tax preparation occupation - where licensees -whether it be CPA, EA, or any Federal or State designated title requiring credentials are subjected to higher standards than those unlicensed and unregulated where we suffer a disadvantage in competition due to their level of service. TMI of course is NOT responsible for that.
And while discussion of such subject IS RELATED TO "subjects concerning the preparation of income taxes" I don't see objection to discussing the SUBJECT without mentioning the identity of any specific parties.

[solomon]

and when subjects like HRB and similar national firms are discussed, it's an expression of "disgust" for the poor quality level of service provided to taxpayer customers that we witness when new clients come to us and show us their workproduct..

The tax Chains consist primarily of franchises. McDonalds consist primarily of franchises.

If one were to obtain a bad hamburger from a specific franchise of McDonalds, then does one conclude all McDonald franchises are incompetent?

When one sees poor work ( and I have seen it) with a CPA or EA behind the name, does one conclude all CPA's and EA's are incompetent? There are some of these credentials in the tax Chains.