Please Do Not Post Links to Other Websites

[Brad Imsdahl]

We have had some complaints about the number of links being posted on our message board, which has alerted us to a potential problem. Over the years we have posted rules for our message board, which include the usual do not insult others, no political arguments, no posting links to inappropriate websites, etc…

The last one about not posting links to inappropriate websites perhaps needs some clarification. We would prefer that no links be posted to other websites. TheTaxBook message board is hosted by us as a service to OUR customers. We are a for-profit private business, in the business of selling books to you, the public. We publish books on how to prepare tax returns. That means posting a link to another website hosted by a business that could be our competitor is an inappropriate link.

In the future, we ask that you refrain from answering questions by telling people to see a link. We do not have the time to investigate each link posted to determine whether or not it is a link that potentially could promote the business of a competitor. Please answer the question instead of telling someone to see a link. You can reference the page number to an IRS publication, code section, revenue ruling, etc., as the source of your answer if you feel the need to provide additional reading for the person asking the question. Telling someone to see information posted on our competitor’s website is not appropriate.

I thank everyone for taking the time to answer questions and hope everyone will respect our wishes concerning this matter.

Brad

[FEDUKE404]

Evil links

O.... K....

While I concede your point about links for "competitors," the other side of the equation is that sometimes the information provided in an informative link, such as to an IRS website, is far more immediate / helpful than enduring some facts / explanations provided on the board. Yes, some posted comments are often . . . how do I tactfully say this? . . . "erroneous."

What about links to IRS web pages / publications and/or PDF files of tax forms? It's a bit of a stretch to call the IRS a "competitor."

FWIW: It would take a LOT for me to complain "about the number of links being posted on our message board." But that is a different topic altogether.

Best.

FE

[Brad Imsdahl]

the other side of the equation is that sometimes the information provided in an informative link, such as to an IRS website, is far more immediate / helpful than enduring some facts / explanations provided on the board. Yes, some posted comments are often . . . how do I tactfully say this? . . . "erroneous."

I agree links to the IRS website pose no threat to our business, and are far more helpful than erroneous opinions posted on our website. I never said people were posting links to websites that did not answer the question. And if all of the linking were limited to irs.gov, this would never have been an issue. Our problem has to do with the time it takes to investigate all of these links to make sure somebody isn't using our free service to promote their business. After this issue was brought to my attention, I discovered that in fact some of the links were to our competitor's website. Obviously you would not appreciate someone sitting in the lobby of your tax office and talking with your clients about your competitor's business or opinions on tax matters.

[taxea]

Just to be clear..we shouldn't post links to tax articles that are sooooo much clearer that the IRS "taxese" used on the IRS site? i.e. Accounting Today for one.

[Bees Knees]

Just to be clear..we shouldn't post links to tax articles that are sooooo much clearer that the IRS "taxese" used on the IRS site? i.e. Accounting Today for one.

You shouldn't post links to any articles. The clearness of their explanations are irrelevant.

Would you tell a tax client to go see another tax preparer across town because he or she can answer the question sooooo much clearer than you can?

[ttbtaxes]

I'll adhere to whatever the rules are but not linking to other websites will slow down, if not hamstring, any person's research. If I cite a PLR, Tax Court case, Federal case, or other authoritative source, it streamlines the research process for everyone reading that thread. What purpose does it serve to force everyone to go to their software and enter the court case and ferret out those items?

As far as linking to the IRS website....I would never think to do that. There is little that is authoritative particularly their publications which have often be wrong.

Insofar as linking to articles are concerned, I can't see how linking to something from the Journal of Accountancy or the Tax Adviser is promoting a competitor.

[TAXNJ]

Respectful of house rules

Brad and TTB

Always told, when in one’s house be respectful of their rules and that applies here.

Though, I agree with FEDUKE404, TAXEA and TTBTAXES comments, rules are rules. Sometimes rules can be modified after consideration until then rules are rules.

Yes, the TTB FORUM is a free site and keeping in mind requires a tremendous undertaking by TTB resulting in a benefit to the posters.

Thought the complaints were for some not wanting to have to read the provided links, but you clarified the reason of “no more links”. That is why surprised that a recent post was deleted and had nothing to do with competition, but rightly so was your call to delete.

Some posters may have thought that the links and/or reference provided easy to find detailed insight/support of the opinion to real issues, e.g., court cases, code section, revenue rulings, etc., in addition to IRS publications, whereas other posters may not. It would have been a freedom of choice for each poster as they do in deciding which reply post helps their issue..

Yes, in our tax office, some clients often mention our competitors’ business. At first it was uneasy and realized it is the nature of the business, but now it is welcomed so to let them know what we can provide just like TTB does.

Please note that TTB was and will be referenced when applicable if it covers the topics posted. As customers, we have followed you and the other authors to TTB from your former company and stayed a TTB because of the experience, knowledge base and fairness provided.

Thanks for stepping up to give all of us the opportunity to reply to your post

[kathyc2]

Would you tell a tax client to go see another tax preparer across town because he or she can answer the question sooooo much clearer than you can?

Not because of clarity, but I do tell clients they need to see someone else if their situation is outside of my scope. NFP, trusts, farm corps and international returns are given names of a couple local firms that specialize in such.

IMO it is rather grandiose for any preparer or publishing company to put forth that they have all the answers to all situations to our very complex tax code.

I don't agree with the recent decision but rules are rules.

[Uncle Sam]

Rude Board Users

What is so difficult for some posters of this board to realize that the publishers of this board who provide us with top-notch
tax resources would like to have their privacy respected?
It's quite rude to introduce competitor products/services.

[kathyc2]

What is so difficult for some posters of this board to realize that the publishers of this board who provide us with top-notch
tax resources would like to have their privacy respected?
It's quite rude to introduce competitor products/services.

Maybe I missed it, but I don't remember seeing links to competitors. But that could be that I define what the competition is differently. A few weeks back I provided a link to a poster of a source that specializes in farm tax education. Would that be considered competition even thou TTB farm taxation info is more an overview than getting down in the weeds?

[Brad Imsdahl]

A few weeks back I provided a link to a poster of a source that specializes in farm tax education. Would that be considered competition even thou TTB farm taxation info is more an overview than getting down in the weeds?

We have a new publication added to our WebLibrary this year entitled Occupations and Lifestyles. That publication contains a new tab devoted to Farm tax issues which will be much more in-depth than what is currently covered in Tab 5 of our 1040/Deluxe Edition.

But that is not the point. I could take a few hours out of my day looking at every post on this message board, then follow each and every link to the website hosting that link, then spend a few minutes looking at their business and products, deciding whether or not they sell products similar to ours, and then make a decision on whether or not their website contains anything that could be considered competition before going through the process of logging on to our administration hosting page so that I can delete the inappropriate link from our message board.

Or I can ask everyone to not post any links and spend my time researching, updating, and writing news articles for our own website. Or I can do what most other companies do and not allow our customers to post questions and answers on our website.

If you care to look back at the beginning of this message board in 2005, I asked everyone to not go on our competitor's website and talk about us over there, out of professional courtesy to their website. I would appreciate it if everyone would provide us with the same professional courtesy and not use our website to talk about or link to websites hosted by others who may or may not be viewed as our competition.