Tax Extenders Act

[Brad Imsdahl]

Since it is already posted on the QF board what purpose would posting the TB coverage of the act there. Here it serves a purpose since it is not posted.

I didn't ask Jim to go over an announce our coverage on their board. All I asked is whether he was going to announce on Quickfinder's Message board our coverage of the new tax act?

Actually, I do not care, nor do I need anyone on their board advertising our product. Everyone over there already comes over on our board on a regular basis trying to see what we are up to. As a matter of fact, when this message board first began, I specifically asked everyone not to go over their and post messages about us, out of professional courtesy.

http://www.thetaxbook.com/forums/showthread.php?t=70

That request still applies.

[Black Bart]

Competition, courtesy, paranoia, advertising, etc.

Since it is already posted on the QF board what purpose would posting the TB coverage of the act there. Here it serves a purpose since it is not posted.

To MaMalody: Brad's response (2nd post-this thread) to jimmcg's statement (1st post-this thread) was a rhetorical question (done for dramatic effect and not meant to be answered).

To jimmcg: My apology still stands -- I did overly "badmouth" you. But I also said "if it doesn't bother anyone else, it shouldn't bother me." That last isn't quite true. Although you "didn't say the info was better, just that it was available;" again, if somebody comes to my office or this board saying "latest tax info is available at Block's/QF," they're also implying we don't have it and are lagging behind. Maybe it's true and if they want to say so, fair enough; only I think it should be done on their platform and not ours. That doesn't seem like paranoia to me; it just seems like good business. I wouldn't like it and I'll bet you wouldn't (I don't think Brad did either; prompting the "rhetorical question" to you and his link above).

Now maybe I'm just an old fogey hung up on outdated "politeness" -- maybe all's fair in love and war (and now -- business). There've been lots of links to other sites posted here. You could argue that /it was just telling the truth/ TTB should've posted the info first/ if you can't stand the heat -- get out of the kitchen/ a free and unfettered forum is the ideal/ so on and so forth. But anyway; first, I'm in business to make money and I don't think a competitor's business should be promoted and my shortcoming (subtly) pointed out on my "turf." Differing opinions may fire away (jimm: I'm still speakin' in spite of this -- maybe we can agree to disagree).

Hmm; I feel one of those "pseudo" polls comin' on.

[DonPriebe]

Now that's timely.

The President just signed the bill.

I will post our coverage to our updates page in just a few minutes....soon as I finish my lunch.

What a concept - waiting until the deed is done before reporting it as fact! That could really cut down on our TV news stories. [Hillary to sweep NY in 2008 - Film at 11:00]

[Brad Imsdahl]

What a concept - waiting until the deed is done before reporting it as fact! That could really cut down on our TV news stories. [Hillary to sweep NY in 2008 - Film at 11:00]

Once in this thread it was mentioned that somehow QF beat us to the punch by being first to post the information. I’m not sure being first in this context wins anything. Would you like it if I released TTB in October; making sure I beat QF to the punch; before the 2006 1040 instructions were out? Point is, I think in February and March, during the heat of tax season, you are going to appreciate the one that had the best coverage, not the one that came out with any old coverage 5 days before the competition.

I understand that timing in a news organization is critical. Being the first newspaper or TV news to cover a news event wins the battle. Our updates page, however, is not a daily newspaper. It is designed to update information in our printed products, as well as inform practitioners in a timely matter about things related to their industry. I think our coverage on our updates page and the timing of the coverage speaks for itself.

As to the daily news aspect, this message board accomplishes that. And as I recall, if you look at the time stamp on Jim’s original post on the subject after Congress passed the bill, 12/9/2006, 6:49AM, that beats the news flash on QF’s board by over an hour (12/9/2006, 7:52AM). So I believe that means, thanks to correspondent Jim staying up all night to cover the story, we beat them to the punch.

All the news organizations then proceeded to cover the obvious, that Congress had extended the Tuition and Fees deduction, Educator Expense deduction, Sales Tax Deduction, as well as a number of other expiring provisions. Nothing shocking about any of that. We all knew what the bill did. So why rush to post the detailed information on our updates page? I prefer to see what everyone else says before I finish my coverage of the new bill.

[TAXBILLY]

Actually you beat it by 2 hours since your time is still off by an hour.
taxbilly

[Brad Imsdahl]

Actually you beat it by 2 hours since your time is still off by an hour.
taxbilly

My computer shows the correct Central Standard Time on all of our message board postings. For example, your post just now shows up as 9:10 AM, Central Standard Time.

[sea-tax]

Brad , I for one congratulate you on a wonderful book and great explanation of the bill. I just got my TTB yesterday and after looking at it for a hour or so I am very happy with the results. I got the 2 in 1 book. Thanks for the great job.

[MAMalody]

I guess I have been approaching this board wrong. I have been using it as a professional resource or to assist other professiionals, and, as such, it is "non-partisan." In the light I was using it, any posting that would assist a professional and maybe even some of the general public was okay. We are obviously excluding any bashing.

Is it okay to refer someone the the IRC, the Regs, RR, PLR? How about Master Tax Guide? I mean one could argue that QF and TB are a "poor mans" Master Tax Guide.

Personally, I did not see any intent to hurt or ridicule in the OP. It was just a point of reference given to professionals who might not yet have the data. In fact, I want to be the first to thank the OP for the info. I had not seen the TE info yet. I don't usually check the QF board, but may need to add it to my list.

I have enjoyed this board and have learned from it, and even made a minor contribution or two. However, I interpret the TB people's posting to be a "sour grapes" type of posting...and by the amount of rhetoric it has generated, I may not be too far off the mark. My bet is, I will get "flamed" (is that the term) for this comment (which is probably a clue that I should not post it).

Mike

[BOB W]

"Is it okay to refer someone the the IRC, the Regs, RR, PLR? How about Master Tax Guide? I mean one could argue that QF and TB are a "poor mans" Master Tax Guide."

Mike > on the contrary, MTG becomes out dated the minute it goes to press as well as some of the IRS's info. I don't know of any source that corrects its writings nor do they have a web site to get updates.

So, your "poor man's MTG" statement I feel is way out of line. If I thought MTG could give me the info I needed to do my job I would buy it. On the other hand, so many of us in this profession get it free from various sources and I never refer to it because it takes too much time to get a proper answer.

[Brad Imsdahl]

However, I interpret the TB people's posting to be a "sour grapes" type of posting...and by the amount of rhetoric it has generated, I may not be too far off the mark.

Mike,

Maybe you missed the point, or are confused about who is who. I am the former Executive Editor for Quickfinder. A position I held for 17 years. When I resigned my position, along with the entire editorial staff from the previous Quickfinder company that used to be based out of Minnetonka MN, I specifically asked people not to go over onto Quickfinder’s message board and advertise our new business, out of professional courtesy to the new owners. I do not recall ever asking anyone on this board to not mention Quickfinder over here. In fact, I talk about my former Quickfinder days all the time over here. BB as a loyal customer of TTB was merely expressing an opinion that maybe the new Quickfinder people ought to show the same courtesy and not advertise their product over here.

How is that sour grapes?

[OldJack]

Boy, you people sure know how to make a mountain out of a mole hill.

I subscribe and use all those books you are talking about, and every brand has its advantages and disadvantages which is why I refer to them all. Enough with the squabbling about them and get on with references to any of them when you need to quote something. Can't we talk about taxes? Gees.

[Black Bart]

Disclaimer: I'm not one of the "TB people."

I guess I have been approaching this board wrong. I have been using it as a professional resource or to assist other professiionals, and, as such, it is "non-partisan." In the light I was using it, any posting that would assist a professional and maybe even some of the general public was okay. We are obviously excluding any bashing.

Hmm; guess the above pretty much gives you the moral high ground. Obviously we're the paranoid, the sour grapes, and you're...what?...the noble advocate of freedom?

Is it okay to refer someone the the IRC, the Regs, RR, PLR? How about Master Tax Guide? I mean one could argue that QF and TB are a "poor mans" Master Tax Guide.

IRS works, of course, are irrelevant, but MTG raises an interesting question (I can't answer it) about where to draw the line. Still; would you mind if a competitor put a "Get Your Taxes Done at Block's" poster in your window? What would you think about academic freedom vis-a-vis that action?

Personally, I did not see any intent to hurt or ridicule in the OP. I don't usually check the QF board, but may need to add it to my list.

Neither did I. But your next sentence confirms that it had an effect, regardless of intention.

...I interpret the TB people's posting to be a "sour grapes" type of posting...and by the amount of rhetoric it has generated, I may not be too far off the mark. My bet is, I will get "flamed"...for this comment...

You could be right and maybe I am out-of-date (or ignorant or whatever you want to call it), but I wouldn't judge the validity of a thing by the amount of rhetoric -- people will talk up anything. As for being "flamed;" don't worry -- I never heard of it.

[OldJack]

Its time you guys stopped this thread. There is nothing accomplished by continuing. Let a dead dog lie.

[Snaggletooth]

Can't Stop the Thread

Jack, agree this has gone on long enough, but Brad can't stop the thread. Of course, he COULD stop it, but can you imagine what people would say? His product has been implicated as if in competition, his words have been taken out of context, and if he stops this thread - he would be perceived as wilting from the heat.

I am an obvious supporter of the TTB from its very inception, but I've stayed out of this thing as it has droned on for several days. Agree that any more bantering is going to be quite fruitless and would prefer that everyone stop. However, if they choose not to, we can't expect Brad to hide behind a tree while people continue to throw stuff at him.

[OldJack]

we can't expect Brad to hide behind a tree while people continue to throw stuff at him.

Sure Brad can stop, he is a big man and can take it as proved by me. Or he could easily admit that he stuck his foot in his mouth, pulled a Sen. John Kerry, and let it go at that. Hey, I like to argue with Brad, but this isn't worth arguing about.