OpenTaxSolver -- U.S. and Some State Tax Prep Software

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mikeslr
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OpenTaxSolver -- U.S. and Some State Tax Prep Software

#1 Post by mikeslr »

Hi All,

A couple days ago, Festus published a new version of MaterPDF Editor, http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 453#979453 and Flash quipped "Just in time for tax season. :lol: "

So I thought I'd bring to your attention Open Tax Solver, http://opentaxsolver.sourceforge.net/, which was what I used, together with Masterpdfeditor, last year to prepare my tax returns. I live in New Jersey, and although OpenTaxSolver has a module for preparation of that State's Tax Returns, I found it helpful to also create a spreadsheet that followed that State's Return form, more or less line-by-line, to handle computations. While doing so is somewhat time consuming, this year I'll be able to use last years spreadsheet as a template, making adjustments as necessary. It's fairly easy to find the what changes a State makes from year-to-year.

Other than creating the spreadsheet, it actually took less time to do taxes this way than using TurboTax or H & R Block. You just plug in your figures rather than answering occasionally confusing questions. Moreover, this system enables you to see what's actually happening rather than submitting your information to a 'Black Box' and hoping for the best.

Of course, since the U.S. Treasury receives all the information from various financial institutions and employers it needs to calculate your Taxes it would be a simple matter for it to send you an itemized bill, or statement with a refund. But that wouldn't serve the interest of TurboTax or H & R Block, a lots of independent accountants.

Even though we may have entered the Age of Big Data, the mind-set of our Legislators is stuck on Bob Cratchit sitting on a stool filling out ledgers by hand.

mikesLr

april

#2 Post by april »

You only need one rule really

Dress up and expand all and every outgoing ,
Play down and reduce all income .

sheldonisaac
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Re: OpenTaxSolver -- U.S. and Some State Tax Prep Software

#3 Post by sheldonisaac »

mikeslr (in part) wrote:So I thought I'd bring to your attention Open Tax Solver, http://opentaxsolver.sourceforge.net/
"Project web is currently offline pending the final migration of its data to our new datacenter."

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Sheldon
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mikeslr
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#4 Post by mikeslr »

"Any ideas? "

I'd like to just not pay taxes in protest --"No Taxation without Representation" -- and currently the Federal Government does not represent the interest of anyone who is either a Social Liberal or a believer in preserving State's Rights and a free market or both. :x Call me a "Radical Middle-of-the-Roader". :roll:

But the Federal Government took my money in advance and I have to --like States and Municipalities-- beg Washington to give it back.

This was just the reverse of the trick the Romans devised for handling conquered territory. Rather than having its soldiers scrounge for supplies, it paid for them with otherwise worthless coins. Then it imposed taxes to recover the coins so they could be used again. Of course, you had to have Roman coins to pay your taxes. Most of those conquered didn't catch on to the ruse. So only a small part of the occupying force had to be employed to deal with protesters. My guess is that it was the real reason Jesus over-turned the tables of the money-changers, and the reason for his crucification. Well, I may be exaggerating some. But am certain it was one of those factors we just don't talk about.

What I am certain about is that prior to Rome's conquest there was neither money nor taxes as we know them. [Joseph was sold into slavery for 20 shekels of silver -- that is a quantity of silver weighing 20 shekels (shekel being a weight). Jesus was betrayed for 20 Shekels of Silver -- silver coins having a value of 20 Shekels (a monetary unit). Before Rome coins, like wheat or apples, were commodities. When a coin* had been minted by a government --bore the government's Seal-- it carried with it the government's certification that it had as specific weight. The groves running along a coins circumference served the purpose of deterring "penny-pinching": the clipping off of a part of the metal. The coin's recipient got less than he bargained for; the clipper accumulating metal he could sell as such. Taxes were paid in kind --services or produce.

No money was spent to build the Pyramids of Egypt, the Great Wall of China, or the Temple of Solomon [albeit as part of the deal he made for the assistance of engineers from Tyre Solomon received from Tyre a lot of gold, but also gave to Tyre license to use highways under Judean control into Egypt and Arabia and almost the entire Tribe of Asher [which prior to it's incorporation by Tyre was adjacent Tyrian territory. Asher had been one of the Tribes of the Israelite Confederacy conquered and incorporate into the "Joint" Kingdom founded by David. Ever wonder why David's Army was comprised of Pelesites (Philistines) and Gittites --from the City of Gath. You may recall one of Gath's notables. His name was Goliath. David, himself, was not born into either the Confederacy of Israelite Tribes nor the Confederacy of Philistine Cities. Rather, his family's origin was in Edom and he made allies in what is now 'The West Bank' and Syria (albeit, after conquering parts of it with his Philistine-Gittite Army). Owing allegiance to neither Confederacy, David manipulated both, conquered one and lived thereafter in peace with the other. Is there any wonder why, with Solomon's death the Kingdom "disunited"].

But getting back to Taxes: They are an essential tool used in the Game we call Economy. However, it would take some doing to for me explain that. You'll just have to wait for my blog. Speaking of waiting:

Ideas about filing a return -- I guess I'll wait. Worse case scenario, I'm in the unenviable position of being able to file for free by other means.

mikesLr

* Coins, themselves, had no value beyond their weight. As such they were primarily used by INTER-COUNTRY traders [e.g. 2 bushels of wheat + 2 gold coins for 1 bushel of wool]. Within a Country, they could be melted down and fashioned into Jewelry (I am so powerful that I can waste some of my resources), or sacrificed to the Gods (Like to Like: the imperishable to the Eternal) or as 'presents/bribes' to the gods' earthly surrogate, the Kings. Such has alway been the case, until we forgot that the reason gold and silver had value was because somebody wanted it. Almost all the gold looted by Spain and Portugal from the Americas ended up adorning the Temples of India and China. Spain and Portugal produced nothing India and China wanted. Faced with a similar problem, but less stolen gold, the English became China's drug cartel pushing opium.
Last edited by mikeslr on Sun 25 Feb 2018, 01:42, edited 1 time in total.

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mikeslr
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The Wait is Over

#5 Post by mikeslr »

As of February 14, 2018, Open Tax Solver for the 2017 Tax Returns is available for download from SourceForge. http://opentaxsolver.sourceforge.net/.

"Switched all forms to the new universal PDF fill-out method. Should work reliably on all PDF viewers. [Last year I used MasterpdfEditor]. Enables more complete form fill-out, including check-marks, etc.. *All* form-fields can now be easily changed or edited with Libre-Office Draw.
Now constructs single PDF document containing all, and just, the relevant pages for a given return.
Improved prompts/comments in many of the tax-forms.
More option spinners in GUI for many of the forms. These provide convenient selection of available answers for questions needing specific choices.
Further simplified GUI operation.
Added unlimited extra-pages overflow capability for Fed-1040 Schedules B+D.
All programs report tax-bracket and effective tax-rate for your information. In case of underpayment, shows percent underpaid."...

"Also, as the New Year starts, remember that the Payroll Withholding Calculator, http://opentaxsolver.sourceforge.net/pa ... ction.html is helpful for calculating adjustments to your weekly pay-check deductions throughout the year, to avoid under-withholding or over-withholding."

mikesLr

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