http://8dollar.net Thu, 31 Dec 2009 10:05:47 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Questionnaires have been extensively used to obtain learners' verbal reports in the L2 field. In a questionnaire, a series of written questions or prompts probe the subjects for answers on specific topics or areas of concern. Questionnaires are quite flexible in structure, ranging from the strict closed-question format with ... http://8dollar.net/?p=3009 This week, review the four criteria for claiming a home office as outlined in this chapter to determine if you meet any of them, then be sure to do the following: 1. Determine the exact amount of square footage your home office area will occupy in your home. Use blueprints or floor ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2276 If you are eligible for a home office deduction, you have to claim it. You cannot simply decide not to deduct it if you do meet the eligibility requirements we have outlined above. Why is this? If the IRS discovers that you are eligible, they will insist that you have ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2275 What qualifies as a write-off for a home office? Anything you use in business other than an automobile. Examples include: • Photocopy machines. • Computers. • Printers. • Fax machines. • Office furnishings including rugs, lighting, desks, chairs, and bookcases. If you choose to depreciate such items, then you have to keep the item in your business for seven ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2274 A home office deduction relates only to the real estate and utilities for the office, and not for the furnishings and equipment used in it. However, such furniture and equipment can be depreciated. The rule is: Furniture, whether you qualify for a home office deduction or not, is depreciable only ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2273 5. Document Use of Your Office in Your Tax Diary. This is where a tax diary can pay for itself a hundredfold. Use your tax diary to record what activities you performed in your home office such as, “studied for my network business from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m.,” or “made ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2272 2. Prepare a Floor Plan. Keep blueprints of your home to prove the amount of space occupied by the home office. If blueprints are not available, make a drawing of your home showing the relationship of the home office’s square footage to the total square footage of the home. This graphic shows ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2271 Here’s an example of just how sneaky IRS agents can be. When Sandy was working as an attorney with the IRS, one of his agent colleagues audited a person claiming the home office deduction. Everything appeared to be in order in this taxpayer’s home office. But then the agent ran ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2270 If you can meet any of the above four criteria you will have no problem proving that you use your home to conduct business and can take the home office deduction. Once you decide to take it, you should be aware of a few rules that can help you substantiate ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2269 Criteria #2: Meet-and-Greet Test. If you don’t use your home office 50 percent of the time for your homebased business, and don’t meet the exception to the Soloman decision, you can still qualify for the home office deduction. An exception allows you to claim the deduction when you use your home ... http://8dollar.net/?p=2267