Comments on: That’s A Good Question http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/ Mid-life crisis, motherhood and martinis Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:47:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Jeff http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18118 Jeff Mon, 08 Aug 2005 03:47:57 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18118 My advice: Don't you dare give a single penny of it back, nor donate it elsewhere. Have you considered that these donations are INCOME as far as the IRS and likely your state are concerned? Your tax bill is going to increase with every paym..er..."donation". Or you can just pretend that you don't have to pay taxes on it and ignore it at tax time - and deal with the IRS when they find out about it later. I could be wrong. I suppose that as a former attorney you may have tricks up your sleeve that someone like myself isn't aware of, but I hope that you're at least taking this into consideration when you determine the true cost of your expenses in this matter. My advice: Don’t you dare give a single penny of it back, nor donate it elsewhere.

Have you considered that these donations are INCOME as far as the IRS and likely your state are concerned? Your tax bill is going to increase with every paym..er…”donation”. Or you can just pretend that you don’t have to pay taxes on it and ignore it at tax time – and deal with the IRS when they find out about it later.

I could be wrong. I suppose that as a former attorney you may have tricks up your sleeve that someone like myself isn’t aware of, but I hope that you’re at least taking this into consideration when you determine the true cost of your expenses in this matter.

]]> By: Wind Rider http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18093 Wind Rider Sat, 06 Aug 2005 21:12:37 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18093 Well, since the overage would probably also cover my training wheels suggestion :O I'd second the Operation Smile idea - I've met some of those folks, they are doing absolutely miraculous things. Aside from just working hands on fixing kids with some pretty profound birth defects, they're also teaching local doctors the skills necessary to continue the efforts in their absence - so it's a lot more than a 'swoop into town, patch em up, drink some mai-tais, then jet back home' sort of effort. Well, since the overage would probably also cover my training wheels suggestion :O

I’d second the Operation Smile idea – I’ve met some of those folks, they are doing absolutely miraculous things. Aside from just working hands on fixing kids with some pretty profound birth defects, they’re also teaching local doctors the skills necessary to continue the efforts in their absence – so it’s a lot more than a ‘swoop into town, patch em up, drink some mai-tais, then jet back home’ sort of effort.

]]> By: wg http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18089 wg Fri, 05 Aug 2005 22:21:55 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18089 Nope. Sorry. You'll feel better if you do what we think is right, so there. :p Nope. Sorry. You’ll feel better if you do what we think is right, so there. :p

]]> By: Venomous Kate http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18087 Venomous Kate Fri, 05 Aug 2005 20:13:45 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18087 I'll definitely take the Donation button off my site when I hit the max, but I still don't think it's my place to decide whether to keep any excess donations or not. Regardless of whether there are future costs or not, I asked for help to pay only this bill, and it just doesn't seem right for me to decide unilaterally what to do with any excess funds. That's why I said I'd return the donations to the donors, but if/when that time comes I'll be sure to let them know why it's being returned (i.e., that the Fund is full). At that point, it's their call what to do with it. I'd feel best handling it by doing what I think is right. I’ll definitely take the Donation button off my site when I hit the max, but I still don’t think it’s my place to decide whether to keep any excess donations or not. Regardless of whether there are future costs or not, I asked for help to pay only this bill, and it just doesn’t seem right for me to decide unilaterally what to do with any excess funds.

That’s why I said I’d return the donations to the donors, but if/when that time comes I’ll be sure to let them know why it’s being returned (i.e., that the Fund is full). At that point, it’s their call what to do with it.

I’d feel best handling it by doing what I think is right.

]]> By: Venomous Kate http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18086 Venomous Kate Fri, 05 Aug 2005 19:21:16 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18086 Slublog, you're probably right but there's a reason I chose Operation Gratitude: they sent care packages when Sgt. Hook, a friend and fellow blogger (who's on hiatus right now), was stationed in Afghanistan. I remember him telling me just how very appreciative his troops were when those packages arrived. Since then, I've supported <a href="http://opgratitude.com" rel="nofollow">Operation Gratitude</a> whenever I can. Slublog, you’re probably right but there’s a reason I chose Operation Gratitude: they sent care packages when Sgt. Hook, a friend and fellow blogger (who’s on hiatus right now), was stationed in Afghanistan. I remember him telling me just how very appreciative his troops were when those packages arrived.

Since then, I’ve supported Operation Gratitude whenever I can.

]]> By: wg http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18085 wg Fri, 05 Aug 2005 19:19:43 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18085 I second ThirdWaveDave's point - you're going to need follow-up care, and since you've already used the available insurance benefit, make sure you keep enough to cover it. Lord knows, the last thing you need is getting everything done, and having to have something ELSE taken care of without having the resources to do so. I'd suggest just monitoring it closely - once you reach the max, take the donation button off your site, and post something saying you've reached the total, nothing further is needed, and if anybody wants their money back to say so. The money's being given to you as a gift - think of it as being a side effect of just being Very Cool. :) I second ThirdWaveDave’s point – you’re going to need follow-up care, and since you’ve already used the available insurance benefit, make sure you keep enough to cover it. Lord knows, the last thing you need is getting everything done, and having to have something ELSE taken care of without having the resources to do so.

I’d suggest just monitoring it closely – once you reach the max, take the donation button off your site, and post something saying you’ve reached the total, nothing further is needed, and if anybody wants their money back to say so. The money’s being given to you as a gift – think of it as being a side effect of just being Very Cool. :)

]]> By: THIRDWAVEDAVE http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18082 THIRDWAVEDAVE Fri, 05 Aug 2005 19:05:51 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18082 Also, Kate, you might ask your dentist about future follow-ups that will be needed. I'm sure with that amount of work there'll be a few of them. So, consider holding back a few bucks to cover that. Your choice of donating excess funds is fine with me, and you've chosen a good place to do it, but make sure you're taken care of, too. Also, Kate, you might ask your dentist about future follow-ups that will be needed. I’m sure with that amount of work there’ll be a few of them. So, consider holding back a few bucks to cover that. Your choice of donating excess funds is fine with me, and you’ve chosen a good place to do it, but make sure you’re taken care of, too.

]]> By: Slublog http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18081 Slublog Fri, 05 Aug 2005 18:55:44 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18081 Operation Gratitude is a fine organization, but wouldn't <a href="http://www.operationsmile.org/" rel="nofollow">Operation Smile</a> be more appropriate? :-) Operation Gratitude is a fine organization, but wouldn’t Operation Smile be more appropriate? :-)

]]> By: Randy http://www.electricvenom.com/my-venomous-life/thats-a-good-question/comment-page-1/#comment-18080 Randy Fri, 05 Aug 2005 18:43:24 +0000 http://www.electricvenom.com/2005/08/05/thats-a-good-question/#comment-18080 That is a great idea. You could add a second snake thermometer to show the overage too! Excellent idea. Oh...and Kate, I think that is why people want to help you. We know that you asking for help would never be for personal gain. You are wysiwyg all the way and people can trust you. Operation Gratitude is an excellent program to support with any overages. OH...but don't forget...if your orthodontist scrimped on anything to knock the price down...down scrimp! Get all that you need. That is a great idea. You could add a second snake thermometer to show the overage too! Excellent idea.

Oh…and Kate, I think that is why people want to help you. We know that you asking for help would never be for personal gain. You are wysiwyg all the way and people can trust you.

Operation Gratitude is an excellent program to support with any overages.

OH…but don’t forget…if your orthodontist scrimped on anything to knock the price down…down scrimp! Get all that you need.

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