Comments on: Befriending the Tax Man: Turning Adversity into Opportunity by Seeing the Other Side of the Coin http://theupsidelife.com/befriending-the-tax-man-turning-adversity-into-opportunity-by-seeing-the-other-side-of-the-coin/ Finding the Upside to Life's Downturns Tue, 31 Aug 2010 20:21:28 -0700 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Martin Strasmore http://theupsidelife.com/befriending-the-tax-man-turning-adversity-into-opportunity-by-seeing-the-other-side-of-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-249 Martin Strasmore Tue, 01 Dec 2009 21:03:09 +0000 http://upsidetothedownturn.com/?p=979#comment-249 This is a great example of how our attitude effects our mood & state and predisposes us to emotions and then to certain actions & results. Positive leads to positive. As a side point, I use tax software because the only time I used an accountant he suggested my expenses were too low and should take more people out to dinner more often. Think about that - I would spend more to save 25% of the extra spending as a tax deduction - and put in weight! Attitudes to taxes varies a lot - and has an impact. While I don't like funding bad things (wars) , I do like to able to afford to support good things through my taxes. I feel grateful I have always earned enough to be a tax payer, and unfairly treated when I hear about those mega millionaires who "avoid" taxes. The upside perspective is essentially being an optimist with faith that there is a good reason for everything, and major personal disasters make that harder. I don't know how I would do if something really "bad" happened to someone I love - I know that I can handle the material type challenges pretty well. With great respect Martin S This is a great example of how our attitude effects our mood & state and predisposes us to emotions and then to certain actions & results. Positive leads to positive. As a side point, I use tax software because the only time I used an accountant he suggested my expenses were too low and should take more people out to dinner more often. Think about that – I would spend more to save 25% of the extra spending as a tax deduction – and put in weight!
Attitudes to taxes varies a lot – and has an impact. While I don’t like funding bad things (wars) , I do like to able to afford to support good things through my taxes. I feel grateful I have always earned enough to be a tax payer, and unfairly treated when I hear about those mega millionaires who “avoid” taxes.
The upside perspective is essentially being an optimist with faith that there is a good reason for everything, and major personal disasters make that harder. I don’t know how I would do if something really “bad” happened to someone I love – I know that I can handle the material type challenges pretty well.
With great respect
Martin S

]]> By: Jim Anderson http://theupsidelife.com/befriending-the-tax-man-turning-adversity-into-opportunity-by-seeing-the-other-side-of-the-coin/comment-page-1/#comment-248 Jim Anderson Mon, 30 Nov 2009 18:54:58 +0000 http://upsidetothedownturn.com/?p=979#comment-248 I have had an experiences with Revenue Canada in the past, and can remember opening the brown envelope and just about dropping my coffee cup. "Audit"---What the (bleep)-----I thought about it and decided to be as cooperative and friendly as I could through out this audit. A female representative came to my house to do the audit on my new business. It took an amazing 10 minutes and it was done. She looked at me and said it appears you owe Revenue Canada some money, in a quiet but direct voice. I started shaking as I envisioned my business being closed to pay this debt. I didn't say anything for 30 seconds, then asked "how much". I was still shaking, when she replied "$7.00". Needless to say I wrote a business cheque out for the $7.00 and she went happily along with her day. The point I am trying to make is, that the 30 seconds of not communicating, out of fear was the worst 30 seconds of my year. I still struggle with communication but have learned that communicating and staying calm will eventually prevail in any situation. Good Job Steve and team, Jim Anderson I have had an experiences with Revenue Canada in the past, and can remember opening the brown envelope and just about dropping my coffee cup. “Audit”—What the (bleep)—–I thought about it and decided to be as cooperative and friendly as I could through out this audit. A female representative came to my house to do the audit on my new business. It took an amazing 10 minutes and it was done. She looked at me and said it appears you owe Revenue Canada some money, in a quiet but direct voice. I started shaking as I envisioned my business being closed to pay this debt. I didn’t say anything for 30 seconds, then asked “how much”. I was still shaking, when she replied “$7.00″.

Needless to say I wrote a business cheque out for the $7.00 and she went happily along with her day.

The point I am trying to make is, that the 30 seconds of not communicating, out of fear was the worst 30 seconds of my year. I still struggle with communication but have learned that communicating and staying calm will eventually prevail in any situation.

Good Job Steve and team,
Jim Anderson

]]>