🚀 go-pugleaf

In <1993Jan11.204748.6366@meiko.com> hardesty@meiko.com (Robert Hardesty) writes:
> I am trying to decide which tax prep book is best to use.  There
> seems to be some that are put out by Cusumer Reports, Money, H&R Block
> among others and I was wondering which one to choose.  Are there specific
> things I should be looking for when I buy one?

In the past I have found that the types of book you mention do not do
much more than regurgitate the various tax form instructions, and as
such don't offer much more help than the big tax info book you can get
the IRS to send you from the back of the IRS package you get in the
mail.

In contrast, _Tax Guide for College Teachers & Other College
Personnel_ is full of lots of useful information about how to manage
your finances, and report them, in ways to save you money and not
trigger IRS queries.  Much of the advice in the book is based on tax
court rulings and letters, and the strategies in the book go far
beyond form filling information.  Most of the book pertains to
situations involving tax payers in general, and only a minority of the
information in it pertains specifically to college teachers.  There is
also a related _Tax Guide for Engineers_ which, when I compared it a
few years ago, was almost the same as the _Tax Guide for College
Teachers_.  They offer a money back guarantee if you don't save at
least $250 on your taxes.  

A quick blurb from the front of this year's brochure advertising the
book:

  Read about the many new changes that affect your 1992 tax return.
  This year's Tax Guide includes new rules for travel, investing,
  tax-sheltered annuitites, charity, interest, tax-free income, auto
  expenses, mortgages, extimated tax, sabbaticals, and much more.

  Learn how to reduce your taxes this year by taking full advantage of
  all the new Laws, Court Cases, and IRS Rulings that apply to you.
  Included in the book are all last minute changes in the law that
  affect your 1992 tax return.

The cost of the book is $27.95, plus $2.90 P&H (or $4.90 P&H for first
class mail), plus 5% tax for Maryland residents.  There is a $3.00
discount for future editions to prior users.  Order from Academic
Information Service, Inc., College Park Office, Post Office Box 929,
College Park MD 20741-9965.

Out of curiousity, does anyone else know of any other good strategy
and advice tax books, that don't just tell how to fill out the forms?

-- Margot
(a satisfied user of Tax Guide ... for the last several years)

Margot Flowers 
Flowers@CS.UCLA.EDU 
...!(uunet,rutgers,ucbvax,randvax)!cs.ucla.edu!flowers