#Claim a Tax Refund

[georgeshutcheson]

How to Claim a Tax Refund for the Years 6 April 2020 to 5 April 2023

New Post has been published on https://www.fastaccountant.co.uk/how-to-claim-a-tax-refund/

How to Claim a Tax Refund for the Years 6 April 2020 to 5 April 2023

If you’re looking to claim a tax refund for the years 6 April 2020 to 5 April 2023, you’re in luck! The process is actually quite simple. If you didn’t receive a tax calculation letter from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) after the end of each tax year, it’s likely that you paid the right amount of tax. However, if you believe you paid too much, there are a few ways you can claim a refund. The first step to claim a tax refund is to sign in to your personal tax account and check how much tax you paid for each tax year. From there, you can inform HMRC by sending an update for each year that you believe you overpaid. If you don’t have a personal tax account, don’t worry – setting one up is easy. Alternatively, you can contact HMRC directly and explain the situation. HMRC will review your claim and let you know if you’re due a refund. If you are, you can typically expect to receive it within 3 weeks. It’s important to note that HMRC doesn’t send out details of tax refunds via email, so be cautious of any suspicious emails claiming to be from HMRC. Now that you know the steps, you’re one step closer to claiming your well-deserved tax refund!

Check if you’re eligible to claim a tax refund

If you’re wondering whether you’re eligible for a tax refund, there are a few steps you can take to find out. One way to determine if you’re due a refund is to check if you received a tax calculation letter, also known as a P800, from HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC) after the end of each tax year. If you did not receive a P800, it’s likely that you paid the right amount of tax and may not be eligible for a refund.

Another method to claim tax relief for job-related expenses, such as uniforms, tools, and professional subscriptions, is to access your personal tax account. By signing in to your personal tax account, you can check how much tax you paid for each tax year and inform HMRC by sending an update for each year you believe you overpaid tax. If you don’t have a personal tax account, you can easily set one up.

If you think you’ve paid too much tax but did not receive a P800 or if you prefer an alternative method to inform HMRC, you can contact them directly and explain the reasons for your overpaid tax. HMRC provides a calculator that you can use to estimate your Income Tax for previous tax years, which can help you determine if you’re eligible to claim a tax refund.

It is important to note that HMRC does not notify taxpayers about tax refunds via email. If you receive an email claiming to be from HMRC regarding a tax refund, it is likely a scam. You should report any suspicious emails to HMRC and exercise caution when providing personal or financial information.

Response from HMRC

Once you have informed HMRC about your overpaid tax, they will review your case and provide a response. This response could include a confirmation of your tax refund or an explanation as to why you are not eligible to claim a tax refund. In some cases, HMRC may request further information from you to clarify any details or resolve any discrepancies.

Timeline for receiving tax refund

If you are due a tax refund, you can typically expect to receive it within 3 weeks. However, it’s important to keep in mind that the exact response time may vary. To get a more accurate estimate of when you can expect a reply, you can check HMRC’s website for the estimated response time.

It’s also worth noting that if HMRC determines that you did not overpay any tax, you may not qualify for a refund. In this case, you may receive a response from HMRC explaining why you are not eligible to claim a tax refund.

Determine the reason for overpaid tax

To better understand why you have overpaid tax, it is important to specify the source of the overpaid tax. This could include income from a job, pension payments, or other sources of taxable income. By identifying the tax payment period, you can gain a clearer picture of when and why the overpayment occurred.

[onemaebee]

yay taxes done!!!

[robertsbarbie]

as tax season rolls around i hope college students know that H&R block helps you file for free

[fvckwithmefamo]

How To Get A HMRC Self Assessment Tax Refund

Have you ever wondered if you’re owed money from the taxman? It’s not as far-fetched as it sounds! Many people in the UK end up paying more tax than they owe and don’t even realize it. The good news is, it’s possible to claim back what you’re owed. In this friendly guide, we’ll walk you through the steps to getting a HMRC self assessment tax refund. Understanding Self Assessment and Tax…

[lexntaxlawfirm]

File GST Return

To file GST return, businesses must regularly report their sales, purchases, and tax liabilities to the government. It is crucial to file GST return on time to avoid penalties and ensure compliance with tax regulations. Using online portals, businesses can easily file GST return, streamlining the process and ensuring accurate tax filings.

[damagedassets]

1099 People Unlock SETC Money; Easy Guide Self-Employed

[mysimplytax]

In this video, we'll break down everything you need to know about tax relief and how it can benefit your retirement savings. So, let's dive right in!

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #31

August 9-16 2024

President Biden and Vice-President Harris announced together the successful conclusion of the first negotiations between Medicare and pharmaceutical companies over drug prices. For years Medicare was not allow to directly negotiate princes with drug companies leaving seniors to pay high prices. It has been a Democratic goal for many years to change this. President Biden noted he first introduced a bill to allow these negotiations as a Senator back in 1973. Thanks to Inflation Reduction Act, passed with no Republican support using Vice-President Harris' tie breaking vote, this long time Democratic goal is now a reality. Savings on these first ten drugs are between 38% and 79% and will collectively save seniors $1.8 billion dollars in out of pocket costs. This comes on top of the Biden-Harris Administration already having capped the price of insulin for Medicare's 3.5 million diabetics at $35 a month, as well as the Administration's plan to cap Medicare out of pocket drug costs at $2,000 a year starting January 2025.

President Biden and Vice President Harris have launched a wide ranging all of government effort to crack down on companies wasting customers time with excessive paperwork, hold times, and robots rather than real people. Some of the actions from the "Time is Money" effort include: The FTC and FCC putting forward rules that require companies to make canceling a subscription or service as easy as signing up for it. The Department of Transportation has required automatic refunds for canceled flights. The CFPB is working on rules to require companies to have to allow customers to speak to a real person with just one button click ending endless "doom loops" of recored messages. The CFPB is also working on rules around chatbots, particularly their use from banks. The FTC is working on rules to ban companies from posting fake reviews, suppressing honest negative reviews, or paying for  positive reviews. HHS and the Department of Labor are taking steps to require insurance companies to allow health claims to be submitted online. All these actions come on top of the Biden Administration's efforts to get rid of junk fees.

President Biden and First Lady Jill Biden announced further funding as part of the President's Cancer Moonshot. The Cancer Moonshot was launched by then Vice-President Biden in 2016 in the aftermath of his son Beau Biden's death from brain cancer in late 2015. It was scrapped by Trump as political retaliation against the Obama-Biden Administration. Revived by President Biden in 2022 it has the goal of cutting the number of cancer deaths in half over the next 25 years, saving 4 million lives. Part of the Moonshot is Advanced Research Projects Agency for Health (ARPA-H), grants to help develop cutting edge technology to prevent, detect, and treat cancer. The President and First Lady announced $150 million in ARPA-H grants this week focused on more successful cancer surgeries. With grants to Tulane, Rice, Johns Hopkins, and Dartmouth, among others, they'll help fund imaging and microscope technology that will allow surgeons to more successfully determine if all cancer has been remove, as well as medical imaging focused on preventing damage to healthy tissues during surgeries.

Vice-President Harris announced a 4-year plan to lower housing costs. The Vice-President plans on offering $25,000 to first time home buyers in down-payment support. It's believed this will help support 1 million first time buyers a year. She also called for the building of 3 million more housing units, and a $40 billion innovation fund to spur innovative housing construction. This adds to President Biden's call for a $10,000 tax credit for first time buyers and calls by the President to punish landlords who raise the rent by over 5%.

President Biden Designates the site of the 1908 Springfield Race Riot a National Monument. The two day riot in Illinois capital took place just blocks away from Abraham Lincoln's Springfield home. In August 1908, 17 people die, including a black infant, and 2,000 black refugees were forced to flee the city. As a direct result of the riot, black community leaders and white allies met a few months later in New York and founded the NAACP. The new National Monument will seek to preserve the history and educate the public both on the horrible race riot as well as the foundation of the NAACP. This is the second time President Biden has used his authority to set up a National Monument protecting black history, after setting up the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument on Emmett Till's 82nd birthday July 25th 2023.

The Department of The Interior announced $775 million to help cap and clean up orphaned oil and gas wells. The money will help cap wells in 21 states. The Biden-Harris Administration has allocated $4.7 billion to plug orphaned wells, a billion of which has already been distributed. More than 8,200 such wells have been capped since the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law passed in 2022. Orphaned wells leak toxins into communities and are leaking the super greenhouse gas methane. Plugging them will not only improve the health of nearby communities but help fight climate change on a global level.

Vice-President Harris announced plans to ban price-gouging in the food and grocery industries. This would be a first ever federal ban on price gouging and Harris called for clear "rules of the road" on price rises in food, and strong penalties from the FTC for those who break them. This is in line with President Biden's launching of a federal Strike Force on Unfair and Illegal Pricing in March, and Democratic Senator Bob Casey's bill to ban "shrinkflation". In response to this pressure from Democrats on price gouging and after aggressive questions by Senator Casey and Senator Elizabeth Warren, the supermarket giant Kroger proposed dropping prices by a billion dollars

[georgeshutcheson]

How to Claim a Tax Refund for Washing Uniform

New Post has been published on https://www.fastaccountant.co.uk/tax-refund-for-washing-uniform/

How to Claim a Tax Refund for Washing Uniform

If you’re living and working in the UK, you may be entitled to claim a tax refund for washing uniform. It’s a little-known benefit that many people overlook, but with a few simple steps, you could potentially save money on your taxes. In this article, we’ll guide you through the process of claiming a tax refund for washing uniform, ensuring you’re equipped with the knowledge to take advantage of this often overlooked opportunity. With a friendly and informative tone, we aim to make navigating the world of tax refunds a breeze for you. So, let’s get started on your journey to potentially putting a few extra pounds back into your pocket.

Understanding Tax Refund for Washing Uniform

If you wear a uniform for work and are responsible for the costs of washing and maintaining it, you may be eligible to claim a tax refund in the UK. This can help offset the expenses you incur in keeping your uniform clean and presentable. Understanding the eligibility criteria, types of uniform expenses eligible for tax refunds, and the required documentation is essential to ensure a smooth and successful claim process.

Eligibility Criteria for Claiming Tax Refunds

To be eligible for a tax refund for washing your uniform in the UK, you must meet certain criteria. Firstly, you must be required to wear a uniform as part of your job. This means that your employer has a specific dress code in place that you must adhere to.

Additionally, the uniform must bear your employer’s logo or be distinctive to those who work within the company. It’s important to note that plain clothing, even if it is worn solely for work purposes, does not qualify as a uniform for tax refund purposes.

Furthermore, you must personally incur the expenses of washing and maintaining your uniform. If your employer reimburses you for these costs, you will not be eligible to claim a tax refund.

Types of Uniform Expenses Eligible for Tax Refunds

When it comes to claiming tax refunds for washing your uniform in the UK, certain expenses are eligible for consideration. These include the cost of washing, drying, and ironing your uniform, as well as any necessary laundry detergents or cleaning products.

If you use a laundrette or dry cleaning service to clean your uniform, these expenses can also be included in your claim. However, it’s important to keep in mind that only the costs directly associated with washing your uniform are eligible. Any additional items, such as non-work-related clothing, cannot be claimed for tax purposes.

Calculating Tax Refund Amount

Once you have determined that you meet the eligibility criteria, it is time to calculate the tax refund amount you can claim for washing your uniform.

Determining the Amount Eligible for Tax Refund

To calculate the amount eligible for tax refund, you need to have a clear understanding of the tax relief available. The standard flat-rate expense allowance for uniform maintenance in the UK is £60 per year. You can claim a tax refund on expenses up to this amount without needing to provide any specific evidence or receipts. Besides the standard flat rate of £60, there is a list provided by HMRC with standard flat rate for different jobs or industry. Only uses standard flat rate of £60 if your job / industry is not on the list of flat rates. You can access the list by visiting HMRC website here.

You can claim the actual amount that you spent on cleaning your uniform rather than the flat rate. However you will need your receipts in order to do so.

  How to Claim Tax Refund for Washing Uniform

Claiming a tax refund for washing your uniform in the UK can be a straightforward process if you follow the necessary steps. If you are claiming the flat rate expenses, you can do so online by using the HMRC online service accessible from this page.

To claim a tax refund for the actual amount that you spent, you will need to fill out the P87 form and send it by post together with your receipts HM Revenue and Customs (HMRC). This form allows you to declare your employment-related expenses and claim any applicable tax refunds.

Filling out the P87 Form

When completing the P87 form, you will need to provide details such as your personal information, employment details, and the expenses you are claiming for. Ensure that you accurately fill out all the sections relevant to your uniform washing expenses.

Submitting the Claim

Once you have completed the P87 form, you can submit it to HMRC for processing. It is recommended to keep a copy of the form and the supporting documents for your own records.

Timeframe for Receiving the Refund

The timeframe for receiving your tax refund can vary. HMRC aims to process most claims within four to six weeks. However, during peak periods or if additional information is required, the processing time may be longer.

If you haven’t received your refund within the expected timeframe, it is advisable to contact HMRC to inquire about the status of your claim.

Appealing a Refund Decision

In the unlikely event that your claim is denied, you have the option to appeal HMRC’s decision. This can be done by providing additional evidence or submitting a written explanation of why you believe your claim is valid. The appeal process details and steps will be outlined in the letter of denial you receive from HMRC.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

What if my employer reimburses me for washing uniform expenses?

If your employer reimburses you for the expenses of washing your uniform, you will not be eligible to claim a tax refund. It’s important to keep a record of any reimbursements received and consult HMRC or seek professional advice for further clarification.

Can I claim tax refund for laundering non-work-related clothing?

No, tax refunds for washing uniforms specifically pertain to work-related clothing. Non-work-related clothing expenses cannot be claimed for tax purposes.

Can I claim tax refund for washing uniform if I am self-employed?

Tax refunds for washing uniforms with regards to self employed people are dealt with through their self assessment tax return.

What if I have lost my receipts?

It is always best to keep receipts as evidence of your expenses if you want to claim more than the flat rate expenses. However, if you have lost your receipts, you should still be able to make a claim. Try to provide as much detail as possible and include any alternative evidence, such as bank statements or invoices from the laundrette or dry cleaning service you used.

Can I claim tax refund for dry cleaning expenses?

Yes, the cost of dry cleaning your uniform can be included in your tax refund claim. Just make sure to keep receipts or invoices as evidence of the expenses incurred.

[simply-ivanka]

How the Biden-Harris Economy Left Most Americans Behind

A government spending boom fueled inflation that has crushed real average incomes.

By The Editorial Board -- Wall Street Journal

Kamala Harris plans to roll out her economic priorities in a speech on Friday, though leaks to the press say not to expect much different than the last four years. That’s bad news because the Biden-Harris economic record has left most Americans worse off than they were four years ago. The evidence is indisputable.

President Biden claims that he inherited the worst economy since the Great Depression, but this isn’t close to true. The economy in January 2021 was fast recovering from the pandemic as vaccines rolled out and state lockdowns eased. GDP grew 34.8% in the third quarter of 2020, 4.2% in the fourth, and 5.2% in the first quarter of 2021. By the end of that first quarter, real GDP had returned to its pre-pandemic high. All Mr. Biden had to do was let the recovery unfold.

Instead, Democrats in March 2021 used Covid relief as a pretext to pass $1.9 trillion in new spending. This was more than double Barack Obama’s 2009 spending bonanza. State and local governments were the biggest beneficiaries, receiving $350 billion in direct aid, $122 billion for K-12 schools and $30 billion for mass transit. Insolvent union pension funds received a $86 billion rescue.

The rest was mostly transfer payments to individuals, including a five-month extension of enhanced unemployment benefits, a $3,600 fully refundable child tax credit, $1,400 stimulus payments per person, sweetened Affordable Care Act subsidies, an increased earned income tax credit including for folks who didn’t work, housing subsidies and so much more.

The handouts discouraged the unemployed from returning to work and fueled consumer spending, which was already primed to surge owing to pent-up savings from the Covid lockdowns and spending under Donald Trump. By mid-2021, Americans had $2.3 trillion in “excess savings” relative to pre-pandemic levels—equivalent to roughly 12.5% of disposable income.

So much money chasing too few goods fueled inflation, which was supercharged by the Federal Reserve’s accommodative policy. Historically low mortgage rates drove up housing prices. The White House blamed “corporate greed” for inflation that peaked at 9.1% in June 2022, even as the spending party in Washington continued.

In November 2021, Congress passed a $1 trillion bill full of green pork and more money for states. Then came the $280 billion Chips Act and Mr. Biden’s Green New Deal—aka the Inflation Reduction Act—which Goldman Sachs estimates will cost $1.2 trillion over a decade. Such heaps of government spending have distorted private investment.

While investment in new factories has grown, spending on research and development and new equipment has slowed. Overall private fixed investment has grown at roughly half the rate under Mr. Biden as it did under Mr. Trump. Manufacturing output remains lower than before the pandemic.

Magnifying market misallocations, the Administration conditioned subsidies on businesses advancing its priorities such as paying union-level wages and providing child care to workers. It also boosted food stamps, expanded eligibility for ObamaCare subsidies and waved away hundreds of billions of dollars in student debt. The result: $5.8 trillion in deficits during Mr. Biden’s first three years—about twice as much as during Donald Trump’s—and the highest inflation in four decades.

Prices have increased by nearly 20% since January 2021, compared to 7.8% during the Trump Presidency. Inflation-adjusted average weekly earnings are down 3.9% since Mr. Biden entered office, compared to an increase of 2.6% during Mr. Trump’s first three years. (Real wages increased much more in 2020, but partly owing to statistical artifacts.)

Higher interest rates are finally bringing inflation under control, which is allowing real wages to rise again. But the Federal Reserve had to raise rates higher than it otherwise would have to offset the monetary and fiscal gusher. The higher rates have pushed up mortgage costs for new home buyers.

Three years of inflation and higher interest rates are stretching American pocketbooks, especially for lower income workers. Seriously delinquent auto loans and credit cards are higher than any time since the immediate aftermath of the 2008-09 recession.

Ms. Harris boasts that the economy has added nearly 16 million jobs during the Biden Presidency—compared to about 6.4 million during Mr. Trump’s first three years. But most of these “new” jobs are backfilling losses from the pandemic lockdowns. The U.S. has fewer jobs than it was on track to add before the pandemic.

What’s more, all the Biden-Harris spending has yielded little economic bang for the taxpayer buck. Washington has borrowed more than $400,000 for every additional job added under Mr. Biden compared to Mr. Trump’s first three years. Most new jobs are concentrated in government, healthcare and social assistance—60% of new jobs in the last year.

Administrative agencies are also creating uncertainty by blitzing businesses with costly regulations—for instance, expanding overtime pay, restricting independent contractors, setting stricter emissions limits on power plants and factories, micro-managing broadband buildout and requiring CO2 emissions calculations in environmental reviews.

The economy is still expanding, but business investment has slowed. And although the affluent are doing relatively well because of buoyant asset prices, surveys show that most Americans feel financially insecure. Thus another political paradox of the Biden-Harris years: Socioeconomic disparities have increased.

Ms. Harris is promising the same economic policies with a shinier countenance. Don’t expect better results.

[fvckwithmefamo]

How To Claim PAYE Income Tax Refund From HMRC

Are you ready to put some extra money back in your pocket? In this article, we will guide you through how to claim PAYE income tax refund from HMRC. Whether you’re a full time employee or a part time worker, we’ve got you covered with step-by-step instructions on how to file your claim and receive the refund you’re entitled to. So, grab your calculator and let’s get started on maximizing your tax…

[prokopetz]

So the Canada Revenue Agency is in the process of digitising all of their records from before electronic tax filing was available and back-filling everybody's online profiles with the resulting data; consequently, I have just now discovered that they owe me $117 in low-income tax refunds from 2006, because they were still issuing refunds via mailed cheques at that point, and apparently the cheque in question just plain never reached me.

Unfortunately, government-issued cheques in Canada can't be cancelled and never expire, so before they'll actually Give Me My Fucking Money, I'm informed that I'll have to go through a whole Process to prove that I haven't, I dunno, just been hanging onto the original cheque for the past seventeen years as part of an extremely protracted scheme to defraud the government of Canada of one hundred and seventeen dollars.

Given the nature of the process in question (it involves signatures and witnesses and waiting periods and documents which can only be submitted via regular post), I'm 100% certain the CRA is going to incur more administrative expenses verifying my claim than they could possibly stand to lose if I was in fact scamming them, but I suppose it's the principle of the thing.

(Am I going to go through with it? Of course I am. Even if I wasn't broke, for me it's also the principle of the thing – the principle in question being Give Me My Fucking Money.)

[withgreatpowercomesmyfuckingdick]

Hi! Imma do something rare and actually make content, but its 11 at night and i just had a brain worm

for those of you that don’t know, i work at an accounting office. we do taxes. it is tax season. and now im thinking abt how AGSZC does taxes and what their papers are like and im inflicting it on the rest of you even if its gibberish

Angeal: A godsend. Keeps his forms in order and filed properly, calculates everything else himself like a good man. Papers honestly aren’t too bad, maybe 10-12 just because of his career/insurance plus his doubtless donations to charity, but aside from that. straightforward and done at his kitchen table

Genesis: A fucking NIGHTMARE. no doubt pays someone else to do it. and for fucks sake, i know he invests. constantly and consistently and probably in anything he thinks stands the slightest chance against shinra on the market. his 1099-B is a mess and definitely Not Totaled, so his is the bullshit you have to insert one. investment. at. a time. He’s the type that keeps fucking calling too, I can just tell. but, aside from the 1099-B, he’s probably got simple stuff as well. probably several 1099-INTs from several different bank accounts, maybe a couple 1098s floating around from vacation houses or some shit.

Sephiroth: Does his own. In ridiculously early. Makes almost no personal purchases so hardly has anything to pay. I can’t imagine not having a last name or not knowing his birthday doesn’t end up a legal problem somehow, so he likely has to walk directly into a damn tax office to say hey this is me and this is my shit no, someone isn’t stealing my identity. has one singular document and it’s his W-2. Which is. Fucking astronomical. Like, the number doesn’t even look right. His paycheck as a SOLDIER isn’t taxed, so he doesn’t really get much back on his refund. The only first without a healthcare /insurance form because why tf would Sephiroth have healthcare? What’s he gonna do, get sick?

not getting into how doing his own taxes was definitely a fight between him and Hojo at some point and ended up getting hashed out in a board room. Hojo didn’t like him having the autonomy of filing for himself instead of being claimed ad Hojo’s ‘dependent’. Sephiroth deadass threatened to go to court abt it. The President told Hojo to suck it up so they didn’t have to deal with scandal, Hojo wouldn’t tell Seph his birthday to be difficult, and here we are

Zack: Panicking. Late. Doesn’t know if his forms came in the mail, doesn’t know where he put them most of the time. Scrambles around for a fuck ton of receipts, ultimately has to request Shinra send him his shit again. DEFINITELY pays someone else to do it. W-2, 1095-A, 1099-C(s)(he has several debts i can feel it i love him but he screams bad financial decisions), probably some shit for his bike too. He customs it so I can see him listing some parts he buys for it as work expenses. Jokingly puts some money he gave aerith for flowers and what he spent to make her wagon as donations to charity and it actually goes through because the church is still considered a legal entity. Definitely has to pay late fees.

Cloud: Pays Tifa to do it. Filing for both of them is a nightmare cause all their shit burnt in Nibelheim, so once Edge gets right with the WRO they have to do all their paperwork from scratch and get reassigned SSNs. He genuinely has a fuckton of paperwork from doing the Strife Delivery Service. Luckily, only ‘employee’ he has is Tifa, and even then she doesn’t do things regularly aside from pick up the phone. Doesn’t make his business an LLC until he’s literally forced to due to his number of clients and someone trying to sue him for damages. 1099-NEC for TIfa for sure, then once he’s an LLC, some yearly maintenance to keep legal. Mileage and gas expenses go CRAZY on his self employment form, I fucking bet. I bet Cloud’s handwriting is shit tho. Tifa’s at her desk counting up his gains and losses for fucking ages because his fives look too similar to sixes. Eventually she wrangles him into installing some shit on his phone that counts it up, if only to cure her headache. Funnily enough, he does get veteran benefits from what’s left of Shinra’s shit, reparations of sorts, but he doesn’t keep it. All goes to charity, so that ends up in the books too.

alright, that was unnecessarily in depth and way longer than i planned. good night LMAO

[ophilosoraptoro]

So peep this...

New York is claiming that Trump has committed fraud, because his Mar-a-lago property in Florida is actually worth $70 million, and not $220 million. It might be in Palm Beach county's best interest to file a lawsuit against New York for making this claim.

Here's why: If NY is right, that means Palm Beach county has been massively overcharging Trump on his property taxes. Without getting into fluctuating tax rates, whether or not the property has been reappraised, or any applicable tax write offs, over the course of the 38 years that he's owned Mar-a-lago, Trump would've paid roughly $92,796,000.

220,000,000 × 1.11% annual tax rate × 38 years

If the property is actually worth $70 million like NY is claiming, that means he should've only been charged $29,526,000, and Palm Beach county owes him a $63,270,000 refund.

[cozylittleartblog]

hey, so I'm trying to figure out what places would be good to sell my own art at, and I'm wondering- what has been your experience with selling on etsy? I've heard mixed reviews from people, and I want to know your perspective as an etsy seller.

etsy is not perfect but i think it gets a little more shit than it deserves, i've thought about opening my own website but generally i'm actually pretty okay with the services i get on etsy compared to what it costs so i'm just gonna make a subjective pros/cons list for you under the cut (because its loooong)

oh and if anyone else has experience selling on etsy and would like to add their two cents in the replies/reblogs please do!

Pros

⭐ The search function - this is etsy's biggest selling point. it already has a dedicated userbase of millions of people and a search feature to help them find your shop, which takes a lot of the load of marketing off your shoulders, and marketing is a huge factor for pushing sales. i am not good at marketing and a lot of my sales just come from people searching my stuff up lol

⭐ Purchase protection program - if USPS loses or damages your package, you file a missing package report and they confirm they don't know where it is, Etsy will refund your buyers order out of their own pocket (under $250). this is my favorite etsy feature because USPS likes to eat packages every now and again. delicious keychains. if you had your own storefront, you'd just have to replace the order yourself.

⭐ Share & Save program - every time someone makes an order on your shop through a special Share & Save link, etsy will refund you 4% of the fees. it's a nice perk to doing some of your own marketing and it helps combat the moderately high etsy fees!

Trackable letter mail - selling stickers but think it's insane to charge $4 shipping? you can buy letter mail labels for about the rate of regular postage, which is like .65c. this tracking is done through etsy though so you can't track with usps, but it does give customers a little peace of mind. this only works in the 50 US states though.

Customs forms built into your shipping label - shipping internationally is a nightmare. etsy makes it easy though, generating everything you need to ship internationally on one label that you just have to sign and date and slap on your package like normal. for some countries they will actually just have your package sent to a domestic facility where they literally do all that for you. this is miles easier than having to do all that paperwork yourself.

buy shipping labels directly from etsy - related point, and just what it says on the tin. when you fulfill an order, you can buy your labels right there on Etsy so you don't have to mess around with a third party website. it comes out of your sale funds so you don't need to charge a card or a bank account or anything.

star seller program - some people say this is completely useless but i actually disagree! it's incredibly easy to earn this badge, and it lets buyers know you've got some of the best products, shipping, and customer service around. it helps you stand out from some of the more... questionable shops on the website.

sales tax - they remit sales tax for you. i don't think any of the other online platforms similar to etsy do this but i could be wrong. doing any kind of taxes sucks so i consider it a perk if they do it for you.

website promotions - every now and again etsy likes to host sales out of their own pocket. you get all the perks of having a sale without eating into ur profit margin. HUGE sale booster

generally the site is just very easy to learn and use and it's very beginner and dumbass friendly. i say this as a former beginner and current dumbass 👍

Cons

❌ the fees. oogh the fees. they claim it's just a 6.5% fee per sale, but on top of that you have to pay .20c automatically for every individual item you sell, plus there are processing fees (3% + .25c) that apply both to the item you sold AND the cost of shipping. i think it comes out to like 10% total in fees on average @ > @

❌ but wait, there's more fees! if you make more than $10k in sales a year (very easy number to hit actually) you are forced to participate in offsite ads, which i believe takes 15% of your total sale on top of the fees in the previous point. these kinds of sales are not as common as you'd think, but it's still annoying having a couple bucks shaved off your profits a few times a month because of them.

corporate bullshit - etsy is like renting a space in a mall. you don't own your lot, nor the mall itself, so if upper management decides to make any stupid ass decisions, you just have to deal with it or pick up and move. if they decide to raise fees again, you just gotta Deal. you are a little bit helpless on this website unfortunately

the push for discounts - etsy is constantly shoving it in your face that they want you to do discounts. they want you to have free shipping on orders over $35, they want you to do 25% off or more on sales, they want you to have returning customer discounts and abandoned cart discounts and 'you recently favorited this item' discounts - but you already have to compete with the steep fees, and when a customer gets free shipping, you still owe USPS that $4-ish bucks to send the package. you don't have to do any of this, but they do reward participating shops by favoring them in the algorithm and search results, so you can feel like you're missing out.

there aren't as many cons imo but they Are steeper cons. generally etsy is very beginner friendly and easy to get into and set up, and in spite of everything i do actually recommend everyone looking to get into online retail start on etsy and perhaps move to other platforms in the future. plus, you can combat all the fees by just... making your prices a dollar or two higher than you initially wanted to, and using your 'save and share' link as frequently as possible. the fees are a little bit much, but you have to think about what you get in exchange:

the search is invaluable, you could argue the fees are partially a marketing budget lmao. if you have a private website you alone have to push traffic to your website, and not as many people know about things like shopify and bigcartel so they might not be as trusting putting their card details into it. i miss out on a lot of REALLY COOL STUFF because artists only advertise on instagram and i don't hear about them, meanwhile if i want some cool owl house stuff i can literally just search that in etsy and find a lot of TOH stuff super easily. i cannot highlight enough how GOOD the search function is, especially in this day and age where social media like instagram and twitter will blacklist your posts if you say words like 'shop' or 'sale' and now nobody can find your stuff in that website's search either. its very hard to do your own marketing now a days :(

being able to refund customer's lost orders out of the company's pocket is such a nice thing to fall back on if you have to and worth its weight in fees. USPS lost like... four or five packages of mine in december. that's like $100 or more worth of stuff that Etsy Covered Completely, and a lot of the times the customer will take that refund to make their order again. don't abuse this system, make sure you check with usps that the package is actually Gone, but it's a godsend when you don't make billions of dollars and eating the cost of lost orders would otherwise sting a bit.

if etsy did not make international shipping easy i simply would not ship anywhere but the US to be honest. shipping to europe is still a headache though but that's because europe is stupid

that's everything i can think of, but tl;dr yes please open an etsy 👍 i recommend it completely in spite of everything

⭐ if anyone wants to open their own etsy shop, use my referral link to make your first 40 listings for free! :)c ⭐