Marketplace Scratch Pad

IRS Oddities

Scott Jagow Mar 5, 2010

I’m happy to report that I’ve filed my taxes, and overall, it was a pretty uncomplicated year. Of course, I didn’t donate any deer carcasses to charity or play against the New Orleans Saints in Louisiana or travel to outer space or do anything of the other wonderful things you can get a tax credit (or charge) for. Let’s take a look.

These come from the research of the blog, Weather Sealed. Good stuff.

From California’s tax forms:

Ottoman Turkish Empire settlement payments. If you received settlement payments as a person persecuted by the regime that was in control of the Ottoman Turkish Empire from 1915 until 1923 your gross income does not include those excludable settlement payments, or interest, received by you, your heirs, or your estate for payments received on or after January 1, 2005. If you reported settlement payments on line 21, column A, enter the amount of settlement payments in column B.

From Oregon:

If you have a permanent and complete loss of the use of two limbs, you may take a $50 tax credit.

Wow, a whole $50. I guess that means if you have no arms or legs, you can claim a $100 credit?

From South Carolina:

Enter the number of deer carcasses processed and donated to the charitable organization during the tax year.

In case you’re traveling from Oklahoma directly into outer space… here’s the credit for you:

Credit for Space Transportation Vehicle Provider
A credit for space transportation vehicle provider that was established in a prior year but not used due to the limitations provided may be carried over or transferred.

In case you played or coached in a professional game at the Louisiana Superdome last year, you must fill out form 540B-NRA: The 2009 Louisiana NonResident Professional Athlete form.

There are other examples at Weather Sealed. It’s a fun blog. There’s another post called Disturbance in the Force, which graphically shows the concentration of the eight largest burger chains in America. See that blue blob? That’s Sonic Drive-In’s stronghold in Texas – 900 restaurants.

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