Way-too-creative tax deductions:

Taxes make me nauseous. While I am all for them, and value their contribution to society, I simply hate doing paperwork and accounting.

That said, MSN Money published a very funny piece about some very creative tax deductions some certified public accountants nixed much to their client’s chagrin. Their “do not try this at home” stories included:

• a client who wanted to deduct the toilet paper he bought for his household;
• another business owner whose $2,000 check to her gynecologist was listed as “repairs and maintenance”;
• a woman who not only tried to expense her Jacuzzi hot tub as an expense, but the mood lighting, underwater speakers and stereo system that came with it;
• and the pet owners who claimed their pet dog as a dependent, and tried to write off dog food as a part of their “home security system”.

Uncover little-known tax deductions:

Self-employed and independent workers might want to have a peek at a neat blog post over at Freelance Switch.

It details some of the little-known expenses freelancers and small businesses can deduct come tax time, including: unpaid invoices, niche research, morning meetings at Starbucks, PayPal fees, long-distance calls via Skype, and payments to non-profits. While tax time is still weeks away, it never hurts to get organized, especially when things are a little slow.

Incidentally, this website is full of nifty things, including: innovative ways to generate new business, 101 freelance resources, a job board and forum, and podcasts about the freelance life.