Wendy Marsden
@dallying.bsky.social
A CPA CFP® RIA, I write about income taxes & financial planning, also being a businesswoman, fighting White Supremacy, & overthrowing the Patriarchy. MHC '86.
I work in Western MA, but spend my down time on Peaks Island, ME, and in Puerto Rico en enero.
I work in Western MA, but spend my down time on Peaks Island, ME, and in Puerto Rico en enero.
I quipped that "we're a nation of immigrants, which also means we know how to emigrate when it becomes necessary." Yes, my affluent friends are seeking residency in other countries. But what about the families who've been in New Mexico since the 1540s, or the ones who arrived via the middle passage?
September 7, 2025 at 12:53 PM
I quipped that "we're a nation of immigrants, which also means we know how to emigrate when it becomes necessary." Yes, my affluent friends are seeking residency in other countries. But what about the families who've been in New Mexico since the 1540s, or the ones who arrived via the middle passage?
Fun moment in DC: I went to ask a guy for directions to the Metro. He winced at my words so I asked, "Espanol o Inglés?" He brightened visibly. We switched to Spanish & I got my directions. All because 6 years ago I decided to stop being someone who couldn't speak one of my country's languages.
September 3, 2025 at 12:53 AM
Fun moment in DC: I went to ask a guy for directions to the Metro. He winced at my words so I asked, "Espanol o Inglés?" He brightened visibly. We switched to Spanish & I got my directions. All because 6 years ago I decided to stop being someone who couldn't speak one of my country's languages.
I went to the African American History Museum in DC today. In my opinion, sexual assault is not discussed nearly enough. The greatest of many horrors of chattel slavery is that men could rape/breed women to increase their wealth. Denying women agency over their bodies is foundational to this evil.
September 2, 2025 at 10:29 PM
I went to the African American History Museum in DC today. In my opinion, sexual assault is not discussed nearly enough. The greatest of many horrors of chattel slavery is that men could rape/breed women to increase their wealth. Denying women agency over their bodies is foundational to this evil.
On my way to the NAPFA Conference in DC, flying out to Logan (the train almost but not quite worked): I asked around for where people park at Logan and was told to just take the Logan Express Bus. Hurray for functioning public transportation! It's faster to take the bus than drive and seek parking.
September 1, 2025 at 1:30 PM
On my way to the NAPFA Conference in DC, flying out to Logan (the train almost but not quite worked): I asked around for where people park at Logan and was told to just take the Logan Express Bus. Hurray for functioning public transportation! It's faster to take the bus than drive and seek parking.
I had a nice little task to hand over to AI. Gemini said, "nah, can't do that" and couldn't explain why not. Claude said "sure can, but are you sure that's what you want?" "Really sure?" Then it doesn't do it. Not impressed. I could have done it in the 2 hours I've been dicking around with prompts.
September 1, 2025 at 1:58 AM
I had a nice little task to hand over to AI. Gemini said, "nah, can't do that" and couldn't explain why not. Claude said "sure can, but are you sure that's what you want?" "Really sure?" Then it doesn't do it. Not impressed. I could have done it in the 2 hours I've been dicking around with prompts.
I'm traveling to an occupied city next week. Someone told me, "Some people in my group had printed out cards they can give to soldiers and Marines, with numbers they can call if they need confidential help to be conscientious objectors, report unlawful behavior, etc.".
August 29, 2025 at 2:05 PM
I'm traveling to an occupied city next week. Someone told me, "Some people in my group had printed out cards they can give to soldiers and Marines, with numbers they can call if they need confidential help to be conscientious objectors, report unlawful behavior, etc.".
I'm off to the NAPFA Conference in DC next week. I have to admit, I hadn't really anticipated that I'd be traveling to an occupied city. I'm packing my passport, of course, but what else will I need?
Not unrelated: I just found out that Canada has the equivalent of the UK's Global Talent Visa. Hmm.
Not unrelated: I just found out that Canada has the equivalent of the UK's Global Talent Visa. Hmm.
August 25, 2025 at 2:42 AM
I'm off to the NAPFA Conference in DC next week. I have to admit, I hadn't really anticipated that I'd be traveling to an occupied city. I'm packing my passport, of course, but what else will I need?
Not unrelated: I just found out that Canada has the equivalent of the UK's Global Talent Visa. Hmm.
Not unrelated: I just found out that Canada has the equivalent of the UK's Global Talent Visa. Hmm.
My nextdoor neighbor has a small dog with a high pitched yap that pierces me as I try to relax on weekends. Please give me ideas for handling this that doesn't require me to be an asshole.
July 20, 2025 at 1:28 PM
My nextdoor neighbor has a small dog with a high pitched yap that pierces me as I try to relax on weekends. Please give me ideas for handling this that doesn't require me to be an asshole.
Do your clients have Treasury Direct accounts? Ask, #TaxBS, because they don't issue paper 1099-INTs. They're also basically impossible to get back into if people don't reliably use a password manager. I'm disallowing anyone who's not techy from getting IBonds. The juice isn't worth the squeeze.
July 15, 2025 at 1:07 PM
Do your clients have Treasury Direct accounts? Ask, #TaxBS, because they don't issue paper 1099-INTs. They're also basically impossible to get back into if people don't reliably use a password manager. I'm disallowing anyone who's not techy from getting IBonds. The juice isn't worth the squeeze.
Check out those energy efficiency and solor and EV credit dates: EV's go away 9/30! Solar has to be up by 12/31. That means we need to be telling our clients to go do it NOW. #TaxBS
July 13, 2025 at 2:43 PM
Check out those energy efficiency and solor and EV credit dates: EV's go away 9/30! Solar has to be up by 12/31. That means we need to be telling our clients to go do it NOW. #TaxBS
Here's one for #TaxBS: client is on a work assignment in Ireland. Will earn gobs of money abroad. Has a home in Massachusetts, but won't be there very often in '25 or '26. Do we have to pay taxes on wage income in MA for '25 and '26? What about investment income? Are there foreign COUNTRY credits?
June 9, 2025 at 5:05 PM
Here's one for #TaxBS: client is on a work assignment in Ireland. Will earn gobs of money abroad. Has a home in Massachusetts, but won't be there very often in '25 or '26. Do we have to pay taxes on wage income in MA for '25 and '26? What about investment income? Are there foreign COUNTRY credits?
One of the tricks I learned in DEI training is to open up every hiring opportunity wide enough so that I interview a diverse pool of candidates. The goal is to find excellence and improve our cumulative group wisdom with diverse outlooks. I need to find candidates outside my social circle. 1/2
June 7, 2025 at 2:54 PM
One of the tricks I learned in DEI training is to open up every hiring opportunity wide enough so that I interview a diverse pool of candidates. The goal is to find excellence and improve our cumulative group wisdom with diverse outlooks. I need to find candidates outside my social circle. 1/2
Okay, #TaxBS, where do you go for CPE? It looks like I am five hours short for my CPA renewal.
I'm a CFP as well as CPA and ideally I could find something that overlaps.
However, I'd also like to learn more about S Corp compensation and equity distributions.
Ideas?
I'm a CFP as well as CPA and ideally I could find something that overlaps.
However, I'd also like to learn more about S Corp compensation and equity distributions.
Ideas?
May 15, 2025 at 12:20 AM
Okay, #TaxBS, where do you go for CPE? It looks like I am five hours short for my CPA renewal.
I'm a CFP as well as CPA and ideally I could find something that overlaps.
However, I'd also like to learn more about S Corp compensation and equity distributions.
Ideas?
I'm a CFP as well as CPA and ideally I could find something that overlaps.
However, I'd also like to learn more about S Corp compensation and equity distributions.
Ideas?
Listening to lawsuits getting dropped helps inform us who paid the bribes. It'll all come out eventually.
Speaker Johnson must have missed this Page One NYT spread:
May 14, 2025 at 6:24 PM
Listening to lawsuits getting dropped helps inform us who paid the bribes. It'll all come out eventually.
Google alerted me that it had memories for me of my trip to Greenland. I found that intriguing, as I've never been to Greenland, as far as I recall.
It turned out to be from my trip to Greenland NH, where we spent three fairly miserable hours shopping for a project at Lowe's.
Well played, Google.
It turned out to be from my trip to Greenland NH, where we spent three fairly miserable hours shopping for a project at Lowe's.
Well played, Google.
May 7, 2025 at 1:35 AM
Google alerted me that it had memories for me of my trip to Greenland. I found that intriguing, as I've never been to Greenland, as far as I recall.
It turned out to be from my trip to Greenland NH, where we spent three fairly miserable hours shopping for a project at Lowe's.
Well played, Google.
It turned out to be from my trip to Greenland NH, where we spent three fairly miserable hours shopping for a project at Lowe's.
Well played, Google.
Watching the U.S. implode from its worst instincts is utterly depressing. The fact that half our neighbors don't notice it is worse. So what can we do besides wait and hope for Congress and the Courts to right this ship?
1.) get a passport. Seriously, RealID isn't the answer. Be able to travel. 1/x
1.) get a passport. Seriously, RealID isn't the answer. Be able to travel. 1/x
May 3, 2025 at 2:45 PM
Watching the U.S. implode from its worst instincts is utterly depressing. The fact that half our neighbors don't notice it is worse. So what can we do besides wait and hope for Congress and the Courts to right this ship?
1.) get a passport. Seriously, RealID isn't the answer. Be able to travel. 1/x
1.) get a passport. Seriously, RealID isn't the answer. Be able to travel. 1/x
I've just gotten two CP161s with huge underpayment penalties because the IRS didn't recognize a safe harbor on the 1041s, both of which had applied refunds from '23 more than the '23 taxes. (A thing we expected in '23 landed in '24.) The IRS computers appear broken. #TaxBS
April 30, 2025 at 12:17 PM
I've just gotten two CP161s with huge underpayment penalties because the IRS didn't recognize a safe harbor on the 1041s, both of which had applied refunds from '23 more than the '23 taxes. (A thing we expected in '23 landed in '24.) The IRS computers appear broken. #TaxBS
Today's WTF. A kiddie return got a notice saying "prove your W-2". I told my staff person that it's possible that the laundry she worked at didn't file a W-2, so she told the parent to go get a letter on letterhead from the laundry. I just looked. We said the withholding was $3497 instead of $347.
April 15, 2025 at 9:50 PM
Today's WTF. A kiddie return got a notice saying "prove your W-2". I told my staff person that it's possible that the laundry she worked at didn't file a W-2, so she told the parent to go get a letter on letterhead from the laundry. I just looked. We said the withholding was $3497 instead of $347.
T+2, it's Sunday and Passover. I have two WTF extensions left, one my screw up & one theirs. I had a COVID booster last night and I also have a toothache (emergency dentist scheduled for tomorrow.)
This is when too much is too much.
That's it, that's the post. I'm just whining now. This is #TaxBS
This is when too much is too much.
That's it, that's the post. I'm just whining now. This is #TaxBS
April 13, 2025 at 3:00 PM
T+2, it's Sunday and Passover. I have two WTF extensions left, one my screw up & one theirs. I had a COVID booster last night and I also have a toothache (emergency dentist scheduled for tomorrow.)
This is when too much is too much.
That's it, that's the post. I'm just whining now. This is #TaxBS
This is when too much is too much.
That's it, that's the post. I'm just whining now. This is #TaxBS
I *think* I'll be able to file the rest of the extensions today and have nothing but refund returns and efile auths left to finish for Monday.
April 12, 2025 at 1:52 PM
I *think* I'll be able to file the rest of the extensions today and have nothing but refund returns and efile auths left to finish for Monday.
In today's episode of WTF, I filed a MA ext and Federal final for a returning client. The MA went through. The Federal bounced because of a bad SSN. I checked his file: bad SSN in this year's compared to last year's. Turns out staff didn't roll him forward, just typed it all in fresh. With a typo.
April 11, 2025 at 8:00 PM
In today's episode of WTF, I filed a MA ext and Federal final for a returning client. The MA went through. The Federal bounced because of a bad SSN. I checked his file: bad SSN in this year's compared to last year's. Turns out staff didn't roll him forward, just typed it all in fresh. With a typo.
Tonight I noticed a return was marked in our project management system as on extension that was not, in point of fact, on extension.
3 of the 5 people in my office are new. I don't even know who needs to be taught this.
I'm f1ne.
How you doing, #BlueSky?
3 of the 5 people in my office are new. I don't even know who needs to be taught this.
I'm f1ne.
How you doing, #BlueSky?
April 11, 2025 at 3:40 AM
Tonight I noticed a return was marked in our project management system as on extension that was not, in point of fact, on extension.
3 of the 5 people in my office are new. I don't even know who needs to be taught this.
I'm f1ne.
How you doing, #BlueSky?
3 of the 5 people in my office are new. I don't even know who needs to be taught this.
I'm f1ne.
How you doing, #BlueSky?
Hey, #TaxBS, hit me up in my DMs if you want a client who doesn't give you her W-2 or business income or how much she's willing to pay for 4/15 quite yet. I charge too much for people who don't use my advice. But she'd be good for someone who prefers Schedule C's on extension. She uses QB at least.
April 10, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Hey, #TaxBS, hit me up in my DMs if you want a client who doesn't give you her W-2 or business income or how much she's willing to pay for 4/15 quite yet. I charge too much for people who don't use my advice. But she'd be good for someone who prefers Schedule C's on extension. She uses QB at least.