<HTML>In a message dated 4/12/01 4:11:57 PM Pacific Daylight Time, rrg@nevada.edu writes: <BLOCKQUOTE TYPE=CITE style="BORDER-LEFT: #0000ff 2px solid; MARGIN-LEFT: 5px; MARGIN-RIGHT: 0px; PADDING-LEFT: 5px">I got the "Bureaucracy Blues"... (hum us a few bars y'all). The ultimate oxymoron...  "Hi, I from the government... I'm here to help".   The dealer that we, (Alan Meyer and I), install PianoDisc systems for just went through an audit.  Although we are NOT employees but rather subcontractors, they say we should have been paying some sort of workers comp this past year to the dealer.  Unless we can prove otherwise they are going to stiff each of us with a $600.00 bill!  I have never heard of such a thing.  How does this work?  Are there any loop holes?  That is a huge amount of money that we are being asked to pay every year to satisfy a useless bureaucracy.  Help! I also need to find more right-offs for my taxes BAD.  I have really gotten burned this year by the IRS.   We could buy four big screen TVs each equipped with surround sound and a DVD player for what we are going to have to pay this year.  QUESTION:  I recall in the past that there was a half day seminar at the PTG in the past on how to find ways for techs to reduce their taxes.  Does anyone know if they are running that one again this year?  I think I need to be in it! Rob Goodale, RPT Lost Wages, NV </BLOCKQUOTE> Unless you are earning over 60% of you income from the dealer, they cannot require you to have workers compensation. I am not sure that is right either. My wife picked up the phone one day, and she said "piano service" and the person at the other end said we need workers compensation because she answered the phone that way. The fact is, they cannot legally sell it to us, because we are in business for ourselves. You most likely will have to show them the bills, receipts or invoices with your name on it. Right offs: Deduct a portion of your house, or if you have a shop or office that you use for business. If the SF is 40%, then you can deduct 40% of your utilities. If you use credit cards for business, deduct the interest as well. Of course, all of your supplies, auto, insurance, etc., can be deducted. Better hurry, time to render to Caesar is approaching soon! Hope this helps. Ph: 503-656-6177 Dave Peake, RPT Portland Chapter Oregon City, OR www.davespianoworks.locality.com </HTML>