on 10-5-05 10:12 AM, [EMAIL PROTECTED] at [EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote: >> Actually, if you are buying and selling, you ARE a business and you >> DO need to act like one, just like flea market sellers should. I'm a >> tax professional and I assure you the IRS considers you a business >> on that basis alone.
Just for laughs, is the IRS interested in the *occasional* buyer and seller, or does the above really only apply if you make X dollars a year by selling stuff? In a way, I can understand them going after a flea market seller in the sense that the person sells things repeatedly. However, if I sell some old stuff I have as a one off, I would hope that they would see fit to cut me some slack and let it go. I'm being an optimist here... > ...Tells you something about Big Brother. eBay doesn't maintain > their completed auction database for too long - just too much data. > And the listing the auditor showed me was more indepth than the > standard monthly eBay invoice. So either eBay maintains more, and > the IRS has access to it. Or the IRS is spidering! >From what I can tell, eBay maintains a database of their old auctions for law enforcement purposes. I remember reading something about eBay's "privacy policy" and it went something along the lines of, "Once you're on eBay, you effectively have no privacy." The article focused on the fact that eBay is always anxious to cooperate with the authorities...perhaps a little too anxious. Apparently, all it takes is a fax to eBay saying "I'm from [insert law enforcement agency here] and I'm looking for information on [eBay user]." And eBay produces it; no warrant, no explanation needed. I can only hope that no one ever looks at *my* past purchases. If anyone ever found out about that copy of "Ishtar" I bought, I'd never hear the end of it. ¬_¬ Best, James Fraser -- G-List is sponsored by <http://lowendmac.com/> and... Small Dog Electronics http://www.smalldog.com | Refurbished Drives | -- We have Apple Refurbished Monitors in stock! | & CDRWs on Sale! | Support Low End Mac <http://lowendmac.com/lists/support.html> G-List list info: <http://lowendmac.com/lists/g-list.shtml> --> AOL users, remove "mailto:"; Send list messages to: <mailto:[email protected]> To unsubscribe, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> For digest mode, email: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Subscription questions: <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Archive: <http://www.mail-archive.com/g-list%40mail.maclaunch.com/> iPod Accessories for Less at 1-800-iPOD.COM Fast Delivery, Low Price, Good Deal www.1800ipod.com
