General Questions Thread

[Zunaid]

Originally Posted by iDumb
thanks for the replies. so reporting is required thats fine but i am still a little confused as to if it would be taxed. i think u are right navo, that those return would be taxed at a rate of 15 pc probably. this is unfortunate. i mean treasury bonds are also tax exempt here then why would treasury investment at a foreigh land be taxed?

thtis is important to know because i am assuming a great rish as credit rating for bd is b- i think. may not be worth it if it is taxed but if tax free, its not bad.

Posted via BC Mobile Edition (1)

There's something new this year that you (or other Americans) should be aware of if you have significant holdings outside the US:

The IRS has added an additional filing requirement for US taxpayers (US citizens, US resident immigrant aliens, Us corporations or partnerships, non-US citizens/resident immigrant aliens if electing to file jointly with a US taxpayer spouse) with significant foreign assets. This is in addition to filing US Treasury Form TD 90-22.1 for foreign assets that equal or exceed $10,000 at any time during the calendar year.
There are reporting thresholds. Only if your reportable foreign assets equal the threshold amounts are you required to file the Form 8938 with your income tax return. Thresholds are as follows:

• Resident in the US:
  • Single, Head of Household or Married Filing Separately: If your reportable assets equal $50,000 or more at the end of your tax year, or $100,000 or more at any time during the tax year, you must file the form.
  • Married Filing Jointly: Rules are the same as above. Threshold amounts are $100,000 or more at the end of your tax year or $200,000 or more at any time during the tax year.
• Resident outside the US and qualifying to exclude foreign earned income using either the bona fide resident test or the physical presence test:
  • Single, Head of Household or Married Filing Separately: If your reportable assets equal or exceed $100,000 or more at the end of your tax year, of $200,000 or more at any time during the tax year, you must file the form.
  • Married Filing Jointly: Rules are the same as above. Threshold amounts are $200,000 or more at the end of your tax year or $400,000 or more at any time during the tax year.

Reportable assets include the following if held for investment:

• Stocks issued by a foreign company
• Partial or full ownership of a foreign company, partnership or corporation; a capital or profit interest in a foreign partnership
• Bonds, notes or debentures of non-US issuers
• Interest rate swap, currency swap, commodity swap, or similar
• Options or other derivatives from non-US sources

[Nasif]

Originally Posted by Zunaid
Reportable assets include the following if held for investment:

• Stocks issued by a foreign company
• Partial or full ownership of a foreign company, partnership or corporation; a capital or profit interest in a foreign partnership
• Bonds, notes or debentures of non-US issuers
• Interest rate swap, currency swap, commodity swap, or similar
• Options or other derivatives from non-US sources

So, I am guessing that means investment in real estate property does not count? I wasn't sure how my payments to Bashundhara would count. Still bit confused.

[Zunaid]

Originally Posted by Nasif
So, I am guessing that means investment in real estate property does not count? I wasn't sure how my payments to Bashundhara would count. Still bit confused.

I'll ask our tax lawyer - just because it has not been listed does not necessarily mean it is excluded.

[Zunaid]

Originally Posted by Nasif
So, I am guessing that means investment in real estate property does not count? I wasn't sure how my payments to Bashundhara would count. Still bit confused.

Originally Posted by Zunaid
I'll ask our tax lawyer - just because it has not been listed does not necessarily mean it is excluded.

Look at this site:

Looks like the reporting relates to foreign financial assets so real-estate should be exempt.

Which Foreign Financial Assets Must Be Reported?
The new tax rules for reporting foreign assets on Form 8938 apply only to specified foreign financial assets. These assets generally include the following:
foreign accounts maintained by a foreign financial institution
other foreign financial assets that are not in accounts maintained by a foreign financial institution: stock or securities that aren’t issued by a U.S. person, an interest in a foreign entity, and a foreign contract or other financial instrument with an issuer or counterparty that is not a U.S. person
an interest in a foreign estate or trust, assuming you know or have reason to know of your interest based on readily available information or a past distribution
You do not have to report foreign accounts maintained by a U.S. financial institution or other domestic payer, the U.S. branch of a foreign financial institution, or the foreign branch of a U.S. financial institution.
For those assets that are reportable on Form 8938, it’s important to recognize that you’ll need to provide more detailed information than is required for FBAR reporting purposes—including such things as the names of stocks and the amounts of foreign currencies. You’ll also need to indicate where the income from these assets is reported on the tax return.

[Nasif]

^^^ Thanks.

[Dilscoop]

Originally Posted by Kabir
THanks Dilscoop. I've actually been playing with it for a while, but because of my dj-illiteracy, I'm not able to find how to do exactly what I'm trying to achieve. This is what I'm trying to achieve - set a playlist of say 10 songs, choose some magic settings which allows me to pre-set where the song fades out and the new one fades in. Can you help me understand how to do this? Is it the automix feature I'm looking for?

It's not that hard. Use the "Crossfader" to fade songs on desirable places. You will have to record it and it will be a one giant song though, not a playlist.

[Dilscoop]

I'm thinking about switching over to T-mobies. Ya because of that pink Chick.

Nah she is VERY annoying. But they are giving away free 4G smartphones (very latest ones) and tablets. But first, I gotta figure out the catch.

[Ajfar]

^ service is crap. I know because I have it right now. But the deals are pretty good. Specially data plan, for 10 bucks you get 2 GB, thats more than enough for me. What's the lowest data plan on att and verizon anyone know?

[Dilscoop]

Service could be shitter than AT&T! For a 2GB phone I'm pay around $40 with Att. I still have a year left on this plan, but I already fuzzed up my phone. This is my chance to upgrade.

Verizon has the best service, but you do have to pay more.

[simon]

achcha,in simple words,how do u avoid diabetes? knowing that both yr parents have it.

[Zeeshan]

Originally Posted by simon
achcha,in simple words,how do u avoid diabetes? knowing that both yr parents have it.

Exercise, eat healthy, avoid high cholesterol foods?

[simon]

^^khabar er koyekta menu denna

[Zeeshan]

Originally Posted by simon
^^khabar er koyekta menu denna

cheera bhaja, khoi, ataruti, cup noodles...

[Dilscoop]

How much noise should my brand new Macbook should be making? I know the fan should come on when it's heating, but when I'm not even doing anything, it's still making noise. It's not very loud at times, just a bit annoying. It gets louder once in a while.

Right now, if I quite everything in the room, I can hear it. Sometimes I can hear it through everything.

Should I take take it back to best buy (where I bought it from) or should I take it to apple?

[Zunaid]

Just a reminder for US citizens with foreign assets and foreign bank accounts:

The Form 8938 (Statement of Specified Foreign Financial Assets) should be filed by taxpayers with specific types and amounts of foreign financial assets or foreign accounts. It is important for taxpayers to determine whether they are subject to this new requirement because the law imposes significant penalties for failing to comply.

Form 8938, the instructions, regulations implementing this new foreign asset report, and other information to help taxpayers determine if they are required to file Form 8938 is available on the web at: http://www.irs.gov/businesses/corporations/article/0,,id=236667,00.html.

This is in addition to the preexisting FBAR that you had to do with Form TD F 90-22.1.

Originally Posted by Zunaid
There's something new this year that you (or other Americans) should be aware of if you have significant holdings outside the US:

The IRS has added an additional filing requirement for US taxpayers (US citizens, US resident immigrant aliens, Us corporations or partnerships, non-US citizens/resident immigrant aliens if electing to file jointly with a US taxpayer spouse) with significant foreign assets. This is in addition to filing US Treasury Form TD 90-22.1 for foreign assets that equal or exceed $10,000 at any time during the calendar year.
There are reporting thresholds. Only if your reportable foreign assets equal the threshold amounts are you required to file the Form 8938 with your income tax return. Thresholds are as follows:

• Resident in the US:
  • Single, Head of Household or Married Filing Separately: If your reportable assets equal $50,000 or more at the end of your tax year, or $100,000 or more at any time during the tax year, you must file the form.
  • Married Filing Jointly: Rules are the same as above. Threshold amounts are $100,000 or more at the end of your tax year or $200,000 or more at any time during the tax year.
• Resident outside the US and qualifying to exclude foreign earned income using either the bona fide resident test or the physical presence test:
  • Single, Head of Household or Married Filing Separately: If your reportable assets equal or exceed $100,000 or more at the end of your tax year, of $200,000 or more at any time during the tax year, you must file the form.
  • Married Filing Jointly: Rules are the same as above. Threshold amounts are $200,000 or more at the end of your tax year or $400,000 or more at any time during the tax year.

Reportable assets include the following if held for investment:

• Stocks issued by a foreign company
• Partial or full ownership of a foreign company, partnership or corporation; a capital or profit interest in a foreign partnership
• Bonds, notes or debentures of non-US issuers
• Interest rate swap, currency swap, commodity swap, or similar
• Options or other derivatives from non-US sources

[iDumb]

Guys, so my shashuri sent me some achar she brought from Bangladesh, it is in a container. I tried it once and then left it outside. Today, I looked at it, unfortunately, there seems to be some sort of fungus growing on one portion of the achar. Now I don't wanna throw this away. I am attaaching a picture here. I want ideas as to how to sterilize it and probably enjoy the achar too without getting sick.

I am thinking of removing the visible white protion and heat it in stove for half an hour- that should kill everything no?

any ideas... will the heat kill any nasty bug in there.. do u think there is possiblity of spores here as well - that are resistant to heat.

here is a pic:

[Zunaid]

It's not worth it. Throw it away.

[Navo]

For a while, iDumb, until your post was edited, I wasn't sure whether you wanted the achar or your wife sterilized....

[iDumb]

Originally Posted by Zunaid
It's not worth it. Throw it away.

yeah that was my initial thought too but that's not fun.

The layer is actually very superficial. Just threw the top 15% of the achar. The bottom portion actually looks very juicy as all the oil descended. Now heating it.

After heating it, washing the container, i will put back in the pot and have my wife taste it first to see if she gets sick (she doesn't know about this). I will offer it to her during dinner. If she is ok, I will try it and keep it in the refrigirator.

[iDumb]

Originally Posted by Navo
For a while, iDumb, until your post was edited, I wasn't sure whether you wanted the achar or your wife sterilized....

heh! both!

[Naimul_Hd]

Shashuri Amma r deya Achar bole kotha....eto shohojei fele deya jaye naki ? tachara bou jodi jante pare eto gula achar na kheyei fele deya hoiche, tahole to ulta becharar achar mix banano hoye jabe

[mufi_02]

What is the exact meaning of the word "Rajakar" and who came up with it?

Who proposed the name "Bangladesh"?

[goru]

Originally Posted by mufi_02
What is the exact meaning of the word "Rajakar" and who came up with it?

From googling "Rajakar" - http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Razakars_%28Pakistan%29

[Purbasha T]

Okay, how can I check the first ever post I made on BC? I can only go upto the 2010 the normal way.

[nadim 98]

Originally Posted by Purbasha T
Okay, how can I check the first ever post I made on BC? I can only go upto the 2010 the normal way.

send me the cheque...