http://www.reefbuilders.com/2009/08/06/claim-fish-taxes-3500/

United States Rep Thaddeus McCotter (R-Mich.) introduced a new bill that could let you deduct up to $3,500 on your taxes for “pet care”. Yes that’s right. “Pet care”. However, there are some stipulations, what type of pet qualifies for this? “The term `qualified pet’ means a legally owned, domesticated, live animal.” We aren’t lawyers so we can’t really say if your imported angelfish qualifies as “domesticated”. But we wouldn’t mind an additional $3500 deduction on our yearly taxes. What about other livestock in our aquariums? You can read the full bill below the break.

Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act (Introduced in House)
HR 3501 IH
111th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3501
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for pet care expenses.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
July 31, 2009
Mr. MCCOTTER introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on Ways and Means
A BILL
To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to allow a deduction for pet care expenses.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the `Humanity and Pets Partnered Through the Years (HAPPY) Act’.
SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
The Congress finds the following:
(1) According to the 2007-2008 National Pet Owners Survey, 63 percent of United States households own a pet.
(2) The Human-Animal Bond has been shown to have positive effects upon people’s emotional and physical well-being.
SEC. 3. DEDUCTION FOR PET CARE EXPENSES.
(a) In General- Part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 (relating to additional itemized deductions for individuals) is amended by redesignating section 224 as section 225 and by inserting after section 223 the following new section:
`SEC. 224. PET CARE EXPENSES.
`(a) Allowance of Deduction- In the case of an individual, there shall be allowed as a deduction for the taxable year an amount equal to the qualified pet care expenses of the taxpayer during the taxable year for any qualified pet of the taxpayer.
`(b) Maximum Deduction- The amount allowable as a deduction under subsection (a) to the taxpayer for any taxable year shall not exceed $3,500.
`(c) Qualified Pet Care Expenses- For purposes of this section, the term `qualified pet care expenses’ means amounts paid in connection with providing care (including veterinary care) for a qualified pet other than any expense in connection with the acquisition of the qualified pet.
`(d) Qualified Pet- For purposes of this section–
`(1) QUALIFIED PET- The term `qualified pet’ means a legally owned, domesticated, live animal.
`(2) EXCEPTIONS- Such term does not include any animal–
`(A) used for research or owned or utilized in conjunction with a trade or business, or
`(B) with respect to which the taxpayer has claimed a deduction under section 162 or 213 in any of the preceding 3 taxable years.’.
(b) Clerical Amendment- The table of sections for part VII of subchapter B of chapter 1 of such Code is amended by striking the last item and inserting the following new items:
`Sec. 224. Pet care expenses.
`Sec. 225. Cross reference.’.
(c) Effective Date- The amendments made by this section shall apply to taxable years beginning after December 31, 2009.

Every penny I spend on anything to do with my tanks gets written off. I wrote off 10,000.00 last year. Its a write off for my business. It goes under office supplies

what if i moved my tank from the living room to my dedicated home office for my business, gotta call my cpa :unsure::)

Anyone know what Section 162 or 213 are?

Every tank and pond now or in the past(see signature)and any money spent on them was and still is a write off whether its in my office or not. I use it as educational tools related to my home business. That 10,000.00 I wrote off last year was just aquarium related stuff, this isnt counting the other 30+ thousand worth of write offs I had. Add that up....40,000.00 in write offs...I make darn sure I have the write offs to offset any money I made. Ive had my own business for 8 yrs now and havent paid a dime in taxes, and dont plan on paying any as long as I have the write offs to offset any expenses. It helps that my accountant is a mathmatician and thats all he does for a living is peoples taxes. He makes so much money during tax season he doesnt have to work on the off season. He isnt expensive either. In fact, I pay him 300.00 more than he charges because he does such a great job with those things and he doesnt charge me but 150.00 to keep me under the IRS radar..and he gets me so much money back...He is ever bit worth the extra money paid to do my taxes. He also does me right.. When I drop off my taxes to him, doesnt matter how many people are ahead of me, He drops them and gets on mine. Takes him all of a few hours because I already have everything there for him....all he does is find something I missed (a write off) and places the figures where they wont be red flags going off....like aquarium related things...lol They go under office supplies...if it looks to be too much, he places some of those figures into another category I may have low numbers on.

Hes good........and hes MINE! lol

My whole house and property is business related....so anything I buy is either a 100% write off or a percentage. If someone gives me something, no matter what it is (furniture,plants,etc...) I keep a receipt book here and write my own receipt to it and place a value on it as if it were bought....Whala...write off

I dont plan on paying any taxes if me and my tax guy can help it. Daughter was in private school for 1 yr and that was a write off because I was paying for her to be somewhere while I worked, out of the home....any paid schooling is considered daycare and is a write off....good thing too because that was 700.00 a month for her to go. She is home schooled now so I dont have that expense. I know a thing or two about tax write offs....Got to, to keep the Gubment out of my pocket..

Do you have clients in your office? Whether you do or not, you can consider it a stress reliever and write it off. Anything, and I mean anything you buy and put in that room, it is a write off. Your bathroom can be written off too. If you have clients in your kitchen and you guys drink coffee or whatever in it, you can write off a percentage of everything in that kitchen. If you house business related things in clostes or garage, that can also be written off along with any money you spend for upkeep. If you buy a nail to hang a picture and a hammer to bang that nail in the wall, thats a write off

Believe me, there is so much you can write off it will amaze you....people just dont know and fall short of a lot of write offs, therefore falling short on a bigger refund.

no, I meant Whala...thank you very much

I think you spoke way out of line as you have NO idea what my home based business is even about or you wouldnt have spouted off the way you did. ALL of my tax write offs are legit and I welcome an audit. Dont hate me because I know what I am doing

ANYONE who pays for their children to go to school while they work from a home based business can write the school expense off because it is considered DAYCARE...my child was 3 1/2 when this happened.........there again, spoke before you knew what you were talking about.

Is this person kidding me? Youre an administrator? I think I may have joined this site too soon. I just paid 30.00 to join this site to be talked to this way? Have some respect there buddy

If it does go anywhere, it would help my family that's for sure. Getting shots for four dogs does put a big dent into my budget!

...I keep a receipt book here and write my own receipt to it and place a value on it as if it were bought....Whala...write off...

That's not a write off, that's fraud.

no its not....know what youre talking about before typing.

I just paid 30.00 to join this site to be talked to this way? Have some respect there buddy

You paid $30 to join the club, not this site.

Respect is earned here just as in life so I'd suggest you show some before you expect to receive it.

no, I meant Whala...thank you very much

Interesting. I'd like to see a definition for that word...

I think you spoke way out of line as you have NO idea what my home based business is even about or you wouldnt have spouted off the way you did. ALL of my tax write offs are legit and I welcome an audit. Dont hate me because I know what I am doing

And what is this business that can support writing off your aquarium supplies and your child's eduction? Unless you're in the business of teaching marine biology to students, I'd be shocked that these write-offs are legit. I don't hate you, but I do seriously question your handling of taxes.

Is this person kidding me? Youre an administrator? I think I may have joined this site too soon. I just paid 30.00 to join this site to be talked to this way? Have some respect there buddy

You're talking about how you're deducting everything and flagrantly showing how you can get out of taxes and don't expect to be called on it? This site is a community of people. You're welcome to stay and talk about reefing, but do expect that people will question you. That's the nature of communities.

Likewise, I'm a citizen of the US, and I feel strongly about equality. I do believe I'm entitled to my opinion as much as you are.

If you write off everything and pay no taxes, then you report no income. This has consequences...

Im LMFAO at you people. Too funny

In fact, I pay him 300.00 more than he charges because he does such a great job with those things and he doesnt charge me but 150.00 to keep me under the IRS radar..

Posting your questionable deductions (ie if something is gifted to you then you are out no expense then you place a value on it that is pure fraud) is not a good way to keep "under the IRS radar."

for you slow learners.....

If you buy ANYTHING that is related to your JOB or BUSINESS, it is either a total write off or a percentage of a write off. My saltwater hobby didnt start out as that, a hobby. It started out as tools for my home business, THEN it turned into a hobby....dont hate me cause I had the good sense to use what the government gave me....tax deductions...

keeping me under the IRS radar automatically equates to doing something wrong???? Thats hilarious! My tax guy is 100% legit just as every write off I have ever used is legit. Hey, it isnt my rule that I can write off these things....Im just using what the gubment allows me to. You people should stop hating so much. You wreek of hatefulness.

no its not....know what youre talking about before typing.

Drop the attitude or find yourself somewhere esle to be. You mouth off about people having respect for you, yet you show none for anybody else. This is a community of people; people who are going to engage in conversation and debate. Everybody is not going to agree with each other all the time; such is life.

Yes, falsifying a purchase receipt is fraud; I don't care how you rationalize it in your head.

I reward my tax guy for finding write offs that I missed, I pay him accordingly, and you guys find the wrong in that....Only a class of that level could or would find fault in that. So sad

I made 12k last yr and paid 4k for school essentially living off 8k and i STILL had to PAY 800 bucks for taxes so i say **** u and +1 for hoping u get audited!

My whole house and property is business related....so anything I buy is either a 100% write off or a percentage. If someone gives me something, no matter what it is (furniture,plants,etc...) I keep a receipt book here and write my own receipt to it and place a value on it as if it were bought....Whala...write off


HAHA oh how funny how your story changes! See the above quote. Someone GIVES your something. This is a gift in which you incurred no cost. Therefore guess what......its fraud.

But I mean heck what to I know, I just graduated from college and happened to take a class on government and budgetary politics less than 3 months ago which covered taxation in pretty great detail. Ill email Dean Lauth (my professor who taught the class) with the UGA school of Public Relations and International affairs and see what he thinks. He works with the governor and has a few good connections. Keep POing people and shooting your mouth off. There are ways for people to report you to the IRS and you have already incriminated yourself. But hey.....im a slow learner so what do I know.

an accountant can write off anything (so can you for that matter - sans accountant)



it all comes down to the IRS Interpretation of the writeoff..

regardless of what your accountant says... the IRS could see it another way...

Im LMFAO at you people. Too funny

It's not so funny to the taxpayers that are pulling their weight. ;)

Ok well you want to be a hot shot, why dont you share what your home based business is with the rest of us? Im sorry I missed your name. My name is Charlie Scott. Pleasure to make your acquaintance Miss..........?

You get what you give....You that responded cant stand it when someone takes up for themselves...That Admin person started this with his mouth spouting off of how Im one thing or another....and the rest followed suit....Im reacting to what you people keep throwing out. You need to go back and re read from the beginning...I had nothing to say disrespectful to none of you, youre the ones yapping your mouths off to me...and as long as you feel the need to attack me, you will get it back.

Poor you, poor poor you....::::shaking head:::: Is it my fault you dont know how to handle your taxes? Its not MY fault you dont know what youre doing. I guess its my bad I was sharing my success with you guys. Im sure to take note of these ones who have a really nasty attitude.....It will serve me well in the future....And uh, good luck with your taxes....LMAO

The IRS knows what my business is....but you guys dont and thats whats making you so angry, that you spoke before knowing and now look foolish. My business and what it is based around allows me to write off the expenses of keeping aquariums because they are tools used every day in my business. I cant say that I am sorry that youre not as smart as you think because you havent figured out what I do for a living that calls for me to be able to write this off. Youre the ones that think you know so much, figure it out. I dont go advertising it because of the nature of it, and its persistant people such as you nasty mouthed ones that have caused me to choose to not disclose this for the safety of my clients. If you should find out, thats one thing, but I wont disclose it where it couldnt be said that I offered this info to just anyone. I guess every site has to have that handful that are of this nature.....

Well, I've surmised your business based on your user name and listed occupation, but I can't figure out how aquariums relate. Besides, I thought that was illegal outside of Nevada.

why would not knowing the name of ur business upset anyone? your poor ethics are what make people angry

LOL hooked newbie!

Tell you what BellyDancin. Ill shot you a link showing you the IRS section which shows its illegal. Check your pms sweetie.

is the home based business ..... bellydancing?

Clients.........funny most people refer to them as customers.

ooooooo, Im skeered....someone went to college and took a class and now he/she/it knows more than someone actually in business. Im really impressed....:boo:


Im so flattered that you guys are so interested in my life because it is painfully obvious that you have none of your own. But look, there is only so much about me I will allow you to know, so calm down your threats and nasty attitudes. Makes you all old and wrinkled. Im sure it is too late for some of you, but the rest? Get some happy in your life for crying out loud. You people act like aol subscribers....

ooooooo, Im skeered....someone went to college and took a class and now he/she/it knows more than someone actually in business. Im really impressed....:boo:


Just means I actually know the up to date laws and you are ignorant enough to......well not.

Youre the ones that think you know so much, figure it out.

I really don't think you want to make that a challenge... You may not think we're very smart, but I'd recommend against calling us stupid. There are many here who are quite resourceful. You know... the type who might post the license number and other info for your day care business...


My advice (to everyone) is to let this go. It's obviously not going to go anywhere positive. Everyone has made their point, and noone will be happy in the end. BellyDancin- if you want to stay here, you're welcome to, but I suggest being a little less aggressive in your posts. To everyone else- I'm submitting this thread to a moderator to be closed (since I'm already involved). If we want to talk about the tax bill, great, but we need to move on from this.

Sorry to cause all the chaos. =)

Sorry to cause all the chaos. =)

kinda stirred a hornets nest

I dont give a rats behind who posts what. Your threats dont bother me Mo...has nothing to do with my license. Just know that I dont back down from the likes of what has attacked me

Dont back down all you want. You arent the brightest light bulb in the box and someone out there is better than you. You never know who it might be....

Man I thought the Michael Vick thread was fun and stupid and a waist but this one needs some pop corn and a coke. :lol2:

Closed until further notice!