Here is a myth: It is commonly believed that all Certified Public Accountants (CPA's) and lawyers know all about taxes and understand them. When I was preparing taxes for the public, I had many CPA's and lawyers as clients. Knowing accounting, or law, and knowing the tax code and rules are two different things. Unless one is trained specifically in the tax code and rules, one is not necessarily competent in preparing tax returns.

There are many issues that can be discussed about taxes that can be helpful. This article is my first offering to explain some of these issues. More articles on additional issues will follow.

Two basic questions are commonly asked during the tax season: What are the qualifications to claim someone as a dependent on federal tax returns? And, what are the rules to claim the Earned Income Credit (EIC) for dependent children?

DEPENDENT:

• You must have provided more than half the support for that person.
• A relative does not have to live in the same house. A non-relative must live in the same house all year.
• Must be a U. S. citizen.
• He or she must not have earned more than their personal exemption, which for 2007, was $3,400 (Your Adjusted Gross Income, or AGI had to be equal to or less than $117,300. For incomes greater than $117,300, a worksheet had to be used to compute the personal exemption.)

Claiming ependents allow you to deduct their personal exemption from your earnings. It does not mean you can get an EIC credit for them.

EIC (EARNED INCOME CREDIT)

A QUALIFYING CHILD MUST MEET THESE QUALIFICATIONS:

• Must be a relative, such as a son, daughter, stepchild, foster child, brother, sister, stepbrother, stepsister, or a descendant of any of them (for example, your grandchild, niece, or nephew)
• The person must have lived in the same house for at least half the year
• The person must be under 19 years old or a full time student and under 24, or any age and permanently and totally disabled

A qualifying child allows you to deduct their personal exemption from your earnings as well as take an EIC credit.

Being familiar with legal lingo is also key to keeping your rights. If you are unaware of the difference between terms such as "usage" and "full" rights, then a Copyright lawyer is highly suggested. Usage translates to a one time use only, while full rights mean that the buyer now has 100% control of the work, including due credit. Many people have fallen into legal holes because of misconseptions - each word in a legally binding contract means something important. A copyright lawyer will be able to explain these terms and even advise you as to a proper course of action.

Not just any lawyer is suggested pertaining to your copyright, but get a lawyer that specializes in the field. Do not use a lawyer that you used in the past because he won your case then - lawyers specialize in different fields. That nice guy who helped you in your car accident most likely is not up to date with recent court decisions that involve the ever changing world of the internet. Copyright lawyers stay current on recent rulings that involve copyright, this means that they know how to do their job.

Your first thought is: this question doesn't take much cogitating. Not so fast! Tennesseetown was formed in the state of Kansas just after the Civil War. It was an African American community just outside Topeka, the state capital.

The community was settled by former slaves who came to be known as Exodusters. During the post-reconstruction period in the South, these families left the Mississippi Valley lands of Tennessee, Mississippi, and Louisiana traveling with hopes and dreams to the homesteading lands of Kansas in the 1870's.

The Exodusters made up one-third the population of the Topeka area when Charles M. Sheldon and wife Mary came to Topeka to pastor the fledgling Central Congregational Church. He went to work starting ministries that would impact the city, especially the poor and hungry in a town experiencing depression.

Sheldon spent a lot of time in Tennesseetown and started the first African American Kindergarten west of the Mississippi River. The school became a training center; training kindergarten teachers for schools across the nation. Elisha Scott was one of the kindergarten's brightest and most famous students.

Pastor Sheldon encouraged young Elisha to study hard while finishing elementary school and high school. Pastor Sheldon encouraged and helped Elisha even more as he finished college and eventually Law School. Elisha Scott was so grateful for all the help and encouragement from Pastor Charles Sheldon that he named one his sons Charles Sheldon Scott. This son also finished Law School.

You might be impressed to know that Pastor Charles Sheldon wrote the amazingly best-selling book entitled: In His Steps. The book asked a simple straight forward spiritual question: What would Jesus do? It became one of the best-selling books in the world.

You may be even more impressed to know that Charles Sheldon Scott, the Pastor's namesake, was on the legal team that successfully argued the 1954 Brown vs. the Topeka Board of Education case that led to the end of school segregation in America.

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2. If you work for a Company- $50,000-$75,000
3. Computer Engineer- $75,000-$102,000
4. Police man- $42,000-$80,000
5. Garbage Man- $31,000-$85,000

Jobs that pay well already

1. University Professor- $106,000
2. Lawyer- $126,000
3. Business owner/CEO of small company- $150,000
4. Accounting Consultant- $60 an hour(about)
5. Anesthesiologist- $216,000