Blake, I’ve always been about proactively seeking the right opportunity. Sometimes that means holding out for what’s best. This is consistent with the feedback I’ve dispensed to others on the forum. I’m pleased to be where I am now. That’s my story – a story that I’ve written since Day 1. Good luck writing yours.
Not true. I have personally prepared income tax returns for people who made a LOT of money, but they took the standard deduction. It’s not about how much you make, it’s about how much you can deduct. If you make a trillion dollars a year, but you live in Texas (with no income tax), rent an apartment, don’t give money to charity, and don’t have medical expenses, then you probably won’t break the $12,000 threshold. Admittedly, this is highly unlikely. But I have seen people making $200,000+ (which is pretty good where I live), who take the standard deduction.
Another trick (and I’m not advocating this) is to buy a ranch house, and put all your expenses for your house, car, doctor bills, etc. on your Schedule F, trying to claim Farm Expenses. I doubt this will work for too long, though. The IRS will see that you have $150,000 per year in expenses, and zero revenues, and they will claim that you’re not trying to make a profit. (And they would be right.)