On Sun, 05 Jul 2020 19:03:16 -0700, pyotr filipivich
wrote:

on Sun, 05 Jul 2020 18:38:00 -0400 typed in
rec.woodworking the following:

It is called "working with the rules". Friend retired to Greece,
got a house built there. Because of the way the code was written, he
got "final inspection" once the walls were up. Before power and
water, and windows, doors, and possibly the roof were installed. And
his house was appraised as such, which set his property taxes. Then
he went and did such finishing touched as putting in the windows,
putting down flooring, adding lights and electricity . ..
I also recall seeing houses with rebar sticking up out of the top
wall. Because that way the house was "unfinished" and thus taxed at a
lower rate. Lots of design features which have their roots in
avoiding tax.

That's not "avoiding" tax. That's called "evading" tax and is
generally illegal, often criminal.

I do believe that it was Justice Holmes who did point out that no
man is obligated to arraign his affairs for the benefit of the tax
man. I forget who said that the avoidance of tax is possible the
only intellectual exercise which has a real return. As I said stated
above:"It is called "working with the rules".".

No, what you describe above is not "working within the rules". It's
busting them all to hell.

The Rules do not allow A, but do allow X. And how is X defined?

Laws clearly define such things. If the building was inspected when
it was incomplete, it needs to be inspected when it is complete, if
for no other reason that you've improved it (increased its value). Try
this and, at a minimum, you may have to take out another building
permit. You may not get a CO, either, since the building is
incomplete. If you're working with the building inspector on this,
it's plain out and out fraud, probably conspiracy too.

Then that is how you present the situation so as to count as an X, and
not an A. It is not a forbidden "dock". It is a "wildlife
observation platform." It is not a Second floor, but an attic. An
incomplete house is not subject to the same taxes as a completed
house.

But you can't generally move into an incomplete house. Most
jurisdictions have a concept of a "certificate of occupancy" that
means all health and safety stuff is in there (and it's been recorded
at the tax assessor's office).

I have been told that Hughes Aircraft has small truck farm on
one of their properties. That makes the property "agricultural" and
not "Commercial" for tax purposes.

Hobby farms do that all the time but on a scale like that, I doubt it
highly. Zoning, alone, would probably make that impossible.

Ask any accountant about the
_legal_ ways to not show a profit. (Did you know that Star Wars has
yet to show a profit, on paper?

Of course. It's rare that a movie makes a "profit". Bill and Hill's
foundation doesn't make a "profit" either.

So those actors who got a percent of
the net profits are out of luck. You want a percent of the gross.)

Their agents aren't that stupid anymore.

And so on and so forth. You are not obligated to conduct your
business for the benefit of the tax man.

Certainly but you can't break the law while doing it, either. There
is a difference between "avoidance" (perfectly legitimate, and some
would say it's an obligation) and "evasion" (a criminal offence and
highly frowned upon). What you describe is clearly the latter.

But be that as it may, I take it then that you are not one to
evade your taxes by taking any deductions?

Oh, good grief! Do you really not know the difference?