Since everyone is interested in ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ tax law right now, here's one of the gems I love.

The IRS has a section that tells people which form they need to fill out for income from illegal activities, like illegal drug dealing.

Even drug dealers pay their taxes. ๐Ÿ˜‚

#TrumpTaxReturns Image
Ransom paid to pirates, and mob extortion is also a tax deductible in the US, up to a certain point.

The Gettys have a notable story in this case, refusing to pay anything more than the maximum amount that could be deducted.

Canadian tax anecdote. I knew an auditor for the CRA, who said if you're nice during audit, they try to help as much as they can.

He then told a story about auditing a drag queen that nearly gave him a heart attack, when he found out they didn't deduct their stage costumes. ๐Ÿ˜‚

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More from @StephenPunwasi

Apr 17
Hoping for lower mortgage rates?

Central banks are saying the era of low rates are over & you might agree if you knew how we got there.

Let's talk about the 2008 Global Financial Crisis, your mortgage rate, and China. Seriously.

<thread> ๐Ÿงต๐Ÿ‘‡
2/ First off, it's important to remember interest rates are relative to inflation.

Inflation is different in every country but one currency influences them allโ€”the global reserve, aka the ๐Ÿ‡บ๐Ÿ‡ธ dollar.

The global reserve is extremely important for conducting trade.
3/ To avoid being paid with worthless money, when two countries conduct trade they use the global reserve.

As a result, global commodities are generally priced in USD, such as oil, steel, and lumber.

Ex: Oil prices can be flat but weaker $CAD leads to higher prices in ๐Ÿ‡จ๐Ÿ‡ฆ.
Read 15 tweets
Jan 24
About 80% of Singaporeโ€™s population is housed in public housing, but not the kind in the West.

Low income families & young couples to high income bankers and business people live in them.

Theyโ€™re incredibly affordable. How? Only citizens can live in them.

<thread> ๐Ÿงต๐Ÿ‘‡
2/ Singaporeโ€™s public housing scheme is run by its Housing & Development Board (HDB), and public housing is appropriately called HDB flats.

Rather than auctioning off all gov land to private companies, the gov develops the land and sells 99-year leases for the units.
3/ Since these are leasehold properties, with the government retaining ultimate control over the land.

The homes are traded in open market, and you can get a mortgage to buy them. Appreciation is slowed as the units approach the end of their life though.
Read 9 tweets
Oct 24, 2023
Higher property taxes. Higher home prices. Disregard of basic real estate education.

Let's talk about how you were sold into advocating for those issues against your own interest, by politicians pushing for broad zoning deregulation.

<thread> ๐Ÿงต๐Ÿ‘‡
2/ First, let's discuss that we need more housing & governments supportive of building more homes.

However, we also need to discuss how lobbyists & politicians in the deep pockets of developers, intentionally conflated the need for more housing with deregulation.
3/ you also need to understand this little issue: real estate is valued at its highest & best use, not its current use.

btw this is from the textbook Principles of Appraisal, so every real estate agent in Ontario understands this, but not all will admit it. Image
Read 18 tweets
Oct 18, 2023
Letโ€™s talk about how AirBNB helped drive rents & home prices higher.

Most people think 1 or 2 points canโ€™t influence a market. Theyโ€™ve likely never worked at a hedge fund.

<thread> ๐Ÿงต๐Ÿ‘‡
2/ Itโ€™s not about the total market, but liquidity.

Stock prices arenโ€™t based on every unit trading. Theyโ€™re based on the last trade.

Every trade executed at or above the last trade reinforces a value.
3/ Letโ€™s say an AirBNB rents a unit for $3k/month, but long term rents are $1k/month.

Which would you rather? Thatโ€™s what an investor wants too.

But what if renters really need that unit? They have to compete.
Read 9 tweets
Sep 30, 2023
Dear capitalists,

If your house is your largest asset, you arenโ€™t a capitalist.

The banker that lent you the mortgage is a capitalist. Youโ€™re the means of production they ownโ€”labor that generates their wealth.
The term capitalist originally described a person w/ significant capital used as the means of production.

If you still think youโ€™re a capitalist, why stop there? You can also be a sea pirate without ever setting foot on a boat or a race car driver thatโ€™s never driven a car.
I saw a Realtor say people should buy a house because Warren Buffett says, be greedy when others are fearful.

Buffett, who bought his house for $31k in 1958, is most certainly not referencing a primary residence. ๐Ÿ˜‚

finance.yahoo.com/news/warren-buโ€ฆ
Read 4 tweets
Sep 29, 2023
I donโ€™t get angry often, but Iโ€™m at a level I havenโ€™t been at in a long time and youโ€™re about to join me.

Itโ€™s about exhaustive bureaucracy, and dozens of officers with drones raiding a wildlife rehab facility I volunteer with.

Yes, a wildlife rehab facility.

<thread> ๐Ÿงต๐Ÿ‘‡
2/ if youโ€™re from Greater Toronto, you probably know Mallyโ€™sโ€” Ontarioโ€™s only licensed raccoon rehab facility.

Calling 311 results in euthanizing, so even the gov suggests them.

It runs on a shoestring budget & is funded entirely by donors.
3/ itโ€™s awesome. I met the operators after they helped an injured raccoon my partner found that I named Gary.

These people ooze kindness, so naturally I volunteered to help with anything they need.

This was Gary btw.
Read 12 tweets

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