I am opposed to Congress doubling the costs of my HSA in H.R. 5719, the “Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act of 2008.” I am a responsible taxpayer and forcing me to pay more fees for my HSA does not assist me at all, and forcing me to submit my expenses to a third party is complicating my HSA, not simplifying it.

I am opposed to this as well (“Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act of 2008”)! Complicating an already tedious process will not help matters, nor assist me in any way shape or form. As a responsible taxpayer and working individual I am already forced to pay enormously high health insurance premiums, paying more fees for my HSA will not assist me!

I am also opposed to Congress doubling the costs of my HSA in H.R. 5719, the “Taxpayer Assistance and Simplification Act of 2008.” I am a responsible taxpayer and forcing me to pay more fees for my HSA does not assist me at all, and forcing me to submit my expenses to a third party is complicating my HSA, not simplifying it. I want my Congressman or Congresswoman to vote NO.

Not No but HELL NO Every time COngress "simplifies’ anything what it really means is we lose both fredom and money. BUTT OUT OF MY LIFE. Build roads, a border fence and strong miltary and go home. and get a real job Mr Congressman.

Not No but HELL NO Every time COngress "simplifies’ anything what it really means is we lose both fredom and money. BUTT OUT OF MY LIFE! Build roads, a border fence and strong miltary and go home. and get a real job Mr Congressman.

Opposed

With two children with chronic medical conditions, my family is already facing outrageously high healthcare costs, and this would only increase our burden as Health Savings Account holders. Please consider responsible, hardworking citizens like us when taking up this bill.

Just wondering if any of the “poster” actually read the changes in the bill or just took the word of their HSA bank. From what I read, all the Secretary is asking is an annual report of usage. If that will cause the HSA to double my fees, I think maybe it’s the banks that are going to be taking advantage of us.

I have to disagree. When I filed my taxes, I already had my “annual report of usage”. My bank had to tell the IRS what I put in and took out, and they had to give me a similar report. It’s not that different than my IRA. They just don’t have to tell me what are “good” expenses and what ones are “bad”. Do you really want the extra hassle? It would be like a yearly audit!

Has anybody noticed comments are against one provision — the one requiring HSA custodians to validate withdrawals from peoples’ HSA accounts as “eligible” expenses. I’m self employed and opened an HSA plan as one of the least expensive ways for my family to get health insurance and get some good tax incentives. My HSA belongs to me. That’s the point. If I mess up and use my HSA account for something I shouldn’t, I’m the one who risks getting the audit and paying the penalty. If this goes through, banks are going to get the same reputation as the big bad insurance companies and lose their reputation as working for me. I don’t want to have to prove myself to my credit union AND my health insurance company! What is the provision doing in this bill anyway? Who was pushing for it? Who wants to take away my choice? And for the record, my credit union isn’t telling me what to say. I happen to read the papers and my RSS.

There are some citizens that are using the HSA for non medical items. Or there definition of medical expenses is to broad and goes over the line of justified. A dishonest few are making it bad for all of us. Congress—-find another way to correct this situation. Don’t raise the expense of having a HSA.

I represent a company of about 6,000 employees. I’m the Corporate Benefits Manager and I am very concerned with (HR 5719). As an employer who desires to offer a competitive and substantial benefits’ package, if this goes through – you will be creating an adverse impact on many employers who are now offering High Deductible/HSA plans (and you will create a deterrent for other employers looking to implement this type of plan in the future) as an option for employees who desire medical coverage and an additional vehicle to save for their retirement.

I am in favor of the removal of cellular telehpone from listed property. Taxing employees for use of an employer provided cell phone is stupid. How are employers to determine the value of a multiple phone contract that is on a pooled minute system? My employer requires certain employees to have a employer provided phone, and then withholds income tax from the employee paycheck. The value my employer is using is $40 per month taxable benefit. This doesn’t make sense as to add my husband to my personal account cost us $10 per month. My husband was able to reject his employer provided phone. I am glad that my job classification does not require me to have a phone, as my employer would not allow me to use my personal phone in place or theirs. This bill would remove cellalar phones as listed property a taxable benefit to employees.

Cell phones should be removed from listed property. To tax cell phones for employer provided cell phones is counter productive to efficient operations.

Euro geht langsam

von Raivo Pommer

Der frühere Bremer Finanzsenator Ulrich Nußbaum (parteilos) wird neuer Finanzsenator in Berlin. Das gab der Regierende Bürgermeister Klaus Wowereit (SPD) bekannt. Der 51 Jahre alte Jurist war von 2003 bis 2007 Finanzsenator in Bremen. Er war außerdem als Rechtsanwalt tätig und ist Vizepräsident der Handelskammer Bremerhaven. Er folgt Thilo Sarrazin nach, der zum 1. Mai in den Vorstand der Bundesbank in Frankfurt/Main wechselt.

Sarrazin war sieben Jahre Finanzsenator in Berlin. Der Regierende Bürgermeister Wowereit sagte, Nußbaum kenne sichals früherer Finanzsenator von Bremen mit Problemen wie Verschuldungund Länderfinanzausgleich bestens aus.