ITT: We Discuss Federal Income Tax Forum

[smokyroom26]

Mon dieu.

[de5igual]

I hate this class.

that is all.

[smokyroom26]

It is potentially the worst thing that has ever happened to me. At least in the top 10.

[Pato_09]

The good thing there is a curve.

[PirateCap'n]

I really don't think it's that bad (and this is coming from someone whose sole goal in UG was to avoid math classes). Secured transactions is 100x worse. Tax definitely isn't the most fun class in the world, but I've had several that were much, much worse.

[Geist13]

Tax is the first time in law that I have had 0 level of interest in the subject matter. I mean at least in contracts some of the cases were funny (that chicken case!). Tax lacks even a single redeeming quality.

[kahechsof]

This was my favorite class, and I had zero math or accounting background.

[Geist13]

Why do people think tax has anything to do with math? I think every law student can do 10,000 - 7,500. Interest and proficiency in math, or lack thereof, is irrelevant for tax. Most relevant for tax enjoyment is how much you enjoy watching water boil, or enjoy a strong groin shot.

[I.P. Daly]

I plan on taking a general tax class next semester. Any recommendations for someone going into the class?

[monkey85]

I like tax class. It requires easy linear thinking, and every question has a definitive answer based on the Code.

Possibly best part: no gunners because you can't BS a question or answer to something as cut and dry as the Code.

[PirateCap'n]

Why do people think tax has anything to do with math? I think every law student can do 10,000 - 7,500. Interest and proficiency in math, or lack thereof, is irrelevant for tax. Most relevant for tax enjoyment is how much you enjoy watching water boil, or enjoy a strong groin shot.

Taxes = money = numbers = math. Nobody ever said it was hard math, but it is math. To me, easy math is no more fun than hard math.

[Kilpatrick]

.

[Renzo]

True fact: don't take that shit as a 3L, it's a terrible fucking mistake.

[zeth006]

I'm probably among the minority. It's really not a bad class. It does require a bit of patience with respect to taking time to make sure you understand what the assigned codes for each lesson actually do.


I don't know about the rest of you, but I found that I hated contracts more. But to be fair, my contracts prof sucked really bad.

[Pato_09]

I like tax class. It requires easy linear thinking, and every question has a definitive answer based on the Code.

Possibly best part: no gunners because you can't BS a question or answer to something as cut and dry as the Code.

This. The biggest gunner my 1l year is in my tax class and now he never says a word. It's awesome. I also have an amazing prof so I'm kind of liking tax.

I think we attend the same school haha.

[smokyroom26]

I like the material. I just don't like how there are 18 exceptions to every exception. Plus, my prof has a tendency to get excited and go off on wild, incomprehensible flights of fancy punctuated by zillions of references to individual numbered provisions. It makes me dizzy.

I'm thinking about making flash cards (as in, right now, not necessarily for my final push for exam prep) with the code sections and their general/specific area of applicability. Or maybe, making a giant flowchart and just looking at it over and over.

I like tax class. It requires easy linear thinking, and every question has a definitive answer based on the Code.

Possibly best part: no gunners because you can't BS a question or answer to something as cut and dry as the Code.

See, my problem is that I like linear thinking, but we've been jumping around in the casebook so much and not really covering things in a linear way, so I don't feel like I have an A then B then C then D understanding of how to attack a problem.

No gunners is super great. However, my class is essentially everyone on LR.

[mths]

The good thing there is a curve.

Yeah, at least I know where the bottom is.

I want to kill Fed Tax with fire.

[zeth006]

The good thing there is a curve.

Which seems fine and good until you learn that a good chunk of the class is composed of former accountants and accounting majors. Kind of unnerving seeing the veteran accountant next to you playing Farmville and looking up maybe once every 10 minutes just to make sure the prof's not going over something he doesn't already know!





EDIT: Grammar.

[Bronte]

My tax prof is a comedic genius. The class is great. The stuff can be interesting if the prof is energetic and interesting.

[Geist13]

Does anyone else have the Burke & Friel Casebook? I really hate this book; they do such a bad job of explaining what they are talking about. Also, the binding sucks ass; it's already falling apart.

[Amy wineBerry]

I like tax class. It requires easy linear thinking, and every question has a definitive answer based on the Code.

Possibly best part: no gunners because you can't BS a question or answer to something as cut and dry as the Code.

Tax is the only class I like...and I'm taking an a$$ load of classes. Yeaaa me!

[Mickey Quicknumbers]

1. I love this class

2. Chirelstein's Income Tax supp is the greatest thing in the world

3. I imagine accounting majors who blow off this class will probably do terrible

[bmic]

Any tips on making an outline for a Tax class? It seems even worse than Civ Pro in terms of saying "this section says this" over and over again.

[Geist13]

Any tips on making an outline for a Tax class? It seems even worse than Civ Pro in terms of saying "this section says this" over and over again.

I think practice is going to be way more important than the outline for tax. KNOW what to do and what issues there are when you see a particular problem. Tax is so unintuitive. No matter how well you know the material, you'll have to check the code to make sure you are being precise (and the little things in the code are probably going to separate As from B+s). So I'm not sure that a super thorough outline will reall helps. Just do tons of practice. Where to find these practice problems is something I haven't figured out yet.

[jkay]

It wasn't so bad until we got to depreciation.