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TAX TIPS
A Treasure Trove of Free Tax Information
by Kevin McCormally

Some cynics think asking the IRS for tax help is like donning a cement overcoat for a swim: No good can come of it.

But that's just not so. Most tax rules are black and white, so you're likely to get the same answer no matter whom you turn to for advice. Only in the relatively few "gray areas" -- where issues are up for interpretation -- might you get a more favorable answer from a CPA, say, than straight from the government's mouth.

Here's a bookmark for your favorite places list for the next few months: http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p17.pdf.

It takes you to a searchable version of IRS Publication 17: Your Federal Income Tax, which covers almost every issue you'll face as you tackle your 2003 return. There are lots of examples to help you see how arcane tax rules work in everyday life.