Dear Family,

A week of decompression. Siiiigh.... How wonderful to get a full night's sleep for several nights consecutively.

During the last few weeks, the world has been busy. We lost a Pope and gained one.

The Michael Jackson trial goes on and one...

And the House of Representatives passed an energy bill replete with tax incentives for the oil companies. It's so bad that even President Bush is squeamish about it. Now, coming from a Texan, that says a lot.

While The Economist is making a case for Flat Taxes .

When I was in high school, oh so long ago, my English teacher told us that if we wanted the most comprehensive news coverage in the world, the two most important publications to read were the Wall Street Journal and the Christian Science Monitor.

I was going to add The Economist to that list, until I remembered why Richard Battaglia said these were the best sources - they provide the most objective (unbiased) coverage of the news. (The class focus was on learning to identify whether articles were editorials, straight news or just plain slanted reporting.)

You can't call The Economist objective. But, if you want to see how Americans (our social structure, our politics, our economy) are viewed by the rest of world, this is a good place to get some perspective on ourselves - and even to be able to see our more intense problems with a sense of humor.

And speaking of humor and foibles...Britain has just gained a potential new queen. I must say, for such an awkward, graceless seeming woman, Camilla has managed to get the last laugh. She turned the head of a king - and won him over, and earned the right to the throne, over all objections and demands to keep her out of the line of succession.

Don't you just love it when the underdog wins?

Today's edition of Ask TaxMama includes some odd twists - IRS notices with bizarre information and identity theft of children?

It seems that IRS is sending out the CP-2000 notices for last year. If there is any income missing from your last tax return, you'll be hearing from IRS. Don't worry, if you aren't totall sure about how to respond...today's issue tells you what to do.

Time to go. To those of you celebrating Passover, have a lovely Seder or two. If you're going to drink all ten cups... call a cab to get home, would you? (Better yet, just crash on the couch.)

And if you've never been to a Seder (the Passover feast), seek out your Jewish friends and ask if you may come. The Sedar table is required to have room for guests. There's a place already saved for you - just claim it.

And if you're looking for the right thing to bring your hosts - don't bring any foods or wines unless you are CERTAIN they are certified "Kosher for Passover", not just kosher.

Best wishes,
Eva Rosenberg, EA
Your TaxMama is watching...out for you.

President Bush and Social Security
If you want to express your own opinion on Social Security to President Bush and your legislator's, please feel free to use the link at the bottom of this letter.