Bartering: Is the IRS watching it yet?

Hi All.
I anticipate that alot of folks will be bartering in the future as the economy continues downhill. I know there was alot of interest in bartering in the 1980''s. I am wondering if the IRS has any rules in regard to bartering? It seems to me that people agreeing to do each other favors should be a private matter.
Sheena

 

Speaking from experience the taxman would be the least of your concerns. Ten years ago my employers were involved in a transnational barter scheme and I was being paid my overtime in trade dollars.
Short version of the story is that spending those trade $ was more work than I put into making them.
Barter always looks good when money is short, but frankly after you've done it for a short while you understand why we invented money.

 

Gregory, I don't question that money is better. But I wonder how we will pay off our 14 trillion debt, and what will happen to the dollar's value.
Sheena

 

I would never barter. I love to pay my share of sales taxes. It is a duty and an honor to pay my taxes. I see this as a potential HBT type thread. My post is just meant in jest. :-D

One of my favorite Economists told me this: "Briefly: What something costs to produce doesn't alone determine it's price.
There's a demand side as well."

 

Or, "you ask for what you want, and you pay for what you get."
What does HBT mean?
Sheena

 

HBT stands for Hot Button Topic. A section we used to have to discuss political/controversial things. The mods/owners of the site decided to get rid of it.

:major

 

I did not know that. I have only just started visiting the site after a couple years away. When I did visit it was only to get software help. Perhaps I shouldn't be posting political type things here then? Some guidence from the moderators?
Sheena:confused

 

Not being critical, but I wish someone would have told me. I understand your viewpoint. The economy and bartering are political, and that can be contentious. I wouldn't have posted about those had I known, and I won't post on those threads again. The reason I made the posts is because I am interested in what the future holds for all of us in these troubled times. I posted here cause you "geeks" are some of the smartest people I have come across, and I like hanging out with you. But I am not computer savy enough to be a geek, not by a longshot. My education is in English/medical. Feel free to let me know if I make any other mistakes.
Sheena

 

Quoting DavidGP:

Some organisations look for negative commentary about their operations and join in. Just to, you know, give some balance to the conversation.
They aren't usually malicious but they can become tedious with their "Gee I LOVE this company/product!!! I've never heard of anyone having your problem with it" routine.
The firm I didn't name above has done this on a few different forums and basically they keep showing the happy face until everyone else goes quiet.

 

Don't worry. The mods will let you know if you cross a line. Personally, I have found other places to discuss politics. I can't speak for the mods or the owner, but I suspect some discussion might be OK in the lounge, but would most likely be shut down if it went very far.

 

David, I was only saying that there are all sorts of reasons for watching what you say in the forums .