General Discussion Instructions

In order to prepare for this assignment, READ the information contained in the document “Salty Pawz Background.”

You are required to post to this discussion THREE TIMES, on THREE DIFFERENT DAYS. Please refer to the Discussion Grading Rubric for details regarding how your performance will be assessed. NOTE: Please be certain to read the entire discussion assignment since in some cases there is more than one question you need to discuss, respond to, or address. Be sure that you have answered the entire question!

Post 1: Initial Post

This posting should be a minimum of one short paragraph and a maximum of two paragraphs. Word totals for this post should be in the 100–200-word range. Whether you agree or disagree, explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate.

Scenario

Wanda is reviewing her tax returns from the previous year and is shocked at how much tax she paid the government. She had good income but had to pay a large number of self-employment taxes on top of her normal federal and state tax liabilities. She slumps back onto the sofa and tells Cosmo, “You know, Cosmo, some days I feel like I work for nothing. The government gets to keep more of my money than I do.” He just wags his tail, thinking she is talking about how handsome he is.

Wanda can’t get her tax bill off her mind and decides that she is going to handle this the way “rich people do” and start keeping two sets of books—one for her and one for the tax man. After all, since she is the sole proprietor, no one really has to know how much she really takes in from selling dog treats. She starts to plan how she is going to make this work, but as her plan comes together, she feels increasingly uncomfortable about her decision.

For Discussion

1. What are the legal and ethical consequences of Wanda keeping two sets of financial records and failing to report all of the income from Salty Pawz?
2. Even though Wanda is a sole proprietor, who else could be harmed by her actions?
3. Are there long-term problems she could be creating for herself that she doesn’t see at this point? If so, what are they?

Posts 2 and 3: Respond to Classmates’ Posts

Instructions

After you have created your initial post, look over the discussion posts of your classmates and give at least two thoughtful responses to two different classmates (one per classmate) as outlined in the Discussion Grading Rubric.

A response posting should be a minimum of one short paragraph. Word totals for these posts should be in the 75–100-word range. Whether you agree or disagree, explain why with supporting evidence and concepts from the readings or a related experience. Include a reference, link, or citation when appropriate. The goal of your response posts is to extend discussions already taking place or pose new possibilities or opinions not previously voiced. Your goal should be to motivate the group discussion and present a creative approach to the topic.