# I guess I won an iPad Mini at work. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 3, 2014, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330 "2014-09-03T03:59:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/21 "2014-09-03T20:00:31Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > Lovely. I have to pay taxes on this white elephant. So I will try to return it for grocery money, and get my wife a rather nice [$49 Android tablet from Wally World](http://www.walmart.com/ip/Ematic-7-Tablet-8GB-Memory-Quad-Core/28858632) that gets good reviews on YouTube so she can surf her horse rescue sites and download her crappy 19th-century women’s novels from Project Gutenberg. Great. Then I’ll have to dig out my spare wifi router so she can get better speed upstairs or she’ll complain. This reminds me of on The Office when Pam really wanted an iPod and Roy, her shlub of a fiance, got her some knock-off MP3 player. Don’t be a Roy. Just give her the g-d iPad and let her enjoy it. ---
**Author:** ![picunurse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@picunurse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picunurse)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/22 "2014-09-03T20:03:41Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > You think you have it rough? Last month I won a 65’ flat screen TV in a raffle at work! Holy shit, what a royal pain the ass! It was too big to fit in my car so I had to arrange for someone to deliver it. I had to go buy new earthquake straps so it won’t fall over and kill the dog. It blocks the painting that hung over the old TV so I’ve got to rearrange all the art in the living room. Now my wife is riding me to mount the damn thing on the wall. And I have no idea what I’m going to do with the old TV. It’s just been sitting there in the front hall for weeks. A perfectly good TV, just sitting there! > > Life is hell. You have a room in your house that will accommadate a 65 **foot** TV??? I didn’t know they made home screens that big! ---
**Author:** ![The\_Hamster\_King](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/8edcca/32.png) [@The\_Hamster\_King](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Hamster_King)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/23 "2014-09-03T20:09:59Z")
> [@picunurse](#): > > You have a room in your house that will accommadate a 65 **foot** TV??? I didn’t know they made home screens that big! LOL … I \*said \*it wouldn’t fit in the car. It’s almost as big as my model of Stonehenge. ---
**Author:** ![notfrommensa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/f14d63/32.png) [@notfrommensa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/notfrommensa)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/24 "2014-09-03T20:15:17Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > It’s almost as big as my model of Stonehenge. The guys from Spinal Tap should have told you where to shop. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/25 "2014-09-03T20:47:01Z")
Way to find the cloud in the silver lining. What’s wrong with you? Sheesh. Give your wife the iPad with a smile and let her enjoy something nice for a change. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/26 "2014-09-03T20:54:21Z")
> [@dracoi](#): > > This is the US we’re talking about, right? Because this will be the least of the taxes. There’ll be 7.65% FICA tax (payroll) and federal income tax, which for many people is either 15 or 25% (but could be 0 to 40%). Then there’s the state income tax. So the tax could be substantial. Why would he pay both sales and income tax on it? If the item is treated as equivalent to something he bought, then he wouldn’t pay income tax. If the value of the item is treated as income, then he wouldn’t have to pay sales tax. Unless there’s some ultra-weird tax situation here. ---
**Author:** ![GrandWino](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grandwino/32/67_2.png) [@GrandWino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrandWino)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/27 "2014-09-03T21:02:22Z")
I think he’s being hyperbolic when he says he has to pay taxes on it, as an excuse for why he should be grouchy about his win. I mean, legally you’re supposed to report that kind of thing and include it in your income for the year but unless the company gives him a 1099 for it, he won’t have to do shit. ---
**Author:** ![Bumbershoot](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bumbershoot/32/3428_2.png) [@Bumbershoot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bumbershoot)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/28 "2014-09-03T21:09:30Z")
**Jophiel** said something that bears repeating: There’s no such thing as a good $49 tablet. Keep the iPad. ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 11:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/29 "2014-09-03T23:38:55Z")
That is tough luck. I had similar bad luck a couple of months ago. My company had a raffle for some bullshit charity (something to do with kids or disease or something) so I felt obligated to buy $5 worth of tickets. There were many prizes but top prize was a portable propane grill that retails for about $150. I didn’t even go to the drawing. You can guess the rest. First of all, the thing was in a big box and HEAVY. I got mildly winded loading in and out of my SUV. Second of all, it required some minor assembly. Who has time for that shit? Despite those drawbacks, it is the perfect grill for me and I was looking at ones just like it just a few days before I won it. I guess I can just suck it up and grow to like it. Getting to love an iPad is admittedly much more work but plenty of people have done it judging by the number of people that grudgingly force themselves to use them every day. I am sure you and your wife can too if you really try. One thing is for certain though. Uncle Sam isn’t getting one additional penny from me just because the cruel hand of fate decided to saddle me with another luxury item. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [September 3, 2014, 11:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/30 "2014-09-03T23:47:31Z")
My wife works for Apple. They saddle her with some Apple doodad or another every other week or so. We’ve never received a 1099 for any of them. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 12:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/31 "2014-09-04T00:09:45Z")
**How To Win an iPad And Never Pay Taxes** Step one, win an iPad. Step two, don’t pay taxes. Step three, after winning an iPad and not paying taxes, if the IRS should come after you, just tell them “well EXCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSE me”. ---
**Author:** ![Spiderman](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spiderman/32/230_2.png) [@Spiderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiderman)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 1:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/32 "2014-09-04T01:28:59Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > **How To Win an iPad And Never Pay Taxes** > > Step one, win an iPad. > > Step two, don’t pay taxes. > > Step three, after winning an iPad and not paying taxes, if the IRS should come after you, just tell them “well EXCUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUSE me”. It’s your legal responsibility to pay the proper tax. Income tax on winnings & sales tax on stuff bought online. Granted it’s an infinitely small chance of getting caught, but if you do, you own the tax _plus_ interest, & penalties & they ain’t Mr. Cuddly Puppy folks & they _will_ get their money. The point it he won something he doesn’t want & because he is honest, it will cost him some amount of $ for this ‘privilege’. Also, if they’re an Android household, one Crapple product is kinda useless as it works a little bit differently & you’d need to purchase another version of the apps you already own. If I were to win an ipad, I’d convert it to cash also. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/33 "2014-09-04T02:08:56Z")
> [@Mainer](#): > > Nooobody knows the troubles I’ve seen… Which is why you can’t tell us about them. Nobody knows. Reading through this thread has been great fun. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/34 "2014-09-04T02:17:15Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > LOL … I \*said \*it wouldn’t fit in the car. > > It’s almost as big as my model of Stonehenge. I have a model of Stonehenge at my house, which I keep on my map of San Diego County. They’re both actual size–one mile equals one mile, and one 20-ton post-and lintel equals one 20-ton post-and-lintel. ---
**Author:** ![Lord\_Feldon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lord_feldon/32/341_2.png) [@Lord\_Feldon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lord_Feldon)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 3:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/35 "2014-09-04T03:17:39Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Step one, win an iPad. > > Step two, don’t pay taxes. That’s fine if you win an iPad at a street carnival, but if you win an iPad at work, they probably won’t give it to you until you sign the tax papers. ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/36 "2014-09-04T03:23:12Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > You think you have it rough? Last month I won a 65’ flat screen TV in a raffle at work! Holy shit, what a royal pain the ass! It was too big to fit in my car so I had to arrange for someone to deliver it. I had to go buy new earthquake straps so it won’t fall over and kill the dog. It blocks the painting that hung over the old TV so I’ve got to rearrange all the art in the living room. Now my wife is riding me to mount the damn thing on the wall. And I have no idea what I’m going to do with the old TV. It’s just been sitting there in the front hall for weeks. A perfectly good TV, just sitting there! > > Life is hell. Yeah, that sucks. > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Give your wife the iPad with a smile and let her enjoy something nice for a change. I am totally trying to do that, but she’s going all, “I’d love it, but we need the money more than a toy.” But she also said, “Can I get email on it? And it will work with our network?” “You can even get Tom Hanks’ antique typewriter app so you’ll feel right at home.” The boss bought it with his own money and sent the receipt to Corporate for reimbursement. He’s not sure he can get a copy–alas! And WalMart won’t give me store credit without a receipt–alackaday! And I think he bought it before Apple dropped the price by $100 so even if I got store credit at the current price I’d be screwed out of my full refund–that makes it hardly worth the trouble, doesn’t it? 😉 I guess I’m stuck with it–boo-hoo–especially if I tell the boss to cancel the receipt request and wait a week or two. Happy early Christmas, late birthday, and get well soon, honey! You’ve had a shitty six months and maybe this will make living on the sofa a little less miserable. Because I really want her to have that POS. While I’m looking for the spare router maybe I’ll find an old Toshiba laptop power supply so I can get my youngest’s netbook running for me. She doesn’t use it and it has a proper keyboard and requires zero effort to keep the screen at a visible angle. Unlike a tablet. ETA: I can’t win a fucking $10 Subway gift card without signing a tax form. ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 6:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/37 "2014-09-04T06:19:48Z")
What a tough life. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 12:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/38 "2014-09-04T12:45:06Z")
I’ve never in my life seen or heard of being forced to sign tax forms on small items awarded at work or won in a raffle. Is this really a thing? It isn’t Oprah’s cars we’re talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/39 "2014-09-04T13:23:32Z")
> [@dropzone](#): > > ETA: I can’t win a fucking $10 Subway gift card without signing a tax form. I hope you’re kidding about that. IANATA (I am not a tax accountant), but the IRS calls small gifts (under a hundred bucks in value) de minimis fringe benefits and doesn’t require them to be reported. See [this PDF document](http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-tege/p_4090_fed_0305_text.pdf) about gift cards given to local and state employees. As for the iPad, it’s may be valuable enough to require reporting but the impact on your taxes will be insignificant. (Frankly complaining about winning one sounds like a sneak brag.) ---
**Author:** ![dropzone](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dropzone/32/7515_2.png) [@dropzone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dropzone)\ **Post date:** [September 4, 2014, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330/40 "2014-09-04T18:29:40Z")
1. I’m not kidding. OTOH, they don’t pay me enough to pay taxes, which is good because they don’t withhold any, either. 2. For you $50 Android doubters, follow my link. For what she does on the web, pretending to shop for rescue horses, reading 19thC domestic novels (“No Dickens!”), playing music on YouTube, and stalking my email address (“You commented on a video about Joseph and Magda Goebbels murdering their children! What would a potential employer think?” “As I recall, I _was_ against it.”), there’s this: > [@](#): > > ``` > 1.5GHz Quad Core processor > 1GB of system memory > 7" touchscreen, 1024 x 600 resolution, virtual keyboard with Swype > Built-in b/g/n WiFi > > ``` is plenty. See also: [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oDCQ0ccPEA](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-oDCQ0ccPEA) As for money, I’m at home waiting for my food stamps phone interview. Take that as you will. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-guess-i-won-an-ipad-mini-at-work/697330.md?page=3)