New Releases by Karen Alpert

From the mom behind Baby Sideburns and the NYT bestseller I Heart my Little A-Holes, a hilarious and matter-of-fact parenting guide to raising happy, kind, and resilient kids.

The United States is unique in taxing non-resident citizens under the same rules as residents. For Australian citizens and residents who are also US taxpayers, the impact of this is much greater than the generally minimal amount of US tax due each year. The US grants citizenship broadly and makes it difficult and expensive to cleanly exit the US tax system. Planning one''s tax affairs under two very different tax systems is complex and often results in sub-optimal financial outcomes. Australian citizens and permanent residents who are required to file US tax returns will find it more difficult to effectively save for retirement than their peers, and will be more likely to rely on the Australian government''s social safety net in their later years.The US tax code significantly discriminates against many non-US investments and business structures, which constrains the options of affected Australian-resident taxpayers, many of whom are also Australian citizens. The treatment of Australian superannuation on a US tax return is the subject of some disagreement among tax professionals. Australian investment opportunities outside of superannuation are also limited for US taxpayers. Australian managed funds are punitively taxed under the Passive Foreign Investment Company (PFIC) rules. For entrepreneurs and small business owners, the US tax treatment of “foreign” corporations owned or controlled by a US person can unravel any Australian tax advantages. Family trust structures often recommended for asset protection and tax planning purposes in Australia would likely be treated as disregarded entities on a US tax return. Finally, US law may make it difficult for non-resident US citizens to open financial accounts in the US making it difficult to avoid the punitive US tax treatment of Australian investments. Although this paper focuses on Australia and the interplay between US and Australian tax rules, the issues raised are broadly applicable to US citizens residing anywhere outside of the US.

Now that I’m a mom, I know the most painful part isn’t getting something giant through your hooha. It’s having a real live child. If you are the kind of mom who shapes your kiddo’s organic quinoa into reproductions of the Mona Lisa, do not read this book. If you stayed up past midnight to create posters for your PTO presidential campaign, do not read this book. If you look down your nose at parents who have Domino’s pizza on speed dial, do not read this book. But if you are the kind of parent who accidentally goes ballistic on your rugrats every morning because they won’t put their shoes on and then you feel super guilty about it all day so you take them to McDonald’s for a special treat but really it’s because you opened up your freezer and panicked because you forgot to buy more frozen pizzas, then absolutely read this book. I Want My Epidural Back is a celebration of mediocre parents and how awesome they are and how their kids love them just as much as children with perfect parents. Karen Alpert’s honest but hilarious observations, stories, quips and pictures will have you nodding your head and peeing in your pants. Or on the toilet if you’re smart and read it there.

Following the success of Go the F**k to Sleep, Confessions of a Scary Mommy, and Ketchup Is a Vegetable, a collection of funny, warm, and charmingly profane tales from the frontlines of parenthood by the author of the popular Baby Sideburns blog. Once upon a time you and your partner had a perfect life: dinners out, weekend mornings cuddling in bed, brunch with friends. Then you gave birth to a poop machine (or two). Now, it''s all about the pediatrician, breast pumps, princess dresses, and minivans. And discovering that your pride and joy is actually a little A-hole. When your son wakes you up at 3:00 A.M. because he wants to watch Caillou, he''s an a-hole. When your daughter outlines every corner of your living room with a purple crayon, she''s an a-hole. When your rug rats purposely paint the kitchen ceiling with their smoothies, they''re a-holes. At times like these, it''s only natural to want to kill them (or yourself). But it''s against the law (and there''s the suicide hotline). Plus, there''s that whole loving them more than anything in the whole world thing. In I Heart My Little A-Holes, Karen Alpert shares hilarious stories, lists, and deep thoughts on the joys and horrors of raising children. Accompanied by cheery illustrations and photos I Heart My Little A-Holes will make you laugh so hard you''ll wish you were wearing a diaper.

The second volume in the best-selling I Just Want to Pee Alone series! Don''t get us wrong, we love the men in our lives -- we do (most of the time). It''s just that sometimes we would like them to go away. Not forever or anything like that. Just for an hour ... or a day ... or a weekend. We want some time to ourselves to read a good book or take a walk or do anything other than try to make a dent in the never ending mound of dirty clothes that keeps piling up on his side of the bed. We just want to be alone. All alone. Is that too much to ask? I Just Want to Be Alone is a collection of humorous essays from 37 of the most Super Cool Lady Writers you''ll find on the web. Including: People I Want to Punch in the Throat, Baby Sideburns, A.K. Turner, My Husband Ate All My Ice Cream, and Bad Parenting Moments.