PEOPLE ARE TALKING A letter to Rich Winer...   "I can't thank you enough for contacting me with information on the IRD deduction.  You patiently explained to me that my two sisters and I, as beneficiaries of an IRA that was part of an estate that paid estate taxes, were eligible for a deduction on our federal tax returns every time we took a required distribution for our inherited IRAs. When I met with my CPA at tax time, she apologized for missing the deduction. Not only did I receive a deduction of $7,129 on my 2004 return, but since the IRA was inherited in 2002, my CPA prepared amended returns for 2002 and 2003. The total value of the IRA my sisters and I inherited was around $1.5 million. The total lifetime deduction for the three of us is over $700,000.   As you and I have exchanged several emails over the months, I have come to realize that you are truly an expert on IRAs. Your clients are lucky to have someone like you looking out for their best interests. My favorite part of this story is that you contacted us just to be helpful.  We were not your clients, but you knew about our situation and just wanted to make sure we were aware of the deduction.  Thanks for being such a good guy, Rich!" Gerry Mandel Co-founder, Co-editor Stone Soup Magazine