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Lessons from the late John Pinette, accountant-turned-comic

April 14, 2014

John Paul Pinette, the portly comic who is probably most recognized as the carjacking victim who set in motion the trial in the 1998 finale of “Seinfeld,” died April 5.

If the 50-year-old Malden, Mass., native had followed his original career path, he likely would be working on tax returns today.

Pinette earned an accounting degree in 1996 from what is now the University of Massachusetts, Lowell and, according to the New York Times, “embarked on a brief, unhappy career in the field.”

Tax season stay calm via Sage Accountant Solutions“I was a very bad accountant,” he told the Montreal Gazette in 2006. “I knew the book theory, but I didn’t have the heart for it. I did it for six months, and my job was to distract the auditors with jokes.”

I mention the passing of Pinette today simply to remind everyone struggling through this most crazy part of tax time to take a break and smile.

The worst will be over soon.

And unlike Pinette, you are dealing with accounting and/or taxes today because you do love your job.

If you don’t, then follow Pinette out of the business. Your career change doesn’t have to be comedy, but it should be work that makes you happy.

Keep Calm image courtesy Sage Accountant Solutions

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TAX-SAVVY WAYS 
TO WRAP UP 2026

It’s over! With October’s extended filing deadline behind us, it is now time to focus on year-end moves to reduce your 2026 tax bill. 

You’ll find ways to do just that on the Tax Tips page (see the More Tax Posts drop-down menu at the top of the blog), as well as the separate tax tip pages for each month, notably October through December. If you’re on the Tax Tips page, you’ll find a monthly list at the end of this column. If you’re on another blog page, you can head straight to the October tips; at the bottom of that tips page you’ll find links to all the other 11 months’ collections of tax advice.

Not to spoil what you’ll find in that tax advice, but it does cover such things as tax deductions for charitable donations, investment moves that could reduce tax due, and ways to max out your tax-favored retirement savings. 

Finally, as the year winds down, things get hectic. There are lots of other things to occupy our time, like the much more fun upcoming holidays. But don’t lose sight of taxes, since timing is key. To be of use, most tax moves must be made by the end of the tax year. That’s Thursday, Dec. 31, which also is the last business day of the year. 

So that you don’t miss that final tax year deadline, also keep an eye on the countdown clock below. It will keep you on top of just how much time is left to make important, tax-saving moves. (Note: I’m in the Central Time Zone, so adjust accordingly for where you live.)

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