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Three Days, Two Nights, and One 1040
By Andrew Tilin

(Business 2.0) – Staring at the dreaded 2004 tax handbook with a sense of impending doom? Maybe you should crack open the Yellow Pages--not for an accountant, but for a travel agent. Your destination: the Dutch Iris Inn bed-and-breakfast in Granby, Conn., about two and a half hours north of New York City and 90 minutes west of Boston, where the $399 two-night Tax and Relax package includes French toast breakfasts, a private bath, and the completion of both your state and federal returns. In the past two years, people from as far as Alaska and Florida have handed over their W-2s to Dutch Iris proprietor and veteran CPA Kevin Marshall (above, at right). While he works the adding machine, his guests go snowshoeing and wine tasting. Come checkout time, they're just a few signatures and stamps away from filing. The best part? As a tax-preparation expense, 25 percent of the outlay is deductible on next year's returns. -- ANDREW TILIN