Leaderboard

New phone message: Thank you for calling, I am not answering the phone today, the more time I spend on the phone ansereing, "How are you coming on my return" and then spending 10 min listeing to your need for the tax return because you have some bill that is due tommorow, and OH by the way you still need to get me ...... and once I get that information, which I told you about when you dropped off your work 3 weeks ago, then I will be done with your return in about anohter week. And by the time I talk with 25 to 30 calls, most of the day is gone, and I have not got a thing done So have a nice day, leave a message and I will call you back this evening before I close up for the day, hope you like phone calls after 9 pm It must be March Maddness

>>Tax Preparers Sue IRS<< I have no respect at all for this frivolous lawsuit. I am serious about being a professional in an important service industry. None of the three plaintiffs is interested in what it takes to be a full time professional. The first one doesn't even want to take yearly update classes! Another one wants the same exemptions as licensed attorneys and CPAs, but without the bother of getting licensed. The third plaintiff wants to hire others to work in impoverished areas, the taxpayers most vulnerable to being exploited by unqualified tax preparers.

For example if you married someone from another country (not from Canada or Mexico) and you return to U.S, your spouse stays behind and works. How do you file your US tax return S, MFJ or MFS? Spouse does not have a visa, no SS# and is not a resident of Canada or Mexico to apply for an ITIN. How do you report your foreign spouse income on your US return? I am guessing you would file single, until your spouse is issued a SS#, but I wanted to see what others think. Thanks MAS Ah, you should treat your spouse with love and respect :)

I listened to that entire song while I was looking for an exception to a 401K early distribution. So many of those this year. In some cases the words to that song could apply to the IRS. (I always did like George Strait).

Just received this in an e-mail... Names removed to protect the guilty!! <<<"I will be mailing in our tax info by the end of this week. I am planning a trip out of town April 11th thru the 18th. I know I have to sign our taxes before you electronically send them? My husband wanted to make sure that we will get them before I leave for out of town. Can you advise me on when I will be able to get the paperwork back, and or if I should postpone my trip. I realize I should have gotten you the info before now, I apologize for the lateness.">>> Ya just gotta love our clients!!!

Dear Client, Thanks for withdrawing $63,000 from your 401(k) and not having any taxes withheld. Yes, a $6,000 contribution to your IRA will probably take care of it. Be a wash, as you say.

That 80-year-old can get free CPE via IRS Teleforums on his telephone, no computer needed. And, if he doesn't use tax prep software, he does NOT have to efile, so won't spend $1,000s on new equipment. He really needs to embrace change, though, to work with the constanly changing tax code to help his clients pay the least legal tax and plan for the coming year too.

I wonder how many of the tax returns those 3 preparers prepared will be audited to prove the point that testing should be required. I sure am glad that one of them didn't prepare my return.

I agree with the "love and respect" statement. That has not, however, always been the case in my 51 years, but pretty close.

Dang, when I read the title, I thought I could crack some husband and/or attorney jokes. Three years and counting on this divorce I'm going through. I have some zingers, too.

Dear Client, I am sorry that you took a $50,000 early distribution from your retirement account and had just 10% taxes withheld to cover the penalty and that you did not consider (or your financial adviser did not explain the tax consequences) the Federal and State taxes on the distribution in addition to the penalty. I feel terrible that you now have a combined tax due that exceeds $10,000 and you don't have the money. Perhaps if you consulted with us prior to taking the distribution, we could have offered you advice to help, strategies, etc. Please stop yelling at me....