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Catherine - I think our clients need to work togther & open their own tax prep businesses. After all they know so much more about what's required than we do!

Dear Former Client, Enclosed are all your documents and papers, along with a letter withdrawing from our tax preparation engagement. I recommend that you look for a preparer who specializes in real estate professionals. I will say that you certainly did flummox me; never before have I requested information on major expenditures (in order to determine if they were expenses or depreciable renovations), only to be told, "I don't think you need that information." Once I can understand - and I explained on the phone exactly why I need the information requested. Twice and more, though, and I have determined that you were correct in the first place. I do NOT, in fact, need any of the requested information -- because I will NOT be doing your returns. Good luck and good bye; here's your hat what's your hurry. Don't bother sending me any referrals, either.

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Hey, I once came behind a CPA who had put bush hog on the farmers livestock depreciation schedule, but had ALSO [i swear this is true] put a bulldozer there!!

Remember, as long as they file the MFJ return by 4/17 it is a SUPERSEDING RETURN, and will be treated as if it was the original return. You can still do it on the 1040X, but write [i do it in RED] "SUPERSEDING RETURN" on the top of both pages.

Makes some of the complaints we have seem mundane, doesn't it?

Put together a 3 page totally comprehensive engagement letter essentially saying that everything he/she gives you has been approved by him and is accurate and he/she has all documentation to support the information. There should be at least 12-15 separate sections. At the end of each section, require his/her signature. Tell him/her that without all this document signed properly by him, you cannot finish his return. To see if he would really read it, slide in a paragraph about "substantial increase in preparation fees" due to the extra time and effort needed to complete his return. Make it about 40%. Makes me wonder how accurate the information you have received in the past is??? :dunno:

Agree with Ken, especially in a high taxed state since atx doesn't compare state results.

I have found the MFJ vs MFS worksheet to not be very reliable. It is good for a quick glimpse, and if it reveals further analysis is warranted, I duplicate the return two times and use one duplicate for his and the other duplicate for hers. Usually only takes at most 10 minutes to delete the stuff from each duplicate.

Don't forget to bill him for the time spent listening to him, reading his emails, relearning how to do your job now that he's shown you the light, etc.

As far as those horrid long columns to click individually for non-business, filer/spouse/joint, and now the new form codes, I do what ATX strongly urges you NOT to do. First -- SAVE the return and turn OFF auto-save. (That last saves your bacon if something goes wrong.) Second -- UNprotect the import or detail sheet or wherever your data is. Third -- Now you can fill in just like a regular Excel spreadsheet. If you are satisfied, you can save the return, turn auto-save back on, and you're good. If something goes wrong, just quit WITHOUT saving and all your edits go away. This method is more than a little nerve-wracking and takes time -- so I don't use it until I get to the many hundred trade clients. Under a hundred, I click each stupid frimping *&%$# box. Catherine

Catherine - I did offer him his papers & he asked me to send him an e-mail explaining what I need. We'll see. For some reason this is still eating at me today (happened yesterday). He was one of my first clients that followed me after I helped him at HRB. And he's sent me some good referrals. But I am just having a hard time letting go of his telling me the rules. He already knows my hourly rate. So I guess I just have to add more hours. After all, how does he know how many hours it takes me? And to quote you from several prior posts "Grrrr."

If I were her I'd forget you and just keep using Turbo Tax. :)