Leaderboard

I just want to know one thing. Why is it that every time I see a glue ball on a SSA, I think of Rita? I just finished typing in three pages of stock trades. Actually, the 8949 isn't bad when you use the detail screen. Three pages for a ST capital gain of 2125. We might be in the wrong business. I hate it when I have elderly widow ladies come in with these.

That's so nice! I had a little lady pay me $100 for her $85 return because I had faxed some paperwork for her. Then she had to come back the next day and have me fax it again because she had completed something incorrectly. I really did not mind at all, but she appreciated it so much, and gave me a big hug. I almost cried. Then, this jack@$$ came in and I snapped out of it.

Before the final, final rush, to express my deepest gratitude to this group as a whole and to each member as an individual. First let me state that if I have offended anyone in anyway during these last thirteen weeks I offer my deepest apologies. It was never my intent to offend. But enough of that. I know in my heart of hearts that I would have made it through this season in your absence, but I would not have wanted to. I have gained such great insight to the software, tax issues, office practices, and other issues from you. And as a whole the season has been made tolerable and at times enjoyable because of you. As has been often said, this group is a family, and it has never held more true than during this convoluted season. Thank you all for the comraderie, the fellowship, the sharing and yes, even the scoldings. I am better for having spent this time with you. I wish for each of you nothing but the best of everything good in every aspect of your lives and a very, very bright future. May God Bless you in every way imaginable!

>> "Oh, just put me down for the standard charitable deduction"<< Just say "OK, that would be zero".

Can we please wait a week. I honestly don't feel like I have the energy to even lift a pencil. I even tried to get excited about going and .... Well, there ya go, lost my train of thought.

Of course! We can do a movie: "The Unofficial ATX Board: Grand Canyon or Bust"!

Are you kidding?? We could ride pack mules and shoot at mountain goats. Similar to our jobs.

Include me with the AM people!!! U do not function well after dinner. And, since I work at home - -I don't have to get dressed to go to work (as I write - -in my PJ's) I just ahve to be ready for the first client - -OOPS --which today is 7:30 am - -gotta go!!!

Are you inviting me to take a flying leap? Tom Hollister, CA

I have wanted to see the Grand Canyon ever since the Brady Bunch went. Let's meet up!

You night owls and vampires amaze me. I would rather do a 6AM than a 6PM. I am like the commercial for the US Army that ran a while back....I can do more before 9AM than most people can do all day. After 3PM my mind starts working slower and slower. Tom Hollister, CA

Dang Rita, here I was thinking you had a softer side, then you pull this out. I am still very afraid of you and am very glad the Rockies and the Sierra Nevadas are between us. Tom Hollister, CA

Sat at my desk first thing yesterday morning to do "just one quick thing before I get dressed." Sure enough, a couple hours later I am still sitting there typing away in my pajamas. Ding-dong! Unexpected client shows up with signature forms. Oh, well. Couple years ago a client on extension came by unexpectedly with papers I had requested and found me digging in my garden, as full of dirt as any three-year-old.

I refuse to use cloud for tax client information.

This was my degree -- Earth Sciences. One of the first (and HARDEST) lessons for people to learn is that the entire length of human experience is the length of a gnat's life in the entirety of this history of this planet. At this latitude where I sit, right now, there was once a full MILE of ice thickness. Before that - tropical. Before that -- another mile of ice. Tropical. Ice. Temperate. Ice. Tropical. Ice. On and on and on the cycle goes for billions of years. Human recorded history barely goes back 6,000-ish. With _good_ records -- well, one could say maybe 150. However, there has been enough data falsification -- and enough just piss-poor data collection technique -- to make that suspect. One of the reasons I got into earth science was a book that came out in the 70's, by Carlo Ponti -- about "The Coming Ice Age" (out of print but still available in libraries -- I got it a few years ago and re-read it on purpose). If you read Ponti's book, you will see that he proposes many of the SAME solutions to the "ice age" danger as the global warming people do -- more and more government control - of population, of crop locations, of farming techniques, overall global governance (sometimes called "cooperation")... and this also shows why the main thrust of global warming frenzy has come from POLITICIANS and not scientists. "The science is settled!!" -- balderdash. Science is NEVER settled. Certainly not something with as many variables as climate. Anyone remember the articles about the "butterfly effect"? -- Go look 'em up; as THOSE are true. Tiny changes in starting conditions make HUGE changes in projections, even when the models are accurate. There are NO climate models accurate to the required level for the data they are using and the minutiae they are projecting. NONE. And I am a wee bit more able to assess those models than probably anyone else here on this forum. On top of all this, the data the warming folks are using has been FALSIFIED. There is a wonderful, roughly one hour long, presentation by Lord Monckton, (available on YouTube) showing just what has been done to the data. Go watch, and then draw your own conclusions. Also look into the history of the Chicago Climate Exchange -- see who were the early investors, see how many BILLIONS they stood to make trading carbon credits. Compare the list with those screaming loudest about global warming and the need to limit carbon emissions. (Hint: look for a former VP's name.) And for the CO2 being SO!!! high -- nope. It's been way higher, and not "just" in dinosaur days. Plus it is a TRAILING indicator, not a leading indicator.

Repeat client stops by (out of breath...apparently, he ran all the way to my house?)....."I have all of my stuff...can I get my taxes done before the deadline?" "Probably", I told him.....fairly simple return with only a few 1099-Rs, 1099-DIVs, and social security. As he walk out the door, he says "Oh....except my usual three 1099-DIVs I have every year.....I lost those.....Can you just put in the same amounts as last year?"

Just had one of my monthly write-up clients drive in from about 20 miles away to pick up her tax return and she said "you know Ron, we have been together for 17 years". My response after picking myself up off the floor was, "are you kidding me?" So hard to believe - and we have been through a lot together including the loss of her late husband. A celebratory hug was in order. Would that they were all that nice and appreciative of our services.

Is it just me or do the days seem to be getting shorter?!?!? I've noticed this phenomenon every April. Seems like the closer we get to the 15th the shorter the days become.

Let's go. I can not tell you how inviting that sounds right now!

Well, John, that deserves a "like" but I have reached my quota of positive votes for the day. It really sounds like I am a very agreeable person. Tom.

There are a couple of mule routes at the Grand Canyon. One begins early in the morning and takes about 5 hours down, an overnight stay at Phantom Ranch, and 6 hours back up the next day. If you're in more of a hurry, the other one begins at the same time, but it only takes 20 seconds and two bounces to get down to the ranch.

Or we can just drag you around on those stretcher-type deals made out of poles and saddle blankets they had on Gunsmoke when somebody got snake bit. How about that? I'm pumped.

Twice this year something that someone shared as a sad tale of client inanity happened to me for the first time ever within 24 hours of reading the post. Hope this one isn't #3!! People continue to amaze me . . . alas, not always in a positive way!! I still want to tear out my hair when I hear, "Oh, just put me down for the standard charitable deduction."

From pub 970 Student loan repayments made to you are tax free if you received them for any of the following: The National Health Service Corps (NHSC) Loan Repayment Program (NHSC Loan Repayment Program). A state education loan repayment program eligible for funds under the Public Health Service Act. Any other state loan repayment or loan forgiveness program that is intended to provide for the increased availability of health services in under served or health professional shortage areas (as determined by such state). Just what I found right away which makes it sound like it has to be through a qualified program which an s-corp is not. I'll let you know if I find anything else.

The hardest thing I do every day is to get up in the morning. Once I accomplish that, the rest of the day goes by pretty good. The earliest I ever make an appointment for is 10:00 AM. Most of the returns I do are drop offs.

Maribeth, thank you!!

I implemented a "no morning appointment" policy this year. I've tried to keep it to a minimum in the past. But I would usually give in instead of answering "No, I can't see you at 10:00 - I'll plan to be sleeping." No more. I guess I'm getting old & cranky - I just don't like morning appointments!

Oh, it sounds wonderful!!! We can do a road trip!! RitaB, you are the trip master. Let's get this show on the Road!!

Oh Boy!!! Can we all come too??

Cat, I love your post. But you know the facts will have no effect on the "believers" You can point out the evidence of tropical plants in Canada in ages past, etc, and they will just ignore it as if you did not say it.. They WANT to believe that if we just change how we behave, we can change eons of climate change overnight. That sort of illogic just can not be penetrated

looks a bit like an older Joel, you all can decide. Got another that is paying 5mil but he insists on using a paper check so not an issue. he is in 40's and single Ladies!

At this late stage do you really want to argue over $35 Charitable donation! What is the penalty if IRS disallows $35?? I would deduct $35 if the check was written to a 501© org. If the cost of the T shirt is say $2 retail, I would then deduct $38 (40 -2)

I have 3 2009 1040x that I am working on right now They WILL be finished by Sunday and Monday it will be on a certified mail! These refunds are nowhere close to $5000 but the highest one in my case is $1700. I can't believe clients forget Tution expense because that is a big chunk out of their budget. Everybody complains about Tuition costs.

Did one yesterday. Client got back a grand

Subject: Hearing Good Results On ATX 12.13 Update. Since its release on 04/04/13, our feedback has been very positive with regard to the recent 12.13 ATX Program update. Functionality and speed have both been improved based on what we are hearing. If you haven’t done so recently, please take a moment to verify the program version you’re running. To find out what update version you are running, please do the following: -Inside your 2012 ATX program, click “Support” on the top toolbar. -Click “About”. -The version should be listed on the appearing information box. -If you are running a version less than 12.13, then you need to update your program, via the www.myatx.com support site. If you need help from me, in doing this, please reply back or call me directly. I will be happy to help you. Thank you, Brandon G. Sims Account Management Specialist CCH Small Firms Services, a Wolters Kluwer business 225 Chastain Meadows Ct. NW Kennesaw, Ga 30144 (O) 800-495-4626 ex. 1233 (F) 800-834-4859 [email protected]

Do You Care If He Is Good Looking Or NOT??????

So do tell. Is he good looking?

So, educate me. What do you do with this, a person here on a "J" visa, with $7300 internship income?

I went grocery shopping this morning at 5am. In my pj bottoms, a t-shirt & slippers. I needed food, caffeine products and dog food, and had checks to deposit, and I just couldn't see putting on clothes. I'm now meeting clients barefoot, since its about 80 degrees today.

I just had one where I sent an email saying if you don't want me to report your 599 of rental income, I'll file your extension but you'll have to find another preparer. She agreed to report it, and apologized for being paranoid. Turns out she hadn't wanted to give her SSN to the tenant since she'd never met them. She did this summer and is now ok with it. Now onto the next one....

We all run into corrected 1099-B and K1 each year. I give my client a standard notice that if they receive those after we have filed they should contact me for filing an amendment and they should also discuss with the broker as to who will pickup the amendment fee. I am sitting on a 1040X right now where Citibank agreed to pay upto $100 to file a 1040X.

Had a client pick up their return and tell me their broker called them and said their 1099 was being mailed to them. I said that affects your return so why did you come pick it up instead of telling me. She said your office called and said my return was done.

We have a "no jack@$$'s allowed" policy. Of course occasionally one does slip through the cracks and I will give them one season to conform and then it is hit the road. I have one right now that I do not have a good feel for. He is a referral from another long term monthly client and he mailed me his stuff with a note that said he would prefer my not signing the return. I will call him tomorrow to be certain that was an erroneous note, otherwise I will ask where he wants his stuff mailed.

I need a $2M rounding adjustment!