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We are in the process of firing a number of PITA clients we just don't want anymore. Our letter will tell them that given the direction our practice is taking, we feel we can no longer give them the attention they deserve or otherwise meet their needs. We offer to supply any records their new preparer will need and wish them well. No specifics about why we hate them. The clients we are dismissing don't pay reasonably promptly, piecemeal their data to us, call or stop in too often, or clearly are cooking their books, lying, cheating, etc. A few clients are on the fence and we might just double their rates rather than fire them. We did fire one big client this year face to face. He just demanded too much attention and got irate when no one returned his third call of the day within 10 minutes. He was so angry at us for not responding to his 22nd email of the week that he left willingly. It was a big account, but the peace that prevailed in the office after he was gone made us realize it was a good decision and we should make it more often.

I have created a new warning system for the forum (applied to the entire ATX Community, not just the Politics forum) in an attempt to keep things friendly. So here's how it's gonna work: All current warnings in the system have been removed, everyone starts fresh.Any warning you receive from now on will expire after 30 days.When you get a warning, you will not be able to post again until you acknowledge that the warning has been received.If you accumulate three warnings within a 30 day period, you lose the ability to post for 3 days.Every warning received above 3 removes posting ability for three days.The only way to reduce your warnings is to behave yourself and let them expire after 30 days.All of these things are automated by the system, except for the actual handing-out of warnings by the moderators, who will do their best to be fair and consistent. Questions? Comments? Suggestions? Complaints?

You're quite right, and being the behavior police and treating people like they're in kindergarten is the last thing I want to deal with. But is it really so hard to just not be a dick? EDIT: Excuse the terminology, but that really is the best way I know how to put it.

Yes. Yes, it is. Oh, I love it when clients pay attention and ask me questions, but if they can't tell those are part of the form, and have been for all twelve years we've been doing this? Hey, "maximum" and "threshold" and "dollar limitation" might be clues...

There is talking politics, and then there is emulating a loud-mouthed radio/tv pundit. If we can be capable of the former without resorting to the latter, then there shouldn't be a problem. We may have to remove the Politics forum, but if that's the only solution, then the Politics threads in General Chat are going too since it's the subject matter that's causing people to behave so emotionally. And when I say emotional, I don't mean just being offended, I mean being offensive too. The goal of the Politics forum wasn't to provide an arena for offensive behavior, it was meant as a place to discuss political topics without cluttering up General Chat. We're not doing politics the Rush Limbaugh / Bill Maher way, so if that's your idea of a political discussion, then feel free to not participate. You shouldn't require "thick skin" to participate in calm and rational debate.

I like the political forum...I find it informative and its great to see opinions from others across the country. Its a big country out there and we are a diverse group. I love seeing how the other half sees things. Everyone around me is from the same socio-economic environment, doesn't lead to much diversity. That being said. I don't like the personal insults, the ad-hominum attacks, the constant repeating of one's point of view to every post, but as Jack said, this is a segregated forum and can always be skipped by those not interested. I think it also brings people here who might, in between, pontificating, answer a tax question or too. Its a great diversion between returns or while printing a return.

I enjoy the political forum most of the time, but I hope it is possible to disagree with someone without attacking them personally. No matter how misguided I think your opinions may be sometimes, it doesn't follow that I dislike you personally. When personal attacks are included as part of the opinion, I don't really "hear" the reasons behind the opinion because I tune out the entire post. But when the posts actually contain facts or well stated opinions, I can try to learn something from them and may even (hard as it is to believe!) change my mind about an issue. And I like that you get more than one chance when you are warned before you are shut out of the forum - hopefully when you are warned, there is some way to respond PRIVATELY and ask for clarification of why if it is not readily apparent to you. This does make more work for the moderators, so thank you in advance for being willing to take this on!

NOPE - when a client starts bitching about their taxes I hand them a sheet I keep handy with all the local politicians contact info!

I always like my answer when they ask me to explain how the AMT affects them and why they have to pay it. I just tell them it's because Congress thinks they make too much money. Hopefully they'll remember that on their next trip to the voting booth. (Did I just cross a line here?)

Sounds like my favorite scene from "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid" http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NPqhm36sjVE

I like reading most of the posts in the politics forum, just like I read almost all of the topics in chat. Even when I've disagreed with topics, I've learned some things I did not know about the workings of our government, just like I've learned things over the years about tax issues that I don't deal with in my own practice. No one knows everything. We won't always like everyone at a party or agree with everything someone says, but why is it so hard to be civil? Would you send your children to school and let them - Shout at their classmates and insult them simply because they have a differing view? Take it personally because their view differs from others in their class? Walk up and insult another student before they are even spoken to? Demand answers? Follow someone around the playground and dog their every move? Kick sand in their face? How long would it be before the principal called the parent or sent home a report? Now substitute yourself for the student with you attending a professional seminar with a group of your peers. I guess some here might act like that, or want to, because it's been happening on this forum lately, and it's not just in the politics forum either. The internet gives anonymity, but that shouldn't be an excuse for bad behavior.

It doesn't have to be Anything Goes. This is a tax board, so the political forum could focus on taxation policies--a bit more on point than just whether tax dollars should be spent in such-and-such a way. One technical rule I am suggesting is to limit or even prohibit Internet links and copy. I think they are best used for reference, not as the whole or principal argument of a post. I enjoy the personal opinions.

I need sleep, too! My clients have forgotten that before the shutdown and before the sequester, Congress delayed the start of tax season by as much as 2 1/2 months for most of my clientele. Now I'm trying to make up for it by sleeping even less. (I too tried to get transcripts to fill in a gap here and there in clients' documents, but have found e-Services sporadic at best. I loved it before -- getting transcripts immediately.) I love everyone on these forums and learn from everyone on these forums, but disagree with certain people on certain topics. I don't venture over to the Politics forum, because what I learn from everyone is Taxes. And personal lives, whether a new grandchild or a new health challenge or a great joke. Thank you to our moderators for putting up with us and providing these forums for us.

Its pretty bad when a professional forum has to have a warning system! Makes you wonder if the members are really professional.

Is it always a guy?

It's amazing how many taxpayers still think that state unemployment is tax free? Every year I get a few who will NOT tell me they collected some unemployment between jobs. Then when CP2000 arrives they are shocked even though my annual questionnaire clearly states to list unemployment received?

There's always THAT ONE GUY who calls you in a panic, thinking YOU entered lines 1, 3, and 5 on 4562. The maximum amount, threshold cost, and dollar limitation - 500,000 and 2,000,000 and 500,000. *$%& that guy.

wanna really laugh, come look at the return I just checked and bounced. Unbelievable the crap my staff puts out when they are so tired. in Lacerte there are preset status's to control work flow but you can add your own. I have 2 set up, one is "HUH" when they blow it and the other is "WTF" when they really blow it. And people wonder why we go through so much liquor in the office.

Call this morning.... "4 years ago I bought a rental property with money I withdrew from my 401K and I started a business in my home as well fixing computers. I filed a 1040EZ for the last 3 years. I need to get this mess fixed. Can you get this fixed for me by Tuesday so I can file by the deadline? I did file an extension." I have an appointment with her Saturday, October 19 at 10:00AM. Big upfront cash retainer will be the first subject of discussion.

its not always our choice, K-1's don't come in till after 9/15 and then there are those doing cost segs and since this year is the year to give, we are doing more gift tax returns that ever. As of 9/15 we had about 400 individuals waiting for k-1's. the due dates need to be more staggered.

I would rather work extra hours during or right after tax season than back myself into that kind of corner. Even the few that I have to finish are slow on the input with the info that I need. BTW, the guy who said that he shredded all of his deceased mom's checkbooks, magically found them today. He had all sorts of nice numbers for me this AM, including the Estimate payments. Amazing what they can do when you tell them that they owe $3400. It is now down to less than $800. It didn't make sense to me that a slowly dying woman wouldn't have any medical expenses.

Business use of the home will often create a zero Schedule C. In fact, I am waiting for mileage from one of my extensions and even after I add the mileage, he will still have a zero Sch C; because of the carryforward of OIH.

just finished my last one to prepare and down to 45 or so, to review. Tomorrow I can finish mine. Amazing what you can do if you give up sleep for a couple of weeks. Looking at one now with 70 properties on sch E, yikes.

Rita: Somehow I knew that was coming. So in contrast to KC's reply, we aren't really talking about the generic "guy". As Her Majesty once replied, "We are not amused."

I also password protect/encrypt any tax file that I email a client and use Adobe Acrobat. My clients are aware of what their individual password is to open the file. I agree with Randall, I believe it does make clients feel more comfortable; however, the other reason (in addition to state regulations) I password protect the document is to provide some protection should if I send the email to an incorrect email address. I’m happy to report, that’s never happened to me…but in the event I enter the email address incorrectly, the file is somewhat safe and normally cannot be opened by just anyone who receives it.

Eric: You do what you feel you have to do. I am involved with other boards, and I am involved with the Moderation Policies and procedures on one in particular. Some folks, NO MATTER WHAT, are going to be Dicks. All the moderation in the world will not prevent that. And when they get too disruptive, you ban them And when they log in again as a new member name, you ban them again. Someone may be the most wrong politically from my ideas as possible. But they don't have to be a Dick. How many members have been involved with this forum, and have never been moderated, or had posts modified, or Notify's sent? A very large percentage will be part of that group. Its the ones that GET these actions against them that are really the problem. Rich

You mean political discussions have rules?

Yeah, I too love my clients who go over their return, with me or later, and ask questions throughout the year. Especially those that ask questions BEFORE they make a financial move. However, I hate questions in April and October! Now those planning questions -- I can make an appointment or telephone appointment to discuss next month. But, those niggling little questions about that one specific item on their return...it sometimes takes more time to explain than I have right now.

The IRS is pretty good in knowing if you made estimated tax payments, put them tax return and sit and wait, if your client gets a letter disallowing the ES payments then they never made any. One of my client once gave me a January 15 (prior year) payment and it was supposed to be the other January 15 payment, in the letter they disallowed the prior year and gave them credit for other payment.

I actually like those customers. It might be a little bit of a PITA to answer their questions, but they have to sign the return too and I think it is a good thing that they actually are reviewing it.

I'll jump in on the PA bashing with you. PA returns can be a PITA with their categories of income and so many difference from the federal. PA business returns are even worse! I'll never forget the first time (as a junior many, many moons ago) when I tried to calculate the tax accrual for a PA corp under the 2 methods. I was all of these:

Having been burned by answers from my own state's DOR, I am always questioning the accuracy of the answer when I talk to a phone rep. I like to get a cite or actual experience of another preparer.

"Guy" in the generic "person" sense, not reserved for any gender that's for sure.

Yeah, there always seems to be one [at least] of those guys every year.

ahhh we are just monkeying around with you, don't go banana's on us

Well put. That might be the only rule we need. Speaking of dumb congressmen, did you hear that their approval rating has dropped to 5%? Who are these 5%? Their moms?

This is what happens when people actually read their tax return. Questions, comments....time wasted explaining........... Luckily most just want to know the refund.

They must have used the same softwear developers as healthcare.gov