Leaderboard

I'm sure you can explain it to him. Honestly the 50 were very easy returns, I'd rather do what I said than pay him to come over here and lose the time on my computer. It's all good. Thanks, again. And the ratio of returns to preparer is 310:1 here at this firm. And that little gal also does year round bookkeeping like a boss.

So then you haven't tried to download accuwage yet? You might be ok using IE10, but I'll tell you that the SSA rep I spoke with said that anyone with Win 7 and with IE9 or higher might have the same problem this year that I did with the Java intercepting page popping up. It might work for you and it might not. Also, SSA recommends that you uninstall all previous year versions of accuwage before you begin the current year's download, and the SSA site will require that your Java is up to date. If you try to download Accuwage 2013 with an older version of Java, it will pop up the intercepting page with a click button that will take you to Java's site to get the latest version. You won't be able to get Accuwage until you complete this step no matter what internet browser you are using. That's where I was stuck, and I did have the most recent Java. I could see the latest version of Java was installed by looking at my control panel, and I could test that on Java's site also. Someone on another forum provided me with a link to a www.whatismybrowser.com that easily and clearly told me that Java was not being detected even though I could also see that all of it was "enabled" in my add-ons list. If anyone else running Internet Explorer has this problem and can't easily resolve the problem and you have another browser or are willing to download one, do that instead of being frustrated or wasting all of the time that I did over this little Accuwage program! It would be easier if SSA allowed the upload of the W-2 file to their site to run Accuwage on there, and then to continue on with the filing and processing if no errors were found. I guess that would be too simple and logical for a government site to work that way!

how do you know my wife?

I don't have any returns is yet, and no appointments until the first week of February. I did efile a partnership on 1/13. I only have a couple of EITC returns, so most aren't in a hurry.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=zYMs_1y2_gw

I know, I just made the title somewhat interesting and tax related. The article is interesting and I was laughing.

Maybe this should be a Laugh of the Day.

He had to give up his swinger lifestyle.

I also swear by Google Chrome. Most people who develop websites prefer it because Google Chrome is the best at the thing we care most about: rendering web pages according to current standards. Of course we also realize that most people don't care about that as much as we do, and choose their favorite browser for other reasons. You IE users are forgiven as long as you keep updating. Also, unrelated, but I don't know if there are any good Ad Blocking plugins for IE or not, but if not, you should really try Firefox or Chrome with AdBlock. EDIT: Sorry for the hijack. Didn't notice there was a Page 2. AdBlock Plus is available for IE, in case anyone cares to give it a shot https://adblockplus.org/en/features

Many companies specialize in doing cost seg engineering studies. The one I use charges around $7000 for a residential property of 60-80 units, elevators etc. This makes it very cost effective. And you don't need IRS approval, correcting depreciation is an automatically allowed chance since it is considered a correction in lives not a change in accounting methods. I recently did a few for a client that sold his buildings. You get the catch up depreciation at ordinary rates and pick up the extra gain due to reduced basis at capital gain rates. It saves 10% for those in the highest brackets.

It was that stupid check box on the 8867. We checked the box, the IRS pulled the file for review and did not get around to the review until May. The software said it was ack'd, the IRS said it was being reviewed. ATX said they could do nothing, since the return was ack'd. The IRS said they could do nothing because of George W. Bush (at least that what "It will be processed when we can get to it" sounded like to me). They did not process until after the April 15th close of the season. I had about 8 calls into the IRS, and always got the same B.S. Those lazy bastards just don't do their job anymore. I used to think that I both the IRS and I had the same goal, namely, to get an accurate tax return processed for the taxpayer in as timely a manner as possible. Now I know that they just want their salary and benefits and they don't give a damn about the taxpayers, the tax professional community, or being professionals in their field. My relationship with them has devolved to the point of distaste, distrust, and combative negotiations at every turn. I will do everything in my power to make them work harder on every issues just to make sure they earn every dollar that they take from the American people whom they are sworn to serve but have abandoned. Sorry for the rant. I still hate ATX more than the IRS, but not by much. Tom Hollister, CA

I am just going to mail mine. I don't have that many. If they can't figure out a better system, they can open some mail.

Popular Products In W-2 Envelopes http://www.officemax.com/office-supplies/business-forms/tax-forms/w-2-envelopes Popular Products In 1099 Envelopes http://www.officemax.com/office-supplies/business-forms/tax-forms/1099-envelopes W-2 ENVELOPES http://www.staples.com/W+2+ENVELOPES/directory_W-2+ENVELOPES? Tax Software Envelopes http://www.greatland.com/category/other+products/folders,+envelopes+%26+supplies/tax+software+envelopes.do

Here's a link to an ATX training video on e-filing that explains the process. The explanation of the specific part of e-filing that you've asked about starts at about the 3 minute mark and the reason ATX defaults to the "held" status is also explained in the video starting just before the 4 minute mark. Having the states "held" until the fed approves the e-filing is the default selection that is found under Preferences and clicking on the E-file section in that area. As KC said, this is a good way to handle the efiling and the reason ATX has set this as the default method. http://www.youtube.com/embed/khADB8ILrGk?rel=0?rel=0&showinfo=0&autoplay=1 This video and other training videos are located at MyATX and from there by selecting "Education Library" that is the last selection in the very left-hand column. You don't need to be logged in to view them.

Rita, check your messages. I can help. Too complex to explain here.

Thank you. He says that it is part of his child support.

Whether you see it or not, the IRS has determined that replacement of the roof is a capital improvement and must be depreciated 27 1/2 years. The latest "clarification" makes that abundantly clear. When you replace the roof, you expense the unused depreciation on the old roof, then capitalize and depreciate the new one. The clarification leaves no room for doubt as to how the IRS treats it.

Just some thoughts ---- 1/ Is this payable as child support or as alimony --- one is deductible -- one not? 2/ Is he "happy" with ex ---- possibly he might want to know that the "reimbursement" depending on how done would be "income" to her as if health care from a big corp. --- she has already benefited from possibly pre-tax on that amount. My job is done --- more muddy waters. Have a good season.

You are miles ahead of the game. Make sure your client's escrow company files it properly. You have just earned your fee for the client. Tom Hollister, CA

Have a 2014 593-E in front of me with Withholding Amount calculated.

March 24. Anything that comes in after that is automatically extended, a quick calculation to see if payment needs made with the extension, and they go in a separate queue. I charge for doing the extension. April 15 has been on the calendar for 50 years and the due date for filing taxes has not changed in decades.

In that case you DO have a problem, which I already mentioned. It sounds like she will have little taxable gain, but she still faces a huge withholding anyway. It's based on sale price. She needs to contact her escrow officer about making an election, and there are still plenty of escrow officers who have their own procedures or just plain don't know how it works. Meanwhile you need to get her records and accurately calculate her gain. Here is a general link that will refer you to more detail and forms. https://www.ftb.ca.gov/individuals/wsc/California_Real_Estate.shtml

Thank you, Rich. I will tell her. She didn't dance when she was with the father. She lost her job and has not been able to find anything else that paid enough to support her. I am going to help her with a resume to see if we can get her back in a day job and still be able to support the two of them.

Clay, you say you print out and work with a hard copy of a prior year return, but that you also keep PDF copies on your computer. Why don't you just go with dual monitors so you can keep the PDF on one screen while you use the other to prepare the current year? I have used dual monitors for a number of years and after about a day of getting used to it I couldn't live without them. Think of it: when you print out a copy you then have to file it, retrieve it the next year, and put it back in the file again (and then file the file). With the dual monitors you eliminate all those steps. I also use them for putting up the instructions to esoteric forms on one side while I attempt to complete them on the other. Find you're missing property taxes? Pull up your browser on screen two, go the tax collector data base, and find the number you need to pluck into screen one. Did the client piecemeal his data through multiple emails? Put your email on one screen and pluck the numbers into the other. You not only save paper but time.

The amount shown on the W-2 does not need to be separated. The federal taxable wages have already been reduced by the employee's contributions, so your client is already receiving the tax benefit of those contributions. He does not receive an additional deduction on the 1040 page 1 unless he also made contributions directly to his HSA from personal funds outside of what he contributed through payroll deductions. In your example, the 8889 should be - line 2 should be blank unless taxpayer contributed after-tax dollars line 3 6450. line 9, enter full amount of 3406 from the W-2 line 13 , zero unless t/p also contributed after-tax dollars beyond what was contrib'd through payroll

Is your opinion based on the new taxpayer-friendly regulations effective 20 days ago? Here's a nice summary http://tax.cchgroup.com/downloads/files/pdfs/legislation/repair-capitalization-regulations.pdf And here is an interesting and up-to-date essay by someone who knows the legal issues, Appendix 2 in the Audit Guide http://www.irs.gov/Businesses/Capitalization-v-Repairs-Audit-Technique-Guide#14

Backup to a separate device. In return manager, click on "returns", then click on "Backup returns". Click on "Copy backups to local storage," and choose where you want the additional backup put. Be aware, the backup file may be large and I recommend at least 64GB on the device you backup to. Then going forward, the backups will be done both places.

Catherine, I'm impressed with your spreadsheet idea that works for you. You must be very disciplined to remember to go into the file every time a client comes up with missing info, signature, or whatever is needed. I would start off the season faithfully updating the sheet and then as things got busier put it off until days end, weeks end, and eventually never touch it again. Even though our office is fairly paperless, we track the progress of each return with an old-fashioned routing sheet. When a client comes in or their info is received electronically or by mail, a cover sheet is prepared with their name, phone, date received, and preparer. There's a place on the bottom for missing info, where I'll write things like "need car taxes" and the date I contacted the client. Once the return is done, there's a line for when the client was notified and we can check whether it will be picked up, mailed, or emailed. There are also areas to check off that the 8879 was signed, am 8453 needs to be mailed, payment was received, return was efiled, ACK received. Returns follow the tried and proven "basket" system." Those that haven't been touched are in one basket. Those in progress or missing info go into another basket. There's a basket for those that are done but awaiting sigs or payment. Ready to efile has its own box, from where they get transferred to the "awaiting ACKs" box, from where they go to the "to scan" box. The routing sheet accompanies each return on this journey and it too is scanned before heading to the shred bin. Your spreadsheet would make it much easier to see at a glance where each return is. The problem is remembering to use it. With our system at least everything is there, and nothing advances to the next step until it's physically moved there. Sure, we might have to dig around to locate a specific return if need be. I do keep a paper list on top of the untouched returns, adding to it when a new one arrives. I keep another paper list on top of the "need info" pile, to minimize digging. The routing sheet serves its purpose because it is clipped right on top of the client's file and you sort of have to use it.

not me, no clergy just strippers, I have my standards. Of course I had to stop doing returns for barter once I got married.