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Today must have been haunted. I had clients coming and going all day; with and without appointments. A Tues apt showed up today, a 3:30 appt showed up at 2:30; because she got out of work early. My 9:00 showed up at 11:00. In the meantime I had a client show up who never makes an appt and I have usually never let him past the front door. However, with the new office, he walked right in and interrupted my conversation with the client who did have an appt and was on time. When the walk-in left, I had to light candles to remove the aroma from the room. Dear Above: I am going to have a very quiet nervous breakdown tonight and you may or may not ever see me again. Thank you for your inattention.

Dear Tax Client, It was great seeing you this morning. The appointment to drop off all your tax documents and self-employment info for 2013 really was NOT as important as what we ended up doing: hearing about how your sister set up QuickBooks for you. Once you make all the changes I listed for you to make, and finish getting around to entering the data, the reports you then print out will be really useful in eventually preparing your 2013 taxes. Until then, I'll just hold on to the one-and-only-one tax document you actually arrived with. And in your copious free time, poke around at the long-overdue paperwork from 2012, 2011, 2010, and 2006. No rush; we'll get to those one of these years. Also appreciate the $60 payment for the 1099s I sent out for you. You get me info for the one last guy you didn't realize you needed to send one to, and I'll get that last one on its way to him. But I really enjoyed our hour and a half discussion.

Referral Fees paid to attorneys are a normal part of the practice and are ordinary income.If the attorney is a Sole Proprietor, those fees are normal part of the Schedule C Business income and should be included on the Schedule C Gross Receipts line.

Dear Not a Client Anymore, Thank you for adding me on Facebook, otherwise known as free advertising for your side business that you failed to mention for three years. How do you "like" me now, "Friend"?

Dear new maybe client, Yes we've only communicated by email and you never gave me your phone number. And I'm sorry you didn't read on my website that I work from home and have critters, one of which might be in the yard, so when you came to my address, you were not sure you were at the right place. I booked out two hours for your appointment since you have a complex tax matter, and I usually don't start on other work when I'm expecting an appointment, especially when my inside doggie doorbell goes off a few times and I go to the door to see if you've arrived. If you'd actually gotten out of your car you might have noticed me at the door. Or if you'd brought my phone number and used the cell phone you keep only for emergencies, we could have not wasted a bunch of time on both ends.

I am afraid to post this but we just hired a masseuse to come in 2x a month for either chair or table massage, staff choice. Its a better perk than a Yankee game after tax season. For a small extra fee the masseuse will come in after 6:30 so it won't interrupt the work day too much

Dear Out-of-Town Client, Thank you for leaving three messages yesterday saying you would be here today (Friday). I wasn't really clear on that Monday when you said you would be "in town" Friday, and I said that your return would be ready to pick up Friday. Thank you also that in message # 2 you advised that your cellular telephone would be in the console while you are en route should I need to reach you. Finally, thank you for updating that to "cup holder" in message # 3. Keep in touch.

Got this from NATP ON 2/6/14.... SID Replaces DCN Since the IRS is retiring the IMF Legacy e-File system, and the Declaration Control Number (DCN) is not used by MeF, the DCN has been removed from the Form 8453. In addition, the DCN has been removed from the Forms 8878, 8879 and 9325, but was replaced with the Submission ID (SID). Generally, this SID number is automatically generated by your computer system upon preparing the return for e-file. However, correspondence from some software companies state you must manually enter the SID number after filing on Form 8878, 8879 or 9325 or print out new forms with the SID number entered once it has been e-filed. This is not necessarily true. You are permitted to retain the e-file acknowledgement letter along with the signed Form 8878 or 8879 in the client’s file. You are not required to enter the SID on the Form 8878, 8879 or 9325 and reprint them.

thanks Jack, sometimes I want to go back to pencil returns with carbon paper.

Yeah I agree that is the problem. I just think of the network that atx uses now is best described as Standalone with Telephone They are their own program, but they call someone else for their information. So they all have to be updated individually.

I agree that we can't know what she gave the preparer, but the rule on the check is absolutely clear "A practitioner who prepares tax returns may not endorse or otherwise negotiate any check issued to a client by the government in respect of a Federal tax liability."

For me, it works like a champ. I get all the created returns on top. Then I click transmit on the 1040, as soon as I transmit, the corresponding state return moves to the middle as "held". I normally transmit twice a day so, the next time I do the same process. When the IRS accepts it, my "held" state returns jump to the top as "created" and I transmit a second time. It is nice a clean for me and I will never forget to transmit the state because I don't sort by last name by rather "status". How many times you have made a mistake and the federal rejects and the states accepts it? That has happened to me a couple of times and then I have to paper amend the state. With my setup, I will make that mistake only on April 15 afternoon when I will send both of them at the same time.

FTM, I am the one who locked that thread. Not because of you, but just because the thread had gotten off into pointless bickering by others. I thought you had already gotten your answers from Joel. And that it was turning pointlessly petty. Which was not your fault, even if your non-use of ATX was the EXCUSE for the sniping. If you have more questions for Joel, you might find using the Private Message system to be beneficial. You are certainly welcome to use the open board for any tax question, or practice management question. I'm sure you understand that non-users posting complaints about the program still used by the majority of our members is irritating to those who have made the decision to stay with it. So I'm asking you to ease off on that sort of post. We want this to be a friendly place. That is why the mods try to stop disagreements from turning into fights.

Dear Not Even A Client, Thanks for stopping in at 3:59 and acknowledging that you read the sign on the door that said 8 - 4. Thanks for telling me your tax situation in five minutes, and your epic family history from hell in twenty minutes. No, really, it was fun for me. I will see you on Monday. Can't wait. 8 - 2. New hours for you.

That's up to the bank.

Have the client bring you the final paycheck stub. Dollars to donuts it shows the employee's share of health insurance, deducted pre-tax.

I learned from this today too! MAS, thanks for asking the question.

Code DD is for the amounts that the EMPLOYER paid for the employee's health insurance. Rich

Did not know any of this. I learned something new today. Thanks. Tom Hollister, CA

No authority here but I worked in academic research for about 15 years at several universities. Generally speaking, researchers are hired as tenured or nontenured staff but can also be graduate students or independent using the facilities while collaborating with others. Much of the time, grants are obtained by researchers but are awarded to and managed by the institution. I was paid by several grants including NIH and ACS. My first job, during the Vietnam War, was lost because the researcher's grant was renewed but not funded due to the war. Some graduate students and post doctoral fellows are paid from institutions that have money (endowments, for example) to do so but others must find their own source of funding. Many foreign grad students and post docs bring their own grants/fellowships for living expenses and research expenses may be covered by the institutions for collaborative reasons. All this to say that someone receiving grant money may or may not be an employee of the given institution and accounting for the funds just to treat a researcher as an employee may not be at all feasible. This case sounds as if the researcher procured his own funding and is not an employee of the institution but also is not self-employed in the traditional sense. He/they should have done a better job of understanding more thoroughly the tax ramifications of this income.

Just because it is done does not make it legal. The rule is very clear and absolute, so it's a clear violation of Cir 230. I am amazed that a CPA firm would open themselves to losing their licence over a fee like that. The rule does not have a single loophole, even if some choose to ignore it.

I agree. Perfectly normal part of the business. For IRS matching reasons, on line 1 of the C, the 1099 would be listed on line 2 of the worksheet.

We earn a majority of our income in about 2.5 months. Doctors, dentists, lawyers earn their income in a more uniform matter through the entire 12 months. Thus it is hard to compare ourselves with those professionals. We are willing to work with our clients during our short earning potential period. We do not offer the same hours after 4/15.

FTM: Understand something: Until you OWN the site, they are not and never will be "YOUR" Threads. Sorry. Your "First Amendment" rights end at the end of your voice, or your ability to write your own paper. And this paper, as well as the ATX Official site is owned by somebody else. I am involved with other online forums and in an official capacity. KC and Judy are being nice to you. I would have you kicked out, either on a temp basis or permanently for posting actions that question moderation. Rich

I AGREE

Thanks, Judy, glad you agree with me. And I too am tired of hearing about the 2012 program. We know it had all those problems, but it was what it was, and talking about it over and over serves no purpose. Lets get on to this year.

The one thing that needs to be expressed after each update. A loud voice needs to come from the speakers. "Thou shalt run the update on the server and the workstations" More than a few people forget to do this.

Certainly CCH should do that. But why are you yelling at Jack about it? He's just trying, rather successfully, to help people get the best possible results. Please give him credit for that. He has no power to make CCH do anything.

Since you refuse to visit the official site, you have no idea what is being posted over there or whether or not those posters have changed the default location or not. Ranting over here isn't helping, and since the company published instructions, and one of their complementary training videos on the official site covers this topic that says changing the default IS possible, THIS MIGHT NOT BE ONLY ABOUT PEOPLE REFUSING TO LISTEN. MAYBE SOME OF THOSE ARE USERS THAT ARE HAVING TROUBLE AFTER FOLLOWING THE ATX-PROVIDED INSTRUCTIONS AND TRAINING. Maybe the company should correct their website and delete the misinformation that is stated there and put out a PSA about the correction.

The SSD will increase the operational speed of all programs and functions. Unless you IT guy is familiar with how ATX2013 installs and operates, I would wait till June. Using a HD copy program is rarely without issues.

That was really not appropriate Jack. No one is questioning your decision to stay with the software, not even me. You are happy with ATX as are many others and that is your perogative. You are also extremely helpful to those that also decided to stick it out with ATX and that is commendable. But in this thread, FTM only wanted to know about what was going on over at the Official ATX Community and I made an attempt to let him know. If you think my focus was too narrow, and want to show him additional feedback from that community, you only have to go there and copy some of the comments to provide him what he is looking for.

A massage.

If you're rebuilding, you probably want just about everyone. So, you want to work with them enough on the phone to book them an appointment to come in for a free consultation/fee estimate. Get them to bring you their documents and last year's tax return. Once they sit down with you and pour out their financial life to you, they really don't want to do it again with someone else; you've hooked them. RIch gave some great tips about phone presentation to get callers to walk through your door. Also, an elevator/one-minute speech about what you do for a living to everyone, along with a couple of your business cards in their hand. And, tell every client/prospective client that comes in that you have time for new clients. Ask for referrals.

My 10 year anniversary is coming up at the end of the month, and I don't know what to get myself.

I had a Sch C guy that always came the last Sunday of the tax season. for 2 years I said, I need you to come on the first Sunday of March to drop your stuff and then pick it up at the end of March. He dind't listen. One year he called on Satuday and wanted an appointment for the next day, which was the last sunday of tax season. I said "I won't be able to prepare your taxes this year because I am busy. Please look somewhere else". The next year, he was in time as instructed and I prepared his taxes. The following year, IRS audited the year he went somewhere else and my following year. He didn't receive any letters (or his wife didn't give them to him) and the letter he broght to me was for tax court. I told him to submit a court petition and at the end he only pay something for the year he went away and my year was unchanged. He was happy because he paid only about $1,500 and the original letter was for 65K since he didn't have a chance to show his receipts/expenses. EVER since he is meeting with me in March.

I better get an invite to that party!!!

I have a bottle of White Merlot Cranberry Twist. Can we get together?

just say no! bet everyone will call in a few days with an acceptable time, if not then you get to manage your practice the way you want and not let it manage you. A 3-4 year client came in on 4/11 [he worked next door] to drop off his stuff, I offered an extension but he wanted to file. I handed him back his stuff. He went to H&R. the following year and every year since he has come in during Feb. and I charge him at least 50% more than I used to. Another client in my building did the same thing one year but he never came back. you win one you lose one but I run my practice my way. Now if it were a $1000 return I do find myself more accommodating but I find those type of professional people Do respect my time more. BTW my fee for a rush job is the usually fee plus a bottle of good single malt scotch.

Last year a client brought me chocolate on valentines day! Loved it. (Love chocolate period!)

Anything that starts with "Dear Client" from RitaB is going to be funny!

It would be nice if we could create an automated system like when you call in for anything now a days. Bargain hunter: How much do you charge... You: Let me transfer you to someone that can assist you.. Automated system: For English press 1 .... They will be so annoyed they hang up.

Pikestar: The biggest and FIRST question is: Do you need/want more clients? If you don't want that many more clients, then these phone calls are a nuisance. But if you do, then its a matter of your conversion rate. Converting from Phone Call to paying client. Ten years ago, I LOVED those phone calls. I was building my practice. If they had a pulse, they were in... And my conversion rate would run 90% percent. But I developed the drill on the phone. I would ask them their name. Then, how they found out about me.. (What marketing was working, or the referral source, who to shoot later..etc...) A little more about them. Then we could get to talking about tax returns and price. I could always point out that TurboTax is $35 if price was their only concern... Five calls in one day? You must be doing something right. Its easier to answer the phone, when you have a plan for what happens next. Rich

On page 2 Pub 463 says, "read this publication if you are an employee or a sole proprietor." Or just look at Schedule C, exactly where you think mileage should go. The Instructions clearly say, "commuting is travel between your home and a work location."

Sorry, JB, but that IS commuting, just like a construction worker who goes to different worksites. It's only deductible if he has a game "outside of his normal work area", like an out of town playoff or such. It goes back to the 'tax home' rule.