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You didn't just add parents, you had to possible, recalculate I&p, 2210, earned income credits, and estimate vouchers, You also had to reprint and collate, etc. I do a lot for free in special situations but never say "you just had to", its always more than "just"

You can still have a heart! When you do decide to offer a discount, show them the full rate and clearly identify the discount and the reason. Then if you ever pull the discount (maybe their finances have turned around and they are no longer struggling), it won't be a surprise and you won't hear, wow - your rates really went up.

For a fairly extensive list of what sites were or weren't affected by "Heartbleed" click on this link http://mashable.com/2014/04/09/heartbleed-bug-websites-affected/

Just to add: New Client calls me up on April 14th. Has not filed for 2012 and needs to do 2013... Referred to me by an existing client. This client was using VITA services in the past. So they we not paying anything for the returns. Until they got married. And they said, "Oops, sorry, income to HIGH!" However, since its the last year for you, here is how 2012 looks... You owe $4,000. So they do not file... Now, they are in my office. The VITA folks missed ALOT of potential deductions. I get the 2012 amount down under $2400, with additional deductions still to come to me that we discussed. Sounds good right? So I tell the client that I will charge her $300 for each years returns. Her eyes bugged out. She was getting it for free, before, right? Guess the fact that you paid $2000 more in tax doesn't count? We are worth it. So are you. If I don't get at least one angry client every year over fees, I am underpricing myself... Clients are going to get angry with you. Might as well be due to fees.... Rich

There is a twelve step plan....

Right, you get paid for much more than what you do, you get paid for what you KNOW. It's the knowing what to do, knowing how to do it, and knowing whether to do it, that is the value you are providing.

The only time I do not charge for an amendment is when it is due to my error or omission. Otherwise, it is a paying situation. I am not shy to charge nearly regular price for reasons I have stated in my other posts. I get paid for much more than what I do!

you see new software, scanners and other hardware, you see venders re: financial planning, insurance, payroll, get on lots of mailing lists and collect a lot of pens and chocolates and magnets.

This is SO RIGHT. It can be a 'New client' discount, a 'Hard Knocks' discount, a 'Thanks for your service' discount [i gave that all the time at 100%], a 'Police' discount, etc, but do bill the return at full price, so that they know the full normal price. It's only fair, since they may refer friends to you, and those will be expecting the same deal.

How to piss off a frog... http://grumpyelder.com/2014/04/how-to-piss-off-a-frog-video/

If you don't value your own work, How do you expect your clients to? Your clients follow your lead when it comes to your services and prices.

LOL thanks can I send you some work to keep you busy JK

Well, that's a start, but only a tiny step. The whole department is clearly got a lot of rotten employees, based on the number of lost kids, etc, and it is really difficult to fire government employees, even totally incompetent ones. But hopefully, a new head of the department will want to get the spotlight of Justina's case turned off. We need to keep the spotlight bright.

Yes, KC. Thank you. I just could not recall which thread it had appeared on and I had been randomly searching. http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=pdkucf6wxU4

Cost of living increase is not nearly as relevant as cost of being an informed and professional tax preparer cost increase every year.

One of the best talks I heard on this topic: If you raise your fees 10%, will you lose 10% or more of your clients? If yes, then you need to consider if that is the correct increase. If no - if you raise your fees 20%, will you lose 20% or more of your clients? If yes, then you need to consider if that is the correct increase. If no - if you raise your fees 30%, will you lose 30% or more of your clients? If yes, then you need to consider if that is the correct increase. etc. So, to put it into practice: If you raise your rates 25% and lose 15% of your clients, isn't that a favorable exchange? You make more money and have more available time.

trust me, the learning curve from atx to proseries wasn't hard at all. by the 3rd day last year, it was as if I never used anything else. And when you have an operations question, you get a live, knowledgeable person in less than 5 minutes. At long as I have my5 year discount I will not go back to atx. Who knows what will be after that. In 2 seasons, no crashes, no hangups, no rejections that couldn't be fixed with a few clicks. much better diagnostics and much better federal, state linking. No rollover issues. Worse letters but with Efiling, the clients don't look at the letters anyway. only once this year did I have a reject due to not having the most up to date form.

I go up 3-5% every year, just because cost of living goes up then I adjust for complexity.

This worked for me this year, I told the TP I was embarrassed to be asking to get paid and to be calling people to remind them they owe money. And it worked.

We all get those -- the same folks year after year who "forgot their checkbook" or something. And for the most part, they pay up. For a few years I put on my yearly letter "no new work can begin until past balances are paid in full" along with a copy of the invoice. That usually got fast payment with embarrassed apologies. This year for the very few who owe, I am being much more stringent about billing them. First reminder goes by email before the client has even left the street. Second goes by US Mail and includes a $15 late payment fee. Third (haven't had to do this yet!) will add 1-1/2% interest to the total with a note that interest will be billed monthly.

My policy is I file your return and give you a copy AFTER you pay me