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To all my online friends here at the ATX Community Forum. Catherine

But, you're great just the way you are! Don't change! Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you and everyone else!

Happy New Year, my friends! I hope this next year is the best ever for you!

Happy 2015 for everyone.

Here's to a happy, healthy, and prosperous 2015!

To the best family in the professional world: Very Happy New Year!!!!!!!!!!!

It goes without saying that most of us echo this post. May 2015 be the healthiest and happiest ever. Today was my Mom's birthday for nearly 91 years. We had an extra special reason to celebrate.

Margaret: I think your letter was very thoughtful and professional. I have clients to whom I'd write a letter like that if necessary, but I also have clients to whom I'd simply say "Get Lost!" if that's what was required to make my point. A professional practice is not a cookie-cutter enterprise where everyone is treated exactly alike. The essence of good business practice is knowing when to make distinctions, and a qualified business manager understands this nuance . I trust your judgement that this was the way you needed to handle this situation. Nice job.

Chicken of course!

More soup for you!

I used to charge 2% per month (24% APR) for invoices over 60 days outstanding. In 2015 I'm shortening the time to 30 days outstanding. If credit card companies can charge 29% on their credit cards, (which is what's stated in some of the monthly statements I receive) then I'm sure I'm well within reason charging 2% a month. I'm not a bank. Nor is anyone else on this forum. I've learned the hard way that some people will pay it and some won't. Those that don't pay it are either one-time customers or no longer a customer. QuickBooks makes it easy to assess, prepare and print finance charge invoices and monthly statements. Starting in 2015 I'm also sending any account at 120 days to a collection agency and dropping the client if there isn't a payment plan in place with us. Enough is enough.....

Something also hit me shortly before Thanksgiving and have never really gotten over it despite treatment. Trying to get as much rest as possible before the "season" hits, but the phone is already busy. Get well, Judy. We need you!

For ANYONE who scans docs -- I recommend Adobe Acrobat as an adjunct. You can get brand-new, registerable, but slightly older versions on ebay for a small fraction of the newest-from-Adobe price.

Chicken soup, fortified with Jalpeno peppers.

For me, paper. 1. The requirements put on me by the various tax agencies are unacceptable, should I choose only electronic records. 2. I only keep what I am required to, for no more than the required time. What you are not required to keep (voice ot Jack Webb here) can and will be used against you...

Jack, I guess I am just cushier and nicer than you. I purposely included the "fluff" for this client but not for all. You don't know the entire back story and I won't bore all here with it. I do not expect full payment but I do expect to continue to see her in social situations. It will not be difficult to sever this client relationship from my end if she doesn't from her choice sooner. Thanks again for your input. I thought long and hard about this as well as rereading the many thoughtful responses above. In the end, we each must act according to our own understanding and needs. I did so. You very well would have handled this in another matter if you had ever even gotten to this stage with a client - which I doubt. I am satisfied and will be with whatever the outcome. I don't think I burned any bridges or created an enemy, just lost a client and can live with that.

Interesting personal development over tha past few days while I was reading and responding to this thread. I had a client who came on board about 3 years ago whom I was reluctant to take on from the start, but social circumstances & church connections simply did not permit me to say "No". (Long story - we all have them). Last week, a couple of days after I sent out my client letter, this client called to let me know they were changing preparers. I happily didn't ask the reason and just told them to let me know if the new preparer has any questions about the prior 3 years. I strongly suspect the reason was that each year I had insisted on filing extensions (because their situation isn't simple and I don't want to fool with it before Apr 15.) I had emphasized in this year's client letter a blanket statement that even more, and longer, extensions might be necessaary, especially due to continuing late/revised brokerage statements and potential ACA issues. Lessons learned: 1) Adopt a strict extension policy and let the clients know up front they cannot control your time. 2) More importantly, learn to say "NO" at the outset, regardlesss of the exterrnal pressures. I have #1 perfected, but unfortunately still working on #2 even at my age & proximity to retirement.

Pacun, I think you missed the point. 1. She has already discounted the fee. The client has insulted her by not only not paying, but disputing it "my usual charge, according to her". That's on top of paying very late. 2. The client is [as a client] a true PITA. "She consistently provides info in small pieces, constantly scrapes for every deduction, pays very late and in several amounts, and more. This year she wanted to meet twice for planning purposes and multiple times changed various amounts (mileage, office expense, etc.)." Either one might be overlooked, but combined they are simply unacceptable stressors. It is not about Margaret's costs, it's about her peace of mind, and reducing the stress of what is already going to be a stressful season. She does not owe this client anything just because the client has problems in her life.

I seldom collect when the return is completed - I just mail them an invoice. Over the years I've had a few who didn't pay, or didn't pay in full. Not many, but enough to remember. Most of the time I came to the conclusion that not collecting the balance due was a reasonable price to pay for the relief of not having to deal with them in the future. I did have one guy who was really gutsy. He owed me money, & failed to show up for a couple of years. I assumed he had gone somewhere else. But then he dropped two year's worth of tax info in my night drop, along with a note that IRS was pressuring him to file his past due returns. I put it all in a box in mailed it back to him with a bill for the past due amount, plus an estimate for the cost to do the new work, and a mention that the work would begin when he paid the entire amount. I included a note saying the estimate was probably high, but if his final bill came out lower then we could refund to him after 6 months if IRS didn't ask any questions about the returns after filing. Never heard another word from him. As I said, the old bill plus the postage to send his stuff back to him was money well spent.