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but they can't reach the keyboard or the plate of cookies!

I guess I am missing something here. Why aren't the preparers being trained that they will be held accountable with job loss if they alter a prior year return. And why, FredomTax, with multiple preparers in your firm haven't you placed password entry into a return and then at the start of a new tax season CHANGE THE PRIOR YEAR program passwords for EVERY EMPLOYEE? If you change the password and not tell the preparers the new one, I guarantee they will stop and ask what happened and why did you do this and you have another opportunity for quality control training. And then do not tell anyone what the password is for the prior year without a supervisor request? .Have each preparer MANUALLY enter the signature dates on the tax returns for clients AND preparer. Change the status of each return to complete when you receive the e-file acknowledgement. Use the "hide returns marked complete" option in the Returns manager. Print all returns to PDF BEFORE printing to a paper printer. Print the client paper copies from the PDF files, not from the tax program routine. And don't forget to pester ATX to add bookmarks to the PDFs printed like their nemesis Drake does. It would be helpful to not have to change each PDF to open in bookmarks index and bookmarks at least on the major stopping points in the PDF. Seems to me that ATX is simply lazy in not adding the bookmarking protocol to the program. Or in the organizers, too, for that matter. I like the idea of changing the colors of prior years to something other than the current year default as a means to remind you the prior year original return is etched in stone. For over 10 years I have rigorously followed the above steps inside my own office and have had several part time preparers see a light bulb light up over their head in tax season when they have to ask for the new password to open a prior year return and realize that the new password is a stop sign to allow for time to think before jumping irreversibly off a cliff with client return data and simply saving the return when they're done with it.. I have very little trust in ATX backup routines. I do use import and export frequently rather than relying on a backup routine from ATX. Especially when upgrading computers and moving datafiles, Last, but not least, take off the letter date field on the cover letter. ATX will always insert current date on your letter if you leave that pesky date field in the cover letter when you access the file and it is one of the reasons why the program asks if you want to save the changes you've made when you've accessed a return marked complete. Better to remove one more source of grief causers from the chain of events, IMO.

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.

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.

Totally agree with this. There are old bats that I choose to treat "fluffily," because, oh dear God, they need it. They are not running over you if you lay down in front of the bus. It's more like a rough massage. And no skid marks. Many times I benefit when they send family. Or bring me a nice jar of apple butter and a hug cause, let's face it, they are bats, and nobody else pays attention to them. Other times I just get a rough massage. Run your business the way you see fit.

I have reduced from 4, 4 long drawer filing cabinets to 1, 4 drawer cabinet and after this season, there will only be three drawers used. 2 for current clients, one for former clients. Micro-shredded paper is perfect mulch in the garden. Start with everything not wanted pulled or killed, and 2 inches deep or more will stop 95% of anything growing. It also holds moisture and over the winter just disappears. My garden looks like it has snowed in it.

These letters are only sent to preparers that have numerous issues with returns they have prepared. As manager or owner, if the hammer falls, it will get you as well. In addition, these letters are the 3rd or 4th communication about these items. This should have been taken seriously 2 years ago when it started. Just remember, for preparer penalties in a firm, the scat runs UPHILL from the IRS.

Don't overthink this provision. As long as the employer adds it to boxes 1, 3 & 5 and withholds tax appropriately, what you call it is totally irrelevant.

The older I get, the more I am realizing that people will assume my work is worth what I value it at. If I am inexpensive, they will assume that I am not worth much. I tell myself that every time that I am tempted to match a competitor's price. Besides, as someone (might have been the late, great Robert Anson Heinlein) once said, "Free advice is worth what you pay for it."

On average, I only get one tricky research question each year, so I use NATP research group. Every year I get a free question with my membership. I belonged to another association and I posted a question and the answer I got was not accurate. I wrote them back and they corrected. The following year, I didn't renew my membership and I stayed only with NATP. So far the answers I have gotten have been accurate. www.natptax.com