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Message from wife of pastor who picked up: “Hi, Rita, I know you’re busy, but we always get a refund, can you call me and go over what changed from last year, so we know how to plan for this year?” Hi, yes, I AM busy. Can you maybe get out 2013 and note that you did NOT get a refund, and that your overpaid husband made 5,000 more in 2014, and like more income makes a difference when it comes to taxes? I know that's hard to believe, but I find that it's true more often than not. -- Thought bubble.

I really don't believe that I could survive an entire tax season without this board. Just knowing that you are all out there and willing to help is such a comfort. Thanks to everyone who contributes and to the faithful who visit here looking for answers. We are all here for each other.

I agree with everything said. This forum is the most valuable online tax community by far. Thanks everyone.

ATX also has a comparison form which I always include. It answers lots of questions!

And nobody understands I have more than one client, apparently. Or that I cannot really tell them how it is "looking" other than it looks like I'd get done if you'd quit calling. And no it's NOT in the "materials you sent" or I would be finished as I don't enjoy calling you and dragging information that you already sent out of you. Finally, my clients must think there is a Keebler elf doing taxes inside my computer while I am yakking with them. Apparently.

I will miss her...one of the few that never complained...about her taxes or my fees....always had a smile

Little Shop of Horrors. They are slow and inaccurate. Just like my clients.

I always just set down with both returns in front of us when I get that question. She hadn't even looked at 2013, and in 2014 they had less medical expense, less actual housing expense, less mortgage interest, etc. I explained this to pastor yesterday, plus, hey did you know you made $5k more? Either he didn't believe me or she didn't believe him. She needs to come at pickup rather than call me with a question like that. It's like directing the landing of a plane by telephone. Oh, and it has not escaped my notice that I never get a "What changed?" when the tax is less. Only when it's more.

Which shop are you using to get it repaired? I have resorted to a Ouija board... I may want to consider a different repair shop next season.

My program...TaxAct...has a comparison to last year worksheet. Whenever I get this question...or when I anticipate this question...I send it to them...pointing things out. Just this morning I sent one showing an increase of $18,000 in income...with a $50 increase in withholding. You know what they say about a picture and 1000 words.

Yeah, and sorry my crystal ball was in the shop, and I missed those. Hope you can find it in your heart to forgive me.

Or after you finish the return and print everything out and you tell them what they owe or the size of their refund they say "What about all the money I paid on Medical..." Or "what about all the items I donated to charity" And I say what about it, this is the first your telling me about it.

I also agree with all. And a special thanks to Tom and Patty again this year. I meant it when I said I quit. Patty helped me keep my business going last year with all my trauma with my mother. Six weeks into the season it all started up again. I guess I'm needed elsewhere. I still intend to cruse the board now and then. I'll miss my clients and all of you.

And a good swift kick. And how is it that people don't know better than that????

The first question I ask when clients pick up the return is if they'd like to review it in detail. They all say no, so I go over the highlights meaning that I am using that exact comparison summary page for the review. I point out all of the major changes that answers all of these type of questions. That comparison is always the first page directly behind the letter. I am also now using the very abbreviated letter format that everyone likes a lot better, easier to see, very concise.

I tend to ask... "What did you do with all that extra income?" I get a lot of blank stares...

Finished one yesterday - a Schedule C whose gross was up $40,000 to nearly $200,000 and his net was up $30,000. We called him to tell him he owed another 5 grand and he had an absolute melt-down. You would have thought that we had just shot his dog. And that was AFTER we had explained everything to him - comparing last years numbers etc. We had reason to call him again about six hours later on a different issue and he was still involved with his meltdown. Let it go man. And for the record, I have offered this guy multiple tax planning sessions over the years - but he is either too busy or just does not care. I am sensing he is starting to care.

You know how when you look in the stack and the one on deck is a favorite client, and you are so relieved because, finally, everything will be here? WELL, THAT HAS NOT HAPPENED IN THREE DAYS.

You assume that clients will read the comparison forms....

I'm there. Thought I had one yesterday. Schedule C and Schedule E info just so orderly I almost cried. She only forgot her W-2s and Schedule A info.

Ron: Almost put a shout out to you today... Did an Ohio return yesterday, first time in 16-18 years. What a PITA. You probably could have saved me 2 hours.... Why don't I use this asset when I know its available.... Thanks to everyone! Rich

I miss being able to add numbers in a field. Remember that? =34+56+32+123 You know, cause clients put all these freakin donation slips in here... C'mon, you can't even itemize. Stop it!

Ditto.

My wackiest is still the guy that wanted to call the money he spent for food for his fathers funeral money spent for a "Company Picnic" And no taxpayer seems to understand why they cannot deduct principal but only interest, and the principal of the asset they purchased is being depreciated

The folks on here are a joy, especially this time of year.....Thanks to all.

Got a new preacher. Been doing his own returns on TT. Brought me three years in case I need help. Only reason he needs me is he's afraid of identity theft, something about TT, blah, blah, I wasn't really paying attention. Well, we're about to see how he deals with adversity. He has not figured SE tax on wages in Box 1. Has not filled out worksheets to determine excess Housing Allowance, and I'll betcha it's significant. I think a Come to Jesus Meeting is about to take place, y'all. Is IRS even trying???? I mean, HELLO, these are so obviously and horrifically incorrect.

Today was very annoying and I won't get into the details. Let's just say that this might have been me talking to a client: and this one of me contemplating his extension: ^ That one is available for purchase on the internet. I might have to buy it for my office for several reasons, one of which is that the movie is a classic and a favorite of mine.

I scan it and attach the PDF to the efile as long as the information is reported in the correct order. Check to see if you have to make any adjustments. I enter the numbers and use the brokerage name for the description.

I just called support and received what I felt was a ridiculous answer regarding the new input for the Nebraska Schedule II for tax credits paid to another state. The 1040 has two K1 attachments for composite state returns filed in other states. I can no longer just add the information to the schedule II because all of the boxes are grayed out unless you add the other state tax return. So I have to add a tax return from each state, even though I won't actually be filing it. This is programming that they should have left the way that it was. It has worked fine for years and now this is just another stupid step and I sure can't bill for it.

And I'd do them all - that's what we do for a living. And I don't care about statutes and helping people get out of paying taxes. Or that she won't get a refund. Or any fringe crap. I'm sorry, I've had enough. Or as my momma would say, "I've had enough. I've had ABOUT enough. I'd had JUST ABOUT enough." So there you have it. Hahaha, oh God, I am scaring myself now...

Completed taxes for a client that had several pages of 1099-B transactions...was glad to have it done..spent at least two hours digging through the investment company's Combined 1099 statement. What does client receive in the mail yesterday? A REVISED Combined 1099 statement....and almost everything is different! Most stock transaction have the same gain/loss, but some have different purchase dates and have moved from LT to ST and vice versa....Dividends and capital gains are much higher. What's the use of sending a statement when you're just going to change everything? I will tell client to send the bill for the amendments to his investment company.

I had one client a couple of years ago with a broker's 1099 and 3 subsequent corrected forms that followed, the last being received on 4/11 and that was 2 days after we both thought it was safe to file the returns. The broker had this client invested in REITs that would report amounts that were later revised. Client got out of the REITs and the problem with the corrected forms has gone away. I just finished one of my larger personal returns yesterday that involved 9 separate brokerage accounts having a lot of activity and a large pile of other docs from a bunch of bank accounts, mutual funds with Vanguard,IRAs and on and on. Today when I called to set up an appt, the guy tells me that his sister *thinks* there will be a correction to one of the brokerage accounts that involved inherited assets from their mother that died in 2014. Sister is the executrix and is making a total mess of it, and doesn't know if it will affect 2014 or only 2015(!?!). Thankfully sister is NOT my client, but my guy doesn't know what it is that is changing or why!

I just looked at the Home Office Expense form (not instructions) and the options are Daycare or Simplified (Safe Harbor) Method or the actual. On 8829 there is more detail for daycare which includes used regularly for daycare, not exclusively. Then another input to multiply days time hours used for daycare. So maybe not so simple.

"I hope this won't change my taxes." Bahahahaha, OMG the things clients come off with! I double-dog dare you to say "Nah, that won't change your taxes," and see what reaction you get. Sometimes I just say stuff like that to call people out and saying stupid crap that they know is incorrect.

My sympathies! I lost two older clients last year, sadly. It's always hard to finish those last returns, too, because of the unavailable answers.

My son just did that to me last night. Oh, and he needs it today, because he's going out of state on business on the 12th. LOL Thank goodness for pdfs and email, he scanned them as soon as he got home, and got them to me 30 min later. Finished return before midnight.

I have one in front of me right now; beautiful detailed spreadsheet with info on only ONE of the two rental properties...

That is exactly right, but it's easy to miss the manual adjustments, and clients may not be able to get their heads around the worksheet. I would do the MFJ first, then duplicate it twice and delete info for hubby on one and wifey on the other.

I have the same issue with Ga. Client has 8 composite returns plus a TX LLC fee that is passed on to the shareholders now as a payment made to another state. I cant even add TX.

Well said! I agree completely. I very much appreciate all of you and extend my sincere thanks for all of your support!

Yes to all!

Shout Out!

Boy I need to change my structure immediately so I can limit my liability too.

You could print your own custom labels using Excel and a set of blanks form Office Depot/Staples, etc. That way you could make it more personal, such as: "This Return has been E-Flung: Don't even THINK about signing this form or mailing it in !" (Or something along those lines)

Ditto and likewise!

One of my funniest was the client who said her son formed an LLC to save taxes. (He was operating as a SMLLC, disregarded entity). When I asked for a clarification, she said the LLC means his company's tax liability is limited.

So I got a new client that told me she hasn't filled a return since 2004! She also said she hasn't been contacted by the IRS or anything but wants to file. Now her lowest wage was in 2005 when she had W-2 income of $31,451 and a 1099R code 1 of $6,678 SO WHERE THE HECK IS THE IRS.? I just done get how some people can go so many years like this and other NOT.

I have one with daycare in home, but it's confined to 35% of home, so I depreciate 35% of home. Even if it wasn't confined I'd be conservative on that because you know they're gonna sell that house somewhere down the road and the hairdresser didn't tell them about the 4797 part. Maybe decide the percentage based on hours the house is used for business.

While in the return go to Forms/Planning and Analysis/Married vs. Separate. You have to make sure you have inputs coded correctly as to J/F/S. There are also some manual adjustments you have to make.

It appears as though nothing reportable happened in 2014. If it is sold in 2015, report it then, sale or rental, as the details dictate. One of my clients did just the opposite. Bought and rehabbed a property intending to flip it with a nice gain. It didn't sell so he rented it in January. There was nothing to report in 2014 but will be in 2015.