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Randall asked a question about Medlin payroll and mentioned Drake also that was in a topic about ATX pricing. Rather than hijack that thread, I've started this topic and moved my response here with some information. Drake's CWU program will allow you to prep 941s, 940s, W-3s, W-2s, and the 1099s "on the fly" meaning that you don't have to use the write-up function but may enter information directly on the forms. The software does not e-file for you, but it does create the file to transmit to SSA and directly to the IRS for the 1099s using the IRS FIRE system. That does require you to apply and receive a TCC number and set up a user name on the FIRE site. It's very easy. Do be aware though that if you purchase Drake to use next year, it will include their CWU program, but what you will be getting will be the 2015 tax software and the 2016 CWU program. That won't allow you to prep the 2015 forms. You would need the 2015 CWU program for that. That is what happened to me the year that I switched to them away from ATX. I called the sales office and explained my confusion in thinking I'd have everything I needed, and explained that the ATX program allowed preparing those returns, and the Drake team gave me the install codes for that prior year CWU so that I could activate the prior year's program. They are really a wonderful company when it comes to customer service. Also, I have to file the state copy of the W-2s on paper because DE doesn't accept Drake's format, so that is something for you to look into as well. Maybe your state will accept it, but mine doesn't. Lastly, Drake negotiates great rates on research products. Last year the choice was between The Tax Book or RIA Checkpoint. I can't remember the exact price of TTB for last year but it was somewhere slightly over $100. I upgraded the service and also bought a hard copy desk reference from them too and spent about $250. In 2013 I spent $89 for the RIA product.

I am a long time Total Tax Office user and this year I upgraded to Max. My total cost was $1,282.91. I asked and received a discount for going from Office to Max. Others may receive a better price but I was happy with what I was offered and look forward to using Max for 2015. Best of luck on what ever package/vendor you choose to go with!

Here's a new article that claims we think better when standing. http://phys.org/news/2015-04-feet-literally.html

I've been off the board for several days--still dealing with the second of two kidney stones that slammed me back in early April (great timing!). I've been working on a new pricing model for both my tax and accounting work. It nets out to about a 25% increase on tax work and 20% on accounting work. I'm giving existing clients a 10% discount the first year to ease the pain a bit. I'm also going to scale way back on the freebies (I'll ask then to at least contribute enough to cover my overhead). Comparing it to the responses to Yardley CPA's Fee Schedule posting (great idea, by the way. I had the same idea a couple days ago but having been hurting too bad with the stones to post it. Was really happy to see that someone beat me to it). Anyway, based on those responses it appears my new fee structure will be much closer to what many of you are charging. I'll still be just a bit under the big boxes but I can live with that. As I project it out (even allowing for a 5% lapse rate) I feel pretty good about where I'll land over the next year or two. Thanks again for all the great counsel and for giving me the kick in the seat that I needed to make this happen.

Just wanted to mention a great idea I originally got from a client - a standing desk After saying for several years I wanted to do this, I initially got that done last year. Can't think of enough superlatives to describe it. Working while standing is great for the circulation and I think it keeps one more alert. Pairing it with a bar stool for those times when you want to alternate sitting & standing gives you the best of both worlds. Even better is to put one of those bicycle pedal exercisers in front of the bar stool ($20 at k-mart for a cheap one, which is really all you need). There's another great benefit I hadn't anticipated. When a client drops by unexpectedly, I just keep standing while speaking with them. They won't sit down unless I do, and most people will finish up the conversation faster if they don't settle into a chair and get comfortable. So in addition to the health benefits, a standing desk helps to get clients out of your office faster so you can get some work done.

My puzzled wife gave me an envelope from Republic Bank that had a check for $7900 payable to both of us. It was our tax refund. The only problem is that we haven't filed a return yet! The bank bounced a direct deposit and sent the check to us instead. The slimeballs had everything correct except for a slight error in our address. I'm really looking forward to having this to deal with now. Of course, the return was done with Tax Act online so there's no EFIN to trace. I always thought that we were less at risk as we don't do business online and we don't even have a credit card, but obviously I was wrong. I'm in such a good mood that I almost bit the dog when I left for work this morning. Happy, Happy!

YOU get the PIN. You need info from your prior-year return, so it's you and not someone making up a number or who stole basic info. No return can be e-filed with your ssn without that PIN.

I should say my son loves his professors. They are not part of my rant. Tom Newark, CA

Tom, you are absolutely right and there is absolutely NO consequence to f*@%ing over people's lives, finances, and life plans. They DO hire for "diversity" and *are* protected by unions and it seems the only criterion NOT utilized is competence. And that problem extends far beyond universities but there does seem to be quite a high concentration in that environment. And it cascades; the competent people leave in disgust because of all the remediation and extra work that falls on them. The best can always leave, so those left behind exhibit a lower and lower overall level of ability.

Hope your weekend is better!

Already told hubby I want wine tonight. It's been one of those days.

I turned away parents of my kids' classmates. The wife once told me about their refund and how they didn't make estimated tax payments. I know their lifestyle cannot be supported by EIC level income. When she asked if I was taking new clients, I told her no. The kids get lots of grants to go to college, too. Don't get me started, this is rampant here.

I'm sorry you're going through this. I don't think any of us are safe from this any more, no matter how limited our online activity or plastic card usage, not with the huge data breaches where hackers are targeting places like Anthem insurance, banks, hospitals, financial professionals, and states' revenue depts.

I KNEW IT! All those times you said you were scared of me you were just being sweet. I knew it. I love you, Tom.

Nope, they have to give me their financial information in order to prepare the return. On the due diligences I check "Business Records". Some people have spreadsheets, others Qbooks and some just numbers written on a piece of paper. I am not a Auditor, it's not my job to do their books and make sure their numbers are the same as mine

Yes, do it now. (Don't the regs say something along the lines of When the error/omission is discovered?) In fact, if you discover any other changes, now is the one year you can do almost anything on one 3115 without a user's fee due to the "simplification" of the new repair vs. capitalization regs.

Your organization(s) are by far the minority of all universities around the country. I wish you had been working at the university my daughters attended!!

I work for a public university as my day job. I can't speak for anyone else's competence, but I know my Idunno what's up with these other places, but here we've seen enrollment drop consistently for quite a few years. I have no idea what portion of our funding comes from the state, but I've been told that as a percentage of total income, it's become less of the pie. I have no idea if that's true or not. This particular institution has had relatively modest tuition increases as a result of the dropping enrollment, but much more drastic changes are being made elsewhere. Maine has a system of public universities that includes 7 mostly autonomous campuses. Every campus used to have it's own IT department, now there's a single system-wide IT department that serves all 7 campuses. Every campus used to have its own HR department, now we're moving toward regional HR employees that travel between campuses. Next is Administration and Finance. After that, they're talking about removing academic programs from some campuses to reduce overlap between campuses. I don't know if any of these things sound like a big deal, but when you consider the rural location and geographical isolation of the top half of Maine, there are significant hurdles to making these changes work. If it sounds like I'm complaining, I'm not. I just wanted to explain that not every university is bloating up their administrative workforce and increasing tuition to cover it. In fact, we were named one of the top 5 universities in the north (a region that spans 11 states) for graduating students with the lowest debt load.

Hahaha, I'm sitting here thinking what a silly, impossible request they are making. Maybe we can all write letters saying we didn't pay the kid to do anything at our offices.

If funding and IRA and/or HSA will reduce the MAGI below the 400% of poverty, please consider doing so. She has only until 4/15 to fund those for 2014 contributions. It is worth considering because not only may she avoid the APTC payback, but she would also be saving for her future medical or retirement needs and reducing her tax liabilities too. That would be a win4 if it works for her situation.