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Just a bit frustrated here: In Oct I reported in that I had breast cancer (all is going well on that front) and sold my business. I was 100% honest with the buyer (he was more anxious to buy than me to sell), showed him the list, the fees...and that the vast majority of my clients were foreign and there would be "foreign issues". Well, he has no knowledge of foreign issues. I have to explain everything. Yesterday, it was a W-7. Plus, unlike me, he does not get back to people within seconds (my clients were really spoiled). I shouldn't care, because I got paid...but I get complaints...and I feel bad. And with that....wishing you all a happy and profitable tax season!

Never spoil your clients. Mine are trained to leave a message and get a reply with one business day... or so.

The Turbo Tax commercials are the worst and most degrading not only to Preparers but to the general public. >>Donald Trump promised to put H&R Block out of business when he gets elected.<< I wish he would add Intuit to that list.

You do know, though, that you are still very welcome here. Not all of us use ATX but we all have tax issues and complaints and need the kind of support available here.

Glad to hear that YOU are doing well. Your clients will either train this guy or find someone else. If they try to blame you - fie on them! None of them would blink before walking away from such a strenuous commitment when faced with a life-threatening illness.

When the girls were little, I used to use the phrase "boy cow poopies."

Egad! First of all, this is way out of the league of anyone but a tax attorney (and a highly specialized one at that), so don't even try to render advice or get involved at all. Just maybe what Mom should do is get a new attorney, tell him or her what she wants, and start all over again. Or just maybe she should just rewrite her will leaving the whole thing to charity. All I really understand from your post is that there are way too many attorneys involved, each likely representing different children who each have way too many interests in mind (except their parents'). I hope your dad's journey is smooth. Medical science has never been good at predicting at how long someone has left. As you will come to see, that is largely up to him. And while our own lives may seem to revolve around tax season, in the larger scheme of things it's just one tax season that succeeds others just like it and precedes many more.

As I tell folks who show up at my yard sales, if you think my prices are unreasonable feel free to offer more! Actually, over the years I've put a ton of time into it but that's water under the bridge. It costs me nothing to help out someone else and goodness knows I've benefited from a lot of free advice on this forum over the years.

NONE. Enter what you believe to be the actual information. The IRS has published information that says there is no need to amend if the 1095 forms, once received, do not match what was filed. This tells me that the IRS is not going to police this matter. The whole system and process is a pile of male bovine scat.

And the Bryl-Cream, too! Blech!

Reminds me of the Slickster Attorney Ambulance Chaser commercials. You can smell the After-Shave through the TV. And that suit. GAH.

Here is the link to the below article: http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/newsletters/2016/jan/what-cpas-need-to-know-about-new-ppaca-forms.html What CPAs need to know about new PPACA forms By Kristin Esposito, CPA January 19, 2016 Since the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), P.L. 111-148, became law in 2010, each year has seen the introduction of new tax compliance requirements for individuals, businesses, or both—and 2015 was no exception. This filing season, certain employers, as well as providers of minimum essential coverage, will have to meet significant information-reporting requirements to both the IRS as well as the insured. The reporting requirements are considered the glue that holds together two of the largest pieces of PPACA: the individual and employer mandates. Since 2014, the individual mandate has required most Americans to purchase minimum essential coverage, qualify for an exemption from this requirement, or pay a penalty on their tax return. Beginning in 2015, the employer mandate places a requirement on applicable large employers (ALEs)—which are businesses with 50 or more full-time plus full-time equivalent (FTE) employees—to provide health insurance to 95% or more of their employees and dependents up to age 26. Several new forms have been issued for both employers and insurance providers to file to comply with the new reporting rules. ALEs will file Form 1095-C, Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage, and Form 1094-C, Transmittal of Employer-Provided Health Insurance Offer and Coverage Information Returns. The type of information reported by an ALE on the forms is meant to help the IRS pinpoint those employers that are required to but do not offer minimum essential coverage to their employees and their employees’ spouses and dependents. If it fails to provide the appropriate insurance, the employer is subject to steep penalties. The information reported on the returns also lets the IRS know if an employee is eligible for the premium tax credit. Providers of minimum essential coverage will file Form 1095-B, Health Coverage, and Form 1094-B, Transmittal of Health Coverage Information Returns, to report information to the IRS and enrollees about individual coverage. Recipients of Form 1095-B can show they have minimum essential coverage and will not owe a penalty on their tax return associated with the individual mandate. Who is subject to the information-reporting requirements? ALEs are subject to the information-reporting requirements of Sec. 6056. Any provider, such as an insurance company that issues minimum essential coverage to an individual, is subject to the information-reporting requirements of Sec. 6055. Which form to file? What information is necessary to complete the forms? The type and sheer volume of data that an employer has to gather to file Forms 1095-C and 1094-C is overwhelming, especially since certain information must be tracked by month. Employers have found themselves in the difficult position of having to implement new systems to track reportable data such as the following: Whether the employer offered minimum essential coverage each month to the employee and the employee’s spouse and dependents; Whether the employee and the employee’s spouse and dependents were enrolled in the coverage; Whether the employee’s share of the lowest-cost monthly premium for self-only minimum essential coverage provides minimum value; Which affordability safe harbor was used for each employee; Whether the employee was full-time or part-time, on a monthly basis; The total number of employees, by month, and the total number of full-time employees, by month; Whether the employee was a new hire eligible for the coverage waiting period; Whether the employee was a new variable-hour, seasonal, or part-time employee in the initial measurement period; and Whether the employer was a member of a controlled group or affiliated service group. An insurer will have to report the following information on Forms 1095-B and 1094-B: Enrollee’s name, address, and Social Security number; Employer’s name, address, and federal employer identification number; Insurance provider’s name, address, and federal employer identification number; and Covered individual’s name, Social Security number, and months of coverage. What are the penalties for noncompliance? The information-reporting rules are a serious business. ALEs as well as providers of minimum essential coverage can be hit with penalties of $250 for each information return not filed and another $250 for not providing each employee/enrollee with an accurate return. The total amount of penalties is capped at $3 million annually—a staggering amount! As you can see, the penalties provide employers and insurers a significant incentive to file the forms correctly and on time. - See more at: http://www.journalofaccountancy.com/newsletters/2016/jan/what-cpas-need-to-know-about-new-ppaca-forms.html#sthash.WLmyVFFl.dpuf

I get so annoyed at those commercials, and even more so by the fact that they actually work. It says something about the wisdom of a populace when many choose a tax preparer based on gaming practices, for lack of a better description. Yes, I know there are many fine preparers in the store front operations. That's not an important selling point. Apparently.

That's an awful lot of typing and opportunities to make mistakes. Until I can export from QuickBooks to SSA, that's never going to be a viable option.

I serve clients (mostly clergy) all over the country. I can't meet with most so years ago I created an interview style Organizer. It's worked very well and my clients love it. I send all my clients a link to my web site where they can go and download the latest version (I update it throughout tax season as I think of new and improved ways of doing things). I haven't done much more than change a few dates on this year's version--hope to add some more tweaks over the weekend. Anyway, here's a copy in case any of you want to use it. Feel free to personalize it any way you wish. Tax Organizer.pdf

sorry to force all of you to be the ones that hear the scream but................. AM I THE ONLY ONE ABSOLUTELY WANTING TO CHOKE THE LIFE OUT OF SOMEONE OVER THE PREP OF THESE 1095/1094 FORMS FROM THE EMPLOYER SIDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! whew... sorry that is all

If there is still time for them to take distributions (and if probate will allow), I would strongly advise it. Estate tax rates are extremely high. I'm doing one right now that is subject to the highest 39.6% tax rate, which kicks in at not much over $12k taxable income. Ouch! Unless the beneficiaries are in that bracket, there will be more money for them if they choose to take some income now.

If I go to Walmart and have Jackson Hewitt do my return for an exorbitant fee, they will give a me $ 50 Walmart Card on the spot ! Whoee, isn't free enterprise a great thing.

thank you for providing the answer!

emailed my salesman and support - I received 3 calls within 1 hour and 2 emails.. problem fixed for 2 days. I emailed again tonight - How did I get it back? Maybe because I opened 2013?

I use the Social Security administration web site. It checks the SSN with the last name(first 4 letters) It prints the W3, and W2s and tells you that you upload is successful.

I think these are the few questions that are key: Did everybody on your return have health insurance all year in 2015? yes Where did you get your insurance from? From my employer. I would check the box and efile. Did everybody on your return have health insurance all year in 2015? no. Are you going to pay the fine? yes fill out the penalty form and efile. Did everybody on your return have health insurance all year in 2015? yes Where did you get your insurance from? From the exchange. I need the form the exchange will sent you. NEXT.

I think a lot of tax preparers probably have this talent from lots of practice either reading the forms our clients are holding in their hot little hands and reading to us, or turning forms around so the clients can see and then explaining them while they are upside down.

You have to calculate earnings and profits of the year. The C corp could pay out a distribution to be taxed as a dividend if it has sufficient current year earnings and profits. E & P computation is different than computation of taxable income. Code sec 316; Reg sec 1.316-1. From MTG - Sources of Distributions. To be subject to income tax as a dividend, a distribution received by a shareholder must be paid out of earnings and profits of the distributing corporation. A dividend is any distribution made by a corporation to its shareholders out of its earnings and profits accumulated after February 28, 1913, or out of the earnings and profits of the tax year, computed as of the close of the tax year without diminution by reason of any distributions made during the tax year, without regard to the amount of the earnings and profits at the time of the distribution was made. (Code Sec 316; Reg. sec 1.316-1) In order to determine the source of a distribution, consideration should be given first, to the earnings and profits of the tax year; second, to the earnings and profits accumulated since February 28, 1913, but only in the case when, and to the extent that, the distributions made during the tax year are not regarded as out of the earnings and profits of that year; third, to the earnings and profits accumulated before March 1, 1913, only after all of the earnings and profits of the tax year and all of the earnings and profits accumulated since February 28, 1913, have been distributed; and fourth, to sources other and earnings and profits only after the earnings and profits have been distributed (Reg. sec 1.316-2). If the current year's earnings and profits are sufficient to cover all distributions made during the year, each distribution is a taxable dividend. If the year's cash distributions, however, exceed current earnings and profits, a part of the earnings and profits must be allocated proportionally to each distribution, on the basis of the following formula: distribution x (current earnings and profits / total distributions). The remaining portion of each distribution not covered by current earnings and profits is then treated as a taxable dividend to the extent of accumulated earnings and profits. If these are not sufficient to cover the remaining portion of any distribution, they are to be applied against each distribution in chronological order until exhausted.