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"Progress Billing" - I like it. There's a cost associated with the time involved each and every time a file is pulled for review, updating, and sending another inquiry to the client. Your time is your inventory, and they are consuming your inventory, well in advance of the time the project is completed.

But do bill for calculating and filing the extension. I went through my file last week and decided to submit bills to clients who have unfinished returns sitting here that I have a lot of hours into. They can't seem to find the time to deliver what I need to complete them. A couple of them I've waited over a year for the missing info. I decided that doesn't mean I should wait to get paid for the work I've done. The boss agreed and sent bills totaling over $6k. I haven't decided if I'll add some if they ever do show up. I just think I might.

Your opinion has been noted. And nothing has been done. #mylife

I finally saw The Accountant this weekend. Brings a whole new meaning when we say "I'm going to shoot my client." I was with a friend of mine when we saw it. I was laughing the most about the fact that I don't know any accountants in that good of shape! I haven't ran stairs or jumped banisters - ever. And I do like donuts................

I've been attending an annual tax review CPE class for the last few years, and I always leave a comment about the chairs, the seat cushions are so wore out, it feels like sitting on park bench for 8 hours.

I don't know which companies pay attention to their own surveys, but it makes me feel better to somehow make them aware if they have an issue that they need to correct. If I don't tell them, who will? And how will I sleep at night with that on my conscience? Seriously, if one person hounds them ad nauseam, and nobody else says a word, they may just think the one person is a disagreeable idiot. Also, if everything was fabulous, I think it's good to tell them that, too. We like it when clients do that, after all.

Have one who sent $3000 with his extension and hasn't shown up. Last time I called him, he said that it had completely slipped his mind. Am I calling him again? Nope!

I did write a letter to a late filer in April. It took about two weeks to get a response, but the wife finally showed up with cash. Not only did they owe the IRS, but now had late filing penalties plus interest. In the letter I explained this all to them and also told them that they were being removed from my client list. When the wife did appear, she asked to please be allowed to come back for 2016. Of course, Dummy said "yes" but it is a simple return and someone has to reap the harvest. She DID add ten dollars to the fee.

Got an email from client who barely made the extended deadline with return and payment to CA. The email says "can you explain what these letters are and why I have to pay a penalty"? No, I think I can't explain that to you, because I tried to explain that when you blew me off at April 15th. Tom Newark, CA

For some reason, this hit my funny bone this morning

https://www.irs.gov/individuals/important-update-about-your-eservices-account

I could be wrong, but I thought all software had to be "approved," first by IRS systems and then by each state. Some states take their dear time, especially with entities. I often have a 1041 all ready to go for federal but I have to hold back until the particular state is released. Sounds like AL didn't do its scrutiny? Just maybe the states take the easy way out: if it's good enough for IRS, it's good enough for us. CT passed a secret tax hike this year (well, lowered the AGI thresholds where people could claim the full property tax credit--I call that a tax hike) and didn't tell anyone about it. They didn't even tell their own programmers never mind the tax prep or software developer communities. No one noticed until the later half of March, after many folks had already filed. You would think they would have waited until after April 15 to notify everyone, but they didn't. In the height of tax season we were taking a dozen calls a day from people who got letters from the state demanding more money. What is with these states? Why did AL not notice the error when it approved the software? Why did CT not notice at all? (I know the answer to that one--didn't want anyone to know.) Is the onus on us preparers? We know to comb through every completed federal return to be sure it is accurate, but errors are usually our fault--forgot to enter state withholding or to check a box that taxpayers had insurance. That's what diagnostics are for. And when we get an odd tax situation we often do the math by hand to be sure the software handled it correctly. It has never occurred to me to check the basic applications of state software--I just assume it was approved by the state and is accurate.

Keeping everything secure is going to be a never ending battle. I miss the 20th century. Things were either so simple or we were very innocent and naïve back then. Seems like yesterday.

E-Services is putting in a new, more secure service that was targeted for 24 October but has been postponed. We will have to re-authenticate ourselves again with stricter info.

Yeah...But....Wouldn't that be wrong?...............