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I prepared a return last week - married couple with 5 kids. They are receiving a federal refund of $12k and a state refund of $60. He called today wanting to know how they came out. When I told him he said, "Why I am only getting back $60 on the state?" WTH, are you serious!?!

Keep a couple of boxes of papers sitting in each chair in your office. When they come to pick up their return, don't offer to remove the boxes. Most people will leave faster if they can't sit down. Plus, since you're already standing, it's easier to walk them to the door while they are gabbing. Very few people will remove the boxes and help themselves to a seat. If you really need to spend a little time with them, remove the boxes but place them within 2 ft of then front of the chair. Most people will get uncomfortable if something invades their 30" of private space and so they will stay a shorter length of time. But for me, the best approach is to keep them out of the office in the first place (so I can get some work done). That means strategic use of mail, email, and text communication as much as possible.

I do not give out my cell, and it only rings if it is a number in my contact list. However, you can offer texting to clients. Personally, I use a "virtual" phone number. It allows setup to receive text messages, and sends those text messages through to me as email messages. I can respond to the "text" via normal email, and the recipient receives my replies as a text. One issue is texting will not usually include earlier messages in the replies, so you may have to manually search your messages to see with the person was writing about/replying to. There are services where you can make your business number completely virtual, so one number can be used for incoming calls and texts, and how you receive those calls and texts is up to you. The virtual services can set hours to ring, who to send directly to voicemail, who to manually block, auto junk call blocking, and so on. The calls you want to receive can be sent to any number or series of numbers, such as a cell or landline. But to stick to the theme of this thread, the number of times my email, text, or online messages get a response of "I want to talk with a REAL person" is increasing. I am a real boy... that happens to respond quickly (which some think cannot be real), and yes, most questions have been asked before, so there is likely a cut and paste response/solution I can share. I cannot make anyone follow the solution, nor can I convince all I really do know what I am doing... What I mean is it is illogical to ask an expert for help, then question the expert's advice. Some say logic is going the way of common sense

Text to Joe: "Hi Joe. I heard your voice mail. Probably can't get back to you for a couple of days - too many appointments right now. If you'll text me the answer to my question, I can at least get your return back in the queue. Right now it's on hold until I get that info from you. Thanks, John": How's that? I'd be tempted to add "Rita already gave me permission to kill you if you don't respond."

You know when you text a client a very simple question and instead of texting back a very simple answer they call and leave a voice mail to call when you get a chance? It's ok to kill those clients.

Last year a new client informed me that his daughter lived with him 90% of the time. We went through that multiple times and every time he informed me of this fact. After e-filed his ex-wife informs him she wanted the child dependent care credit so I need to amend the return for free because it was MY fault that I prepared the return wrong. I sent him a copy of his own emails with his words and his response "yes I said that but you should have known what I wanted." He had $5k withdrawn from his paycheck for dependent care so yeah, I should have known. He's no longer a client and when he wanted to return I reminded him of his proclamation of my being at fault and why I wasn't doing his return this year. Having everything recorded is a good idea.

Sadly, it is wisest to have any communication with a customer in written or recorded form. It is one of the reasons I am letting go of a fun avocation, the need to record the event for times when things go awry. Avoids the one person's word against the other. Had a young man utter the magic word (you) in front of a few other choice words. One of the adults in charge says the young man did no such thing. Since I now have recording device on the entire time, the recording goes in my report as well...

@RitaB - is it also OK to kill the clients who call your assistant before dropping off papers, hand them to the assistant, call the assistant when they get back home to make sure the assistant still has them, and then call YOU the next day to make sure YOU got the papers from the assistant? If so, I'd like to lease a piece of your back forty for a client who desperately needs a Rita-hug.

I should have clarified a little. Since I start very early (sometimes before 6am), by 1pm it's like dinner time for me. After that glass of wine and "Linner" I go back up to the office and make all my phone calls, no computer work. It makes those calls a lot more pleasant. You may want to try it someday. I find it ups my patience tolerance and my hugging standard for those who deserve it.

After I bought a portion of another guys tax practice, I replaced the chairs that were in front of the desk. I went from straight back plastic chairs to some leather-like products from Staples. He told after seeing them: "What did you go and do that for? You don't want them hanging around!" I should listen to him. Rich

I know Catherine.....BUT..! I scared my wife so bad......She ain't goin' wit me anymore... Then I talked my brudder to go wit me, BUT..! he's got a screwy boat. Then I done lost my favorite fish, I loved Sooo... Much..

Elrod, what would our days be without your valuable input? And to think you nearly said buh bye to us - so glad you hung around. Love you!

Yeah...But Bill.... at least you have a drinking buddy....Mine just always wants to go fishing....

Absolutely, how else to get through the day with some of these shenanigans. If you expand out my picture (click on it, then click it again) which was taken during my lunch break you will see what I mean.

I am mastering the art of giving clients who like to hang around and chat for an hour when they drop off their documents, and then want to gab for another hour when they come to pick up their returns....The Bum's Rush. I find that after the ask and answer tax questions, all I have to do is just stand up, smile and head for the door with my friendly hand extended as I show the way. There are only a few talkers and I'll try to accommodate when they come to pick up their stuff, but giving them the boot (nicely) means I actually get to eat lunch!

The virtual phone system I use allows recording. Must be memorialized in some manner. Easily resolves the "You told me to...", "I thought you said...", "You never...", and so on. Always have a record of your communication. Will not save grief, since some will still argue, but it will give you the proof of what you communicated.

That is one reason I text people who don't have email, or have email and don't check it. I can forward the question and answer to my email and print. I never answer a client call to my cell phone. Never. I use the cell for my convenience, not theirs.

This guy does not have email. Many of my clients do not. I absolutely prefer email to everything. Even hugging.

I'm copying & pasting John's message!

You should have heard the blue streak on Tuesday night....

You can drink with a fishin' buddy!

What better way to get through tax season, wine, Elrod, Rita, and everyone else keeping smiles on our faces, it's us against them out there.

Four and five digit losses. Sorry, first day of wine per diem. Yes, I woke up this morning realizing this. Tell me I'm not the only one who does this.

Glad you mentioned this. Tomorrow is a big day for all of us, about a month to go and how appropriate, St. Paddy's Day. Corned beef and cabbage and a cold one. IMHO I find Sam Adams to be the best beer in these parts. In the northwest I always go for an Olympia on draft and a fresh Coors in Colorado, and there's nothing like a cold Schlitz in Milwaukee.

Per our buddy Tom T Hall...... Whiskey's too rough.....Champagne cost too much....Vodka puts my mouth in gear. This little refrain, should help me explain, as a matter of fact I like beer. Makes me feel mellow............

I am getting impatient here, when are we going to talk about beer for the non-wine drinking whipper snappers?

Elrod, you make me laugh out loud at work.

I don't text clients. Maybe two clients who are also friends have my cell. I email. Yes, you have permission to hug at will, results according to your input.

I actually meant tell me I'm not the only one who wakes up thinking about mistakes I made. I don't drink wine at work, but I may start now. LMAO. And be sure to hide your wine glasses behind the printer.

I file less than 10 entities. All s-corps but one are on extension. One partnership isn't coming back and I'm really happy about that. Really, really happy.

If the lights go out in Georgia you'll know who to blame.

Oh, you split it ALL out. Gross, basis, what was spent for qualified ed exp's. Make sure you take a look at the possibility of using *taxable* portions of the proceeds to qualify for ed credits; often worth far *more* than tax savings on earnings.

May I just say that I absolutely DETEST having to amortize bond premiums on tax-exempt bonds because (unless the client has been one for a LONG time, AND you get purchase details as well as a total) you NEVER have enough information to do it right. Grrr. Don't get me started...

Line 21

The Russians have hacked ATX and are financing their hacking process $3 at a time...

I might try that but for now prefer not to give out my cell to clients if they aren't friends otherwise.

Texts are very easy to memorialize. Just take a screen shot and send it to a printer. (So far I haven't started twittering or snap-chatting with clients - don't know how that would play out...)

I am not Jack or Margaret but if you are filing for a non-resident credit, I believe you must be filing a North Carolina return picking up that income. Ohio wants that North Carolina return attached.

I love good cussing.

I wouldn't say the donee never pay the gift tax. If the donor doesn't pay it, the donee will be held liable. That said, it's unlikely any gift tax will be due. The unified exemption (lifetime gifts + what's left in the estate when the giver dies) is over $5.4 million ($10.9m MFJ). Giving over $14k to one recipient in one year means a gift tax return will have to be filed, but that's just a way for the IRS to keep track of how much a person has gifted. State lifetime limits may be lower, so check that out. So many people think they can only gift $14k a year. I always tell them they can give however much they want; if over $14k worse that can happen is that they have to pay me to file gift tax returns but they won't pay any taxes. Unless, of course, they've already given over $5.4m. That always brings on a smile. Possi, your client has bought a portion of the house so not a gift. Who's on the mortgage doesn't matter. How many times have you seen divorced couples where one spouse gets the house but the mortgage company won't release the other spouse from the loan? The poor guy or gal ends up being responsible for a loan for a home they don't even own anymore.

You have trained them well.

Yesterday in foggy Connecticut it was sleeting on the snow!

If ATX doesn't have a way to generate a descriptive statement then I'd suggest you create one or use a preparer note if that goes with the e-file that will put the IRS on notice that estimates were paid on a joint basis and how they are being claimed. Include the social security numbers of both parties and how much each is claiming. Drake has a check box for joint estimates that were paid with a former spouse, and it has a link to a blank descriptive schedule for the preparer to use if the couple is still married and are using MFS filing status, and instructs the preparer to include the SSN of the other spouse in that schedule.

Danrvan, I agree with you on the Federal side. What about the state? Where I live, the state don't give a rat's @$$ what the feds think either. I think the state would want a tax return. They have their own revenue and taxation code with their own court cases. You could be sandwiched between two tax authorities. Without a formal dissolution of the corporation, I think the water could get very muddy if you took it into the personal return of the taxpayer. Another factor is how long it has been since the corp stopped operating and went de facto defunct. I think it would be cleaner, depending on how long it has been since the de facto dissolution to file the Fed and State returns than it would be to try to explain it later at audit. Just my 2 cents. Tom Newark, CA

I disagree. The business activity starts when the business operations commences that will generate its operating revenue. For example, if its a service or consulting business, the operations begins when services start being provided. For a retailer, business begins when the doors open to customers regardless whether or not a sale is made in its first days. I open a tax practice on Feb 1 and meet with my first client on that day and begin working on a return. Even if the return isn't finished until the 10th and I don't get paid until the 20th, I still was open and operating on the 1st of Feb.

Rita, When I is hungry...This is how I down my Per Diem.

I have been awake since 3:18 am, and I have realized that a nice glass of wine, yes, one, interferes with my sleep, so yes, the only solution is to drink it with my lunch per diem.

Hah, Rita, I'll bet you have grilled salmon, fresh asparagus, chocolate mousse and some nice wine in there as opposed to my meager bowl of oatmeal. Well, I do put chia and flax seeds in it and blueberries with the almond milk and cinnamon but I have to fix it every day.

Here's my meal per diem, btw: