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Preparation is - done! Extensions are - done! I am - DONE!!!!!!!!!! Will work on some quarterly payroll reports tomorrow and Thursday while putting out minor fires that pop up - and then we we are out of here for four relaxing days!

With all of these e-mail alerts from the IRS about new scams and identity theft, I wonder why the IRS continues to do two specific things: When making a payment the voucher instructs the taxpayer to write their SSN on their check or money order. I advise my clients against doing this because a digital image of that check or money order could turn up anywhere and in anyone's hands. Even the voucher only has the last 4 digits of the tp SSN so I don't understand why the IRS continues to ask people to do this. When replying to a notice, there is a spot on the IRS that asks for the phone number and best time to call. Yet in all of the scam alerts from the IRS they specifically state that the IRS will never call a taxpayer, and that they communicate via mail, and if a person receives a call from someone stating they are with the IRS, then it is a scam. So then why request the phone number and best time to call? I'm sure I have seen other things, but these seem like the most glaring...

Crying here, too. OMG that is the best thing I've read in a long time. This is what we do - damn good returns with no question marks on them. I don't know about the slackers who decide what to do based on audit risk. That's bullshit. But I'm happy to have no question marks.

OK, you might remember the client I posted about who self prepared her 2015 and put a question mark in the PTC line? Well, I finished the amended return. She comes to her appointment and starts by insisting that we go over every line and that she would want to take it home and suggest changes after her review. I am thinking I want to fire this client. I had already spent a few hours entering the return the incorrect way and then entering it correctly. I went through everything she had and put a damn good return together with no question marks on it. Now she wants to review every frikkin' line and take it home to make sure I did it correctly. So I walk her through the changes I made. Took about 25 minutes to explain why she could not take mileage and a portion of actual car expenses and why every trip to Starbucks and Micky D's is not a valid meal expense. Get ready for it..... Here is the good part..... She broke down into tears. She was so relieved to get this taken care of and she understood everything I did. She felt like she was finally getting a straight answer to her questions, even if she did not like the answers. She said she had been praying for this to work out because she did not know what to do. I have a client for life. She has peace of mind. Win - Win. This is why I do this crap. Sometimes we don't see the blessing that we are giving, or getting, until we come out of the darkness. Rita - no hugs from you for this one. Tom Newark, CA

My 18 month old granddaughter is really good at pointing, forcefully. And, insisting, And, walking to the door. I think I'm going to hire her right now.

Email from a client today, with questions about the partnership return filed in early March. Wanted to know why figures differed from what they gave me in a couple of places. We went through it all *at the time* - personal estimated tax payments are NOT a deduction to the partnership. Assets are depreciated, NOT expensed (increasing income every year or we might have gone Section 179), etc.... Told them by return email I am NOT answering any questions about already-filed returns until after 4/24. And made a note to hike their fee for next year!

I now must (per 8867 worksheet and error check) tell a 66 and 60 year old clients all about EIC and children for them to be able to take their meager $500 credit for low income people without children. Like I have time for that!

The things that run thru this thread. One, we are some funny people.... Two, We hate to be imposed on.... Three... Don't tell me: "You must be busy!" My reply has become almost standard: "If I am not BUSY this time of year, *I* am probably not that good at what *I* do!..." That usually makes them think. Rich

The old friends, dropping off, KILLED ME LAST WEEK. I sit here nodding and sending subliminal messages: Yes, I love you, yes I want to know every frikkin detail of your life. Can you please tell me every frikkin detail of your life sometime May - December? Monthly would be ok at this point, ISTG. I have 12 weeks to make 75% of my living here. Please stop talking. Why is no one walking in? Who can I text to call me? Nobody, cause the one I would text is frikkin sitting here killing me. KILLING ME. I'm getting up now, walking you to the door, yes I love you. Yes, get outta here for the love of God....

And this one the other day, a rich guy, wants me to evaluate what's better, leasing or buying 162K Tesla. Mind you, he loves free stuff, like advice (that I only add on to his return), so my answer is, too expensive, get a Prius. He took a lady from Match.com to a free buffet at happy hour, and he wonders why relationships don't last.

Do you think this is a trick question? I know you are busy but please call me, I have a question about my taxes. FYI I've been waiting for the documents since February

If you weren't better looking than I am the above could be my mirror image -- went through the details of three funerals, one operation, and the extended prognosis for another. One other windjammer NEVER has to file, but stops by every year "just to check" and ALWAYS asks "Will there be any charge on that?" (This time there IS.) To top off the day a 30-year client ($250 fee) let me know her daughter (who gets in out of the rain and that's about it) will be doing her taxes this time. Don't know if they'll be missed or not - client's ex once called me on Christmas and wanted to know if I could get theirs done that day. Lord, deliver me!

Really, people? I don't know if these people haven't heard that we're busy right now, or if they just don't give a crap, but here are the burning questions today: 1) Hey, Rita, we're selling our house (we hope!) for $175,000 and there used to be a law where you didn't have to declare gains on that. Is that still in effect? You mean your personal residence you bought six years ago for $200,000? No, you don't have to declare the gains on that loss. (She didn't even know it was /s ) 2) Hey, Rita, can I deduct the cost of over-the-counter medicines? It wouldn't matter what I said on that one - they can't itemize but she is on top of it for next year, lemme tell you. Look out Johnson & Johnson and Bayer.

My husband spent the summers of his youth in a little town with a section of road that the locals referred to as Eight Mile Road, and it was still this way the last time we visit there in the mid-1990's. Only one side of that road was paved for the entire eight miles because way back in time someone figured out that they could pave twice as far at one half the width. Everyone would drive on the paved section until meeting head-on traffic, and then would move over. Why am I telling you all this, you might wonder? That is how my day has been. I've done lots of "half things" today. It's surely not making me feel like I'm getting anywhere faster because I still have to pave that other side and I'm running thin on my main materials. Happy computing!

That's pretty much it. He already is writing off all the costs - taxes, insurance, etc. He can't write off what he would have charged - unless he includes that amount in income and then writes it off. Waste paper.

I am so jealous that I'm not sure I'm speaking to you right now.... Congratulations, my friend!

Correction: My wife (she's mighty noticin') says I tend to get irritable and exaggerate the injustices flooding in at this time of year and could substitute for either character in "Grumpy Old Men", so she corrected me: "It was one funeral, one cremation, and one visitation; although I was glad to see you finally charge "Never-Filer" a fee. The plight and details of the operationee were heart-rending although she later mentioned it was a former sister-in-law she barely knew. The now-gone, 30-year client's spouse didn't say he wanted it done that Christmas day; you inferred that because he asked "if you were busy that day" (I was!). On the bright side, the daughter's that girl who called us last year for help on her EZ -- chances are high we'll be doing a $300 1040X on this semi-complex case."

Been having problems with Comcast email all last week due to their new platform issues, must be the Raven, but up and running now at 2;30am and I read an email from a longtime client asking if I could do his brother's return. Says he doesn't have much, single father, 1 kid, 1 W2, small side business, and he gets EIC, tired of HRB ripping him off. I could only smile when I write, sorry, no.

Oh, and I got a call from an inquirer, too, today. Taking new clients? Only if willing to go on extension. Oh. Was hoping to file on time. Word of advice: anyone competent is ONLY doing extensions for new clients this week. If they say they can file you on time, they are NOT competent. Oh. Huh. Click. (me thinking: good riddance; what a bozo!)

I have a client like that. My reply, "Oh, you tease me."

I feel like a babysitter. Most returns are well on the way to being out the door. One left to drop off late this week for an extension. Then one very old lady I must go see because she broke a hip, can't drive and can't get into my office any more. It's OK. I did the same for one other, and this one I've known this family for about 50 years, and she only lives 1/2 mile away. It will be close to the deadline and go on extension. They understand and are appreciative. The one that is really bugging me is a man that isn't terribly responsible with paperwork. He's had his package for almost 3 weeks and hasn't bothered to look at it or return the signature forms. Two emails and finally a phone call, he's now asked me to send only the signature forms again, this time to a different email address.

I am so glad that my husband is so wonderful about taking the time to talk to my clients when they don't insist on seeing me. Most of them love him and he is very sympathetic to all of their aches and pains. and has been around this long enough that he can answer simple questions. I have really missed him the past three days, because he has been too sick to take them. I am hoping that he will be well enough to see them tomorrow. If my three cats could show them where to sign and take their payment, bunches of them would just go see them.

Something new today. Extremely OCD lady wanted me to explain how every number on every line was calculated on form 6251 AMT. I let her grind on me for about 10 minutes and then told her that I could prove every number on the form, but would need to put the return on extension. She and hubby are due to receive a five figure refund, so she finally dropped it.

I had one guy drop off today, and I just looked at him and said, "Hey, you're five days early this year."

I think you've hit the nail on the head Judy. People, we've got a wide spectrum of humanity, the good that we go out of our way for and the bad that we need to babysit and make sure they do the right thing. It really burns me up that the last week when things can be hectic we have to chase after those that are sitting on their packages, like they are afraid there is poison in our tyvex envelopes. I'm planning on my annual getting out of town Monday. Got a list, checking it twice to be sure I did my job in contacting all those April fools that keep us hanging.

I received several texts and phone calls from a friend inviting me to go play golf in his golf tournament on June 3rd... Really? Like you need an answer now? Sheesh.

The closer you get to the 15th, the slicker the clients get..........................

You mean you can't do that?

I'm DEFINITELY not speaking to you right now, but I gave you a 'like'.

I have them sign the bottom of the actual 8867, both pages, and keep it in their file.

"Write out an itemized list of all the over the counter items you use. Include it with your other information. I will account for it properly on your tax return." Put it on Schedule A. Print and charge for it. Income opportunity...

I need a business valuation for the bank by the end of the week. really. I don't even do that.

Congratulations! I just hope to be finished by October.

That's like writing off the lost rent when the property is vacant.

*This is not racist or political*, I'm just too freaking busy for this stuff. I got an email today from a client. She is helping some refugees and what do they need to do about filing income taxes? I just told her that I'm sorry, I don't know the answer off the top of my head, I would have a bunch of questions and no time to research.

This is my dream today.

Client(s) promises a couple of days before April 15: "I promise next year, I will bring in the information a little earlier" I just don't have the guts to say what a F'n lie

Hey Ron - here is a court order that says you have to provide my divorce attorney with unbridled access to my and my spouse's files that are in your office on or before April 15th. I just received that today via email. How do you spell CONTEMPT OF COURT I could almost give a flip about that right now! But just curious - is email an accepted form of delivery for legal directives? This might be just the thing that drives me out of this business and into retirement! But then again, I have never walked away from a good fight!

My suggestion would be to ignore it, unless it is more than your client reported in total sales. Then my suggestion would be to fire the client.

I did a backdate for him. He moved to Virginia in September 2013. The house was sold in June 2016. It does indeed appear he can take the exclusion. I would not be surprised if they question it but June 2011 to September 2013 is clearly two years.

Figured out the ATX pension worksheet, and got to the $59k number. So we are good, now. Rich

2 options I see. Pop $1 in box 1 or delete the W2 (which is what I would do).

Rich, nothing related to the owners goes on Sch C, not even the part that is considered the employer's share. Both employee and employer shares for the owner is all reported in the adjustment section on the front of 1040. That way, IRS can see the max limitation has been applied. You try to bury it on the Sch C and IRS can't figure out the compensation and doesn't know how much of that employer's share is attributable to the owner. Next, about the final deduction. The max that may be contributed to a participant's account by one employer in a given year cannot exceed the lesser of $53K or 100% of comp (comp max is $265K), and that limitation includes the employer's share, so I think this client is stuck with a max of the $53K for each of them unless over age 50. This limitation includes the 'ee elective deferrals, 'er match, 'er nonelective amounts, and forfeitures. If I recall though, that max doesn't include catch-up for those over 50, so in those cases the max would be $59K for the 2016 tax year.

That would be a good trick and it would be interesting to see how he would pull it off. I hope you are not preparing his return the way HE wants you to. I would insist on preparing the return by the tax code and not the client's convoluted understanding. Be careful, and check the circular 231 code of ethics. You know what is right and wrong here. As I see it, only one way to prepare the return. He doesn't qualify for the exclusion and that is that. I wouldn't concern myself with whether the service closely checks this or not. I just would not be part of the gamble. Just my 2.5 cents worth.

Didn't show up. Called; he's coming tomorrow. That usually works for me, but not this case. I've been pricing him out - started 7 years ago at $125 and am now just south of $1K. Curious myself as to what happens now. I don't know how far we can go on this "family" board, but I heard one something like that recently re "ladies of....". Guy asked if he could stay overnight for a million dollars; she said "Yes," and then he said "How about five bucks?" Highly indignant, she asked "What do you think I am - a prostitute?" He replied, "We've already established that; now we're negotiating the price."

· "My client’s results are their personal responsibility"

I start off telling them that I wish I owed that much [pause] because it would mean I made a ton of money.

Yeah, usually poor planning on their part doesn't constitute a lot of sympathy on my part. After I have told them to do the estimated taxes, call to make an appointment to do an estimate mind-year, contact me if you have a major change in your financial position; etc.....sorry no sympathy there and I hate to offer the words "told you so" but it is what it is.

Well, at least you will get paid BIG BUCKS for that return.... right??? I don't have any unpleasant clients anymore. Priced them right out of here. They paid me big and left. Whoever said money can't buy love lied. One person here, I won't mention any names *coughrita* says money can even RENT love!