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I appreciate all of your feedback. I feel comfortable with what I charged. While he keeps good records it always comes in by mail in a large jumbled pile at the end of the season due to the fact he has to wait for the amended 1099 forms from his brokerage accounts. I forgot the K-1 form from some fund he has. It takes easily 4.5 to 5 hours to address all of this plus he mails them. If he ain't happy he can just take a hike as I am too old in the tooth to fret over clients like him anymore.

Oh, I've been hugging all wrong.

Oh, see, I was guessing this took a couple of hours, tops. I absolutely would charge this much for 4.5 to 5 hours. Your teeth are neither old nor long.

Posted February 7 · Report post ...a PROSPECTIVE CLIENT...Friday. Said he was single; gave me his docs (two W-2s, small pension, bank interest) which I plug in the computer and give him the refund amount. After a pleasant 20 minute chat I told him to come back in three days; he starts to leave, turns around, and says: PC: Oh, it don't really matter, but I guess I'm supposed to tell you - I sold a house last year. BB: Your house? Your personal residence? PC: Naw, my uncle died and left me his old, fallin'-down rent house. It wasn't worth but $10,000. BB: Oh, well, uh; we have to put that down. PC: No, no, it's okay. See, I let this guy have it for just what my uncle owed the bank on it. I put it on a land contract between him and me. BB: Well, we still have to.... PC: No, you don't understand. He cain't pay for it all at once, so I'm helpin' him out. He pays me exactly what the bank payment is ever' month and I turn around and give it to them until the $20,000 note gets paid off. I never get no money to keep and so I don't make nothin' off the deal. (My) Failing to grasp this irrefutable logic exasperated him. He guessed he'd have to go somewhere else where they knew more about taxes. And out the door he went. May 25th PC MYSTERY SOLVED (I THINK) Re: this guy (above) who had the inherited, run-down, under-water rent house – this week a lady I didn’t know stopped in saying her only income was social security and had not filed in years, but asking should she have filed and paid taxes on a $5K life insurance policy her uncle left her. The departed uncle part rang a bell -- turns out she’s the PC’s sister. While glad to hear no tax was due, she complained bitterly about ungrateful Unk leaving his old rent-house to her brother instead of her. Claims she did lotsa stuff for the not-so-dear departed, conniving bro did zilch, and it was a damned outrage she didn’t get the house too. I said she probably got the best of the deal considering the liability (I guess that’s okay to say since he isn’t my client and paid me nothing). She said “What liability? Uncle XXX paid that house off years ago! My brother sold the house to some dope who watches those TV fix-up and re-sell shows and is paying off a big note that my brother owes the bank.” I swear, sometimes I think we independents attract more blowflies than honey. I know (well; I think) he would not have approached HR/JH with this story and I guess they lump us in with the kitchen-table crowd (25 bucks-all comers). Probably thinks that my "EA" means "et already".

If it takes you 4 to 5 hours, then you are under charging.

I have one client got 4883c to verify the identity as refund will not be released for 2016. I checked IRS.GOV and all the info of letter correct. Client called and verify info and the 2016 refund will be released in 8 weeks. It seems that ID Theft is still active and when IRS suspect it, they send the letter to call back.

He is one of the best. I will use some of his ideas, just look at the smiles on those clients.

Since when do partners get wages? Guaranteed payments, maybe, but those are not wages.

I like the free beer on Fridays. I hope everyone that sees this goes to H&R on Friday next year and asks for a beer.

Hugs and Cheese....That,s terrific..Just love that. It is better than the free pens I used to give away...Thanks Abby

I have also used Firefox for years with no problems.

sec 1.179-2(c)(1): and then as it pertains to the above regarding wages considered to be from the active conduct as trade or business income of the individual, that is covered in 1.179-2(c)(6)(iv): # 7 under that same section states that if a joint return is filed, the spouse's w-2 income also is included for calculating the limitation at the individual level. Save link to Cornell Law for this section: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/26/1.179-2

Sec 179 is limited by the business earnings. Partners earnings means earnings derived from business, not wages.

No problems getting in, but ATX may have been handling this depreciation change incorrectly ? Copied from the ATX Blog: Regulatory Changes for Fixed Assets With this release, if you do not take the special depreciation allowance for new qualified property placed in service after 2015, the property is not subject to an AMT adjustment for depreciation per Section 143(b) of the PATH Act. We encourage you to review the AMT column for 2016 assets entered prior to this release.

One came in to pick up a text book my daughter was selling. She asked what I charged and told me she paid $10 for prep last year in the next breath. I wouldn't even waste my time giving her any price at all. I told her to stick with him, see ya, bye, enjoy the book.

Once someone asked me how much I charged. I gave him an estimate and he said "That's pretty steep. Last year I only paid $15." I recommended that he stick to that highly qualified tax preparer.

I would make one adjustment - don't just mail out a mass mailer to everyone, mail it out to new homeowners near your office. Pretty good chance they moved far enough that they are in the market for someone closer to home. Sales opportunities occur by hitting people up during life changing events. New kids, new home, new spouse or new ex-spouse, death of a family member etc. During those events, people are open to new ideas or have new needs. I think it was Michael Dell who used this to make over $18k per year in high school selling newspaper subscriptions by solely targeting new homeowners versus every mailing address.

OK now Rich - you need to post a picture of *your* sign. Inquiring minds want to know!

Ok... it sort of reminded me of one in front of a funeral home... You know, if they don't get hugged... Great sign, however. I should show you the one in front of my office... can't get the landlord to replace it. Rich

I bought the building in 2004. It was a day spa then. Before that, a hot tub business. No, you can't make this up.