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How about the client who comes to you each year with totaled information on charitable donations as well as other itemized deductions - and in going through the details lumps cash and non-cash donations together as one amount. You question further, and it turns out he segregated the cash from the non-cash but the non-cash was less than the threshhold to require 8283. So I advised him for next year to itemize the non-cash on a listed schedule, and takes pictures of the items before he donates them. The next year he brought me a photo of stuffed black garbage bags, and reminded me that I told him "to take pictures of what was donated before giving it away".

This part, at least is simple - you come here to the forum, and read what all *our* clients have done to mess up their (tax) lives!

Be careful with these clients who just give you contribution totals. One of our clients was randomly selected for a line by line audit as part of the National Research Program. She has pretty good records of how much cash she put in the church plate every week, but the auditor won't accept it. We all know the rules about having proof for ALL cash contributions. About $6k deduction down the drain. Interestingly, he did accept the undocumented Goodwill donations of $350. Some auditors have their own entertainment value. This one has been in our office several times, puts his lunch in our frig and warms it in our micro, and dug around to find the Keurig cups. FDNY, CA is a community property state. I don't know where the marriage took place, or if your client owned the rentals before the marriage. This could be something a quickie divorce won't cure. Your client needs an attorney.

This week I've been dealing with some kind of rocket scientist from CA who is the son in law of a client. The client is an 83 y/o retired teacher from CA, a real hipster from the beatnik era and a Haight/Ashbury veteran. A few years ago she decided to help out her handyman who is nearly 30 years her junior by marrying him (and swears me to secrecy) because as she says, he has no SS. I asked why does he have no SS? Well, he was in jail for 21 years and he now gets paid off the books. She wants to file separately, so I explained she will pay more in taxes. She didn't care, she just wants him to get her SS when she dies (she only gets $4,600/yr). So the son in law comes east to visit his kid in college and stops by my client's house and looks at the tax return as he will be taking over her finances because she overpaid her credit card by $2K. She now confesses to him and he calls me, livid that I did not tell the daughter (I'm also a contingent trustee for client). I told him I advised my client of the consequences, especially for estate planning and that she should consult a lawyer. So the rocket scientist says he will contact his lawyer because I was negligent. I don't think so, my obligation is to the client, besides, he doesn't scare me, I've stared down danger bigger than this pencil neck geek scientist. All in all, I find this comical, now the client thinks she better get a quickie divorce, a happy ending in my opinion. Again, sorry for wasting your time.

Be careful. If any community funds were used for the rental property (such as paying the property taxes out of a joint account), that "separate" property in CA will have been tainted with co-mingled funds and may in fact become community property. I am not saying it has happened, but there is the possibility. Tom Modesto, CA

Thanks Sara, marriage took place in VT 2 years ago, both were MA residents and client's properties in CA were purchased before the marriage. I will be reminding client today that she should seek the counsel of an attorney as this could have complications and now that family knows there will be fallout. Client says it was her idea to marry, I don't know, some people can have a way of influencing other people's thought processes, especially the elderly. Just wish she spoke to me before marriage, it is costing her about $2,500 a year in extra tax. If she wasn't such a sweet (and elderly) person I would have stated my opinion to her and been done with it. One of my practices is to protect the elderly from the unscrupulous but I never had a chance here, and evidently she never heeded any of my general advisories to the elderly to protect themselves.

Husband can draw on wife's account and continue to draw after her death, but all things being equal (they are not equal if he's not FRA) he gets about half of what she gets. As you say, no big whoop. We can NOT tell family members that mommy got married or any other information we collect to prepare her tax returns. Circular 230. Hopefully, his lawyer will tell him that and charge him for an hour of his time, too.

Thanks, that happens to be an area where I am severely lacking especially with clients that I have compassion for, I know, not a good business practice, but next year will be a good time to raise my fee. I already decided on that.

@FDNY please make sure you are compensated for your worries.

You've all made me smile, thank you. While this sham marriage (as client calls it) happened without my knowledge, if I had known I of course would have advised against it. Handyman recently began paying taxes and uses my client's address (don't know if he actually lives there) so client was also not able to deduct rental losses for a rental she has in CA (filing MFS), a double tax whammy for her. A real tax disaster that I've had to report to client for last 2 years. But client did not care, she does care about people, animals, and always wants to do good and help others, I respect that very much. Now I am just hoping that the $139 quickie divorce client wants is agreeable to the handyman, if not, we have the makings of an award winning screenplay. If I ever retire I don't know what I will do for entertainment.

Sorry you are having to deal with this family drama. Unload on us any time if it helps. That's never a waste of time and part of why we're here.

After working 20+ years for a firm/self-employed and working long hours, that time finally came to an end this past summer, I longer work past 4pm I put myself first, managed to lose weight, spend more time with my family, the only person I baby sit is myself.

To all my dear friends here: hang in there! We are *almost* done with the extensions. Remember to take charge of your clients (not vice-versa): this tax return business was not new this year! They've known about it since January 1st. If they are slug-a-beds about getting you information, then they may go past the 10/15 deadline. Yes, we all want them out of our hair. Better to go an extra week and keep our blood pressure down. If the lolly-gaggers go elsewhere next year, celebrate. If they come back, they now know you won't pull an all-nighter to save *their* bacon and they'll either pay (and not grumble in your hearing) or they'll get their stuff in earlier next year. Do your own returns first! Then go back to the stragglers. I mean really - *where* are they going to go this late in the year? The only ones who might take them are likely not competent (or they'd be busy themselves). Pull the phone plug out of the wall, shut the email program, and do spot checks. And just so y'all know, I'm instructing myself first and foremost here. They do say that the best way to learn is to teach... Hugs (non-RitaB-back-40-style) to you all!

Interesting, so one of my questions to ask client today will be if they have a joint account. I sure hope not, this could get ugly. Thanks Tom.

Handyman may have sold your client on marriage as getting SS when she's gone and not an issue to her or her family. But, now he's her husband, and without a solid pre-nup or a will revised after the marriage date, he will get her house and bank/broker accounts and jewelry and.... Then, that son will have big legal bills to try to salvage things for her own children and grandchildren. Yes, keep us posted on the next episode. Same bat-time, same bat-station.

I think they should just turn over the IRS to us and we'll handle it for them.

Years ago, I used to buy paper at Costco. It's just not worth it due to jams etc. Especially, since Staples and Office Depot have name brand high quality paper on sale constantly. No more jams or feeding problems

"she just wants him to get her SS when she dies " Interesting, since the SS stops when she dies, or better said, when her death becomes known, as there have been cases where the death was covered up and the SS checks kept rolling in.