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If a client called me today about whether or not to pay property tax in 2017, and it was one of my clients that can actually itemize, I'd tell them I'd probably pay it now if there is uncertainty about the benefit in deducting it next year. And there are always uncertainties about next year. A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. Plus I have been around long enough to know that they are calling me because they want me to tell them to pay it now. I realize I'm lucky as our property taxes are low, and I only deal with AMT once in a blue moon. As far as taking it upon myself to call THEM and give advice? No. Not even if the law is changed tomorrow. I can't think about everything for 350 families. It is what it is. I got amused yesterday at a local pro who posted on FaceBook that it looked like he and his wife would get a tax cut, but some people with kids would not. He does a lot of unnecessary talking. I don't know what he hoped to accomplish there, but nobody congratulated him, and immediately people started asking, "What about me?" After two or three replies of, "It's too early to say for sure," he removed the post. Um...

Yeah, I find it difficult enough to do tax planning with the information my clients give me even when we have an appointment to go over their information and there is no major pending legislation. I am sure as heck not going to start giving planning advice on FaceBook. And especially not in anticipation of legislation that has not been signed into law. My crystal ball and tarot cards and psychic abilities combined are not that good. Maybe if I had rune stones too......

A 2018 MTG is for 2017 because... taxes aren't confusing enough, we have to make it harder.

And the dilemma is whether those accelerated expenses might be more beneficial in the year they are being stolen from. Tax planning from my perspective is not a one year item. I try to evaluate what affect actions will have on as many years as the plan will affect. i agree with those that state that we do not have new law until the ink is dry. Accordingly there is not much we can do tax planning wise beyond which we KNOW the law to be. I have been in this business long enough to have seen some very strange things come out of Washington, both good and bad, in the eleventh hour. And I have seen enough times where NOTHING was done in the eleventh hour. We will not know until we know.

"... actively ignore proposed tax changes and wait until the actual tax law changes..." If the items you think will surely be included, get tossed out, then where does that put you in the eyes of your clients? All talk about the upcoming tax law changes is just political gossip and media "fake news" fodder. Until the bill has Presidential ink on it, I am NOT considering any changes, and do not play "what if?"

Watch out for AMT. State Taxes are a preference item. Tom Modesto, CA

You have to give advice on the current law, not on predictions. I know you want to go the extra mile with your clients but in this situation you will have to blame Congress for the first time (right?). After the law is passed, if you client calls you, then you can advice them accordingly.

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Gail, it is a long running (makes our kids cringe) joke in my house that I always wonder, out loud, why a close to me physic storefront needs to post hours and have a neon open sign. My figuring is the signs are telling me to look elsewhere, since the location in question cannot figure out when I will be coming in... which to date, is never. --- I am in the "it ain't nothing until it is something" camp. Just lost a customer who insisted they had a need to prepare paychecks for the first two months of 2018, for their clients with salaried employees, since their checks are "always the same". They demanded it was a bug, not being able to calculate 2018 already - but would probably be the first in line to attack, should I do so and guess wrong. Experience tells me there will likely be some sort of decision just before Christmas (politically beneficial), but it also tells me there very well could be a "keep using 2017 calculations 'till we make a decision" Christmas present, as we have seen before. The interesting part is how states will handle any "new" movement in the federal calculations - the states which use the federal figure as their own standard deduction amount, and the states which use the calculated FWH in their own calculations. Could be some new mid year or last minute state changes, at least from the states whose revenue stream would be cut by an unexpected change in FWH calculations.

Apparently he didn't want to either! LOL. I really have no idea what he was thinking posting that. He's not a rookie, actually a CPA in business longer than me, a dinosaur. I could see posting it on a tax forum, but your personal FB page? I was sitting there thinking, "Your post is blowing up in 3, 2, 1..."

Sara, I would make the same recommendations to my clients irrespective of whether the tax law is changed. Even if not changed, it still increases deductions for the current year, since individuals are on a cash basis. As noted, however, make sure this strategy is not negated by the AMT.

I don't work out of an office (except home office) or have employees, but my wife helps me with appointments, printing, mailing, etc. My recommendation (whether others agree or not) is to let the client make the contact. Even rogues like myself consider being professional to the extent that doctors and lawyers don't call customers to initiate contact. Then why should we? They have to call, and my wife makes the appointment. If they are successful in reaching me, they always ask one of their classic "simple" questions, which turns out to be "I sold half my land on a like-kind exchange and installment sale, and the rest of the land has been placed in a generation-skipping trust"... This assures that the appointment is made quickly and such topics are reserved for the appointment. If they find me at home and insist on speaking with me, they go on the clock. Also, I don't make appointments by e-mail. I use e-mail extensively but not for making appointments because responses can drag out for 3-4 days and in the meantime someone else may be competing for the same date. If an appointment is not kept by the client, he automatically has to wait 3 weeks. No exceptions unless it is my fault or circumstances known to be extenuating. If this causes an extension to be filed, then so be it. If they do not keep the second appointment, they are fired. ETax, it sounds like you are trying to reach out to your customers and are not appreciated for it. I believe if you let them make the appointment you won't have the problems you're describing. I am not draconian as it seems above, because they've become used to it. I retain 95% of my clientele every year, and rarely lose anyone unless death, divorce, moving, etc.

I know that many of us actively ignore proposed tax changes and wait until the actual tax law changes. Right now both houses of congress have passed tax bills that will now go to conference committee to reconcile differences and then a unified bill will be voted on by the full House and Senate. The odds of it passing there are high IMO, because there is pressure to present this big "Christmas present" to taxpayers. This is not a present at all to those of us who will not have time to give our clients sound tax advice for THIS year. I got to thinking about this when considering my own tax situation. The two current bills have some identical and similar parts that will undoubtedly become part of the final bill. The standard deduction is nearly doubled, no deduction for state and local income taxes, either no or capped deduction for property taxes, the elimination of exemptions. Since it is likely I will no longer itemize, I decided it will be best for me to pay my property taxes that are due in Jan by the end of this year, and I might as well pay my final state ES in Dec too. Then it hit me that many of clients might benefit from the same plan. Before offering that advice, I'd have to check if paying these items early would throw them into AMT, if they have enough other deductions to continue itemizing, etc. To give sound advice would mean going through all of their returns--impossible in the short time we'll have once the bill passes and we digest it. I am angry that congress once again waits until the last minute when it is too late for us to help our clients (their constituents). End of rant. Does anyone think we should nonetheless advise all clients to just pay their property and ES taxes in December, on the assumption it can't hurt and might help?

Awesome, and I bet you could paste my photo there at any life stage... A couple look like my kidney stone dance, one could be my face when drinking yet another cup of water (to prevent #1), and the last, I don't always have to put on shoes, so I get out of practice It is actually a real issue, as I am so used to being barefoot, I can catch a shoe on the stairs since the shoe is longer than my bare foot. Have to remember to use the railing and go slower.

Why then, did I get a 2018 version of the Master Tax Guide?

"If you fail to make your appointment, without rescheduling at least 24 hours in advance, there will be a $25 charge." This has reduced no-shows by 60%. The other no-shows get the charge added when they do show up or billed if they choose not to come in at all.

Thanks for explaining the difference between SFP and the new Connect. I'd looked previously and couldn't find the new features.

Secure file pro is an add on, but IMO is very reasonable. https://drakesoftware.com/products/securefilepro/ Drake Document Manager comes as part of Drake. Connect will be new this year and looks like it will work with SFP and DDM for secure communication, file transfer and esigning. The issue I always had was that mobile devices would not work with SFP but now it appears there will be an app.

Edsel, The problem with this strategy is that most clients are going to blame their preparer if this goes bad. Plus, it doesn't solve the problem.