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...when I see many familiar names start to reappear in the "Who's Online" list. I'm glad to see people returning and am very appreciative of the core group of members that contribute year round too. Welcome home!

I try to avoid appointments and prefer either scanned or mailed docs. Sitting there listening to all the non tax stuff while they cough and wheeze with the flu, using my bathroom and leaving a mess, bringing the kids who climb my curtains and interrupt every 5 seconds....it’s a gross waste of time. And I have to change out of my comfy jammies and wear shoes. :*

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.

Update -- I ordered and installed the HP ScanJet Pro 3000 s3. I have used it some, and i'm very impressed. It's slightly larger bur feels very substantial. And lightning fast. Let's see how it holds up starting in January!

Doesn't make any difference to me - I still have plenty to do. A missed appointment is never time wasted in an efficient office. As for the rest of the answer, I'll just say read Catherine's response. Good business practice isn't found in policies and procedures - it lies in the ability to make wise distinctions.

ALL my bills start with relatively high per-form charges (that the client does NOT see). If they are a PITA, they don't get a discount (or near so big a discount), and on rare occasion I will add a "document processing fee" or "return re-calculation fee" (this latter if someone comes in with enough new material to make me re-do a completed return - very rare, but it has happened). But not specifically a "missed appointment" fee - because in my book, missed appointments are "found time" (unless I made special provisions for someone), and I find it more of a PITA to have to keep hounding someone for the stock basis info on insurance on their rental house or... the list is nearly endless, and we could all fill it in.

Personally, I automatically save return every few minutes to a jump drive, so that doesn't concern me so much. Then, weekly during tax season, back up entire drive to an external drive. My Guru just cleaned up my computer inside and out so I rather feel that I am ahead of the game. I think I am finished ordering supplies and the program install went smoothly. I have nothing to complain about....YET.

Actually I received those books months ago and had forgotten about them. I gave the Tax Book to my assistant to take home. I was happy to receive the all states book because I only order that once every three years or so and that has worked out well. I have not had any issues with downloading the new program and the updates are going well. So far, I have seen only improvements and have nothing to complain about......YET!

I use https://youcanbook.me/ which is great (and free!). No calls, no emails - go pick a time. I get a confirmation by email. You can set up the hours YOU are available, and they pick from known-available times.

I ordered my software last week to get the 10% discount (which means I paid slightly more than last year). So today when I got home from work I had a package in the mail. I thought it was a little early for the Master Tax Guide to arrive. Surprise, I got last year's state tax guide and last years Tax Book. Once again, CCH has shown me why I don't like dealing with them. Will Van Kleef told me there was no changes to my package this year. He lied, I got shitty books from CCH instead of the Master Tax Guide. I bet some pencil neck geek in their accounting department thought it would be a good idea to ship out all the leftover books from last year to the returning customers. The lows to which CCH falls every year still surprises me, even though it should not. Tom Modesto, CA

Key word. As best I can tell, Autosave does not. It does NOT work. 5 tax years it has not worked. Unless early updates fix this, it will be a weekly complaint of mine to ATX.

Anyone who anticipates remaining in this business for many years should think seriously about the ages of their current and prospective clients, and adapt to their means of communication. It's going to be difficult to grow in the coming years unless the preparer utilizes texting, online methods, and email. It still surprises me to see that even much of the older generation has gravitated to text and email communications. And except in very rare cases, it's virtually impossible to communicate with any person under 35 in any manner other than electronically. So a practitioner who ignores this trend can most likely expect to see their client base shrink in the future. That's OK if the business plan is a glide path toward retirement, but it's not a formula for growth. As an aside, I can't imaging charging for a missed appointment. I always have enough work on my desk to occupy me whether a particular client shows up or not. If they miss an appointment, we can reschedule. Charging for missed appointments may be a good short-term ego boost, but it's seriously bad for goodwill. It's a sure fire way to drive a wedge (or maybe a stake) in the client relationship

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...

I received 2018 Master Tax Guide in the mail on Wednesday.

We get free access to MTG online. Much better than searching through a book. I wish they'd stop sending the books, like they stopped sending phone books.

They give you the old books for free to try to entice you to buy the current ones... and it's better than dumping them in the recycle bin. Jokes on them because I just use the old books when I can't find my answer on the google.