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Driving west to the dentist this afternoon, I saw sundogs with rainbows! Go google for images yourselves, since most folks here don't want to click on links. It was stunning.

Nature is phenomenal! I am jealous that i did not get to see this. I did once stand at the end of a real rainbow. No there was not any gold. But it is a sensation i will never ever forget. Happy New Year!

Usually the words contain extra syllables. Any southern English speaker can make the word "hear" (or "here") come out with two syllables and make it sound as natural as can be.

@TAXMAN I used Passkey Books and their online subscription. We have an IRS Exam Study Group here: https://www.facebook.com/groups/142932752497488/ or search "IRS Exam Study Group" on Facebook if interested. I took part 2 first, then 1, then 3 but part 2 had questions from part 1 and part 3 had questions from 1 and 2. This was 2016. This year group members have been reporting lots of questions on basis, farming and estates.

Drake has changed the length of time to 180 days before you need to change the software password.

Yeah, Gleim has been around awhile. I used Gleim 40 years ago to study for and pass the CPA exam.

Way, way back in the day when I took the exam (scanner card and #2 Pencil), the IRS would give you copies of the prior year examinations. I was surprised at how many of the questions did not change from year to year. If they still give out the prior exams, you should get them, and get used to the way the questions are worded. I also used Gleim study material. Tom Modesto, CA

I used Gleim. My recommendations: Study part #2 first. Remember, you are studying to pass the test. It is the most difficult. Once you pass #2, then move to #3. I recommend reading Circular 230 (the latest updated version) to get familiar with it. Be sure to have lots of caffeine around when you read it. Then take test #3. If you have prepared a variety of personal returns, parts 1 & 3 should be reasonably easy to pass. Once you pass a section, you have 2 years to pass the others.

My thoughts exactly. Was surprised how clearly he still sang. Of course, we know all they lyrics anyway. So did the young'ens in the audience.

It's funny how we can understand him when he sings, just not when he torques. Maybe because in the 70s we had enhanced hearing due to the haze in the college dorms.

This is an IRS mandate for all tax software starting with tax year 2016 software. The same goes for requiring a password as well as changing it every 90 days. All IRS mandates.

For anyone interested, the discount code is "ray35". This came from my Surgent rep that offered a 35% discount on any product or package, and it is valid through tomorrow.

TAXMAN, I went thru the process in 2016 with my buddy Debbie. I took the tests in order and feel like that's probably best. I read TheTaxBook to prepare for Part I, and it was perfect. I used the Passkey books for Parts 2 and 3. Ordered them on Amazon. Very reasonable. Each study guide has sample tests and there is also a book with six "big" sample tests, two for each part. I also joined the FaceBook group, thanks to Debbie. I started by reading all the stuff I could find online. Here are links to places that really helped me. Best wishes, you'll be glad you did it! https://www.irs.gov/tax-professionals/enrolled-agents https://www.prometric.com/en-us/clients/SEE/Pages/landing.aspx http://www.nsacct.org/blogs/nsa-admin/2016/06/14/24-tips-for-passing-the-enrolled-agent-exam-part-1 http://www.nsacct.org/blogs/nsa-admin/2016/06/20/24-tips-for-passing-ea-exam-part-2

Glad it helped someone here! My first course is next week and will be their 4 hour session on the new tax law.

The funniest accent misadventure I ever saw was MANY moons ago. I was working (college era) in a small restaurant owned and mostly staffed by folks from Greece. Popular with truck drivers. We had a guy come in, truck driver from down south, and order haddock. 'Cept the way he said it, it came out not quite right. Imagine the "a" in "hat" and now say HA-dock. Well, the young Greek-speaking man taking the order heard the driver say ("y" as consonant here, not vowel) HYA-dog. (Only two syllables, not hi-yah-dog.) That's the way he pronounced "hot dog." Driver was NOT happy when his haddock came out as hot dogs. I had to go over and translate English to English for them and get it fixed. Fish, not franks!

I used Gleim as well (paper books as well as CD interactive practice tests). Once I started catching the "error" questions (the ones from actual IRS exams, with multiple correct answers or where correct answers could not be positively determined from the information given), I figured I was gonna do OK. The big thing I learned was NOT to second-guess myself. Every question I went back to and agonized over, and changed my answer - was wrong. Not all the ones I did not re-think were right - but a lot more of them WERE right, and it was far less stressful! Back when I took it, it was four parts, all at once over two days. Passed all four first try, and I give all the credit to Gleim for the great preparation.

Hmm, I called too and was told the system is down for maintenance.

I never use the CD. I download the install file and use it. Then when updates come out, I download the update file and run it. If I have to reinstall or install on another system later in the season, I download the latest install file. It will have all the current updates in it.

Agree!

Actually, the House of Representatives held a "Tax Simplification " news conference several weeks ago, where they waved around the proverbial postcard tax return. However I did notice it was an extra large sized postcard.

Maybe the handlers (do the handlers change, or is the same small group really in control of politics? Maybe I do not really want to know...) of those we elect are wising up too, and trying a new sales pitch... It would be fun if they had to drink what they sell (think VitaMeataVegamin).

Have you noticed they haven't used the word 'simplification' for awhile now?

This article says the new 20% deduction applies to Sch E as well. https://www.forbes.com/sites/anthonynitti/2017/12/26/tax-geek-tuesday-making-sense-of-the-new-20-qualified-business-income-deduction/#369de47744fd

I saw the Black Sabbath farewell tour this summer with my son. It was the first band we ever bonded over, many years ago.

Maybe they have a good tax gal, y'all.

Don't feel bad Bill....This fella doesn't have any R's in his repertoire... Garden=Gaden Flower=Flowa Brooklyn=Booklin

I didn't know Nebraskans had an accent either. Where exactly is "deepest darkest" Nebraska? Arkansas? I was in a grocery store in Newfoundland one time, guy in front of me was talking away in supposedly English - I honestly didn't understand a single word. They can have such a think Irish accent that it's darn near impossible to comprehend them in some rural towns.

I can say the same thing about the E.A. tests. Once I figured out to study to pass the test and not to expect any of the study to be used in my practice, passing the tests became a lot easier.

I went to the emoji thingy above, then Categories in the drop down box in the upper right then Default. I just knew that it was available somewhere having made many appearances in this forum! I suspect it will be heavily used in the next several months.

A cursory look at the rules tells me that a small business operating as a C corp would generally be much better off electing S corp status. A C corp earning less than $75K or so will see an increase in its tax liability since the 15% rate on the first $50K is now raised to 21%.