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JJStephens - I have got to say that you are scaring me just a little bit. Are you OK man? I know we all joke about offing a client now and again, but you know we are just joking, right?

The fun corner of my desk.

Today marks the 29th anniversary of the day I met my Hubby. Best day of my life!

There is your answer. The Insurance companies never update info as practioners move their practice's tax status. (And the Dr's never try, except the address or bank account so that the checks go to them..) Report the 2 "extra" 1099's to her med practice return, whatever it is (Sch C, 1065, etc). If the IRS asks you for a Corp return in the future, then you deal with it. Not very.... This in NOT accrual income. It was payments she received in 2017 for services she provided in 2017. And she is not "Poor Thing" She is a Dr. Rich

We are nothing if not problem solvers.

"passed away". Good one! I'm gonna use that. I have a jar on my desk labeled "Ashes of Problem Clients".

I knew there was somebody besides me with a backhoe and back 40.

Awhile ago I made a rule in my office that no one could ask me a question about any matter that was less than $100... because NOBODY GIVES A A FLYING.... UM..... TRUCK! YEAH, THAT'S IT, TRUCK.

Thanks for the reminder to donate! This forum has saved my @$$ more than you'll ever know. There are other sites, but y'all are so welcoming and so kind, there is none other like this one. Eric, thank you so much for all you have done, and all you do. My donation was by CC and there wasn't a place to designate my name, so when you see the donation for $5000.00, it was me. Well... maybe not $5000....

Just got an email from a long-time client. It begins: "Well it only took me 6 hours to check the returns this year." Her hubby is now retired (gets only SS) and she now has only one W2 and a very small Sch C. Six hours is a record for her. She usually double that poring over every detail. I have no clue why she doesn't just do them herself. She generally finds an obscure issue that is nothing more than a $1 rounding error (e.g., I entered each W2 individually, she added them all together). She wants it changed. We argue about it and finally she understands that it is inconsequential and makes no difference to her bottom line. This time she says that her Ohio medical worksheet expenses are off by $79. I went back through every document she provided to me. My number is exactly right based on what she provided. And then, after all that, she says, "Never mind. Even if I'm right it won't change my refund." Arrrghhh! I've only fired one client (a nurse who insisted I deduct $882 worth of underwear because she said she had to wear a brand new pair for every shift). Actually, come to think of it, I didn't fire her. I was going to but she passed away before I had the chance to. This one is getting pretty close to that threshold for me. Sorry 'bout all this. Just needed to vent.

You know the difference between engineers and accountants? Accountants know they're not engineers.

Well garsh. Upon re-reading my OP I realize that my threshold comment sounded like I was referring to the previous client passing away. What I meant was I was close to the firing threshold. But a few of have given me an alternative to maybe think about.

My BFF @Possi and I met on TheTaxBook site, and have all but left there because of the abrasive personalities of some. Can't tell you how much we both enjoy the company here. Also, every time we want to kill someone we call one another and vent. Half the time we can't even hear what the other is saying because we're laughing so hard. Snorting actually. "Laughter does good, like medicine..."

I was about to fire a couple (longtime friends, too) who argued over $4 depreciation difference between what QB said and what I had (on $20K depreciation for lots of machinery for their business). Fortunately, they hired a new bookkeeper (old one left) who raved about a CPA she did some work for, whose office was next door to the kids' day care... Rita would probably tell us it's OK to kill those clients!

Yes... I fired one for arguing over an $8 carryover in AMT adjustment. Because it didn't match "his" TurboTax result. Because TT is perfect, you know? Sheesh...

Haha, thanks Judy! Yup, my join date is the date the forum software was installed. I just checked and that's also the day I registered the atxcommunity.com domain. It probably took me another day or two to get everything set up, and I think KC was the next registered member on the 11th. 36 other members followed that same day, thanks mostly to KC's network of friends.

It's not vulgarity if it's in the ACA Forum.

Since no one responded to the thread for the week of 3/24-3/30, I hope you all like my decision to make @Eric an Honorary Aficionado for putting up with us (probably mostly me bugging him at times), and I'm also awarding him a crown of golden laurels for keeping this forum up and running for the last 11 years. Thank you, Eric! If anyone that has benefitted from this forum has not yet donated to Eric, please consider doing that to help keep the site up and running. If you consider the time another member here may have saved you by providing answers not easily found in other reference materials or sites, or if this site has helped make your season a little easier or more profitable, I think you'll agree that a donation isn't too much to ask.

I guess that eliminates the need for the backhoe and back 40.

Had a new client a few years ago with two Schedule C's. In one he sold a few health insurance policies and the other he received real estate referral fees. He wanted me to split the cost of everything he purchased by their usage between the two "businesses". Printer cartridge it should be 31% and 69%. Envelopes should be $26% and 74%.... and so forth. I tried to explain the IRS didn't care. He was a one year client.

I have a new client this year that will not be back. The conversation went something like this this morning. Guy has a very small Schedule C. Me: You owe $96. Him: Why do I owe? I had enough medical expense to offset my self employment income of $10,400 gross. Me: It does not work like that. But how much medical expense did you have. Him: $6,000 Me: That is below the standard deduction (even with your other itemized deductions) so there is no benefit to that. Him: (In total seriousness) But I had $8,000 medical expenses Me: Still no good. Him: (continuing to be totally serious) But I had $10,000 medical expenses Me: Come and pick up your return and pay me for my work. Him: I am not upset or anything. I just want it to be right. Me: Good bye! In another call this morning - client says she underpaid her state withholding liability by 2 cents. Go ahead - ask me how much I care on April 9th.

I'm in the same shoes as you, dependent student got married last year and will be filing with husband this year, both were dependent and students on parents return in 2016, they are concerned that they should be getting a bigger refund because they are students and that husband received a 2K credit in 2016. I told her if she was not to busy, to review the husband prior year tax return and when she finds the 2K credit to show it to me, if i read the IRS rules correctly, the parents should claim the credit not the dependent, in this case student son did and received a 1k credit. If I get frustrated, client gets fired, that's that.

I'm fairly sure KC was the one who alerted me, too. I joined on Apr 14, and by that time there were over 100 members. This community grew exponentially from the outset. It is truly unique, thanks to the efforts of Eric and everyone else who cooperates to make it the special resource it has become. Being self-supporting and not subject to the whims or domination of a single company, it offers a rare level of independence. Thank you, Eric.

My husband is my rock! He does most of the housework and all of the cooking. I learned that I needed to do my own laundry, because every tax season I would lose something that I loved to his love of bleach or shrinkage. He acts as my receptionist by greeting my customers and they love to talk to him. They look at his garden and flowers. He has even washed a client's car, because she joked about it while he was washing ours. He takes wonderful care of my mother. and is more patient than my sister or I . He handles most of the people when they come to sign after I've talked to them on the phone. Last week, a couple had an appointment with him and showed up 45 minutes early while he was out. I had just stepped out of the shower when I heard the driveway alarm, threw on sweats as fast as I could and ran outside barefoot and with soaking hair to get their signatures. That is one of the things that I hate the most about working at home. When I had the office, they would just cool their heels in the lobby. I am very lucky that he can do pretty much anything. His heart is getting weaker, but we just take one day at a time. For something funny, my mom told my sister today that her back was hurting because she has a bone sticking out of it. Heather checked and it was her shoulder blade. We laughed for a long time this afternoon about that one. This has been a terrible tax season, but I'm learning that there are more important things in life to worry about and my family comes first. I could not do this without all of you. All of the tax people that I have worked with have either gotten out of this rat race, retired or have passed away so I am so grateful to Eric for establishing this board. Thanks, Bonnie

I am seeing a good two-thirds or more of my clients will be better off. BUT. I am also seeing MUCH lower withholdings from too many people who have not changed W-4's. We are warning people to check that! The cynical side of my brain says it's deliberate, so that next year people are angry about a tax CUT. 'Cuz yes, not one of them will remember $50/paycheck more in their pocket - they'll just see the balance due when they're used to getting refunds.

My tax star would be my spouse.... While I am in the office on a Sunday until 11pm, she brought in dinner both nights for us. I carry the laundry downstairs, she get it thru the cycles and then I carry back up stairs. And she supports me in so many other ways as well. I am one lucky guy. Rich

I'm really, really tired with the end in sight of this torture. I'm being lazy and not working at the moment and decided to share random bits and pieces of my week for fun. Lots of people are now taking off their shoes when they visit my office. I may have to buy some new, pristine socks and take mine off too. That would be better than the client that showed up early when I was still wearing my slippers. I delivered and visited with a long time client and his wife that use to be one of my larger business clients, now retired. The wife gave me a giant chocolate bar with hazelnuts. He made the appointment for late morning because he knows I work late into the night. They had fresh coffee waiting for me too. Do they know me well, or what?! My state acks were really slow the last two days, some taking almost 48 hrs and I started obsessing over it. I know I'm not the only one. I'm playing the numbers game, checking how many more, how many extensions, how many days left. I know I'm not the only one doing that either. I surprised my husband by cooking breakfast for us this morning! I'd be living on instant food or microwaved frozen dinners if it wasn't for him preparing meals for the past couple of months. Next up for the day is laundry, because... well, you can guess why. Share some fun stuff if you are so inclined.

April 9th...I'm looking for something fun to share. Nothing jumps out at the moment, but I should have something on April 18th.

Well deserved!! Way to go, Eric!

Or maybe everything in the ACA forum should automatically be considered a vulgarity unless it is off-topic.

I stumbled across this 14 April, and have been grateful ever since! Thank you, Eric!

Thank you Eric for your time and effort to this forum.

My husband is wonderful. He has been doing laundry, picking up take-out when needed, is fine with heated soup and half a grilled cheese sandwich - or just microwave oatmeal - for dinner. As for fun stuff - this afternoon my eyes felt gritty and burning from too many hours staring at computer screens and not blinking enough (and I ought to know better, after years of working in electron microscopy and learning about "raster hypnosis" the hard way). So I took the *entire* afternoon off, and went and had a pedicure. Fell asleep sitting there, too! We start tossing everyone (including the ones we are certain we'll finish) on extension first week of April. At this point, we have people to finish but ALL the pressure is off. Some folks we'll probably email coupons to mail in with payments. If we get to it. In fact, I should go call an elderly lady whose return has been done for three weeks. I have called and called - she is never in (social butterfly that she is!) and never listens to her message machine. So if I don't catch her "live" she'll never know they're done. OTOH - neither has she called to fuss about why they are not ready.

If I could, I would nominate my husband for a tax star. He knows nothing about doing taxes. If it doesn't come in an envelope labeled "Important Tax Information" he doesn't even know that it goes with the stuff for our taxes. BUT - he has dinner ready and serves it to me whatever time I come home. He has been trying to do my laundry for me for the last month and a half. He doesn't nag me to come home early, or expect me to have energy left over to do what he wants to do when I do get home. He cleans the house and mows the yard now that he is retired and I am not. If I decided tomorrow that I have had enough of this and wanted to retire, he would be all in favor of that. But if I decide to keep working, he is fine with that too. This has been the hardest tax season for me personally that I have ever had, and he has made it possible for me to get up and face it. I am so lucky!

It's a fake alert that causes a popup or tab to open. I had that one last year that talks, also on FF. Shut the browser down through task manager, clear the cashe and cookies and it should go away. Mine went away. If in doubt, run scans.

Congrats to everyone that can coast. I had some popup terrify me with a Red screen and someone yelling through my speakers about that my computer may be infected.when I wasn't even touching my computer. I was using my old fashioned calculator. I dont know how it got through Malwarebytes and AVG. I got out of it quickly and called my IT guys who just told me to shut down and clear the cache. It seems to have worked so far. My mind just does not need any more stress. I don't have the land that Rita does, but I am seriously considering a wood chipper and going all Fargo on some people .

Well, I just finished listening to Ride of the Valkyries so this is definitely a change. Thanks!

Good golly. Has it been 11 years?!?!? I joined 4/14/07. Haven't been around much the last couple years due to health issues (me and my wife) and the press of also pastoring a small church. But I've benefited tremendously through the years. I've donated before...will immediately do so again. Gracias, amigo!

Where is KC? I miss her. Tom (April 13th, 2017, day 4 of the forum) Modesto, CA

We should have a swearing forum where we can just cut loose, with a warning before you answer.... or just do what Rita and I do and swear in private messages.

I joined the 12th and was SO glad to find you! I forget who told me - probably KC.

ProSeries also has a tax planner, and I have used it more this year than ever. I was not surprised that most people come off better under the new law - that had been my understanding from the media all along that the immediate benefit was for everyone. I am waiting to see if the changes that benefit the lower income and middle class taxpayers remain in effect when they are set to expire. Congress has a way of making changes like this continue rather than being known for raising taxes. The only people I am noticing a negative or no impact for are those who itemize, and especially if they have large employee business expense deductions. But I am not sure how accurate this planner is this year, and I know it tells me nothing about the state. Does anyone make a planner that includes state income tax effects?

I just realized that, if I recall the date correctly, it was 11 years ago yesterday the date that CCH shut the official forum down on us and led to the formation of this unofficial community. I don't know exactly when all of the details were ironed out for this site, but if we use Eric's join date of 4/9/07 as the anniversary date then the star award is all the more fitting. Thanks again, Eric!

If I said what was on my mind about some of the returns and a couple of clients, I'd rack up so many bad points that I'd probably have to ban myself!

I use the ATX planner for virtually all of my clients. I think it's important to plan for the following year and try to avoid any surprises. The packet I prepare includes a copy of the planner and there is a sheet that provides an overview of how it compares to the current year. My clients know to contact me if there are any significant changes throughout the year. Whether they contact me is another story. As I use the planner, I've noted that the vast majority of clients are benefiting from the new tax plan. I would say at least 80% are being impacted favorably. That surprises me a little, I guess I shouldn't listen to all the doom and gloom media stories about how the plan will turn out to be more negative than positive. Obviously, time will tell how much of an impact it will have on the deficit, but for many of my clients, it seems to be working in their favor.

You (we all) just can NOT save some people from themselves...

The S Corp was closed, and the new EIN is for the LLC. She's a doctor, not a tax pro. Poor thing.

But remember they adjusted the withholding tables so the bottom tax line may be better but if the withholding is a lot less they may owe next year. they won't remember that received a bigger check each payday. I do the planner and highlight the tax line and tell them to watch their withholding.

I've been running a similar presentation even for those clients that don't usually get planning. Drake has a comparison report available in the planner that can be presented to compare back to the actual 2017 return. For just about everyone I've been hitting the highlights of the 10K SALT limitation on Sch A, the increased standard deduction, elimination of the personal exemptions, the change in tax, and that many are in a lower bracket. For those whose income varies, I mark it hypothetical so that they can see the effect *as if* the same level of income and deductions should occur next year, and use it to inform them of changes they might expect to see on next year's return. I'm also telling them to continue to keep receipts for itemizing since DE allows that even while using the standard for Federal, and our legislature will be meeting soon to work out the next year's budget because we operate on a 6/30 fiscal year. It meant extra time with each client, but I do think they appreciated the comparison report as an easy visual aid to see the effects on their returns so there aren't big surprises at this time next year.

I could eliminate those points and take away your bragging rights if you prefer.