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Over the years, I am certain I earned more by extending credit that by having a firm policy against doing so. I'm convinced that the few losses were more than offset by the additional revenue, especially at times when I was building my business. I've always tried to let my business judgement take precedence over emotions & ego, and this is certainly one of those areas where it's easy to get the two mixed up. Now that I'm approaching retirement, my attitude is more along the lines of "Rather than work for free, I'd just as soon take the time off."

Authorities on the Big Island have advised residents, "Do not try to roast marshmallows over the lava !"

WASHINGTON -- The Federal Bureau of Investigation is asking everyone with a home router to do one small thing: Turn your router off and then back on again. The agency issued a warning on Friday asking home Internet users and small business owners to reboot their routers to ward off a pernicious piece of malware called VPN Filter. The malware infects routers during the first stage of an attack that eventually gives hackers great control over the devices connected to the Internet. The malware has been linked to a group believed to be connected to the Russian military Research from Cisco's Talos security group, published last week, estimates that 500,000 devices around the world may be affected by the malware, including routers made by major manufacturers such as TP-Link, Netgear and Linksys. While the FBI recently seized a critical part of the network that runs this attack, the agency still recommends that everyone reset their router, regardless of manufacturer, to cast a wider net. Simply unplugging your router may not seem like it could do much for your security. But resetting the router sets this complicated malware back to stage one, said Ashley Stephenson of Corero Network Security. In its first stage, VPN Filter establishes a in a router, but it needs to talk to another part of the network to download the second stage of the attack. Now that the FBI has control over part of the network, routers trying to enter that second stage will send information to the agency instead of hackers, Stephenson said. Simply hitting the power button without updating their router, would still put users at risk, software experts warned. As a next step, they should download the latest firmware for their devices and change their password to further guard themselves against infection

In addition under new tax law, employers can not deduct any of the prior law "Qualified Transportation Fringe Benefits."

Just to be clear, the "extra" 5% is in addition to the 10% offer for May renewal and usually, from what I hear, you can get the rest of the year. I'm going out to a big lunch today with the $82 I just saved.

In Missouri you can get a food pantry credit for donating food. There is a limit on the amount of the credit each year so if you are not in early enough you don't get the credit since it has all been given away. I have a client who donates a lot of food to our local food pantry. Twice now Missouri asked for support for the withholding. By the time the return got processed Missouri said he was too late for the credit.

Virginia does the same thing. I even have one client that I cannot e-file the state return because the amount withheld exceeds their parameters for what is normal. And the amount withheld is from a Virginia Retirement System pension. Plus VA changed their account number system a few years (maybe 10? Time slips on by) ago to more closely match the federal. Except VRS is still using the old number and has not changed to the new system. Gotta love bureaucracy.

Nebraska does the same thing. It's almost always the only withholding is from their 1099-R for teachers. It's just a good way to drag out paying the refund.

I might call back and ask why some have gotten this and not others. I'm sure you have an account in good standing and willing to renew early. A little persistence should help. Good luck.

Best news I've heard all day! You don't owe me anything, I'm sure you've helped me thru the years, that's what I love about this place. But if we ever do a northeast ATXCommunity meet and greet, we'll buy each other a drink from the top shelf.

It worked! When my rep said that there had been an email blast offering the 5% from May 16 through 20, I found nothing from ATX during that spell in my Inbox, Spambox or Trash -- but several dozen other emails from ATX before and after. I was even more sure of the omission because I'd been vacationing that week and so had let emails from everyone except clients pile up -- and, yes, still haven't quite got round to cleaning out superfluous emails since then. (Props to Gmail's 15GB limit!) Rep put me on hold to 'see if [he] could still get that special discount' for me, and a couple of minutes later delivered! So, FDNY, what would you like as a finder's fee? I owe you.

FDNY...I agree. Since I don't have much gift tax experience, I didn't know if there was a way to accomplish what he is asking. Since he is going to receive the 1099, I assume he's on the hook for the tax. Regardless, it sounds very messy to me as well, on many levels.

I would say he pays all the tax as he will get the 1099B. He can give out the remainder to his friends and family and file a gift tax return, but this seems like a messy situation to me. He would have been better off just giving out his opinion and let everyone do it on their own. Contacting you before hand would have been the way to go. What if he lost everyone's money? He would be in the doghouse with family and friends with no way to pass along the losses, other than dishing out his tax savings.

Where to get Em...... https://www.elitedaily.com/p/where-to-get-free-doughnuts-on-national-doughnut-day-if-youre-craving-a-sweet-deal-9223225

Thank you Elrod! You're always looking out for your buddies! I marked my calendar.

I have a few who won't pay until next year, but I'm slowly firing them. I really do hate begging to be paid. Once, when working for a small tax and accounting office, I had taken over the bookkeeping for a mechanic's business. I asked him where his "accounts receivable" info was. He said he didn't know what that was. So, I told him that was the account with details on clients who owed them money. He looked at me like I didn't have a head on my shoulders. Then he said, "Nobody owes me money. If they don't pay me when the work is done, well... I have their CAR!" So, if a client can't afford to get their taxes done, I do hold payments until their refund is deposited. But, I AM holding payments. That way, I have very few outstanding.

Call to offer to accept immediate, partial payment -- sounding solicitous about his/her current cashflow problem -- try for definite schedule of remaining payment but let it remain vague if client sounds reluctant to commit. After another month email and call again, if his/her better nature hasn't triumphed. I probably spend too much time collecting from people -- e.g., I have a standard over-30-day-due text to paste into emails, and I extra-scrutinize certain invoices before sending those to a dozen folks from whom I expect static -- but in the end collect very nearly all I bill. I've even had a guy suddenly pay after three *years* of no responses. Good luck.

Have you resent them a bill? About the 3rd mailing I add that if payment is not received within X days - the account will be sent to a collections agency. I don't send it but it gets the attention of those who suffer from distraction. If they don't pay, I assess it next season and demand payment for delivery. If they don't come back - I consider it a loss.

New York State has been playing that "prove your SWT" before we issue you your refund - for a few years now.

Doncha just *love* those! Here in MA the state sends out "prove that you had tax withheld on this 1099-R income" letters where they want a copy of the 1099-R showing MA tax withheld. INCLUDING 1099-R's for Mass Teachers Retirement, where THEY are withholding the tax! How deeply stupid can they be?! No, wait, I should NOT say that - they take it as a challenge!

Not working with my rep