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I use Carbonite and it shows me what is being backed up with a little green dot. Even still, I have to check it often to be sure it's being done. So, I'm still a detective, just not a real good one. Off topic; @RitaBdidn't realize that PMS was first documented in the Bible. It says, "Mary rode Joseph's ass all the way to Bethlehem." Or something like that. I'm glad I could validate her. Maybe this can help others, too. You're welcome.

Yep exactly. Know a couple where the guy purposely failed to report income so he didn't have to pay. Filed the MFJ return without the spouse's knowledge or signature. During the divorce the court ordered each to share the tax burden. This was CA and the guy's lawyer dug up all this crap in court regarding community income, community expense; etc. I worked with the spouse in this case. Without getting into lengthy details, we filed equitable relief with the IRS with all the claims of fraudulent signatures; etc. Took a while but, the IRS ruled the spouse does not have to repay any of the tax bill. The guy had 90 days to appeal the decision. He appealed and the IRS still ruled in her favor. I loved it.

We should start a separate topic on all of the things preparers don't do or don't provide to clients that cause huge messes later on. Basis issues is one that shouldn't be that difficult since the tax programs have input and worksheets for this. Another one that is missed and that is not in the tax programs is calculating accum E&P for C corps.

IR-2018-172, Aug. 23, 2018 WASHINGTON — Today the U.S. Department of the Treasury and the Internal Revenue Service issued proposed regulations providing rules on the availability of charitable contribution deductions when the taxpayer receives or expects to receive a corresponding state or local tax credit. The proposed regulations issued today are designed to clarify the relationship between state and local tax credits and the federal tax rules for charitable contribution deductions. The proposed regulations are available in the Federal Register. Under the proposed regulations, a taxpayer who makes payments or transfers property to an entity eligible to receive tax deductible contributions must reduce their charitable deduction by the amount of any state or local tax credit the taxpayer receives or expects to receive. For example, if a state grants a 70 percent state tax credit and the taxpayer pays $1,000 to an eligible entity, the taxpayer receives a $700 state tax credit. The taxpayer must reduce the $1,000 contribution by the $700 state tax credit, leaving an allowable contribution deduction of $300 on the taxpayer’s federal income tax return. The proposed regulations also apply to payments made by trusts or decedents’ estates in determining the amount of their contribution deduction. The proposed regulations provide exceptions for dollar-for-dollar state tax deductions and for tax credits of no more than 15 percent of the payment amount or of the fair market value of the property transferred. A taxpayer who makes a $1,000 contribution to an eligible entity is not required to reduce the $1,000 deduction on the taxpayer’s federal income tax return if the state or local tax credit received or expected to be received is no more than $150. Treasury and IRS welcome public comments on these proposed regulations. For details on submitting comments, see the proposed regulations. Updates on the implementation of the TCJA can be found on the Tax Reform page of IRS.gov. People in high tax states will not be happy about this. When I first heard about this attempt to get around SALT I figured the IRS would do something like this. I'm sure there will be a new round law suits challenging the new regulations. I live in NY and wish the politicians would but as much effort into finding ways to reduce taxes as they do trying to create a loop hole to get around SALT.

I was remote supporting a client for QuickBooks this morning, and after I deleted his duplicate transaction, he asks, 'can you check my backup to make sure my QuickBooks data file is being backed up?' First I looked in QB and it was not prompting for a backup every time you close, so I set that up to back up to his documents folder. When you upgrade QB, your backup settings and some print settings (like check font) do not rollover with your data file. Who knows where Intuit even stores that info. QB should walk you through the backup options the first time you close any new or rolled over data file. The I looked at his CrashPlanPro backup settings and it defaulted to backing up only his user profile. Well, QB uses the Public user profile to store the data file so his QB data file was not even being backed up. He had gone an entire year with zero backups of his QB data! Why, after 40+ years of computer use, software companies haven't agreed upon a single location where all data and user configuration settings are stored so backups can be easily done is a testament to our stupidity. I have several programs that store data in the user folders. Some (like ATX) store it in a hidden system folder (Brilliant!) and others store data and/or settings in the program folder. I'm lucky to have been involved with computers since the mid-70s, but the average user shouldn't have to be a detective to find out where their data and settings are stored and then make sure those locations are included in the backups!

McDonald's would install these regardless of the minimum wage. I smell BS. Besides, if your business model depends on poverty level wages, it's not a viable business.

Congrats, we needed you in the seminar.

The best workaround that I have read about would have the states tax S Corporations and Partnerships at the entity level since state and local taxes on business profits at the entity level are always deductible. I wonder, if it would be possible to structure a state or local tax at the Schedule C or Schedule E level ? Hmmmm

If the property is inherited with a step up in basis, I don't think that depreciation prior to the date of death will have any bearing on the calculation of gain or loss.

Would your answer be different if he paid someone 100 to haul the equipment to the scrapyard and received full price for the goods? Would you take 100 loss or zero gain/loss?

MeF accepts the current and prior 2 years, so the system is currently accepting 2015 through 2017 returns.

Reading this thread drives home the point that I am a total luddite. I was proud of myself this year for simply scanning documents in to dropbox as they came in. ***Sigh***