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I guess I am the Pack Rat of all Pack Rats. I still have my 1955 tax return.

My wife and all of her co-workers buy tickets in a pool. I'm bothered more by losing than I am by missing the opportunity so I don't actively participate. If she wins I will participate in the spending.

Stop, stop, this thread is out of control

Yes, I think Joel just nailed the title.

As far as I am concerned, you win!

My CAF number has an "R" at the end, as well. Sometimes on the phone they take it, sometimes they tell me I don't need it.

I took care of this, cleaned up this topic, and moved all of the posts about forcing an e-filed return to reject to gain additional time all to their own topic. Let's keep this discussion about the allocation of land. Thanks.

You can still write down some numbers and check them against the winning pick, though. That way you can still experience the thrill of participation and the disappointment of not winning, but without paying for it.

Just renewed my PTIN. Six digits starting with 1. I guess in my old age I was slow to apply for the PTIN.

Buried deep in a folder, I found my 1982 tax returns a few years ago. Talk about a blast from the past!

My original CAF# (1982) was that same nine-digit format, followed by an R. Due to a mix-up on an address change, I was assigned a different on in 1989, also followed by an R. Then in 1991 I was issued a third one (for unexplained reasons), also followed by an R. So I've always assumed all CAF numbers had R at the end. After a few more mix ups, I was eventually told to use the 1991 number from that point forward. In the process of looking through all that paperwork, I also found a couple of sets of clear plastic overlay sheets I used for many years to drop this information onto a photocopy of Form 8821 after I'd type the client info onto the form with a typewriter. Talk about a walk down memory lane...

Mine has an R after it too. When I'm on the phone, I always give them the R.

I was assigned a CAF and never received the # or mailing but knew that I was assigned one and handled the case successfully. When I realized I didn't have the # to put on subsequent POAs, the owner of the firm wrote directly to a specific person at the Maine IRS office and received a handwritten note back on what looks like a memo pad of ~ 5x8" with IRS letterhead (form 5260 - Quick Note) and attached to a duplicate of the printout with the tractor fed edges. I googled and it looks like this form is still in use for quick, one-page handwritten memos. Anyone else ever receive one of these? What is also strange is that it's a typical CAF of nine digits in the format xxxx-xxxxx followed by the letter 'R' that the computer systems don't need now. Anyone else have letters after theirs, and is this typical?

Couldn't leave this alone, so it occurred to me to look at an old file I keep for a family member. Turns out that until 1998, the only number the preparer could enter on the 1040 was the SSAN. The first year the 1040 made a provision for "SSAN or PIN" in the jurat was 1999, and I began using my PTIN in that initial year. So I suppose the earliest any of us could have obtained a PTIN was late 1998 or early 1999. This also means that for any of us who prepared a tax return in 1998 or before, every time someone threw out old tax records without shredding them, there's been a potential identity theft issue for them and for us lurking in their garbage dump.

This thread got me wondering if I kept my original PTIN application. Haven't located it yet, but I did find a folder with my original CAF number assignment. It was dated Dec 6, 1982. I still have the 2-part form printed on continuous-form paper (holes & perforation on both sides), unburst, with the carbon paper intact. Talk about a pack rat....

I quoted SaraEA to separate her post from the 11th since this part pertained to filing of returns and the other paragraph needed to stay in the topic related to allocating a % of purchase cost to land.

It was quicker than me! I'm up in the 100k range.

The minute I read the e-alert or whatever IRS e-newsletter(s) I subscribe to about the PTINs, I applied: P00005XXX

There's an interesting story about the Cold River distillery. Their vodka is very popular in these parts (pricey but worth it) and a friend of mine became a salesman for them. He said the distillery was started by 4 neuro surgeons from Maine Medical Center who went in partners with a potato farmer and started making vodka. The Blueberry is my favorite and only able to find it in one liquor store. Blueberry vodka,, great way to enjoy your vitamins and anti oxidants.

Mine is 8 digits, beginning with 3 zeros. The first non-zero digit is a 4. I thought I applied for mine as soon as they were introduced, but it appears I wasn't as quick on the trigger as I've been thinking all these years.

I've always followed the theory that my odds of wining the lottery are roughly the same whether I buy a ticket or not.

I had to google that! More of a rum guy myself, but I like a hot toddy in the winter, especially if I have a cold or sore throat. Bought a bottle of Dr. Stoner's hemp based whiskey recently and love that. Also picked up a Cold River whiskey from a small distiller near Freeport, Maine when I was there a few weeks ago, along with a blueberry vodka. Both are delicious and smooth.

Laphroig Lore with one ice cube, please.

I'll call you both and join the club. Mine is also 6 digits with two leading 00s and then starts with a ''7". Extra olive in the martini, please.

That makes us double 0s. Name's Normal. Abby Normal. I like my umbrella drinks shaken, not stirred.

Mine is six digits with two leading zeros; now I feel like a newbie!

I would say 5 Jokers, all wild in this case, you win hands down! That's what I call being audit you can be!

Everything....

I don't play poker, but what would five zeros beat?

If we are playing PTIN # poker, I have a Full House. I am definitely all in !

My PTIN starts with four zeros before four other digits. Pretty low number!

If total taxable pension & SS is 45k then, yes only 24K is excluded from Colorado income tax

Colorado excludes 24k of taxable pension and social security income if taxpayer is 65 or older, 20 k is excluded for under 65. Sorry this is a day late!

Yes, I need to develop a document retention policy and have all my clients sign and choose if they want a longer period retained. I was thinking I'd keep 10 years but give the clients the option to keep as few as 4 years or as many as they wish. I've had to refer back to 10 year old returns before. One problem I have is that my backup provider keeps deleted files forever, theoretically. So a backup would be available in case of a court order. There is a cumbersome process I could go through to remove those files from the backup server... or I could switch to a new backup service after deleting a bunch of old files.

I think Medlin is making a good point here about information you don't have not being used against you. Once we store something electr5onically we tend to keep it FOREVER. Is that really a wise course? Should we be looking for a timeline to delete files as well as the old timelines for destroying files?

For small jobs (not yours) Ship 'N Shred will come fetch and then send you a certificate of destruction. For the larger groups - I'd look for one where the truck comes to you and you can see them dump it into the grinder in front of you.

Our file room is almost empty. We've been saving PDFs of returns and records since 2003. This summer we've been shredding like mad. We use a shredding service that shreds in our parking lot.