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I hate Form 8283 with the power of 1000 suns.

"Here are four tickets from the Salvation Army. You see I took 12 bags to them. How much will that help?" "What was in these bags? Did you make a list?" "Clothes, some kitchen appliances... No, I didn't make a list; don't you have a general amount that you can claim?" To myself: "Oh yeah, I have an amount in mind...."

I think these are great. Since there is no date in the text, I would make sure that in addition to being signed that they are also dated. In addition.I would add the Tax Year to which it applies. Otherwise, if a problem arises later, the client could claim it was for a different year.

Great one!

There's one that always wants to hug me and if she does I smell that all damn day. It's one of those super sweet smelling perfumes that kind of smells like nasty bubble gum.

I can deal with the smell of hard work if I have to, but those who bathe in cologne or perfume drive me insane! Definitely a case of if a little is good, a lot must be better - NOT!

Yep, been there Bart. Back when I opened my first tax office I had a partially disabled client who hauled cows to make some extra money. The man was as honest as could be and I still recall and admire his integrity. Always brought his tax papers in one or two of those heavy duty cardboard cigar boxes (remember those?). One year he stopped by right after a delivery and apparently he had a "souvenir" somewhere on his person. After he left, I realized the smell wouldn't go away although I employed most of the remedies you mentioned. Was on the verge of doing an exorcism since that was about the only option left. I finally realized the smell emanated from one of the cigar boxes because a couple of receipts had been handled prior to some serious hand washing. If he'd been audited that year, there would have been a few receipts missing.

I have a couple of Goodwill donees that never report giving anything to any other worthy causes. But yes, every year here they come with a handful of tickets, no doubt expecting me to place handsome values on their spring cleaning. Even now with the std deduction so ridiculously high they will expect some benefit from this.

Yes - years ago I advised a client to take a photo of what was donated. So the next year he came back and showed me the photos - photos of stuffed black garbage bags.

Put a warm corona beer in your hand and people might mistake you for Chaz. Tom Modesto, CA

Yes, as long as the person that set up the IRA or pension would have qualified by being over 59/12 then the beneficiary can take the subtraction.

I've got a couple of those; from whom the wafting essence makes my eyes smart. They have apparently adopted the philosophy made famous by Dolly Parton (in another field, of course); to wit: MORE IS MORE!

Maybe not. It could have been recommended verbally - and then followed up with the prescription later. Or an original prescription was lost and they requested a replacement.

We actually file quite a few returns on or shortly after the 15th. But the first week of April EVERY return gets extended. Then ALL the pressure is off. If we get 'em done and filed, great. If not, it doesn't matter. If I want to leave at 3PM on the 15th and - I dunno, get my nails done - I can leave. If 8879's show up in the fax or the file portal or the mail after that, eh, I'll file 'em the next time I'm in the office.

Then in reality, the son is making a gift to the father. File the gift tax return and go ahead.

Ask and you shall receive . Here is the link for the IRS page listing all of their Interactive assistants : https://www.irs.gov/help/ita Judy, perhaps you could pin this link at the beginning ?

You know what would be great idea. If IRS took all their Interactive pages and put them in one toolbox on line somewhere.

If you use the Chrome Browser, make sure you are updated to the most recent version. If you search, you will multiple stories about the hack which is currently active and simple instructions of how to check and update. The newest version is (72.0.3626.121 )

My browser on my desktop updated automatically. My browser on my android phone and my Chromebook did not. It probably depends on your device settings, so you do need to check and make sure.

I'm with you, John (in favor or a strict expulsion policy). Whether I do 'em or not before 4-15 depends on just how bad they stink up the office. Last guy I ejected (with a firm "SORRY, BUT YOU'LL HAVE TO LEAVE!" ) required half a can of Lysol spray, a full 30 minute running of the ceiling fan, full-blasting A/C, plus some desperate arm-waving of an open newspaper to extinguish and disperse the last air-hanging whiff. __________________________________________ There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. ______ Matthew, VIII. 12

Sounds like you definitely have a full plate, aside from the demands of the tax business this time of year. It's often the case that the caregiver deals with more stress than the patient, or your case the patients. Stress is an enemy to all of us.

I had a client purchased a walk in tub for some $15,000 referencing his wife's medical condition. With no few reservations I showed the purchase as medical equipment and even though having a prescription from his gp told him if questioned he would likely owe additional tax. To my relief he never heard a peep from the Service. My experience has been the Service does not challenge old folks medical costs and I have seen some whoppers over the years.

John, I do have an extension deadline set up in my letter. Currently it is set at 3/8. People are feverishly dropping their information off this week to avoid an extension. I really do put most of the late ones on extension, unless I get a little time to pull an easy forward. I set that date, because I try to work on the more complex ones then so I don't have as many interuptions with appointments. The sleepless nights are probably a combination of working on my own and having two elderly parents and a disabled husband that slow me down somewhat. I have changed my attitude a lot this year and am definitely keeping my stress level lower. After having very little personal life for 4-5 months a year since I was 19, I've slowed down and actually went out of town for a weekend after my son got engaged.

Ditch the sleepless nights. Your clients don't appreciate martyrdom. They will praise you to the moon for getting them taken care of at the last minute, then repeat the same behavior next year. That's how they show you how little respect they have for you or your time. An intelligent, thoughtful person doesn't want a tired, sleep-deprived, frazzled tax preparer trying to rush through their return at the last minute. Common sense would tell them that's risky for them financially and seriously inconsiderate & disrespectful toward you. Lay down an extension policy that puts their feet to the fire. Then you can pick & choose whom you exempt from the policy based upon how simple the return is, how compliant they are in getting info to you, how much profit there is in the return, whether you like their attitude/hairstyle/whatever. The key is to get a firm extension policy in front of them and then do what works best for you. If you're in your office on Apr 15, you should be leisurely reviewing your extension list or surfing the internet. And you ought to be going home by dinner time that day.

Maybe I should change my letter to that cutoff. Since there is only one of me, it would save me some sleepless nights. I have people that just don't find the time to get me everything. Does that mean that you don't file any returns after the 15th or is that a just in case warning?

I do have a green dollar bill bandana...

I didn't realize until re-reading this thread that I'm out of style. For me, it's cargo pants with sneakers, and a casual shirt (usually one of the HABIT outdoor shirts from Sam's). I don't think a tie goes well with cargo pants & big-flap shirt pockets but what the heck - I may just try it and tell them Black Bart insisted it's time I dress up. That 1040 Tie from FDNY might just round it out nicely.

I know, EVERYONE forgets their income: biz, rental, brokerage statement, etc., even W-2 when there was a job change.

Think I've got that guy now - he poured his box of expenses on top of the desk. I said "Great. Where's the income?" The astonished reply: "You want that too?"

I had a client who had back and knee issues. His orthopedist prescribed a hot tub. Client provided me with a copy of the prescription from the doctor along with the invoices for the purchase of the tub. I placed it on Schedule A and moved on. No problem.

I just went through this a few years ago. My research said hot tub cost less increase in value to property equaled medical deduction. But most R/E sites were ambiguous as to value increase, more than a few said a hot tub devalues property. The client ;got an opinion letter from a R/E appraiser that backs up devaluation. We used the full cost and never heard a word - Rx & appraisal were at the ready should it have been questioned. FWIW Rheumatoid arthritis, and client (100K+ income) says she would be on disability without it (After re-reading, my client got the Rx first.)

I was working on an estate return today in which the estate sold the decedent's home (says so right on the HUD). A 1099S with the estate EIN was prepared by the attorney and then negated because he realized the decedent had owned and lived in the home for 2 of the past five years. He actually had the beneficiaries initial the form that it had met the 2-5 year requirement. Ummmmm.....the decedent did not sell the home, the estate did, and neither the estate nor the beneficiaries lived in it. I put it on the estate return even without the 1099S. The state they live in is rabid about checking public records of real estate transactions and is sure to send a bill in the distant future if it doesn't appear on the 1041 regardless of what the attorney thinks.

I don't want to jinx anything but I think the program is working great. No issues on my end.

IRS won their appeal to reinstate PTIN fees. https://www.journalofaccountancy.com/news/2019/mar/court-upholds-irs-ptin-program-201920752.html

Mine is doing it every time. Grrrrr.