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He's only 27?! Rockin' that cradle!

I know, but I was a good straight man, walked right into that.

I sure worded that in a misleading way! He is younger than I am, but not by that much. 27th anniversary this June.

It took me two tries! He's a great guy. 27 years this June. So, yes, I'm very happy and try to smile and thank him when he waters my plants. Plus, it's easy to smile and thank him when he keeps me supplied in chocolates.

Sounds like you're hitched to a really good guy, I'm sure you know that and are very happy because if you look around out there, there's very few of us left.

I provide a SASE with an identifying code only I know above the return address. I use Catherine's method, but also tape the envelope (w/postmark) to the back of the form. Again, I use Catherine's method, but also make the client initial the old date with the current date. Overkill maybe, but I'll be damned if they'll (IRS) penalize me after NOT paying me to do most of their work!

Congratulations Lion. We celebrated our 30th anniversary a couple days ago. Shrimp scampi for dinner. Sucks to have your birthday, spouse's birthday and anniversary all in a 4 week period during tax season. We try to make up for it in the summer. Tom Modesto, CA

649 Monroe Street is the address for Alabama Dept. of Labor Tax ID is 63-0674968 50 Ripley Street is the address for Alabama Dept. of Revenue Tax ID is 63-6000619

Only when I wander OUT of my office to talk. Hubby's supposed to help me proofread and drop off to a couple clients and shop and cook and NOT wander in and talk while I'm working! I try shutting my door, but he just knocks, starts talking, and wanders in -- with his shoes on, so I end up vacuuming. He also waters my plants, which is a sweet idea, but he leaves water on my wood furniture. I love him dearly, but a little less when I'm working!

It's all basically the fault of the laser printer (and maybe inkjets). Those made it possible to print in 6 point or 4 point fonts without a total blur. So of course they are used for exactly that. One really excellent side-effect of being as nearsighted as I am is that, if I take my glasses *off*, it's like having built-in magnifying glasses. Hold the paper four inches from my face and I can decipher anything. Or put my nose near the monitor surface. As long as it's reasonably non-blurry, I can read it. And yes, I look like a total ninny sticking my face up to the monitor.

I don't even know what that means.

You would file a New Jersey Non-Resident Return. The client should receive their entire NJ withholdings back as a refund since the client did not reside nor did they work in NJ at any point. As for the NY, make sure to prorate using the IT-203B form. That will allocate for the amount of time spent physically working in NY.

Yep, I do like Catherine and Judy. I have a few retired clients who mail back their signature pages, and lots who sign and then don't upload it/drop it off through my mail slot for days.

Agree with Catherine. I've had clients sign the form and forget to send it. If it's mailed back late or takes longer than the 3 days, I scan the envelope and any note that comes with it where the client says "oops, sorry I forgot to send this."

To go back to the original question. IF you have signed e-file authorizations, you can't hold them longer than three days. END of story; it's stockpiling. However, if you don't have signed auths, you cannot e-file. Problem solved; don't get the signed forms until the client wants them sent in. When I get auths by mail (or file portal) that are dated days earlier than I get them, I always write "rec'd x/x/xx" in ink across the top. I can't stop a client from signing a form and not bother to return it for a week or two, but I don't want any question of me stockpiling.

That reminds me of my brother and cousin. We were at my grandpa's house and the two of them got in trouble for something (boys being boys). My grandpa sent them out to get a switch off the tree in front. Being smart a$$es, they cut a 3 inch branch off the tree that took both of them to bring in the house, because they knew he couldn't swing it. Grandpa got all the switches off that branch he could and used each one on them. Lesson learned. Tom Modesto, CA

You don't want to waste the AOC, which is only good for four years. If your student plans to keep attending school and only went for one semester in 2020, you might want to claim the Lifetime cr and save the AOC for years when she will have double those expenses. About those book receipts, students today do everything electronically, look at you funny when you ask for records like 1098Ts or bursar account printouts, and buy books online and never think about a paper trail. I warm all parents of new students to demand that they get/keep book receipts. They do come in handy at tax time.

NOT stockpiling is what is required of us as EROs. You have options to provide for your client's benefit without breaking any laws. Simply have your client sign when ready to e-file, for instance. My job as an EA and ERO is NOT to blindly follow the instructions of the client solely for their benefit. It's my job to keep my client WITHIN the law and stay within the law myself. I choose to educate my clients instead of following their instructions.

Not really, Tom. I'm just like everyone else here, working and trying to do the best for the clients and our members here. Many times I look for some reference to steer the person in the right direction without doing all of the research because, after all, I'm busy too and that is the other person's job and responsibility and not mine, so many times I use pubs to give someone that start and don't feel the need to drill down to the regs or code while realizing that it isn't the most authoritative source. I'm wrong plenty of times, lots I don't know, and areas I don't ever want to deal with, but it does amaze me when people will argue without providing some sort of evidence to the contrary to back up their side.

This is why I never argue with Judy. She is an encyclopedia of tax knowledge. We are very glad you are here for us Judy. Tom Modesto, CA

Well, I went back as far as Rev Proc 2007-40 found as part of this IRB 2007-26, that has many other references the tax code regarding e-filing, and it also includes this in section 5:

That's the thing about opinions, everyone has one, but how we react to someone else's opinion is a choice.

You're welcome. Good luck in life if you purposely choose to be so easily offended when someone answers your question.

You could send a copy to the taxpayer along with a note regarding your $X,XXX retainer requirement for being a POA and ask them to submit retainer if they want to continue the relationship.

Darlene, I don't know how you cope with all the chaos going on around you. I couldn't do it. I feel truly fortunate that my client/ office situation is fairly stable and relatively calm. Darn, now I have probably jinxed myself.