Leaderboard

I've been around for a few years but I'm Irish and stubborn so have rarely asked for help. I'm also a one woman band here so rarely chime in because (I apologize in advance) I read daily to learn yet have little time to help. Unfair to all of you that I take yet I don't give. I learn something new every day from each and every one of you. I've done taxes since 1987. I remember peeling the label off and sticking it to the blue form at the kitchen table. I went computerized with a software called Pencil Pushers and I loved it but it went away. Then I turned to Lacerte. Too expensive so I switched to ATX which led me here. The debacle of 2011 sent me back to Lacerte but I'm grateful my short time using ATX introduced me to this incredible group of people. I lost my partner in 2018. Not my business partner but the man I simply adored so 2019 season was a shit show. Sorry if I'm not supposed to say shit. I work from home. Every single day people came in and asked "where's Eric?" I had to say "dead." 2020 was business as usual until it wasn't. 2021 has been the worst I've seen in 33 years. No one in my office. Meeting in the driveway. I won't even list the insanity of the government because I've been here daily. I know you know. I guess this post is to simply say thank you for getting me through another year. Thank you for sharing your knowledge. Your struggles. Most of the time you were helping others but you were also making me feel less alone. Going forward? I'm probably downsizing because I'm old and I'm tired and I'm furious to have done such hard work for so many years only to have them make my life and my job harder. I wish all of you a week on the beach with your family. Or the mountains. Or wherever. Most of all - I thank you. From an old woman in upstate NY who's been doing taxes way too long and still trying to do her best. My sincerest thanks

That pretty much sums it up for me, too! Stay well.

Yes have to agree after 44 years. Special thank you to Eric to keep this board open and running and Judy for watching our tone. Yeah we made it but at what cost. Everybody take a break. Extensions will keep most of busy when we don't wanna be. Me for one.

I came here to post a "WE MADE IT - THANK YOU ALL" note and there's nothing more to add. You may not post often, @Patti in Upstate NY, but when you do, it's spectacular. Thanks for being a lurker/rare-poster here. As for the rest of you - I cannot begin to say how grateful I am for each and every one of you. And - WE MADE IT!!! By the skin of our teeth, but we made it. Praise God. By this time next year, there will be a little more room - from settling, of course - in RitaB's back 40, too, so we can do it all again. Taking a few days to recover and we will y'all here for extension season. And, of course, to report on the new grandbaby once s/he deigns to appear. My poor daughter is SO ready.

Ach die Irisch. I had thought to post just such a thank you note but this lady has done it for me.

Wow... NICE post. I am glad this season is over for me. I also want so say thank those who post questions and thank those who take time to answer our questions.

If you like TN, you might like the area of Virginia I live in. This is a beautiful state to live in, and I especially like the views of the mountains that we have, plus I am close to Smith Mountain Lake. And after this past tax season, I will make you a good deal on my tax business.

Catherine, When I used to visit my family in Stoughton, the Dunkin Doughnut ruled. They are better than Krispy Kreme. Now, here in the South, Krispy Kreme is king. But like you, I'll pass as well and they are less than 30 minutes away from me. Artery plugging death wad.

Once the work goes back to a lighter load, each year I go through an adjustment to my new schedule. I don't have any current personal works in progress, so I'll have to get something going soon so that I don't end up wandering aimlessly around the house or yard. My husband just watches and smiles knowing it's going to happen.

My vote would be for Virginia. Tom, you and wife should tour the state. It is beautiful and has something for everyone with its diverse georgraphy, climate, low cost of living in some of the areas, and very friendly people once away from the I-95 corridor. It is more blue-leaning than most of the others you've listed, but again, that is mostly in the metro area, and I don't think you'd be unhappy a little further west of that.

For a plain donut, or even lemon-filled, I prefer Krispy Kreme. But Dunkin has the best cake donuts and reading Catherine's list I am really glad that i am a 45 minute drive from either.

Dunkie's!!! Their donuts are terrific. I'll treat myself maybe once a year to a real one. Boston Cream. Or chocolate filled. Or honey glazed. Or - well, maybe I'll just stop right now. I do get boxes of Dunkin' Munchkins as our post-pistol-match treats - they split up among all the participants better than full size donuts. 'Course that's hasn't been an issue running postal matches, so my waist is safe at least until fall.

TN and WV are beautiful. TX has a lot of variety, but it's hot and humid. Visits to NV don't have me wanting to move there. And, I know nothing about ID.

The lowest taxed state including all taxes is "West Virginia"

For comparisons, this is something those who live a mobile life consider often (domicile). An RV group, Escapees, has been on this topic for decades, and has some good information to review. Search "escapees domicile".

I should try that because I never win anything!

Fresno State vs UCLA at the Rose Bowl. A bucket list item gets scratched off this year. NATP Tax Seminar (Live) in Las Vegas in September. Time to start using the Travel account again in my GL again. I don't think a suite is extravagant, since the buffet does not come included. Maybe there will be live stage shows again (saw Jersey Boys last time we went to Vegas for a tax seminar). Seriously considering leaving California. It is not the state I grew up in, nor the state I have called home all my life after this pandemic. I won't submit myself to these violations again. Looking at Texas, Idaho and Nevada. I can't convince my wife that Tennessee is as beautiful as she is. That would be my choice, but I don't get a full vote. Tom Modesto, CA

I didn't think there were any Krispy Kremes near me but there is one about an hour away. Here's one of my favorite songs that just happens to mention Krispy Kreme. I think you'll like it, too. Enjoy!

The cliff is $150K for all filing statuses. The income needs to be included on the return. The exclusion will be subtracted out separately.

It is strange the same rules apply to MFS and MFJ. I would definitely report the husband's unemployment compensation and let the program calculate the exclusion. Not sure what software you're using.

Don't know which version of ATX you're using but Drake's early renewal price is quite a bit cheaper than ATX Max.

Yep, $150,000 cliff for every return. So, if one or both spouses can get below $150,000 by filing MFS, then one or both spouses can exclude up to $10,200. Of course, then they pay you for two sets of returns and pay the higher MFS tax rates and could lose a tax credit or two, so you have to run the numbers (and charge them for your research!) to see what gives them the best overall family outcome. This is one of the many reasons that it's taking me more time to prepare EVERY return this year!

Christian, you might want to read the posts in the OLT subforum here, including those by Terry D. He stopped using that several years ago and now uses Drake.

Terry D used to use OLT so you might want to communicate with him. The only other programs I would consider would be Drake and Tax Act.

I normally renew in May. This year I want time to investigate OLT software and think I will simply wait until I have adequate time to check it out. Over time I note other forum members got the same 10% from ATX even as far along as November in the year but don't know if this is correct. I believe they negotiated it with their rep. Price is a significant aspect of a small home based tax business and WK keeps jacking it up even in the face of the increasing coopetition small preparers face from free file and the like.

I can decide between Cancun or Puerto Vallarta in July.

For the first time in quite awhile I screwed up on a client return. I apologized and advised I would return their fee. They were gracious and refused only to find I had later saved them a bunch on an item they had overlooked. This has surely been the most screwed up tax season I personally have experienced in almost forty years of being a taxguy. Now the Congress is going to rehash preparer oversight. The last time around I drove in excess of 150 miles to take a test which embodied very little of what I see each tax season. The test center was located in a non-descript tiny strip mall buried in a large metro area which took ages to locate. I passed but to this day I am unsure how I did. At last I can now address the plant world overwhelming the yard.

I started working on my van yesterday. It's been sitting for two years, since it came back from Burning Man in 2019. We are wondering if it still runs (1989 Ram 300). If there wasn't such a shortage of used vehicles, I'd look for a trailer & a pickup truck to pull it. Ah well, if it doesn't run, I'll figure something out.

Just under two hours for me, but I also think I'll pass.

New grandbaby, due ANY DAY NOW!!!!! should keep me busy. I avae never had so many PITA clients as this year. Even generally good clients turned into client-zillas on occasion, and every referral client from existing good clients was someone - well, let's just say it's a good thing I live so far from RitaB, or her daisies would be super-fertilized this year!

More leisure activities are on my calendar. This tax season has been too long, too hectic, too stressful, and felt like two seasons in one. I'm looking to go to a better place before too long. I hope all of you do too.

Agree, wife filled up honey do jar. Yard looks like a jungle. I just do not know where to start. Maybe extra hour of sleep?

You should google "next winning lottery numbers" with the luck you have. It amazes me every time how good you are. Tom Modesto, CA