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Crazy thought. Had a lady bring me her information on Monday and on Wednesday I delivered to her a list of questions which she acknowledged. Today she's wondering what refund she'll get even though she didn't answer any of the questions. You took a $15k IRA distribution and withheld no tax and you think you are getting a refund? Daughter of a client asked for a copy her mother's 2020 tax return. I said I need proof of POA so she sends her brother a request to order me to provide a copy. Her brother emails the same request and puts POA after his name at the bottom of the email. These are highly educated people.

Judy, we all feel your pain because it is ours, too. I swear the electronic signature option, IF they can figure out how to access (what is my password? how do I find it?) at least the directions and CONFIRM with a click and moving to the next place is hard to overlook. How many times have we all gotten forms returned with those SIGN & DATE HERE arrows still stuck to blank areas? Shaking my head.....

I swear, people are getting more stupid by the day, dumb as rocks, and wouldn't be able to find their way out of a paper bag! I've had to email a few long time clients re-instructing them again that I need the signature forms back before I can e-file. These are always on the outside of the folder, signature lines highlighted, and with a colored slip clipped to them on all of the ways the form(s) can be returned to me. One is a recent college grad and daughter of existing client is apparently just like her dad and only reads parts of the email. The part about signing the 8879 was in larger text and in bold. What did I get back? "Thank you for providing the document files." So I waited a couple of days before following up and the next response was "oh, I didn't know I had to sign anything."

Really, I just googled "IRC & early withdraw penalty" and looked down the list for the code reference. For something like that, not real research but to find the proper place to start, google is a lot faster than opening and logging into the research materials or pulling out a book.

Daily, I get a complaint that a new employee has no FWH. The employer usually even says they claim no allowances. I have to try to revisit the W4 change, there is no provision for allowances, and those who used to claim 0 or 1 allowance need to add additional withholding. Usually still my “fault” even when I go over Pub15T with them. Daily I am also getting complaints that my calculations are wrong because an employee is griping they had to pay for the first time ever. I too look forward to the filing deadline, and while bothersome for tax preparers, still firmly believe tax preparers should be charging for and helping with W4 forms rather that giving unusable advice such as withhold 10%, or no advice at all such as “submit a new W4”. Of course, clients don’t want to pay for services, so I get the push back, but having an amount withheld above the penalty level and right about the amount owed would benefit the client who is wise, versus clients who rate preparers on the size of their refund (tell them to use the higher withholding option and add several hundred additional <smile>). Grand toddler always puts things in perspective for me. Limiting all support to written form has changed my attitude the most. Prevents misunderstanding (or at least shows the proper information was given) and not as many go on written tirades.

I'm so sorry. I feel you. It's pretty bad. I find that I'm not holding my tongue very well. A client called me out of my office (staff came in and said 'client x says her return isn't accurate') to tell me something preposterous about why her refund should be larger (some 'folklore' tax rule). I looked her straight in the eye and said, 'who told you that, your hairdresser'? After a moment of stunned silence (from both her and me) where I thought she might take her things and leave for ever, she burst out laughing and apologized. Another client emailed me 3 times this past Sunday morning and texted me twice (call me crazy, but I do not respond to email from the sanctuary). After the service, I finally responded to him with 'why aren't you in Church'. No response, but he did send additional emails later in the day, so I assume he's still okay. I might not get so lucky next time. I need some 'be nice' pills.

Last year, I had a client who moved sold their house and bought a new house. so everything was handled via email. So I asked them for copies of their closing statements. They couldn't figure out what to send me. Finally I went online and found three different samples of what closing statements looked like and emailed those copies to to them. One spouse has a PHD and the other spouse has a MS, both Degrees in Education. Finally I received copies of the closing statements

Thanks mcbreck, I really needed a good belly laugh. Now I have a big smile on my face

Agree with Lee. I've had the Web Library Plus for several years, and while it's convenient to click a link from within Drake's program, I don't use it much and mostly look online when needed.

Some people will take a mile if you give them an inch. This year seems worse for some reason. I've always charged on a per-form basis as I'm terrible about tracking my time. I've spent way to much time on what should be the simplest of returns simply because they can't or don't want to keep track of things like what they paid in child care. I've decided I'm going to raise fees around 30% next year and then give a substantial discount to those people who can follow simple instructions of what to bring.

Last Friday a client called and started reading to me the instructions for filling out the w-4 form. When he started with the "exempt" I said "You are not exempt", he paused and continued reading. I shouted "you are not exempt" and it confused him. I'm not taking responsibility for their W-4 form in April.

Well, at least give her the bottle, maybe the Skittles, too.

Don't cry Catherine...It be all better soon....

Others procrastination does not equal emergency on my part. A few years ago I decided that clients that wanted to drop off/place docs into portal after a certain date (this year it was March 31st), I inform them that I do not have the time to complete their return by the due date. I am willing to file an extension for them and I can start on those returns after May 1st. Decision is up to them what to do. Most agree. The others can run to other offices and cause them problems. My health, life, sanity is not worth the stress. Not to mention, in order to provide a correct return, I need time and sleep.

Since about 3pm, it has been utter lunacy here. I can't hang up the phone without it ringing again. People who have been agitating for signature documents are only signing 1 of the 3 sent, despite being told in the email with the docs that there are three required. Not optional; required. Colleagues calling who need advice or calming down or both. People showing up at the door, without warning, with papers to drop off. Several of my foreign-based clients decided to send docs too. I'm ready to crawl under my desk with a bottle of whiskey and a bag of Skittles and not come out until May. Except I gave up Skittles (and more) for Lent, so I can't even do that. I really want to scream right now. Rant over. Mostly. For a while, at least.

At least it isn't mid-march but won't these folks ever learn that anytime before April 15 is not the best time to ask for renewal? My price for next year, with that whopping 12% discount is only about $30 more but what on earth is the option for "ATX Standard Processing Download Only" for $80.50? How is that different from anything we've had before once the discs were discontinued? We have to pay extra now to download the software and for standard processing? What is the alternative, I wonder? And whatever happened to the community board on ATX site? I didn't often use it but was looking for something last week and didn't see it. Does it go by another name? Also discontinued? My license expires the end of this year and I really don't want to quit yet but, at 76 and with these annoyances, my clients just may have to move along.

I agree, The Tax Advisor is the "Gold Standard"

I have several writeup clients whose bank statements come on that size too. Actually, I think it's a metric size.

I get best results from articles on https://www.thetaxadviser.com/. I print a lot of those article to PDF for future reference. Very practical examples with clear explanations.

I've never noticed that here on the east coast. Must be a certain IRS location that does that.

What I would like to know is why the *&^*$ does the Treasury print the interest paid on 8 3/4" paper????? It makes everything all scrunchy when fed through the scanner feed.

Okay, took the dive and called The TaxBook. I purchased the Web Library Plus subscription. Because I purchased it now, they gave me 2021 and 2022 for $269.00. That was with the Drake discount. Normal would have been $319.00. They walked me through several research methods, and it looks fairly straight forward.

It says "IRA" and it has the IRA's TIN. Do not include it on the return. If past years are substantial, inform client how much he'd save by amending.

I paid for The Tax Book Web Library for several years. Really didn't like it. Although I do buy The Tax Book Deluxe Plus, which is acceptable. There are so many good online sources that you can usually find what you need with an online search.

In many cases, or most, an employer paid disability coverage is taxable. If it was employee paid, then not taxable. It is something to consider if there is a choice, remembering the employer paid bene will be considered income.

The timing is great but the CPA Academy is holding a free 1 Hour Class Monday morning: TAXATION OF CRYPTOCURRENCY AND NFTs: FOUNDATIONAL CONSIDERATIONS

I cannot imagine being fatigued at the end of tax season being myself full of energy and pep.

This time of year the thing that gets me is the "panic" freakout that you missed something. Was doing a return and freaked out that I'd forgotten to do a trust return for the deceased wife. Scrambled for 10 minutes and remembered they picked that up 2 months ago and the K-1 was on the return. Takes my heart 20 minutes to settle down. Or the person who just drops in, I see them and panic that I can't find their return. They were just dropping off brownies to thank me because I was so quick last month when they picked up.

If they get the EIN there will likely be a letter asking why they didn't file. If they are okay with that, no need to file. If an IRS letter is going to freak them out, file it.

Nah, the IRS knows that trusts and estates often don't file returns. I wouldn't file.

The karma of my talk of 20/day has circled back to me. I just spent 3 hours trying to calculate an accurate basis for someone who sold 2 shares of stock he held in an S-corp for the last 17 years (I was not doing his returns for those 17 years). At least he could look up the original purchase price of the shares and had all of the k1s going back to the initial ownership. The Universe is speaking to me.

One this year; adult child of client. Married, W2 job, new twins and mom stays home so no child care. Sounds like an easy one, yes? Stock options with basis missing (at least not ISO's with two bases) Consulting for dad Consulting for mom Unemployment for mom from before twins were born. The condo they moved out of for a bigger place (with twins on the way) is now a rental. "Repairs" for rental neatly listed but capital and expense intermixed and had to be teased apart. Partnership K-1 Various carry-forwards from 2020 return - easy except he sent me the wrong file three times. Signature pages don't help get carry-forward figures. This one took substantially longer than one would have thought, based on the description at the top. Typical for my practice. Oh, and the parents? Another "Simple" return; they sold their house (a duplex) and weren't sure how to handle the sale because of the rental portion. 2020 NOL not carried forward. Depreciation on all manner of items never taken. Form 3115 needed, as well as amended 2020.

And, those "simple" college kids' returns, don't forget kiddie tax! So, I can't complete any of the kids' returns until I prepare the parents' returns. So, a family of parents, two kids, and a trust for each kid takes days, not hours. Add a partnership or S-corporation to the parents, and it can be weeks to clean up the bookkeeping, drag all the missing forms out of the family, and prepare all six connected returns before those two "easy" kids' returns are complete. And, nobody remembers to give me their Car Tax.

I think I'm going to go with Schedule C. These pets instead of any kind of herding/farm animal or livestock, and there are no hand-spinners or BBQ places around here that would consider the cats as source material. Not too much fur off of a kitten before it's placed, either.

We are in farm country. I would do schedule f. Keep it simple, unless you want to charge for doing another schedule c. We have several farmers who raise herding dogs along with the usual farm animals and use f. But there is more than one way to skin a cat

The qualification for farming is the production for food or fiber. Cats would only qualify if you are making kitty wool sweaters or supplying a weird BBQ joint.

You guys are so cool and awesome. Wish I could meet all of you sometime in the future!

Several years ago, my main tax work day was Saturday. I could schedule 5-6 appointments in the office and knock them all out if the client had all their documents. I allocated 1 hour for each return with a break between every 2 to catch up on efile, phone calls, email, etc. Can't do that any more. Tom Longview, TX

I know that car salespeople receive "spiffs" on a 1099. In that particular case, it is other income not subject to s/e tax. So, I think it depends on your particular situation.

Cats are not livestock, true. I got sidetracked by the common theme of "raising animals for resale" which she does with her sheep and goats.

MPAI; most people are idiots. On top of which, it's all too frequently the higher-IQ clients who don't read the (very clear!) instructions because they know better. And then claim "I never got X" when you have a reply from them quoting X. Anyone see the Dune movie? (I didn't, but read the book a gazillion years ago.) That Bene Gesserit box thing - take your hand out and you die? I'd like to use that on clients; they try to do anything before reading the directions, they die. Or at least have pain - as much pain as they cause us! (A girl can dream, can't she?)

Each day starts with the best intentions though. "This is the day that I cruise through a bunch of returns." That thought is quickly dashed. :-)

Note what tax ID is on the K-1. Likely it's not the taxpayer's and doesn't belong on the individual 1040. If UBTI exceeds the limit, it's the custodian's responsibility to file the appropriate forms.

Had a client yesterday who sent me back one signed 8879 and two others in a separate message unsigned. When I asked him to sign those too, he told me he didn't get them. Another client asked if he had to return the whole return after he signed it (the one I sent labeled "For your files" as distinct from the first message I sent labeled "Docs to sign and return.") Next year we are sending an IQ test along with the client questionnaire.

I would put that on Sch C. I don't see any connection to cats and farming because cats are not livestock.

I reach my limit at about 5 1/2 hours so I consider 3 returns a good day

love how these companies can't be bothered to put the codes in - leave it to the tax preparer.

I spent 15 minutes tonight trying to figure out why schedule A infor wasn't flowing thru to the 8829. There's a box somewhere......

On our calendar for tomorrow is an all-day event: "Everyone gets an extension!" Every client whose return is not complete and ready to submit will be put on extension. We'll send them payment coupons *if* we've gotten that far. Not our problem if folks who owe didn't send us their docs in time. Our cutoff for completion by 4/15 is 3/15. That means all docs in-house. Nothing outstanding (missing statement, missing basis, missing DL dates, missing whatever). Which nearly no one meets. But it's in our letter every season, too, so it's not a surprise to anyone. We'll spend the day prepping and submitting extensions for everyone on the list noted above, and then move one with the season, completing as many returns as we can without regard to the 4/15 (18, 19, whatever) date. When I started getting seriously hard-nosed about extensions, a lot of the season-end pressure evaporated. I still work hard, and long, but without that horrible feeling of "gotta get more done!" that hounds us.

Glad to see this post because last month I made a blunder on a NYS return that was so basic for a class of clients that I handle flawlessly on a regular basis. I only found it because of a local return that kept getting rejected. I’ll amend it but I was hard on myself for not being more thorough in my review. And the embarrassment telling the client, that’s the worst.