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Get a google voice number and give that out as your cell. Then when you get a text, it's already on your computer and you can print the text to a PDF for your records. And set Google Voice to just take messages in case your clients ever call your "cell."

Yep. I'd say I spend twice the time on a new return as a returning client. Looking over prior year for carry overs and obvious errors, needing to type and double check for typos basic info, depreciation if applicable, among other things. After allowing for things like death my retention rate is almost always over 95%, so I guess I'm doing something right.

I think technically if you amend a return before the due date, it is considered a superseded return rather than amended. Practically, you don't need to wait and it would look the same, from what I understand.

Looks like he relied on his software to link mom and son's returns for the 8615, but forgot to recalculate son's return after preparing mom's return. I agree with your analysis of the numbers on the prior year 8615.

Interesting thread; at the other board where I participate, there would have been immediate warnings to not discuss pricing. That being said, there have been some great comments. I left Block "Premium" (now "Advisors") because I got tired of constant complaints from my clients about the pricing. I hated not doing a return the way I wanted because of how the client would be charged (for example $25 for a student loan entry that saved them $10). When I went out on my own, I was greatly influenced by that experience and wanted to offer my services at a fair price. It's meant that I have all the work I want and I can be very picky on whose return I do.

My son set it up so I get texts on both phone and computer. If an android: https://support.google.com/messages/answer/7611075?hl=en Guessing Apple has something similar. Much easier to type with a full keyboard. If I need to keep it, I use snipping tool to save it.

You can delete the texts if they contain sensitive info. It's no less insecure than a text to your cellphone. And having a landline has nothing to do with it. It's just an alias for your cellphone, but you don't have to link the Voice number to your cellphone. One nice advantage is that everyone in the office has the same cell number and everyone can see all the texts and voice messages in one convenient place.

It's on the Open Return tab of Preferences, and it's about halfway down. It's called Display Tax Research Tool Tips. Uncheck that bad boy.

Look under preferences to change it

Thanks for the reminder. I've been AWOL the last couple years due to some health stuff. Now that I'm back in the game, I need to help pay the freight.

I know that I am on the lower end of the spectrum. I agree mostly with Yardley CPA. I charges according to the circumstances. I know I am probably charging way too little, but you have to consider what the market will bear. In Central semi-rural Wisconsin, I don't have many high-class clients. I try to adjust fees yearly; some up and some down. I continue to tell my clients that this business is not all about money. They are first and foremost the most important presence in my office at any given time. I would never think of charging per form, per page or any other set method of pricing. I generally pull a number out of my head based on time and complexity; but I also consider the situation of the client. This might be wrong, but my clients are happy, I am happy and I sleep very well at night.

"As of March 25, 2023, we are updating how you sign up for and access a Business Services Online (BSO) account for the following services: What does this mean for you? On March 25, 2023, current and new BSO users, wishing to use the above services, will use SSA’s Public Credentialing and Authentication Process (eAccess) to access employer services. The first time a visitor goes to the employer webpage after March 25, 2023, they will be redirected to the Social Security Sign In page to start the authentication and registration process. BSO users will need a separate Social Security online account, for example, a my Social Security account that was created before September 18, 2021, or have an existing Login.gov or ID.me account. If you do not have a Social Security online account or a Login.gov or ID.me account, you will need to create one from our Social Security Sign in page. This is a new requirement to access BSO employer services. Once the credentialing and authentication process has been completed, current BSO User ID(s) will be associated with your new credential. Frequently asked questions Can I sign in with my personal my Social Security account username and password? Yes. If you have created a my Social Security account prior to September 18, 2021, you can use the username and password to sign in once redirected from the employer webpage. The username and password will be associated with your BSO User ID. Are there any actions I can take prior to March 25, 2023? If you don’t already have an existing Login.gov or ID.me account, you can create one now. Please note your account will not be associated with your BSO User ID(s) before March 25th. You will need to visit our site after that date to complete the process. Why am I being asked additional identity proofing questions after I create my account? Social Security uses different levels of security depending on the sensitivity of the information being accessed. These additional levels of security are to ensure your information is protected. '

This year I have forgotten to click the "donate" button so that the electricity/maintenance is paid for this site. Please don't make that same mistake and I will click it soon.

NECPA, that's a very heavy load that you are carrying. When you can take deep breath, exhale slowly and give yourself a few minutes of piece and quiet.

I had basically the same experience! I finally called the audit number and they answered right away but could only help me so far - after 1 1/2 hours! she would transfer me. I said another day..

The IRS won't disclose how many employees are still working remotely from home. Sounds like you found one of them.

It's totally free and has been for decades. If you have a google account/Gmail address, adding a voice number is easy. I have two voice numbers, one work and one personal. My SO has one for her cell as well. We give it out to people we don't want having our real cell #.

What is a Google voice number? I suppose you have to pay for it. I have a Google email address in addition to my regular email address. Does the voice (texts) come thru on your regualr Google account? Or do you have to set up a different account?

RitaB !!! Dont give clients your cell number !!! We have clients always asking for our cell numbers. But lordy, if we did we would get bombarded with texts and calls. Especially the pain in the arse ones. We just kindly tell them, "sorry our cell numbers are for friends and family only", please use the office phone or email any questions.

I ran across this site years ago and find it quite interesting. I put in my town and Lion's Fairfield, CT. Her cost of living is close to double mine, so it make sense she should be charging double. https://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/

Not at all contradictory. Who says H&R is market rate? My fees are almost always higher than non licensed preparers. Among one person CPA offices such as myself and EA's, sometime my rates are higher and sometimes lower. Like I said, I charge what I feel is fair. Your comment of I think so little of myself and saying I'm stupid in the post Judy deleted says more about you than about me. Peace out.

Quite a few are posting that they know they don't charge enough. Don't give your work away. If you have spent time on education, spend time on a return and with the client, charge for it. If it takes work and multiple calls and emails to get needed forms or info from a client, charge for it. If a client contacts you often throughout the year with this or that question, don't forget that either when you decide on your fee. I work at a firm and am paid regardless of what the client is charged, so I'm not making more or less money based on my billing. I just try to charge what my work is worth. We all have clients in trying circumstances and don't raise their fees sometimes for years. We probably have a client or two whom we don't charge at all some years. Then there are those who consume our time. Like one I had who asked one month about the tax consequences of selling a commercial rental. Lots of work on that question, calculating depreciation etc. Next month he asked about selling a different rental. After that it was about maybe gifting one or the other or both to a relative. Yes, his tax prep fee that year went way up. On the other hand, a client contacts me every month or two all year with this or that issue. I charge him $1500 for his individual return and don't increase his fee because I feel I'm already being compensated for the extra work. I don't usually charge for help with W4s or questions about potential 401k or IRA distributions either. I'd rather folks ask before the damage is done.

Many of my low income clients are extremely classy, kind and appreciative individuals.

Worked like a charm. A simple error in interpreting data entry. Thanks for pointing out my mistake.

I have some low income clients with a lot more class than high income clients. Per form has always worked well for me. A lot of circumstances I'll give a discount off the set fee, and a handful get surcharge above the per form charge.

Another day in the life of tax preparation

Well as a last full measure of my devotion to our work I again called Senator Bryce's office in Spotsylvania who after a lengthy discussion with his aide decided that any service veteran paid with a pension from the Defense Finance & Accounting Service qualifies for the benefit which oddly enough is passed on to their spouse after the veteran's death. Actually Gail retired Virginia National Guard members do in fact draw a pension from the Defense Finance & Accounting Service. It reads as follows Defense Finance and Accounting Service and in the second line just below U. S. Military Retired Pay.

I've always charged what I feel is fair to both client and myself. My fees are generally well below the national average, definitely less than the H&R's. I don't aim to be the lowest cost, just what I think is fair. The per form fee ended up at $322 which I felt was high so I discounted it by $50. Their kids are aging out, so I spent several minutes with them explaining what credits they will be losing over the next few years. After all that he wanted to know what to do to lower my fee!

Thank you cbslee. It's not flowing to the Schedule D, Line 5. I had to override it. Thank you jklcpa. Yes, the K-1 is marked "final.' And, I marked the K-1 "final' in the ATX K-1 input screen. It's not flowing to Schedule D, Line 5. It's got to be a programming error. I will contact Support. Every year I have some issue with this software. No wonder it takes me so long to prepare a return. Have to check every line of the tax return. Hopefully I won't have to start checking the math! A colleague introduced me to ATX. I think 2004? First year I used the software the educator expense deduction wasn't carrying to NY return. I called her about it. They were not aware of it. Had to amend some of their returns. I know the software is just a tool and it's not a substitute for a professional's knowledge..... Grace

Sent the above to a local colleague, who replied, " Simplexity or Complexity? To be or not to be" To which, in a fit of poetical contemplation and with deep apologies to old Will, I responded: "To be, or not to be, that is the question; Whether 'tis nobler in the mind to suffer The slings and arrows of contradictory tax laws, Or to take arms against a sea of IRS auditors And by opposing, end them. To file - to comply, No more; and by comply to say we end The heartache and the thousand natural shocks That 1040 presentations are heir to: 'tis a consummation Devoutly to be wish'd. To file, to comply; To comply, perchance to amend - ay, there's the rub: For in that compliance of amending what penalties may come, When we have shuffled off this tax filing season Must give us pause - there's the respect That makes calamity of so long a career."

As a CPA and a one man office, who prepares returns on the side, I know my rates are below what is considered customary. I confirmed that after reading through this post. There is no way my starting rate is $500, I'd have no clients. With that said, my rates are based on the complexity of the return and normally my rates are adjusted from year to year, in some instances they may even go down if the return warrants that. However, I know they are generally lower than they should be.

Single, no dependents, no credits, nothing. The return was really just the W-2 wages about $40K, standard deduction, fed and state withholding. Nothing else. Very simple and straightforward. As for the age, I doubt that it was a programming error when that 2021 return was prepared on 4/14/22. The preparer either had a typo or made up a date because the taxpayer did not get the benefit of an age-related deductions. How else would you explain that?

I had a former client return to me after leaving for one year. She went to HRB with one W2 and one 1098. She could not itemize for either federal or state. HRB charged $275, and I have already amended the state because HRB preparer didn't ask her DOB and so missed the extra deductions and credits for older filers. Also, I'm not charging enough....

A fairly knowledgeable retired neighbor of mine has prepared their return on Turbo Tax for years. This year she was unsure about something so she asked for some online advice. Her Turbo Tax fee for their 2022 tax return was $277.

More than $300 but, if well organized, probably less than $500. If lots of messages getting the documents (like the 1098T and answers), maybe more. I bill by time, not form. When it takes a lot of time - begin the return, ask questions, pick it up again, more messages for answers, etc. - it costs the client lots of money. Like the video that's been around, I'm billing time and also expertise.

The ERC credit just made the IRS Dirty Dozen tax scams.

Personally I have no issue with 64-bit Windows, my argument would be if they turn access to the program off after 3 years.

All at the same increased SNAP AND WIC benefits are expiring and millions of people will lose their Medicaid benefits due to the end of the expanded Covid programs.

According to the Tax Book with respect to 2022 Residential Energy Credits, "Costs are treated as being paid when the original installation of the item is completed."

TP has been coming to me since he lost his wife 15 years ago. He is elderly now and is relatively well off. Has a trust that is fairly substantial and a big house in the nice part of the Bay Area. Last year got married at the end of the year and wanted me to file him single. Did MFS and figured I lost him as a client since the new wife thought I did it wrong. Got an email from him recently. "Should we file MFS or MFJ?" I feel like Andy Dufrene in Shawshank Redemption standing on the edge of the roof asking "Do you trust your wife?". Tom Longview, TX

Thanks for all the replies. I'm in agreement with the majority here. However, I can't go back as far as Tom, you got me by one year. But, I disposed of those years anyway. QB never told me that when I bought the bundle for 2021, 2022 version came free. What??? Intuit giving something free??? I couldn't believe it either. Anyway, I've gone to the 2022 desktop version and will run that forever or as long as I can. Just cause they don't support it any longer doesn't mean it won't work. I don't use QB for payroll so that is a mute point. I know Dennis will not agree with me but, let' go way back to when you bought a record or cassette tape, or 8-track for that matter. If you owned a tape player for the house and one in each car or truck you owned, you could play it in as many devices as you wanted. Even in your friends car. I know ATX used to, and Drake still does, you can install their software on as many machines as you want. We are all in business to make money but I think greed gets in the way as well.

As @Donnarae once said, "Zip up your jacket; your heart is falling out."

You don't want to use that trick if the total of the donations is over $5000. Just sayin'.

I hope this goes off without a hitch but I am expecting hitches.

The Roth IRA conversion has NOT been stopped.

So to be clear, Randall's client may be able to do this. Randall, you are correct that the income limit doesn't apply for contributing the maximum allowed for his/her age AND IF is designated as nondeductible as long as the person actually does have compensation that would qualify him/her to contribute in the first place. The income limitation comes into play when they want to deduct the traditional IRA.

Correct. Mine have -0- balance in the trad iras because their financial advisors started from the beginning with these higher income individuals that didn't have IRAs at all, and then have always immediately converted to the Roths.

Had a similar situation only it was 28 trips in total to 10 different organizations. Weill try and remember the 12/31 trick next year.

Shhhhhh....that is our little secret that we don't want to get into the ears of the IRS. Tom Longview, TX

Should have read instructions more closely. If he meets other requirements, he must file it regardless of dependency or not.