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I had omitted this link - " https://webapp.ftb.ca.gov/INC/Contact/Ind " It will allow you to email the FTB and get an answer on 21 days, or so they claim. I had to put quotes around it, otherwise it prints the title and not the link.

Try that for USPS express. USPS knows how to get it to a zip+4 "location". The problem will be there is no way to get a signature, if that is what you are after too. Priority is fine for a reasonable way to get status, but priority is barely better than stick a stamp and drop in a receptacle for actual delivery. I might even go to a USPS office and have them print the label, so you can be even more sure the address is in their system. The IRS has funky addresses too, where the address they publish is not in the USPS database (how I print postage and labels directly). The only other thing I can think of is to see if a phone call or fax to FTB will get some sort of more direct mailing address you can try. Many state employees can get mail to their building if one knows the address, floor, room, or whatever gets it out of the receiving room. Patience is tough. If the proper amount has been paid, then I would mail it several ways, and await (without worry) their next response) if any ever comes). Recently, the IRS posted a 941 to a prior (and properly reported) quarter. This resulted in a bill for underpayment for the now coupled up quarter, and a refund for the quarter the form was actually for. I called, got someone who could actually see what happened, and did "something" on their end, and asked me to send amended returns. I eventually paid a tiny amount of something (interest/penalty/stop bothering me fee) and can confirm the amounts were properly applied. I could have contested the fee, but it was not worth the time. I have copies of the original, so I am certain I did not make the human mistake, but things happen since they still accept paper files and use likely antique scan and human review to process. Maybe there was fuzz on the paper of scanner and the tick for the Q was read wrong. --- Same type of stuff every year with WC insurance. I pay a flat fee (as I do not reach their min fee), then pay again for true up for the "other" costs, then I get a refund back as it is sort of a mutual fund type deal (those in CA know what company I mean). Annoying to the perfectionists and helped me get to a "some goes out, some comes back" way of balancing WC figures.

Warning - half venting - half asking for a solution. My client in CA got a notice of balance due. After looking at the notice (which was sent to me a month after they got the letter), I realized that the LLC payment was not applied to the LLC (SMLLC disregarded). The payment was made electronically with the timely filed return and we have proof of the payment came out of the client's checking account. I suspect the payment went to the taxpayer's account and not the LLC account. So I get a POA for CA for the individual and write a letter to the FTB with all the details. Sent the letter Priority Mail. 10 days later, tracking shows it is still not delivered. Go to the post office and they say it looks like it is lost in Sacramento. Sent the letter a second time. Surely they won't lose the letter again. 10 days letter the tracking shows it is still not delivered. Somewhere in Sacramento. Go to the post office and they take it to the manager who is about as useless as tits on a boar! "Nothing we can do - I can't contact anyone in Sacramento to find out where the package is". So I go onto the FTB website and get the address for express delivery. FedEx says they can't deliver to that address! I am at a loss. It seems like sending the letter again via the postal service is the definition of insanity, doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. Does anyone have a physical address for the FTB? Tom Longview, TX

https://www.ftb.ca.gov/help/contact/mailing-addresses.html

Tom, this happened when you replied to the address in the FTB Notice received by your client? You could call the Tax Practitioner Hotline or have your client set up a MyFTB account and reply via your client's MyFTB account.

my bad, sorry. I stopped doing California returns after I was told I needed to pay them $800 per year because I operated as an LLC. Not sure if that is correct, but wasn't worth the trouble.

That is the CDTFA offices. But thanks. Tom Longview, TX

What a nightmare. They recently moved their headquarters: https://www.cdtfa.ca.gov/formspubs/L943.pdf

I've reminded clients to continue to track their itemized deductions even if they use the higher standard deduction because the current law expires after 2025. We won't know what they'll do until they do it. Ha.

The 2106 was heavily abused by cheaters. The main things I like about the current tax law is a high standard deduction, so people don't have to worry about itemizing, and the elimination of employee business expenses. Make your employer reimburse you or find a better employer.

Has anyone checked and NOT in the list? I don't trust anyone so I will not enter my social on those two websites until I know they are good sites.

IRS Commissioner Danny Werfel gave the Keynote Address at the IRS Nationwide Tax forum today. I think he is a nice guy and he is trying, but I am not sure he has the chops to make IRS an efficient government entity. 1. He was very happy to get 60 Billion to spend on his department. Some of that money is going to go to making videos with his cat to try and connect with taxpayers. Mixed message. Not sure that is how he wanted his remarks interpreted, but that is how I took it. 2. He is determined to make the IRS digital from start to finish. He says you can still do things the old way, but I think he is not telling the truth. In the future, I think everyone will have an account at the IRS and the only way to communicate with the service will be virtually. 3. He said something that struck me...They are able to find and audit lower income individuals and small businesses who cheat, but they have not been able to get the larger tax cheats. They are hiring like crazy, but I think he knows he lost too much talent to audit more complicated returns. He blames it on being underfunded for so long that they could not grow the IRS to the size it needs to be, but I think that is just his excuse to get more money from Congress. I think he will try to keep the audit rates "fair" - his words not mine, but I think he knows he can't take on the big Tax Practices that are shielding the income of the largest companies and richest individuals because his auditors don't have what it takes to win. Unless he can pull talent from the big 4 he is going to be permanently behind the eight ball on compliance at the upper levels of income. Just my opinion, not offended if you disagree. Tom Longview, TX

https://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-pdf/p5708.pdf

On the other hand I remember 5 or 6 years ago when the IRS assigned only 1 Revenue Agent to perform a tax audit of Microsoft because they didn't have the necessary expertise to even attempt to audit a company like Microsoft.

WASHINGTON — As data thieves continue evolving their tactics, the Internal Revenue Service and the Security Summit partners today reminded tax professionals of six essential steps to protect their sensitive taxpayer information. The “Security Six” protections offer a relatively simple but important starting point for tax pros to protect their offices, computers and data as well as their clients. These best practices include using anti-virus software, firewalls, multi-factor authentication, backup software or services, encrypted drives and virtual private networks or VPNs. https://www.irs.gov/newsroom/irs-security-summit-highlight-security-six-and-key-steps-for-tax-pros-to-protect-themselves

Efficient Government is an oxymoron. So, you're saying that the IRS's best hope is that the CPAs that are disgusted with the lack of work/life balance at the Big 4 might apply to the IRS. I think you nailed it all. Thank you for your review of Werfel's speech.

Is it the Borg or is it Landru?

Maybe Captain Kirk can talk the computer into a loop. And it will burn itself out.

In The Know With RPO: An Update From The Return Preparer Office. An overview of the Enrolled Agent Program, PTIN compliance, Annual Filing Season Program requirements, and data security responsibilities and protections. Earn up to 1 CE credit (Federal Tax). Live webinar. Free, registration required. https://www.irs.gov/businesses/small-businesses-self-employed/webinars-for-tax-practitioners I have taken a number of their free webinars. The quality varies quite a bit. I have had a few good webinars and a few terrible webinars. They do spend too much time on administrative stuff and other non class related information but they are free.

@Catherine Hmm! I just typed in the same thing on Copilot and got 6 very logical items to check. The did miss one thing, though - it didn't ask if the gas bill had been paid. Oh well. I'm sure it will learn.