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There is a time and place for Roths in a financial plan. There is a time and a place to do conversions (very low income years). Conversions are not the solution to all financial and tax plans. Tom Longview, TX

I was really worried about how this was going to play out, but it's really not hard at all. After installing ATX there's a QR code to register with an app or web extension. I always have my phone with me so I chose an app. I went with 2FAS as they don't require any of your personal data. Once downloaded, and the QR code is scanned you'll receive a 6 digit code to enter into ATX. The codes refresh every 30 seconds. When you open or if you have to log back into ATX for being idle or whatever you will repeat the same process, enter your password and then a screen will ask for the code. Open the app And it will be there to enter. I have to have the steps given to me normally, so I hope this helps someone.

I guess we shall see in about 90 days!

IRS MeF operational status page: "Start-up for Business Returns will begin Wednesday, January 15, 2025, at 9:00 a.m. Eastern time." Date for individual returns: TBD

I've been doing taxes a long time. Makes me wonder if I started all over again as a green person, would I choose to become a tax preparer knowing what I now know? Will there be a supply of new preparers to replace us when we quit or retire? Getting into the business now is worse than several years ago. In addition to tax law which changes more rapidly (thanks to Congress and politics), there are now requirements which drag us into a modicum of IT. And EA requirements because the laws change so frequently. And dealing with the IRS is no great pleasure of life either.

I know this is a stupid question, but since we went to 2FA, will ATX stop making us change the Password every 90 days? Seems redundant. Tom Longview, TX

Does the client even want to declare as single or are you presuming? Is his wife a US citizen and filing returns in the USA? My wife's ex-mother in law (they still talk all the time) has been legally separated from her husband for about 30 years. They talk 2x per day, see each other several times per week and she takes him to doctor appointments but they can't stand living together.

No qualifying dependents for HOH, right? MFS is the default; MFJ is a choice that must be made by both. Will she sign a MFJ return? Sounds like your client is MFS. Unless AL has a legal separation, maybe based on abandonment. He can afford a lawyer to explore his legal options. But, you said he will NOT divorce her.

Agree with that. Disagree with that. The OP implies that cost were minimal or maybe never taken into consideration. But at any rate each tax year stands on its own regardless of how it was handled in the past.

While my backup "game" was likely more detailed than 99.99% of the world, I stepped it up again this week. I added a NAS to my gadgets. As I discover and prove I am comfortable with what the NAS can do, I will be able to rid/repurpose a few gadgets. With proper encryption, you can leave your data on your front porch or even hand out USB sticks to your local hacker, and it will remain safe (maybe not against a group with national type resources and time, but those are not my concern at all). I doubt the IRS investigates or would want to take on an entity like Google by making a statement prohibiting using gDrive for storage. Few, if any, hacking groups are after the data you or I have, since what you have, even if it was 5000 clients, is worth their time. For me, I keep no card information, so hacking me would be a waste of time too. My concern is being able to get back to work in as short of time possible.

I seriously doubt it as that's a frontline security step and the 2FA is a backup

Yeah, I have clients who avoid spending any money with Attorneys, no matter what

I have nothing of substance to add to this post. I just want to say thanks for posting. I learned something. Tom Longview, TX

If you are going to research this, the name is "Gillmore" and you may get more hits with the proper spelling. I have no personal experience with this, but found these interesting, for whatever they are worth: https://law.justia.com/cases/california/supreme-court/3d/29/418.html https://www.willicklawgroup.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/Gillmore-Gillmore-and-Trustee-Pay-over-Orders.pdf The second one is an older blog by an attorney that references the Dunkin case and that lays out different clauses that could have been employed but that Dunkin did not use that possibly could minimize tax impact, differences in tax brackets between the parties, and specific "tax intent" language. From reading all of this, it seems to me that you should look at the actual document that your client agreed to. I could be very wrong on this thought also, but it seems to me that this type of arrangement may fall under IRC sec 1041 that deals with transfers of property incident to divorce, and because the heart of the Gillmore decision is that one spouse can't take actions to deprive the other party to division of assets to which that other party is entitled to (by refusing to retire). That's a long-winded way of saying I don't know. Sorry & good luck! Maybe someone else has experience that will clarify, and hope you will post what you find out.

I had a client who didn't want to pay an attorney to represent them in a divorce since it was "cut and dry", so he just signed the paperwork from the spouse's attorney. The client had a nice pension from the state and they had to give half to the ex. The ex filed the paperwork with the state and started to receive half the pension. Tax time came and the 1099R was for the entire amount, including the wife's share. No QDRO was filed with the divorce decree, so he was stuck paying the tax on the ex's share. Ex refused to reimburse for the tax owed on their amount and it cost the client twice as much in attorney fees to straighten it out than they would have paid to do it right the first time.