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I had to have "the talk" with two elderly couples this year. (Well, one couple and the adult son POA for the other couple.) Huge capital losses in "investments" that are utterly inappropriate for people in their late 80s and early 90s - and no, they did not have those investments the prior year. General warning to ask LOTS of questions before buying anything, and not to accept gobbledygook as answers.

About a week ago on my way to North Carolina, I stopped in at Rita's place in Crossville, TN. Yes - this is the same Rita that hosted our get-together 6-7 years ago. She looked good in her office perched on a hillside. She and I have been friends for a long time and live an hour plus away. And as I was leaving a pretty young lady came in to have her taxes done. Not a lot else to say, but for some of you that came to her place that year - I thought you like to know that she's still doing well, even though she doesn't post much. Just one of the great people who are on this board.

I think Rita's last post was on Feb 22, in a discussion about farming. She said one of her retired farmer clients told her, "You better quit when the cows can run faster than you can."

Rita is one of the best. Hope she comes back to post more often. That summer get-together is one of my very fond memories.

In case anyone was wondering about the outcome of this. I dredged up old documents (that had not yet been shredded somehow) and discovered they got the one that did not need repayment. Plus after some more research in other old files, I recalled the IRS was rejecting e-files for anyone who did not include the annual $500 repayment amount on their 1040. Since that did not affect these folks, that is confirmation of the non-repayable version of the credit.

I had an issue when the IRS missed my renewal. 3 years later I went in to the website and renew and it asked me for proof of my CE. I freaked out and called. When I did, the agent was like "we don't have record of your XXXX renewal". I was like "can I send you over my application and receipt with the date and time stamp? I renewed on the first date the application was on line" The dude was like "you have that available?" and I was like "Of course I do. I can email it to you right now, give me your email address". They asked me to mail in my application and my cc payment receipt from three years prior and in a few weeks I got my enrollment card. I think it had something to do with being the first day to renew on the website that caused the issue. Tom Longview, TX

I heard that it would only be for 3 months, but as long as we can check the box for another 3 months, it's all good.

I just logged into my 2024 ATX Tax program and it required me to use the authentication code. I previously had it as keep me authenticated. Anyone else see this or was this just something that happened to me?

Most of the time my clients will tell me that they have joint custody. And they usually do, in which case I know that it comes down to where the child spent the most nights for the dependency exemption. But with no clearly defined "custodial" parent, deciding who should give whom an 8332 is not always clear.

Loved and Miss Rita and her posts.

Love Rita! I was also fortunate to attend that amazing gathering and visit her again a couple of years later. Good times! Reminiscent of the camaraderie of the ATX group of users and providers in Maine. I'm guessing that not many mega software users do not have such fond memories.

I stay out too, but sometimes you just have to say something. I was called in by one of our CPAs whose clients were setting up a trust to explain to them the tax effects. Talking with them, it was obvious they had no idea why they were doing this. They had limited assets, not much to protect, and had gone to one of those free dinners. I ended up telling them to write down a list of questions and go back to the advisor, warning them not to sign anything until they got answers. Another time a client came in with a dozen 1099Rs. His advisors were buying him annuities and cashing them out for new annuities every single month, costing him enormous fees. That one we just had to call the state insurance commissioner on.