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and the part I dislike more and more is working for the IRS instead of the taxpayer - unpaid

My office away from the office is my finished office in the basement of our house. I work remotely from here in the evenings and weekends during tax season. She just came down the stairs and handed me some cheese covered nacho chips and saw my bag of pretzels, bag of Doritos, my coffee cup, my coke can, and my candy stash - all interspersed with the papers covering my desk.. And she laughed as she walked away. It's tax season, right? And I got the Oak Ridge Boys playing on my stereo behind me and my four foot Mickey and Minnie Mouse's sitting in the rocker across the desk from me Does it get any better than this?

Check and see if there is W2 in the return and retirement box is checked.

But, of course, they hardly ever listen. My favorite gripe was the couples who never had enough withheld, but always blamed it on the other one. "Well, I thought he was going to change his." "Well, I told her to change hers." For the THIRD YEAR IN A ROW? Grrrrrrrr

My sympathy to you on the loss of your friend, Jack. One of the worst things about aging is losing those who mean so much to us. Praying for you and for him.

Truthfully, I am not sure why anyone would want to go into this business anymore. Maybe because I am tired, but I feel like I am expected to be an auditor for the IRS in addition to a trust financial adviser, marital counselor, psychologist, secretary, bookkeeper, insurance salesman, and oh yeah, tax preparer. All for about 10 - 15 dollars per hour. With no sleep. No home life. Okay, pity party is over. Back to work.

My husband and mother-in-law work for a high-end chocolate factory. It's "all you can eat" around this office! Plus we work for a bakery/deli who drop off loads of sweets. There's really no sense to it.

Same experience last week. And, I had to tell them that if their son (who is not very motivated) drops out of school; they will be in a world of hurt. Change your deductions NOW!!!!!!

I also hired a very experienced tax preparer (but new to our office) in November. She was receiving unemployment, and I did not have work for her until mid January. She was good with that, so I stopped looking. Turns out that we were just a "place holder" for her while she aggressively continued to look for full-time employment. On the third day with us, she slipped out for "lunch" (code for a hiring interview elsewhere). She was offered and accepted a job with them and waited until 5pm to give me her notice. That also happened with another hire who was on unemployment before joining us. Apparently, he had sent so many applications out, that low and behold, once he finally accept a job with us, offers continued to dribble in. I had him for one month. Competing with unemployment benefits is tough when it comes to hiring professionals. They often receive more UC benefits than our opening positions offer. For some, when they run out of UC benefits, they scramble for work and use us as "place holders" until something better comes along. It is difficult to offer health insurance, retirement plans, etc. and compete with larger companies for the good talent. Argh. This is a tough business. We must continue to adapt to the changing markets. I am determined to look for diamonds. They are out there, and I already have found a few.

C'mon people........ If clients knew what was needed to do a tax return...they wouldn't be clients. This is far from the stupidest question I ever heard. Sometimes I think some people are truly brain dead. Client had 2 teenage sons...who went to college. Child tax credits ended....college tuition credits ended in 2014. Dependent exemptions are ending. Try explaining (to a brain dead person) why the refunds used to be about $4000/year...now they are almost $0...and next year...if the recent grad gets a real job....they will be owing about $2000! I tried explaining this twice in the past 3 days...and it still hasn't sunk in. It's "not the same as last year"!

We started our search a little after Nov 1st. Our first interview was on the 5th. Official training started 3-4 weeks later. I don't think our timeline is at fault. What I'll try to fix next year is my failure to fix the business owner. I left all post-interview vetting efforts to her, and it's clear to me now that she pencil-whipped it all. I can't let that happen again. I also blame myself for letting all the little indicators go by me, when they clearly told me who was a severe problem just waiting for it's time to appear. The most troublesome employee today was the one who was falling asleep during training, for example. Next year's gotta be different, or I should just quit. There's no point in inviting cobras into your bed.

In 20 years, nobody has ever had the same W-2 income as last year. She's not the first, either.

Maybe the STD was from a STD? Would you be brave enough to ask? Rich

Well, here's a new one. Me: "Taxpayer, did you not work for Cumberland County school system in 2014? I don't see a W-2 here." TP: "Oh, is it not there?" (Uh, that's what I just said.) "It should be the same as last year." Riiiiight.

Not Hershey Kisses, but Wilbur Buds. Lancaster County, PA

Chocolate?! Now I really do need to know your location.

1040 always for US citizens.

DevM, thanks. That was it. W2 info from several years ago was still in the return.

Cancer is a respecter of no person or age! My heart hurts for you, Jack! Trust that you are doing the right thing by being there. It will be a long week, as you say. But it will be a memory producing time. I see Bill was only 59 years old. My Mother passed at the age of 58. I have first hand experience knowing what this feels like. But living life with no regrets, like being there when it would be easier to make an excuse, is one of the keys to a successful and happy life. Happy is not on your radar right now, but it will be. At any rate, Jack, even now, I lift you and your friend to the Father in Heaven: Most merciful Heavenly Father, I come before You this morning asking that You will wrap Your loving arms around Jack and brother Harmon's family, friends and loved ones. Bill's life is another that has been cut down at far too young of an age - at least that is our opinion, Father. But Father, I thank You for Your great love and grace and sovereignty. You have promised that our lives do not end when we leave this earthly vessel - but You have told us of eternity. And that is a very, very long time. Help Jack and Bill's family and friends focus on the memories that Bill leaves behind, but more so, Father, on that great beyond - where there will one day be a great, great reunion. I would ask, O God, that you will build a hedge of protection around Jack this week and travel by his side as he goes to say good bye to his friend. I would ask that You would keep him safe on the highways and byways - not just this week, but in the weeks to come. Father, thank You for hearing my prayers. And I pray these things in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen and amen! http://www.thedailytimes.com/public_records/obituaries/william-l-harmon/article_9d216471-c542-5f9f-9fc9-1486d57ca36b.html

Don't change the code. There's a spot in ATX under the 1099 to enter any amounts that are rolled over. She's still likely to get a matching notice, but changing the box 7 code is a sure way of getting one.

If the son was still the beneficiary, he could have stretched the IRA over his lifetime. I guess the attorney didn't think the son could be trusted with the money? To get 5 years of payments, wouldn't the estate have to stay open for 5 years?

(3) Qualified amended return defined—(i) General rule. A qualified amended return is an amended return, or a timely request for an administrative adjustment under section 6227, filed after the due date of the return for the taxable year (determined with regard to extensions of time to file) and before the earliest of— (A) The date the taxpayer is first contacted by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) concerning any examination (including a criminal investigation) with respect to the return; (B ) The date any person is first contacted by the IRS concerning an examination of that person under section 6700 (relating to the penalty for promoting abusive tax shelters) for an activity with respect to which the taxpayer claimed any tax benefit on the return directly or indirectly through the entity, plan or arrangement described in section 6700(a)(1)(A); (C ) In the case of a pass-through item (as defined in §1.6662-4(f)(5)), the date the pass-through entity (as defined in §1.6662-4(f) (5)) is first contacted by the IRS in connection with an examination of the return to which the pass-through item relates; (D)(1) The date on which the IRS serves a summons described in section 7609(f) relating to the tax liability of a person, group, or class that includes the taxpayer (or pass-through entity of which the taxpayer is a partner, shareholder, beneficiary, or holder of a residual interest in a REMIC) with respect to an activity for which the taxpayer claimed any tax benefit on the return directly or indirectly. (2) The rule in paragraph ©(3)(i)(D)(1) of this section applies to any return on which the taxpayer claimed a direct or indirect tax benefit from the type of activity that is the subject of the summons, regardless of whether the summons seeks the production of information for the taxable period covered by such return; and (E) The date on which the Commissioner announces by revenue ruling, revenue procedure, notice, or announcement, to be published in the Internal Revenue Bulletin (see §601.601(d)(2) of this chapter), a settlement initiative to compromise or waive penalties, in whole or in part, with respect to a listed transaction. This rule applies only to a taxpayer who participated in the listed transaction and for the taxable year(s) in which the taxpayer claimed any direct or indirect tax benefits from the listed transaction. The Commissioner may waive the requirements of this paragraph or identify a later date by which a taxpayer who participated in the listed transaction must file a qualified amended return in the published guidance announcing the listed transaction settlement initiative.

Dave, One more thing....enter a G in Box 7 rather than the 4 that the 1099-R had. That is to let the program know to handle the distribution as a rollover.

Dave, Leave the 1099-R worksheet as is, then enter the amount rolled over under the taxable amount (on the next line). Were there any taxes withheld? If not, it should be smooth sailing. The receiving trustee should issue directly to IRS, and a copy to your client, Form 5498 (IRA Contribution Information) which should satisfy IRS that the amount was indeed, rolled-over. The worst thing that could happen is that IRS writes and asks for confirmation directly from your client if the paper work should go astray. Just make sure he has in his possession the statement from the new trustee showing the rollover and tell him to be sure to hang on to it "just in case". Take care, Cathy

Jack I am so sorry for your loss. Travel safe and return safe. I will include you and your best friend's family in my prayers and ask for comfort at this time of grieving.

We hear SALY frequently for Schedule C. I've never run into the same thing for a W-2, but I haven't been at this long enough to make the claim well enough. Surprisingly, we don't get many "just use my last pay stub".

It never gets easier; only more complicated. When we first started, we thought that we would be young forever. In some ways, I still feel that way, but know that it is unrealistic. Finding someone younger with our dedication is not as easy as it should be. Coming up the hard way is not part of the current makeup. Those with a small amount of experience want to start out at the top with the pay that goes with it. That will never happen here. A few years ago, I had one gal work for me two evenings. That was her attitude. Needless to say, two evenings is all she got. After I added on to my office, she wanted to come back and I HAD to turn her down.

My wife and I have a saying in our office....."SALY is a bitch". I hate the saying. Tom Newark, CA

Hey, SFA, where are you located? I'd hire from your students if you teach. Heck, I might take your courses myself. Especially QuickBooks. I had an assistant when I started. High hopes. Single mom with first of three in college, so thought I'd have her for a long time. Day job in outside sales, but not very well paid. Took HRB Basic Course, but decided she could make more money as a Block receptionist (or whatever title they used then). She was in my HRB office then, and I admired her intelligence and practicality. She was good the first tax season at data entry, figuring things out, calling customers for information, even going out to my elderly to make sure they had all their documents to bring in. (She was very sloppy at assembling and filing; so I took back anything to do with delivering the product to my clients.) I gave her a huge bonus. Hubby often cooked breakfast on Saturdays. Treated her royally. By her second next tax season, she had a boyfriend who wanted to stay in NY; she lived in CT. Constant last-minute calls to miss work, mugged, car vandalized, kid sick in out-of-state college, mysterious surgery, more outlandish excuses each week; very sporadic attendance (she was only one night and Saturdays per her choice, anyway, even though I tried to start her with the three nights plus Saturday that she had worked at HRB). She did very little besides her own, boyfriend's, all her kids', and her best friend's returns, and a little data entry. I did get her back for an intense time before 15 October. Third tax season I did NOT contact her. She needed to retrieve info to help with the older daughters' financial aid, even used my fax machine to send. She moved to NY. A couple of years later, I heard from her again wanting info when her oldest was teaching English in Japan, or some international issue. I gave her IRS Pub. #s and suggested a US Council office. In the meantime, I had another potential assistant who couldn't start as soon my first year. When she finally was available, I started her with going to two different elderly clients to help them pay bills once/week or at least twice/month. She reconciled their bank statements, gathered their tax documents, caught a theft from a bank account by a former home healthcare worker and trafficked it through until the bank returned the funds to our client, organized a couple of my "shopping bag" clients, did some pick-ups and deliveries, and was good with clients. She was a bit messy, and I don't read her writing well, but she could organize a bag of papers with green ledger paper, pencil, and adding machine tapes. Even though HRB trained and an office manager, she wasn't really up to data entry and is never going to progress to complete tax returns. I lost my elderly gentlemen (one to an out-of-state home near his son, and one passed) but I still have my gal in a few times/year to organize the bags from clients and also to sort through our own documents (the shoemaker's children syndrome). A gal from church came to me wanting work. She did a lot in QuickBooks. Bright, managed a family business, and had been expanding her QB work on both PCs and Macs. I had a new client using QB Mac as well as several on PCs. Self-employed husband and two small kids and lived really close in my town. We talked about her doing QB for me and learning tax from me and taking over my business. I thought it was a great fit. Well, after a QB project or two, she got a job in a town with a very long commute with very thick traffic (something she was trying to avoid with two small kids) but it had benefits, especially medical that I told her I could offer in the future as our income increased but not at the beginning. Then I gave up on people! Trying to scan more and need to do the "flow" part more. Do have most of my investors' brokers giving me Excel spreadsheets to import. And, getting more clients to accept extensions (those that came from HRB were not used to extensions) to spread out the work load. Hubby does some deliveries and schmoozes my clients. I have a mail slot in my front door for drop-offs. Maybe hubby can learn the scan & flow.... I'm drowning. Every envelope I open up includes new things. College daughter now works in three states, spouse started a biz out of state, parents died and need returns done, between jobs for a few months so got really active in investment accounts, marital problems so having to go over everything twice, forgot to tell me they have a trust, grown son on a ship so here's his info too, didn't notice they withheld for a wrong state, etc. No one's financial life gets simpler!

Isn't this interesting? The girl I had for two years could have stepped into my shoes some day. However, in two years, she learned absolutely nothing. ZERO! This year, I have my cousin who is my age working WITH me and doing a fantastic job. She doesn't savvy computers much, but she is awesome with the calculator and green paper spreadsheets. She got a $20 tip the other day from a client who brought his stuff in a grocery bag. She says she never got a "tip" before in her life. The downside here is huge. We will go down together unless we find a data entry person next year or the year after.; or she picks up the pace. This is no time to be teaching anyone how to prepare a tax return on software. She totally "gets" the paper and pencil aspect. Nevertheless, I am counting my blessings. By the time some of these returns get to me, they are so organized that I can just input data. If a contractor or any business person has a pack of gum mixed in with his business supplies; out it goes. Taking it one day at a time in Wisconsin!

I would be careful. You might get a letter that the return is being examined due to a deceased dependent on the return. I think this is something the IRS is trying to root out for fraud. If it was me, I would print the envelope and mail it. Explain to the TP that it is being mailed because of fraudsters who are stealing decedent SS#'s. If your software allows you to indicate a decedent dependent, this would show the IRS that you are telling them everything, rather than giving them information you know to be untrue. Just my 2 cents. Tom Newark, CA

ATX screwed up the MD 502CR this year and I've let everyone I can know that they should have left it the &@#( alone because it was perfect in 2013. Programmers waste time 'improving' forms that don't need changing, instead of making real improvements because THEY HAVE NEVER PREPARED TAXES and they don't know what they're doing.

I know, hahaha, I was going, "And they think I'm inappropriate..."

And Joan, when I am trying to figure out journal entries, I sometimes still draw t-accounts just to clarify my thinking. I agree that computers can be a "crutch" for people who don't really understand accounting or taxation. But I cannot imagine doing returns today without them - just having them to remind me about AMT is invaluable.

Yes, I thought that too. Started to edit the title, but heck, it's funny.

Now that Marco has his answer, I'll tell that when I read the title I thought a doctor's visit might be in order for the client's STD. We've had stranger posts....