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I had one client mention the HRB half-price fee to me this year. I think he was joking - at least that's what I assumed. I told him they know what their work is worth and I know what mine is worth. But he has no way to know either for sure and I can't tell him how to make a decision. In any event, my fee is exactly what I said in my client letter - last year's fee plus 6% assuming everything is roughly the same this year. But tuthfully I didn/t care which way he chose. I don't want tightwards for clients because I know I'll resent their quiblling with me over how I make a living. Giving discounts to people who can afford to pay would also impact my ability to prepare all the returns I do for free for people who are in genuine need.

"No offense, but they ask me at work why I pay you to do my taxes when I could get VITA to do them for free." Ever notice that saying, "No offense, but," before you say something offensive is exactly zero percent effective at dissuading offense? And, no VITA would not do your return for free or otherwise. Trust me. But I told her, "If you can get these returns done for free, that's what you should do, have at it."

I agree with Bulldog Tom, mcb39 and Jack from Ohio. I have had Drake for two years (paid for it, am I crazy?). I tried to get into Drake more. I wanted to give it a try. I'm sure it's a good program and once you're used to it, it is good. But I prefer ATX. I have the Total Tax package. I'm used to it. It's much more intuitive. More forms, payroll, tax research. All handy in one program. I will renew ATX again but not Drake again. I'll just live with the slow reaction time of ATX. My volume isn't that great. The pros just outweigh the slowness of the program.

>>I really miss you, and I missed you last year. I wish you would join us again.<< I thank forum members for this kind thread. As a moderator points out, the reason jainen stopped participating in 2013 has been resolved. Still, there is another issue in my own mind that has kept me from posting in the last year. I thank the moderators for allowing my non-tax post here.

I had a client who had an opportunity to do "better than free" this year. I was prepared to PAY him to go somewhere else. Too bad he didn't know that before telling me he was changing.

Tell you what, that little heifer (and I mean that in the sweetest way possible) that we've been bottle feeding since Valentine's Day sure is an angel. She lost tips of ears and half of tail due to frostbite, but she's still a looker, too. I tell her it's vogue, and all the other calves are jealous. :)

Still at the beach. Returning to the office mid-day on Tuedsay to complete a few that I left in various stages of completion, finish up some extensions, and then wrap everything up by the 14th. There will be a few long days yet to come, but manageable. This "easing into retirement" glide path is looking pretty good. A couple of years or so of of this should work out nicely.

I just figure if he can lose lots of money to gambling he can pay lots of money to his tax preparer who reports his gambling the most beneficial way and keeps him out of jail. Raise his price.

I totally agree with jasdlm. I hope you will come back, but whether or not you do, I wish you well.

I wish we could work it out. I really hate to see you 'missing' from another season. You have taught me quite a bit since I started my practice, and since I never practiced in a firm and do not have any partners, it has been invaluable. When you or OldJack were tough on me when I asked a question I should have known the answer to, it made me work harder and research more before I asked, which made me a better practitioner. There are many people on this Board to whom I owe a debt of gratitude. I'm afraid to name them because I might leave someone out. It's just sad when someone is missing from 'the firm'. I hope you are well.

This guy is in his early 30s....been a client since he graduated med school. I don't remember his losses...but he did have a huge winning....and his bona fide loss was more than that. I'll have to go back a few years and check. As far as the fee...if he does come back...it's gonna be "I'll e-file as son as I receive payment...." I think I lost several due to the H&R half price offer....and if the come back next year...I'll double the fee.

Glad to see that reply. Hope you will eventually decide to begin participating again in the future.

Don't forget about on form entry and the former bunny hop (now green arrow). I would have gone to Drake a couple years ago if not for this feature. No one else has this entry method in a program with all the forms that ATX has. It is price, and it is forms (PR forms especially), but it is also entry method. It is intuitive to me to be able to look at the 1040 and say "I need some data there...the client told me something that should go in that box. Now why isn't it there?" Then I click on the Green Arrow and go looking for the way I should enter that data. Tom Newark, CA

Same here. Only have long time clients that claim EITC so I know them and have even taught some of them in school so answer the questions sign the 8867 and move on. If I did take a new client who is entitled to claim the EIC then yes I would ask for the necessary documents.

I'm with Pacun on this one. Any mortgage interest on rental property that is used for investment purposes is deductible on Sch E subject to the loss limitations.

I don't think any1 will ber8 u 4 using shorthand.

closed Good Friday 12-3 and was office admin b-day so we ordered in and had cheesecake for her birthday - I went to church, they kept working.. worked til 3 am Sat, got up Sat, but wouldn't answer the phones until hubby came in from barn - he has about 210 lambs so he isn't much help - does some e-filing and phone answering for me. Gave everyone (2) off Saturday for Easter! listened to the Badger game - go Badgers!! on the computer while working Sat night, Had about 100 texts as "boys" said they were going to Indy for the game!! bed again at 3 and up at 7:30 for church and brunch with parents and some family. Napped and still at it. Back to the regular schedule Monday. Still trying to get about a 100 or more done by the 15th and convince the others they are extensions! Can't work like I used to and stay awake. So sorry to hear of your health issues. Get plenty of rest and take care of your selves!! Hubby harps all the time! Are any of my clients or staff going to push me around in a wheelchair in 5-10 years?

Yes, n ATX, just enter proceeds and basis directly on Sch D in the blue boxes. No dates. Skip the 8949 input on those. Yippee.

I have a way more returns than I can finish, but that is my intention. I am open year round and so extensions are great for me and my clients know ahead of time, that if they do not have all of their information in before my deadline, that they will go on extension.

Everything that comes before "but" is BS. Those VITA preparers get some training in vary basic returns and anything more complicated they are supposed to tell the client to go to a professional. I have an EA friend that retired a few years ago but does VITA returns. He told me that one of the VITA preparers did a return incorrectly and the client ended up paying P&I along with the taxes. The client wanted VITA to pay for the P&I and guess what? They told them it was a free return and there was no recourse. So much for FREE.

ROFL

Thanks, all! Turns out she did go to MO just to administer a test so they really do need to file as NR and pay the tax. Fortunately, VA is giving them credit for everything they paid in MO so it really doesn't hurt them except to pay me to do an extra state return. I can live with that.

I only have two: one mother I've know since the day after she was born in 1981, have been in their home with mother and children, gotten all the gossip via grandmother, know the mother's siblings also; other mother lives in my town, attends the only school and music and sports activities, been clients for longer than the son has been alive, came recommended from an even longer-term client. I have them answer the questions and sign.

We take part in all the Holy Week activities in our Parish starting with Holy Trursday Mass to celebrate the Lord's Supper. Our faith is a tremendous source of strength.

k

I have this from time to time and report NO sourced income in the state where no services were performed. I include a statement. Usually, it goes smoothly with my client getting all his w/h back from that state. But, sometimes it takes many telephone calls. I'm still trying to get the rest of a MA refund for one client and RI for another from 2013. The RI spanned two tax years (he was on a ship in international waters and didn't see payroll detail until he got home) with the first year sending his 2012 refund immediately and the second year sending a tiny 2013 refund with me still calling about the rest. Depending on the relative tax rates, you could let the other state have their money and take the credit on his resident state. (MA and RI didn't work out favorably for that method for my clients.)

I think you need to go out on a date!

Yeah, let's go with "I meant to do that."

I have 58 that I am committed to getting done and another 5 or 6 I would like to get done by the end of the day Sunday. Took yesterday completely off and away from the computer. Feel re-energized. Had a wonderful mini-vaca. Ready to run for the roses. Like most of you, yesterday was my first day off in over 12 weeks. An interesting note is developing about this season. I purposely worked 85 hours per week this season instead of the 105 that I had become accustomed to in years gone by. And my revenue is up. Go figure. So next year I am only going to work 40 hours per week and see if that pattern continues to hold true.

I always complain about Easter being in the middle of tax season, but sometimes it's exactly what we need. A day off, some good food, and family that we love. Now - here we go. 9 more days!!

Except I did not get my edit of "in" for "n" in time, and I am so embarrassed to look like a 15 year-old cell phone idiot.

It's impossible to see and feel the difference in speed without being proficient on both and having used them. Drake definitely beats ATX in speed in all of the areas that John mentioned. It rarely crashes or has problems with printing letters and sets and such that users of other software complain of. There is a learning curve which I didn't have much trouble with. Other users might, especially those that *need* that bunny hop or green arrow. I know Tom mentioned that he likes and used that, but in his instance he mentioned that he recognizes a spot where an entry is needed and the arrow takes him there. Drake will do that in forms entry mode as well by having the links on the form. That being said, Drake software will not hand hold the preparer that uses those bunny hops as a crutch as a replacement for truly not knowing what one is doing when preparing a return. I'd hope that all here are above that skill level, but unfortunately I see questions on a variety of tax forums that leave me wondering at times about the skills and knowledge of some preparers, and I'm not talking about asking for some reassurance either, because many of us get tired and do that at times.

I have the opposite view. I understand the attraction of forms entry, but it's a vastly overrated Bell & Whistle with no practical advantage. But Bells & Whistles don't earn you money - program speed is the only thing which levels that playing field. It's no harder to use data sheet entry than forms entry, but there is a steep initial learning curve while one learns where the data resides. It's really just a matter of training the mind & hands and breaking ingrained habits. As people wed to routine, that is a difficult barrier for many tax preparers. Once you reach some degree of sotware transparency, switching from data sheet to forms and back is only an extra mouse click - hardly the Herculean task so many pretend it to be. Incidentally, when I speak of program speed, I'm speaking of other things in addition to data entry. There is speed of updates, speed of backups, speed in opening and closing returns, speed of customerr service on those rare occasions when it is needed. Nothing I've seen comes anywhere near Drake in all of those areas and in this price range. I'm not implying there's anything wrong with ATX - it just doesn't measure up to Drake where I think it counts the most. Its only advantage is the large number of forms available - I'm expecting that to change over time as well.

and now it's time to eat the Easter candy!!1 told my kids - you don't come up , mom isn't saving it but eating it up!!

There are boxes on the A & D lines to simply put in the proceeds & basis. No need to put in any dates. Sweet if there aren't any adjustments- like those #^{+ wash sales.

Oy vey.... I got a response: This guy is a "surgical resident" making, even by NYC standards, a decent living (but he lives in Minneapolis). My fee was $150 for an itemized return. Is there any way you can charge a slightly lower fee? The local H&R block was offering to do it for ~$60 and said my tax return was very straight forward, but I decided to have you do it since i've been with you for so long. As you can see from my expenses, i'm still kind of living paycheck to paycheck! So, here's my response: Do your patients bargain with you...and tell you they can get the same service at "the free clinic"? I don't compete with H&R...I give personalized service. And if you have a problem...they won't be there for you. Your "straightforward return" would have been a standard deduction...with a much lower refund. My absolute lowest fee is $125. If that's not acceptable, please go to H&R. Another PITA (he bargains every year....I also know he's a gambling addict). Another one to add to my "banned list".

Well....I e-mailed all my "ready to be e-filed" people that I haven't heard from...that had over a week to "look it over". I e-mailed "new clients" that didn't like the results...and told them they could adjust "whatever"...and if they choose not to use my services....I'll be sending them a consultation fee invoice. I e-mailed old clients...who send me their stuff...then vanished off the face of the earth...and told them that I assume they won't be needing me this year...but if they do...contact me asap. Now I just have to call the people who in the past "dropped it off" at my husband's store....and tell them he is no longer in business, but will be at that location for very limited hours. (They're in the neighborhood...they know he sold the store.) Now...I know you all have chocolate Easter eggs, peanut brittle and other high carb stuff to keep you going. Not me. I spend Mondays at the casino (10-1 during tax season)....so when I get home tomorrow....I'll be e-mailing all the others on my pile...and suggest replying asap...or they will "go on extension" and explain that they still have to pay by 4/15. We'll see if that wakes them up.

I giove it my best shot with the info availab;le. I plug in estimates for anything they don't have or any incomplete information. But I tell them that any interest or FTP penalty they incur (about 3/4 of 1% per month) is their responsibility. The main objective is to avoid the 5% FTF penalty. Most clients understand that. The ones who fail to comprehend it are sitting in the office of some stressed-out, cranky, sleep-deprived tax preparer: not my problem.

Yes, and that's a pain if things are dribbling in or big changes or new client. For the usual employees with w/h that's usually enough, it's a snap. For the SE who usually owes about the same and hasn't given me anything to change that for 2014, I put the usual. And, if someone has given me zip and calls for an extension, I might have to put 0 and let them take the consequences. I hate the states that won't take extensions via tax prep software, and CT is one of those. Have to use CT's website for those that owe. Or, I'm uploading their extensions to my portal so they can mail them in with checks.

I have my assistant call everyone I haven't heard from (she did this Friday) and say 'We are assuming that you already got your taxes taken care of, which is great, but we thought we would check in to make sure you did not need us to file an extension for you'. Out of 19 people called on Friday, 17 begged 'if I have it there by Monday, will you try to get it done before the 15th'? Staff answered 'no promises, but we will do our best, and they will be processed in the order they come in'. I do this every year during the first few days in April. I always intend to get the returns done (and always do), but the threat of 'maybe not' seems to works well. My guess is that most of them will show up on Monday, and then they will be very responsive when I reach out for questions. Also, the first line suggesting that they got the taxes done elsewhere seems to help. Might be worth a try.

I had a client that I finally fired a few years back that just about everything he said started out with "no offense......" It was just a habit with him but got so down right annoying listening to it. Glad he is gone.

File an extension and wait for the SSN. Section 213(a) allows a taxpayer to deduct the expenses paid during the taxable year, not compensated for by insurance or otherwise, for medical care of the taxpayer, the taxpayer's spouse, or the taxpayer's dependents (as defined in §152), to the extent the expenses exceed 7.5 percent of adjusted gross income. Section 152(a) defines a dependent as an individual of a kind listed in the section, for whom the taxpayer provided over half of the support for the taxable year, and who meets several other requirements. A surrogate mother is not the taxpayer or the taxpayer's spouse, and typically is not the type of relative listed in § 152(a). The surrogate mother usually is neither a member of the taxpayer’s household for the entire taxable year, nor receives over half her support from the taxpayer for that year, and thus does not qualify as a non-relative dependent. Nor is an unborn child a dependent. Cassman v. United States, 31 Fed. Cl. 121 (1994). Thus, medical expenses paid for a surrogate mother and her unborn child generally would not qualify for deduction under §213(a).

I have them bring me something: school records, daycare records, doctor bill and I keep a copy for my records.

Make sure YOUR paycheck gets paid by him!

That's irrelevant. Accuracy and completeness are not operational issues - they are simply a necessary pre-requisite for any acceptable softtware program. Speed is where you make money or lose it by wasting time operationally. You're trying to support an illogical argument - that dog won't hunt.

It's not a tab it's a drop down at the top. It's still there on the Input tab. You all are getting punchy! Or is that crunchy?

These two ladies have it totally correct. Only make entries for transactions NOT labeled "A" or "D."

The problem with giving discounts is when they "spread the word". I did look over my list of "where are they?"....and a few names of cheapskates popped up. One of them went to a lawyer 2 years ago because of an inheritance in France (who completely and totally screwed up his FBAR...and cost him BIG TIME..to the tune of $50,000 last I heard)...but he came back to me in 2014...and I quote "because you're cheaper". Forget the fact that if he had followed my advice...he never would have had the FBAR fiasco. Back to waiting for the mob to attack

Having a Reese's peanut butter egg with my tea before going to church. I did have a Mini Babybel cheese first. See two families at church that have unstarted tax returns. Hope they're in the Easter spirit.

I think they will be gone in about seven days if I pace myself. Oh, yes, they are nothing if not consistent.