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Rich (can I call you Rich?) is one of the most knowledgeable posters on this board, and I'm sure he thought of all the headaches that may come up with these [soon to be] taxpayers before he posted. I also think he's had the "how the hell could you live off $14,000 and the windfall refundable credits" talk with them, since they admitted they spend $120,000 -$144,000 a year on personal expenses. And since there is no mention of living off savings, credit, gifts, or personal savings, I'm thinking these folks made, well, six figures. Unless the tax pro retired, died, became incarcerated, or the [soon to be] taxpayers moved, they either fired the tax pro or the tax pro fired THEM. That's what I'm coming up with. I suspect the [soon to be] taxpayers are at LEAST as much to blame for the inaccurate returns as the tax pro. I also think they knew their last tax return was horrifically incorrect before they came to Rich, and they're ready to get off the public dole and pay their taxes. They spend $120,000 a year and can cough up my tax prep fee or Rich's tax prep fee for an accurate return without whining, too. This is a success story! One fraudulent EITC that won't happen in 2017. That's one down. Good for you, Rich, and good for the rest of us people paying taxes.

What's he upset about? Not sure what he means about the 2-week's warning. Following his normal practices, he has at least until Dec 2017 to get his 2016 Forms 1099-Misc prepared and the 2016 return completed. I think that's plenty of advance notice.

I'm out in the country so lose power often and for long periods (11 days during one of the storms during tax season a few years back). No power means no electricity, no water, no toilets, no anything. We're getting too old to haul water to flush toilets. We finally put in a whole house generator, feeling we're also too old to be dragging out a generator in the snow and ice. I no longer worry about losing power when I have deadlines to meet, and we don't get cold. It's worth every penny we spent to have it work seamlessly with no work on our part.

This morning in the McDonald's drive-through lane, my wife handed money to the cashier who said "No. Keep it. The person in front of you paid your bill." Touched, she said "I guess some people still have the Christmas spirit. Okay, take this anyway; I'm paying for the people behind me." She then pulled up beside the car in front that was waiting for an order to be brought out, rolled the window down, and called out "Thank you!" The lady smiled broadly and replied "Merry Christmas!"

...paid in advance!

He's throwing a tantrum. He missed the 10/17 date for 2015 taxes and has given me nothing - but now is upset that he has to find someone else with "no notice" claiming it's like he walked out of a job halfway through a kitchen renovation (contractor). No, it's more like he walked away from a job that was discussed but never had a plan approved, a contract signed, or a deposit paid.

You want them to go back to their old preparer! I wouldn't touch this one. First anyone who needs $10k a month for their lifestyle ain't eligible for EITC. Second, a return like this is worth $800-$1k, but they're going to expect to pay $100. Not worth it. Long-distance truckers do have a lot of expenses. The rigs depreciate over 3 years only, so that may be why you're not seeing depreciation. Fuel is of course a huge expense, plus fuel surcharges and over-the-road taxes. Tires alone can be a mortgage payment. My trucker clients have something on almost every line of Sch C, and for this I charge them. Heck, I wouldn't even do an Avon Sch C for $100.

I might just edit my email from "you're fired" to "you're fired in two weeks if you don't get your in here" and resend. I probably would not say anything else and let him calm down. He'll forget in a week anyway. If he shows up before the two weeks is up (yeah right), carry on as usual, except my rates went up from a year ago.

But we still love you, Rita!

I don't audit, current or past years or prior preparer. But, I have to read the prior returns of a new client to see if they have a capital loss, NOL, how many times they took the AOC, who the partners/shareholders/beneficiaries are on 1065s/1120Ss/1041s, whether the person sitting at my desk has been the tax matters partner/executor, compare year-to-year to give me clues what might be missing, get the EIN of the childcare provider, are paying back that homeowner's credit, did they already use up the lifetime energy credit, get depreciation schedules, what was their state refund/did they itemize/compute how much is taxable so looking at prior year AMT, and on and on. I'm not looking for mistakes. I'm looking for information to prepare the most complete and accurate returns for my client this year.

Merry Christmas to you and yours from me and mine!!! God Bless us - everyone!

Yesterday, I am in the middle of my compliance test for Fee Collect when the power goes out. My monitors and computer are fine, because they are on a battery backup. So I decide to finish the exam before I shut down the computer. That is when I discovered that my router to the internet is not on battery backup. The internet was down and I could not submit my answers. I need to put my router on the battery backup. I don't know why that never crossed my mind before....maybe I am getting old. But I passed the test both times.... Tom Newark, CA

You did well on that one! Rich

When I logged in, and the site gave me the notification that I had been quoted by Rita, I was glad to know she wasn't hugging me... Rita: That was very sweet of you to say the above. Some days, its nice to know that it appears to others that I have a clue. And these folks? The *knew* what they were getting. They needed to make a change because there are some other major changes coming in their world, and they needed better representation. They were actually embarrassed to give me the return... I give them credit for that. Ya'all have a happy holiday season, OK?

I told you I could not make a post without a screw up.

I've had a few 1099 forms come in the name and SSN of the SCorp officer. I entered the income and then a corresponding Other Expense on Sch C with a notation "Nominee income to EIN XX-XXXXXXX" (Scorp EIN). Never a problem.

She could try Timeshare Users Group. TUG. Www.tug2.net. They buy, sell, trade timeshares.

I hope this has not happened to any of you, but if it did I would like to hear from you what happened. I received an email from a client that was suppose to be a document he forwarded to me via drop box. Like an idiot I followed the directions and signed into what I thought was drop box via my email account. After looking at the document I thought it was a bit strange, yet still related to tax issues and sort of in character for this client, so I paid it no mind. This morning in another email account that I only use for things that are not important (never given to clients) a similar email showed up, this time however it was flagged (different email provider) as potential spam, so I did not open it. Then came the dawn. I immediately went to reset my pass word to my email account but before I could finish a flood of emails were sent to my contacts containing this same file. I proceeded to reset my password, sent a warning email to all contacts not to open it, and took my computer down to my IT guy who is currently checking it for viruses ect..... My concern is that this is going to turn out to be a Ransom Ware problem, not just an email hack. Has anyone else had this happened (I hope not, and I feel so stupid because I am extremely cautious and careful in this regard, and should have known better, as this is not how DropBox works)? Did you find out anything? I am so nervous right now all I want to do is cry, and I don't cry easy!

If you scroll the cursor over the link (don't click it!) the entire address will be visible. Oftentimes you'll see addresses with weird extensions. Delete. As for bad websites, you just have to depend on your security software. A few years ago I read that a lot of sites that showed up in Google Search were dangerous, but I haven't read anything recently so I trust they've cleaned up their act. Yahoo's email accounts were often hacked so I never trusted messages from Yahoo (even though lots of my clients have them). I get a lot of weird messages from Linked in too. Now that Yahoo has revealed the two biggest hacks of all time, nobody should use it for their home page. I too use irs.gov for the home page at work--saves a lot of clicking.

Tom, I have the exact same printer and loved it. It is starting to show signs of age (mine is 7 years old) so thought I would replace it, but the newer ones do not compare. I actually bought one (had everything except the fax) but it is touch screen now and unfortunately my touch screen died. So it's going back. I'm just trying to determine if I want to spend the 400.00 and get the one that actually replaces the 1350, which I believe is now the D1550. My tech guy is recommending a Brother which is very inexpensive, but it does not have the multipurpose tray that I really use alot for printing checks, and it doesn't sound like printing envelopes is very easy. So I really just don't know what to do. Everything I have done tech wise so far as turned into epic failure so I'm looking to you guys for help!

My HP Officejet Pro L7780 All-in-One color has been happily chugging away for several years. But, I have a newer HP LaserJet P2055dn just black print that's faster and smaller for printing tax returns now.

I gave up on the batteries. Seemed like they were always worn out when needed. Generator for me... One cord to power office items, one to swap among refrigerators and heater. Also had an outage yesterday. Was the kind when you know it is not quick since it did not try to self reset. Had the gen up in minutes, although I need to clean the garage so the cords are neater... and with the gen. (Have a rolling storage crate I picked up which will now hold all.) For me, I have enough backups I do not worry about what I might lose when the power goes out. At most, a few minutes of work to redo, but usually none to redo (save often)

OK. These people will go from receiving 5K to paying more than 10K, correct? Do you really think they will stay with you or they will go back to the old preparer because they have been doing it the same way for 5 years and they never had a problem? When I see issues like this, I suggest them to go back to their preparer to amend because I am busy. Or I suggest them in May or when the IRS send them a letter, whichever happens first. I explained to them that in order to amend, I have to recreate the form exactly the way it is and they make my chopping.

Congratulations Tom. Good thing the test doesn't have a "Technology" section.

I'm going to take that as a compliment !!

Works out great when we don't take vacations!

You complete me.

It would never happen, but I am so tired of being the unpaid auditor for the IRS that I dream of all professional preparers deciding one year that they just aren't going to put up with this nonsense and quitting. I don't think the system can get along without us anymore, and I would love to have a strike to force the IRS to acknowledge that. Aren't any of our professional organizations doing anything to fight the IRS on these onerous due diligence requirements? If I ask my client about their circumstances, I should not have to make them prove their living arrangements and their children's living arrangements to me. Just my rant for the day.

If you use your working tools to see fancy and nice looking websites, you need to reimage your computer every year at least. My partner was laughing (she doesn't do taxes or touches my computer) because she tricked the Microsoft technician and the technician fixed her computer and she didn't pay him. She got infected and then she got a message that if she wanted the computer to be fixed, she needed to call Microsoft at this number. She called the number and the Microsoft technician took control of her computer and fixed. The technician told her that if she wanted to be protected, she would have to pay $199. She replied that she needed to contact her partner and that the partner was out of the country. The technician said, that he could sell her another protection for $99... she gave him the same answer and the technician hung up the phone. I call her about 5 minutes later and she was laughing because the Microsoft technician fixed her computer and didn't charged her. I asked if she was done for the day and she said yes. I said shut down your computer and unplug the LAN cable from it and go home. I also told her, tell your husband what happened and follow his advice. a couple of hours later, while I was having dinner, my phone started ringing and ringing. Her husband told her what I didn't. She wanted me to reimage her computer. I reimaged her computer and she learned her lesson. How can you laugh after you have been so stupid about three times? The first, when they get you and they install the program on your computer, the second, when you call "Microsoft" and the third one when you give control of your computer to the "Microsoft Technician".

Every time I get a stream of Viagra ads, I always ask myself "How did they know...?"

Responsible, need to documents AND save copies of client documents, and WE get fined if clients' data is wrong. At various conferences the IRS reps keep saying "we know you're the good guys!" but the crap coming out of DC puts the lie to that.

Have you looked close at the new "due diligence" documentation requirements for the new 8867? Very invasive and seems to indicate that we are responsible for all answers. Just read it closely and you will see what I mean.

Merry Christmas and a VERY Happy New Year to all my friends here!

Merry Christmas!

(Snipped quote actually from Pacun) I don't audit but I *always* look over new clients' prior-year returns. How else do you find state tax owed and paid for the current Sch a, capital loss carryforward amounts, sometimes charity carryforward amounts, and other items? If I see something egregious - or even if the return I do looks vastly different from the prior year's results, I look more deeply. If only to reassure myself that I have not done a stupid!

It seemed obvious to me that Naveen is talking about people who will be his clients. The question of "how do I deal with the clients" when they get letters presupposes that the clients are going to be bringing the letters to Naveen because he is their preparer now. I don't think he is just calling all these people before they come in to see him. He mentions that he can't "give back" the returns to the seemingly incompetent and now retired preparer. My take on this is that Naveen is asking for our advice about what to do when these folks come in for tax prep in a few weeks. Tell them about suspected errors or no? I do believe Naveen has a duty to discuss suspected errors, and sure, he may find out things are not as dire as he thinks.

...and forest fires.

Hard lesson learned! Turns out it wasn't ransom ware but it was a big bug. Computer is brand new so my tech guy is going to reformat the hard drive and restore my operating system. Actually I am one of those who believes you can not be to careful, and I don't know why I did it, I guarantee I will be even more carefull in the future.

The only protection is the grey matter you have. No software can protect you. Period. Software can make a little easier should you forget safe practices, but software fails miserably at guessing at future threats, and fails often in accuracy. The worst part is "security" software makes some feel protected and they do things they should not. This is coupled with "security" software falsely flagging safe items as unsafe, making the user disable the "security" software, which proves the futility of relying on software for security. If we would go back to reading emails in text only, and not html, email would be incredibly safer. Attachments you were expecting should be saved, scanned (if you believe in such actions), then opened.

Me, too! .

I usually at least look to see if I can tell what they were charged for tax preparation the year before. Just for information, not necessarily to decide what to charge this year.

Two kinds of people, I guess. I pick that thing apart. No just glancing for me. That's no fun. CSI over here.

Even a signed form like you show does NOT relieve you of your requirements for due diligence documentation. We are now responsible for the accuracy of the information on the tax return, despite what the taxpayer may or may not say or sign.

My dad once predicted this simplified tax code: 2 lines only, 1. How much did you make? 2. Send it in!