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One reason that everyone is so down right now is that we just got through the tax season that never ended. We couldn't do much in April because we were too busy taking calls about the stimulus payment and business loans. July was just like the usual April. Immediately after it was time for extensions, and October was just like April. Then it was time for CE. In between there were many more calls from clients who needed help with loans, retirement distributions, new W4s that are incomprehensible, and on and on. We never got a break, and for those who took a few days off there was no travel so we never really got away from it all. Another reason is that there were so many changes to the tax code, and changes to the changes, that our brains are overloaded. We now have to take update courses to the updates we already took. One poster said that she just didn't feel competent going into the coming season, and I think that feeling haunts many of us. Hang in there. We've mastered huge changes before and will again. The new heads of the IRS and Office of Professional Responsibility seem to hear us and to be genuinely supportive (as opposed to treating us like enemies of the gov't and their personal hit men). As the virus winds down and the IRS and congress get their acts together, things have to get better.

I sure hope they give us a new file-by deadline as well. This year, I will be notifying all my out of town clients that they need to find a local preparer. I'll also tell my larger (Sch C) businesses to look for someone else. I am walking toward the sign that says "reTIRED." It will be a slow walk, and I'll keep my small, easy local clients. But I'm so tired. This business isn't fun anymore. They can blame the pandemic all day long, but it ain't the pandemic. The IRS has been beating us up for a long time. Congress doesn't move in time for anything. Nobody does their job anymore, they just blame the other guy... or "the pandemic." So tired of it all. Donna Downer

I'm only 60 but I feel you! I've already refused to take anyone that's had PPP, EIP (except one existing client and she only got the 10k 'free' loan). My international client is ex-patriating soon. Anyone that quits me, hey it's fine. I figure the computer I just bought will be my last.

Just know you are not alone, Donna. So far I am fine with out of town (and country) clients and Sch. C's are few and easy. I am in a bit of a bind now, though, as my computer guy decided I was to take over from his retiring accountant. After gnashing of teeth and tearing of some hair, I decided to prepare the return (2 S-corps and 1040) ONCE because I don't want to alienate him. I have emailed multiple times that it has been many years since I've done corps and the engagement letter will be pointed but looking at 2019, they were fairly simple. We shall see but ONCE only. My license expires Dec. 2022. I doubt I will even contemplate renewing for another 3 years but it depends. I have no EIC or really any lower income folks. But I really don't want to keep learning more new stuff! And it's getting so hard to do anything online with 2fa and codes and changing passwords and and and. I do want to keep the little gray cells active but maybe there is a better way.

You make some good points, Sara, and I am sure that is part of it. But I agree with Possi that the attitude of the IRS towards preparers, and the difficulty of getting information or resolving issues in a timely fashion contributes to the retirement fever I have been suffering from the last couple of years. My husband is a bit older than I am, and has been retired for a while now. I have hobbies that I have not participated in for a couple of years, books I want to read and new hobbies I would like to take up. I want to travel while I still can (although that isn't looking so hot for the next year either.) But mostly I am just tired of being expected to audit returns for the IRS because they don't have the time or the money or the staff to do it. That is not what I signed up for. If it weren't for the cost of health insurance, I probably would have retired a few years ago.

Sorry, I misunderstood. I thought you asking for windows tool bar. ATX do not have it.

Well I see they will not start processing returns until February 12th. I am sure there will be a lot of long faces this year.

The OP asked about PAYMENT deadlines during this pandemic. I hope payments are extended without I&P, because so many people are making less money. Personally, I hope the FILING deadlines are extended, also. E-filing doesn't open until 12 February, which is about the time I have to start preparing partnerships and S-corporation. That means I won't be preparing personal returns until after 15 March! I can't make a lot of money in one month, so I'll need to pause to e-file extensions. Last year's extension to 15 July worked great for my business model of working all year; I spent less time calculating extension payments and e-filing extensions. YOU can still close 15 April while I work all year. But, so far, the IRS is still saying the non-extended tax season will end 15 April.

If you use the same software, the calculation should be automatic. If you use a different software or have a new client, you should have a place to enter 2019 earned income. By the way, if married couple were not married last year or didn't file MFJ, you enter 2019 earned income so you have their combined 2019 earned income for both of them. Yes, you would use 2019 earned income if higher for both EITC and CTC/ACTC if, and only if, it gives a lower tax liability due to the combination of EITC/CTC/ACTC resulting in higher credit(s). That's the purpose of the law, knowing 2019 may've been a more typical year and that 2020 might have very little income and correspondingly lower credits. It's to help increase refunds to low-income tax payers. Work your way through the paper forms to see how it flows. Then practice in your software to know how/where you need to enter to make the results look like you expect. You can be a hero to your clients if you increase their refunds for such a disastrous year.

I sent my "new tax year" email to clients on January 2. Looks like I may need to follow-up with another email to update the efile date of February 12; but more importantly to offer additional guidance on what clients should be providing me in regard to stimulus payments. Did they receive the payment(s) and how much exactly?! It should be a "fun" season!

IF you use ATX do them on the 2019 program.

Prayers

I would not mind, otherwise I will have a ton of extensions. I will have to warn my clients again up front. Last year my sister had a brain tumor and my dad broke his hip. Yesterday my mom had a surgical procedure and they found that her bladder is full of tumor. She had been cancer free since 2012. We don't know why it came back. The doctor just told us that there are no good options, so we don't know yet how long we are looking at, but we want to keep her at home, if possible. It will be a struggle for us, but Covid has already messed everything up and we don't want her in a home where we are limited in the time that we can be with her. We can get in home medical care, but I want to spend as much time as possible with her. I am going to have to read up on trusts, because I will have to file for her when it becomes irrevocable. I have not prepared a trust return before, because I always farmed them out. My 26 year old son tested positive for Covid today is very sick. They just gave him codeine cough syrup and supplements. He said that he never expected to get this sick, but he can barely stand up. I hate that he's 500 miles away and we can't even drop off my husband's famous chicken noodle soup. I really hoped that 2021 would be better than 2020, but it's not looking great for my family again.