Leaderboard

Once in awhile there is a client that no price is high enough!

Thanks to Eric and to all of you. I am starting to double guess myself and waking up in panic mode. Not Good! Without you, I would be lost, even with all the research material that I have. Please donate to keep this board alive and always appreciate all of the knowledge and comradery found here. Happy Summer to everyone.

I don't know what I would do without all of you and a couple of groups that I belong to on FB. I am hesitant to ask questions of some groups, but this bunch of awesome people are willing to help and be kind. All of my cronies here are dead, retired or just said that they had had enough. I hope that it's OK if I hang around here for awhile after I retire. I am just letting my permit go inactive, in case I get desperate and have to work for somebody else in Colorado.

Almost over people !!! Take a couple weeks off then finish the stragglers we filed extensions for. Its been a trying year that has dragged on forever !!! Been saying for years we need to cut back, but this year solidifies we need to. Tired and wore out as I imagine we all are. Hope everyone has a fantastic summer !!

I will be working all day today and tomorrow. Then on to the extensions. This has been a whirlwind year. A client is bringing homemade soup for tomorrow. Then I can say that we have been given everything from soup to nuts. Friday it was two quarts of homemade maple syrup. You just have to love these clients who appreciate what you do for them and we really try to do the best job possible. Off to work I go.

Yes, a very heartfelt thank you to Eric, the moderators, and every colleague who reads and posts here. Without you, I would be bereft of what small dregs of sanity remain to me.

This was my last April 15th when I have to care about anyone else's return except my own! I just finished a bunch of extensions, but I still feel like a huge weight has been lifted. This has been the worst tax season ever. I didn't think that it could ever be worse than losing my Mom, but this last five months of having my husband so sick has been the pits. It was getting so hard to concentrate and get enough sleep. We got a new puppy, too for my husband. He turns out to be a Morkey, not a Poodle but I am happier with him anyway. I am also pretty sure that he will never know to go to the door to be let out. He is way too small, anyway. At least he is very good at using pads. Between a dog and 3 cats, it keeps me busy cleaning up. I just hope that we can find a condo that will allow 4 pets when we move. It was a sad and happy day. Lots of hugs and tears, and I will miss my clients. I got some beautiful bouquets, a customer made blankets for both my husband and me and gift cards to go eat. I did get a gift that I bet none of have ever received. My clients sent me an adjustable leg rest because they know that my leg is still a mess after my scope and that I will be getting a replacement. My client had just broken his leg very badly and was using this after his surgery. I have been blessed and still have a ton of work to do. I am hopeful that my husband will improve so that I can get a part time job out of the house in anything but taxes. Thanks so much for everything. See you all soon!

I have the utmost respect for everyone here and I thank you for sharing your day to day and making me feel less alone. Sincerely. My plan was for this to be my last year but I looked at the numbers and I think I have to do at least one more. Here's hoping I'm just exhausted and maybe I can call it a day? Congratulations to those who are done. My best to those who will continue.

Yes! I definitely agree. Especially for those of us who work solo. Thank you!!

Certain people do come to mind and then they turn to dust. Breaking things after an aggravating day can be very satisfying.

Amazingly 20 minutes after e-mail she shows up all apologetic. Didn't give her the return, only the original documents.

I'm fortunate enough to be at a point in my life where I don't need to be bringing in money from preparing returns. For the most part, I still enjoy it and the vast majority of my clients I look forward to seeing each year. Email sent and now I'm going to go dig in some dirt and plant some veggie seeds!

So I had an issue with a client that I needed to talk with IRS about. Called the PPL expecting a 20-30 minute wait. I was shocked at how quick it was. The agent was on the line before I had my paperwork out of the file. Issue resolved in 10 minutes. I need to get a lottery ticket tonight. Tom Longview, TX

The cats hated him at first, but the Alpha is getting closer to him. He only weighs 4.5 pounds and our smallest cat weighs 12. Yoda can't figure out why they are annoyed when he chases them or runs headlong into their side to try to get them to play. The cats are positive that he is beneath them. He really needs our son to bring back their two Great Pyrs again, because he has a blast with the youngest one. When we get moved out to Colorado, they will have fun. A Morkey is part Maltese and part Yorkie. He does have some poodle in him according to his DNA test. He does not shed and he is the faster than greased lightning.

I'm in for a short time today but probably won't get much done. Got an email from a lost client. He's four years behind. Ha. Says he wants to catch up. Ok but he'll have to get his info to me. His son has been coming in regularly. We'll see. I jogged this morning. Feels good to get back to it after a few months off.

Yes, absolutely we want you to stay with us.

I'm essentially done other than one that is a total PITA. They dropped off info late March. I sent email of a couple basic items missing. Various emails over the last 2 weeks to get the info. Sent email that they were done Tues, and she replied she will pick up today. Did not answer my return email as to what time today. I sent another this morning saying they need to be picked up by 1 pm. At 1:05 I'll be sending another email with password protected file of their original documents telling them they need to go somewhere else. They have 1 dependent that graduated HS in 2023 and another in college. Guessing at least one of them filed their own returns without indicating they were being claimed by someone else. Same crap happened last year and needed to prepare a revised return for them on 4/18 because kid claimed herself. I can be very nice until I feel taken advantage of. When I reach that point, look out!

The incomparable thrill of meeting the deadline. Almost 2 a.m. and 4 coffee cups, that would have been about right in many past years for me.

I'm done. This morning I filed the extension for my ultimate procratinator, and other than the extended returns, I am waiting on one to pickup (SO unexpectedly hospitalized day she was scheduled to see me) and one couple that have had the returns for almost a week and must return the 8879 to me. Tomorow I am participating in a charity event in the early morning and then will be shooting at the clay pigeons. That's been ongoing as weather permitted and really helped keep my sanity this year. Plus, it's fun.

You are so right! I had about a dozen that I out right fired, about 10 more that I doubled the price and they went elsewhere and a couple more that paid the PIA fee. The stress these clients caused was not worth the money.

If I have nothing, I just use last year's tax as a guesstimate for this year. I automate that in ATX by linking the prior year tax from the comparison form to the 4868. It's better than zero.

The loss on 8995 is NOT a deduction for FIT. It is strictly used to calculate QBI deduction. Any profit this year would need to be reduced by the 8995 loss before calculating any 199A deduction.

8 pm! Just filed the last extension and there are many. This day is SO over. Had to pause for one more senseless phone call. I am going to bed. Have been in this chair for 12 solid hours. We didn't even stop to eat. Good night all. Things will look better tomorrow. I am also rethinking giving up and shooting for one more year. What? Have we all lost our minds?

Here you go, Gail. https://www.gocomics.com/frazz/2024/04/13

I definitely have a few in mind to fire. However, I'll wait until I've recovered a bit before making final determinations. Drake tracks time on a return (so I leave the client's return open when I'm doing anything with their documents) and one of the things I'll do is go back through 'em all and compare what I charged with what my time-billing fee would have been. Anyone whose time-bill is substantially more than the per-form charge is high on the list of candidate for firing.

Yes, it's a godsend for all of us who are solo! And I too have had all but one other accountant I know retire.

I had a pretty good start to the season, but then lost a week to tech crap in March, and this past week to a bad back. So I'm trying to remind myself why I thought it was a good idea to keep doing taxes a few more years. But I just prepared a partial list of folks I'm going to fire, I'll go through and finish the list this week. Then I just have to write the letter to them. Then only 2 clients I still have payroll returns for, that's a relief to have that so low! Next year, none!!

@Catherine @Abby Normal @G2R The three of you should get together and put on a seminar. "What the hell happened, how the law tax law applies, and how to enter the damn thing in ATX". I would attend if it qualified for CPE. If you held it in my hometown I would put on a BBQ dinner for you at no charge. Tom Longview, TX

I had a (former) client who I hadn't heard from in 4 years text me at 6:00 pm Friday asking me to do a trust and individual return. This was the normal pattern when they were my clients. I told them I was "pretty much" retired and to call Block Advisors. Just remembered--one summer I sent them a warning they were about to hit the 60 day mark (minimum penalties kick in). They contacted me on day 61.

Holding your ground is a good thing. Erosion (I am a left coaster so it is physical as well as mental) hurts.

I did see that happen one time (over 20 years ago). I hadn’t prepared the extension or the return, but was asked to look over an audit report. The original extension request showed zeros on all lines. The actual tax liability was significant - $15 k or so. The taxpayer was self-employed and clearly should have know there would be tax due. The audit only turned up a nominal amount of additional tax - maybe $1k or so. But the auditor added full FTF penalties, stating that a reasonable estimate of the tax liability was absent from the 4868 and thus it was invalid. That’s the only time I’ve ever seen that happen, so I conclude there’s no attention paid to the numbers in the 4868 unless there’s an audit. But then they have a slam-dunk case for invalidating the extension retroactively if the extension shows all zeros. That’s why I agree with the approach to estimate the projected tax liability high, even if there’s only a token payment (or no payment) submitted with the 4868. It’s perfectly fine to lowball the payment (or even not submit a payment), but don’t lowball the expected liability.

just enter the amount that was rolled over at the bottom of the 1099-R worksheet, will show zero taxable on the 1040. Didn't need to be issued if it was institution to institution--but it could be correct if taxpayer moved the money themselves.

Sorry to hear about everyone's personal things going on during our busiest time. I guess I'm fairly fortunate. I went thru some things about 10 years ago but I'm an old bachelor and don't have a lot going on. I just hear from my siblings and the things they are going thru with children, grandchildren and all that. As someone said, life happens. But yes, the tax season is the tax season. I'm planning for three more years. Rent increases, othe costs increase. Whew. I'm afraid to start dipping into savings too soon so I'll keep at it for a few more years. I don't do too much after April 15 though. Fridays off, shorter hours the other days. Just the extensions gradually.

I have retired and Drake PPR worked perfect for relatives and my own.

Sorry to hear about your mother. I lost my mother 10 years ago. It's never easy.

I have had clients to whom I've just sent the extension forms and told them to file it themselves, with warnings about underpayment, etc.

So, there's nothing wrong with the 1099-R--the custodian has no idea if the taxpayer rolled it over or not. 1099-R Worksheet--enter the data (and code) that is present. In ATX: Box 2a, below "Taxable Amount" there is another line "Rollover amount included in 2a"--that's where you handle it.

DANRVAN, Than you so much for your advice. This mess is being fixed. The attorney is rewriting everything and keeping it so that the remaining partners did the buyout of the old partners shares. The partnership will be terminated and the bank has no problem renaming the loan to them personally, since they already had used their property as collateral. My clients are happy and I have a little less stress.

It is very peaceful to let go of those whose revenue does not cover their expense and headache. Although long ago someone here said there is a price which makes any client worth having, and our job is to get that full price.

Wait a minute! I don't remember you under your desk with a bottle of whiskey. (Full or empty?) Was that in my handout?!

The person who set it up made a lot of money. Apparently enough to "incentivize" brokers.

Those K-1s from PTPs!!! Do people make any money from those 'investments'?

You made my day @BulldogTom. Thanks for the smile.

Student has to be a degree candidate, and since he hasn't graduated high school yet that would knock him out. No? Even if qualifying, AOC can only be claimed for 4 years. Maybe the parents don't want to claim in a year where the credit would be small.

On occasion I'll send an extension form with recommendations, or (for those internet-savvy) a link to Direct Pay. Up to them, though. I'm not their mommy and they're supposed to be grownups!

Can you personalize each clay pigeon?!

Next lesson: we cannot allow ourselves to care more than the client does. Care about the quality of our work, yes! Care more than they about penalties for being late? Nope. And I at least have to re-learn this every couple of years.

You'd get to see the (totally staged) photo of me hiding under my desk with a bottle of whiskey, when the full extent of the debacle becomes known...