frazzled

For the first time, I am closing the office Friday and Saturday! Never open on a Sunday. I have closed on Good Friday only one other time in the past ten years. But this year I said why should I take Friday off just to come in half a day on Saturday? I think it will be a nice mini vacation to regain my mental strength for the last two weeks of the season.

My two cents... He CAN take the refundable portion of the AOC because his earned income is MORE than half of his support, and therefore condition # 1 would not apply in his case. And because condition #1 does not apply, the other conditions do not matter because they ALL have to apply.

Sorry for your loss, Joan.

Depreciation form 4562 IS available to efile. The IRS began accepting the form feb 10 th

We can efile a 1040X??

I have used several different sources for CPE in the last few years. Purdue University Tax School, IU Tax practitioner institute, IN NATP chapter conference, NATP self-study, IRS tax forum, TaxTalk, various free IRS webinars, and the TaxBook self-study. My favorite source of CPE is the IU tax practitioner institute (Choose the French Lick location!!) or the NATP chapter conference and my least fave was the IRS tax forum (although the expo was good - the speakers sucked - zzzzz!!).

I had the same thought, John. I felt guilty for thinking it, but...

Congrats Marilyn!!

Great accomplishment for a young man!

When I signed up for the exam, I decided I wanted to see if I had enough tax knowledge to pass without studying. After all, what have I been doing for the past 14+ years? If I didn't have enough knowledge to pass a "basic" tax exam, maybe I needed to rethink my career! I can't say I didn't study at all, I did a quick review of Circ 230. After a very restless night, I went into the exam running on fumes and forgot to take some 5 hour energy before starting the exam! ???? I found the test to be pretty straightforward with just a few ambiguous questions. The reference tools were clunky to use. I received my passing result as I left the testing center. I wish I knew the actual score. Did I barely squeak by? Or did I pass with flying colors? Was I average? Do I need more study on a certain topic? We will never know.... How can we improve upon our weaknesses if we don't know what our weaknesses might be? Btw, I love to take quizzes and tests, and I am a good test taker. If you tend to have test taking anxiety problems, you may want to study to help boost your confidence! Side note to RitaB: you can do it, no problem! ????????

He paid me "for my time" as he put it.

Why does this crap wait for the last few days!?! :wall:

Situation: Married clients, wife does not accept that her new SS benefits are taxable. After 2 months sitting in my drawer waiting for signatures, he showed up and told me he wanted to get his papers back and pay me for my time. He was going to take them somewhere else to get them done - he knew I did them right, but he had to live with his wife! He paid me my fee and signed the following paper that I whipped up on the spur of the moment: "I, taxpayer name, have directed "my business name" not to file my Federal & State tax returns for tax year 2011. I am only paying them for their work done on the returns, we will not file the returns." He gave me no issues or grief. Fast forward to the following day, I had realized I forgot to give him his w-2 back, so I called and left a message apologizing and letting them know I could mail it or they could pick it up. Yesterday, she shows up to get the W-2 and then proceeds to "educate" me that her SS benefits are not taxable but then contradicts herself saying "this paper shows I have two years to pay them". Then she wanted the actual returns so she could paper file them. I told her I would have to re-do them for a paper file return, because additional documentation would have to be attached, because as a tax pro I have to file them electronically. Then she says , "I don't want to file them cause they are wrong." So, she was very confused and contradictory. They were never given any copies of the prepared returns. This morning, she called demanding the returns and saying her lawyer says I have to give it to them because that is what they paid for, the lawyer said I can't just charge for my time. I read to her the statement that her husband signed, she continued to threaten the lawyer action, I finally just said have him call me! I was getting nowhere with her. I do not want to give them any completed copy of the return. Am I required to in this case? I thought the signed statement would cover me. Am I wrong? Have I opened mouth and inserted a stinky foot? Thoughts and opinions PLEASE! Thank you very much Very Worried, Debbie

LOL - I voted for the other guy! :rolleyes:

You only need to miss work once for the exam (if you pass on the first try, and you shouldn't have a problem.) As for the CPE, there are ways to earn CPE without leaving your office, and some can be free. Be positive - and raise your rates to compensate for the increased costs. I am a lot like you! I have been doing taxes since 1998 and I am not a CPA or EA. In 2003, I quit my job as Group Leader over Shipping, Receiving, and Material Handling at a second tier auto components manufacturer to focus on my tax business. I have also thought of throwing my hands up and going back to a W-2 job, the last few years have been frustrating. I am scheduled to take the RTRP exam on May 3rd. If I do not pass on the first try, I may dust off my resume! Maybe sell out to H&R Block.... they do send me a letter every year....hmmmmmm

I have successfully electronically filed a $0 AGI tax return this season. Past seasons it would not work, but BINGO - this year it worked! Maybe because of MeF?

This past week has felt like I am in the Twilight Zone. In recent days, the office has felt like a ghost town. I have sent my receptionist home early two days this week. The phone is not even ringing! I bet (I hope) they crawl out of the woodwork next week! Still have about 80 MIA!

I agree Rita! The IRS could catch all kinds of things - commuting miles and work clothes taken as employee business expense, double dipping on med insurance premiums on Sched A, a "standard" amount for charitable deductions, funeral flowers and service tips as charitable contributions, etc etc etc

Kitchen appliances do NOT qualify for the credit.

The State of Indiana is also checking for the online cigarette purchases and punishing accordingly. I had one client owe several thousand dollars. They decided it wasn't such a good deal after all!

A stillborn child cannot be claimed as a dependent. The baby has to have been born alive and issued a birth certificate.

I have often searched online for the manufacturer certificate for the client and I do charge for the time.

I made the same mistake on my cousin's tax return two years ago. I was sick with worry for two weeks waiting for the hoped-for deposit (although my cousin wasn't worried at all). He called me the morning it was deposited and said I could get some sleep!

I like tech, but do not have or want a cell phone. My husband bought me an iPad for Christmas about 6 months after they came out, loved it so much I bought an iPad2 last summer for business. I do not have a 3G plan for either of the iPads, just use wi-fi. I took it to the IRS forum in DC and had all the slideshows pre-downloaded on my iPad and took any notes on the iPad. I signed up for Square a couple of weeks ago and accepted my first "guinea pig" yesterday. He was tickled to help me out!

SOLD!