Janitor Bob

I do have his name and SSN...So I can at least get hers done...at which point, I'm sure a computer somewhere will find his SSN and various agencies will start sending notices to him...That's why I say he should just go ahead and file now....the hide-and-seek game will be over....He should just put it all out there and deal with it. Easy for me to say...I know...but dang...at some point, you just gotta put on your big-boy pants.

I have had two of these this year.....I always try to give clients warning as their kids age so they won't be unpleasantly surprised the next year...sometimes that helps, but not always....and then...as in your case...they take it out on us.

Yes JohnH....I am assuming (as I think my client/spouse) is assuming these very issues will apply.....But for the sake of the daughter's financial aid, the dude needs to file..even if they go MFS. Nobody can run from IRS (and state/local) forever...time for this guy to be a husband and father and do what needs to be done.

bingo

The problem is he has income. Client just sent me a text that in addition to his cash under the table job, he has a "normal" part-time W-2 job...He just refuses to file. A) How does one just refuse to file....IRS gets a copy of the W-2...They know you have income. B ) Depending on his income & withholdings, he may be entitled to a refund C) Even if his W-2 income is low enough that he does not need to file a return, the loser still needs to let client/spouse know what his W-2 income is for FAFSA

I don't think HOH is an option.....If married on 12/31/13 filing options are MFS or MFJ.....To be considered Separated and considered unmarried (living apart from spouse for 1/2 year or more), I think you need to be married first. I think that once you get married, the incomes of both parent and spouse are considered for Financial aid purposes....That's one of the main reasons I have been engaged but not married for the past 4 years.

Agreed....If its going to default to something, it should default to e-filed...especially if the associated EF INFO forms are included in the return

Not really seeking advice here...just had to share this and I don't know anybody who could understand/appreciate this as well as the members of this forum: Returning client....Single mom (or at least WAS a single mom) with one daughter in college. IF she was still single, she would have had a refund of approx. $5,000....EIC and AOC...similar to last year. Also, due to her low one-income household, her daughter would get a sizeable Pell Grant for college (approx. $3,000). BUT....she went and got married in December 2013. Her new husband refuses to file taxes...According to my client he has never filed taxes. He has a source of income (not sure what it is or if I want to know, but I assume cash under the table. Frankly I'm surprised he's a free man...for many reasons...taxes and otherwise....dude may as well have loser stamped on his forehead. but she loves him. I'm guessing, but I don't think Mr. Loser made that much under the table....If they filed joint, refund would probably still be sizeable...AOC and likely still EIC....and daughter could get FAFSA filed. Sooo....MFS, her refund is only $600.00. She can't file the FAFSA application for daughter unless Mr. loser's taxes are filed...he will not even give her any information about his income......still...he will NOT file...based on principal he claims. So I told client that her "love" may cost her (and her daughter) approx. $7,400 (or more) this year in hopes that she can knock some sense into him. what life situation was ever improved in the long-term by tax evasion? I have filed the FAFSA many times...but always as a single parent.....does anybody know if she CAN file it without any of Mr. Loser's financial information? The refund is bad enough, but I would hate to see the daughter not be able to complete the FAFSA.....grants, loans, scholarships...all depend on FAFSA being filed. Thanks...rant over

OK...I found several more check stubs/statements...all of them have 2013 dates...all have the same Reason for Check as mentioned above...total combined amount is $1901.68. I also see that one of his 1099-R's is for PRUCO Life Insurance...which I just realized is Prudential....However, the amount on the 1099-R is only $1,166.80 Is it likely that this 1099-R from Pruco is for these payments.....and part of it being not taxable as return of premium?

New Client....Not a lot going on....SSA-1099, two 1099-Rs, and a 1099-MISC.....easy-peezy but...also included in his papers was a check stub/statement for a $1,274.93 check he received from Prudential. The reason for the check is stated as "Surrender of Paid-up Additional Insurance". What is this? I know very little about insurance. Neither of his 1099-Rs are for this amount. advice? Is this a taxable issue?

Why would anyone ever beat a dead horse?....and for God's sake, why would anyone expect to receive a donations statement for doing so?

Spot on Jack.....I actually like using the generic form better than trying to use the city-specific forms as I did in the past.....waiting for the forms to be released and constantly adjusting to a new form was maddening....almost all cities accept the generic, so generic it is. I do have to say, however, that the generic does not have a good way of calculating the percentage of unreimbursed employee expenses to deduct. City of Sidney allows a percentage based on unreimbursed employee expenses as a percentage of total Sch A deductions. with the generic form I need to complete that formula by hand on Sidney City printed tax form and then transfer the total to the generic form in ATX. I also then attach the page of the paper Sidney form that has my calculation to the generic to mail to Sidney....just so they know that I correctly arrived at my deduction.

GUMMY FRIKKIN BANANAS?! Where?

Immediately following what seemed like a flawless update, my cat threw up a hairball onto my least favorite client's folder....coincidence or awesome new feature?

Should I list his resident state as KS on the KS 40 and then exempt the income using Sch S or should I list him as a non-resident of KS on the KS40...or both?

It what circumstances would mutual fund gains NOT be reportable and taxable? This is not a tax deferred account such as a 401k or 403b...simply a personal investment account (mutual fund) managed by a broker who churned it in 2013 resulting in approx. $5,200 in short and long term gains

1099-B states that all of these transactions were reported to IRS...is that what you mean?

I wondered that myself....and you are correct....SHE was not doing any trading....the activity was all within her investment account....how would I determine if these are reportable trades? To be quite honest, I thought these gains were always reportable....Do I need to re-take a tax course?

$975 is not too far off from the damage each year....From what she tells me, she either has to scrape pennies to come up with it (she's on installmen plan currently to pay for 2011 and 2012) or beg him for money to pay...which is what he wants...to keep her dependent. She goes on to tell me that sometimes he makes her "do things" to earn the money...didn't ask...don't want to know. This has been going on now for approx. 7 years...every year, its the same story. I feel sorry for her, but at the same time...7 years? I just try not to judge...have a few drinks before she arrives...and listen to her complain about the "bastard husband"

Her broker is Curian...does that mean anything to anybody

Its not the MFS that's hurting her...in fact, she usually gets a small Ohio refund.....what hurts is having a standard deduction of zero because he itemizes ...and she has almost no itemized deductions.

She was not "willing" to pay anything...this little old lady did not even know this activity in her investment account was happening....These gains increased her wealth on paper, but they also took her $227 refund and turned it into a $984 balance due. Sure, part of her is happy that her investments are worth more, but she did not anticipate nor does she have the funds to cover her $984 tax bill....regardless of how much of a fee I deserve...or think I deserve, I cannot and will not do that to her.

I don't like yellow warnings....I get enough of those from my dogs when I get busy and forget to let them out.

you feel uncortable because you have high ethical standards...that's what separates us from the "I'll claim anything to keep a client" preparer down the street that is a jerk with fake hair that does not clean up after his dog when it poops on your sidewalk.

I thought about that, but there are at least 20 was sale transactions....maybe more...I quit looking after I got to 20.