Janitor Bob

Last year my Clients (Ohio residents, MFJ) had one W-2 each and your usual Sch A deductions (mortgage, taxes, etc). They were repeat clients and all of the information just rolled over from prior year. I charged them $60.00 like I had the prior year for the 1040 and Ohio IT-1040. This is MUCH less than H & R Scmuck, but only $10-$20 less than many individual preparers in this area (Sidney, OH...small town)...So I'm cheap, but not overly so compared to others in my area. Problem This year, everything is the same with the wife, but the husband has 10 W-2s.....8 with the usual OH income and taxes, but one with PA state income and tax withheld, and another with VA state income and tax withheld. He also has a 1099-G unemployment from Indiana (client had a job there and commuted from Ohio, but was laid off). He also has a 70 page notebook with several receipts taped to each page....apparently he travels all over as a W-2 employee for various companies...and has a ton of expenses (food, lodging, mileage, tools, etc). He has not added any of them up and they are not sorted in any order except by date. So it looks like they will have: 1040 (11 W-2s) Sch A 2106...with me catagorizing and adding up hundreds of receipts OH State return IN State return....Non-resident VA State return....Non-resident PA State return...Non-resident Could you folks please tell me what you would charge for this? I am calling him tomorrow to give him the "heads up" on the large fee increase, but I am not sure what is fair to charge him. Please keep in mind what I charged him the year before for the much easier return.

It made me nervous, too.....Turned out to be just gas pains.....In hindsight, the Mexican lunch was not such a great idea

ouch

I love this board...By reading this posting thread...and subsequently printing and reading about Picard, I leaned something and became a better tax preparer.

Here in Ohio we have taxing school districts...you can actually move down the street in some cases and be in a different district with a different rate. Clients never understand that when they move four times during the year in a quest for the perfect apartment....That they need to provide me with locations and exact dates moved in/out.

...must be a regional thing......You tell somebody around here that you want a "CRP" you're either gonna get a Caramel apple with nuts or a Cathode Ray Prostitute .....Trust me...you do NOT want a Cathode Ray Prostititute

Me: "Your federal refund is $979" Her: "That is a lot less then last year! You must have made a mistake" Me: "No...no mistakes" Her: "That can't be right...please review it and call me back tomorrow". ...Next Day.... Me: "Your refund is still $979" Her: "Why is it so much less than last year....I just bought a 32" flat screen TV and was gonna use the refund to pay for it!" Me: "You retired in March 2008." Her: "So?" Me: "Your income went from $48,000.00 in 2007 to $18,000 in 2008." Her: "So?...in 2008, I had extra federal tax taken from my check and from my retirement...like 20% held out in fed tax" Me: "Yes...you had 20% held out in federal taxes in 2007 as well" and were only in 10% bracket" Her: "So...why is the refund less this year?" Me: Because 10% of $18,000 is less then 10% of $48,000.00. Her: "Oh"......"OK" This is where I go bash my finger with a hammer cuz it hurts less than talking to some of these clients!

I like caramel apples...especially with chopped toasted nuts sprinkled on top.

There should be a boxed checked that states box amount above includes amounts for 2009 acedemic year...I think you can use that amount on next years taxes.

Bowling Green has their own city Form (Form R, Ibelieve) and they tax 1.92% on earning from W-2,an similar earning (not retirement income an things like that). You can find more info at www.bgohio.org They also have a 0.5% school tax for residents...School District # 8701

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Thanks...his primary income is W-2 income...he has a Farm loss of approx $1,000 and Federal and Ohio refund.

Someone jog my memory....New client has a Schedule F with his 1040 for farming income/Loss....Is this return due on March 1?

Thanks!!...I knew that and forgot all about it...not used to dealing with non-taxable income!

My client hired attorneys to assist in a Worker's Compensation claim. Ohio BWC settled and client received settlement of $70,000.....The funds went to him in care of his attorney. The Attorney then sent him a check for $55,000....keeping the difference of $15,000 as their fees. I know that the Workers com funds received are not taxable....but client can also deduct the $15,000.00 attorney fees on Sch A...correct?

Wow.....so my client that purchased their first home in 2008, will have their $7500 recaptured...but had they waited 5 months and purchaed in 2009, they would have received $8000 with no re-capture?! That doesn't seem right at all

I have a client whos spouse had a stroke in early 2008...caused partial paralasys. Client purchased and had installed one of those walk-in style bath tubs.....$15,000.00 Is there any way they can deduct this as a medical expense?

I have a client who, according to the IRS refund cycle chart, should have had her refund direct deposited on Friday 02/20. She received her Ohio state refund, but not her federal. I went on-line to the IRS "where's My Refund" page and entered her info.....It states "your return has been received and is being processed. Your refund should arrive on March 3rd".....Two weeks late?! She was not affected by the recovery rebate credit dalays...but she did have EIC...are any of you experiencing such delays? ...Of course...I have done something wrong to cause the delay!

The pay-out was a reimbursement of cancer-related medical expenses that client submitted to the insurance company. If such pay-out is not taxable, how do I offset the box 3 amount on the 1099-Misc.....I will have to include that for IRS matching. Do I offset the box 3 amount with the medical expenses? If so, are the medical expenses deducted completely to offset, or are they still a Sch A deduction subject to 7% AGI?

My client paid over several years for a cancer insurance policy.....in 2008 she was diagnosed with a form of cancer and the policy paid her $6,500.00. She received a 1099-misc from the insurance company listing the $6,500.00 in box 3 (Other income)...all other boxes are blank.....Is this taxable? Could she then deduct the premiums paid as a health expense (subject to 7% AGI limitation)?

I had a nooner for lunch

UPDATE....The problem was with the specific e-files I was trying to transmit.....The first time I tried to transmit, the computer locked up....So they were never transmitted, but the ATX software thought they were....so I could not transmit them again. I had to duplicate the return, create e-file from the duplicated return, then transmit the new e-file...then I could go back and delete the old e-file

This is what I thought....but client swears she has a pay stub dated 2008.....I'll know more when I see the pay stub. My guess is the period earned is 2008, but actual pay date is most likely Jan 2, 2009.

My client began working for a restaurant on 12/21/08...only worked there about a month. That employer told her that she would not get a W-2 for 2008 because she "started working after the cut-off date". I have never heard of this....I though that even if you worked one hour on 12/31, and earned anything, the employer was required to provide you with a W-2. Should my client pres this issue or should I just wait until Feb 17, and have her contact IRS and complete for her a Form 4852? She states that she has a pay stub showing pay received in 2008, but I do not know how much. I am assuming that, for their convenience, the employer is not wanting to provide this W-2 and, instead, include it in 2009 earnings....not right! I appreciate all of your input as you are all very wise people

Every time I click Transmit to transmit e-files, the CPU usage jumps to 100% and the ATX program (not the entire computer) locks up....my only choice is to terminate the progran. After re-starting the ATX program, the same thing happens! I can update and receive acknowlwdgements fine....I just cannot transmit!