Margaret CPA in OH

Thanks so much, Catherine. I will pass along this information. I'm certain these folks will appreciate having even one contact to make about this issue. They can then take it from there. Thanks again!

Hey, I've been using that on my personal email for several months! Isn't it great? I've gotten so many comments about it, too. I notice that you are in Lexington MA. I lived in Boston for 13 years in another life. Now I have a retired couple who moved to Concord to be near family. They have several Ohio trusts. I believe only the revocable trusts need to be "converted" or updated to MA trust verbiage for probate absquatulation purposes. Neither they nor do their daughters know any attorneys who handle this work. My Ohio "go to" attorney doesn't have any MA connections either. Is there an attorney with whom you work and trust that competently handles trusts? Let me know if you do. I thank you!

I am astonished! When I try to open QB 2004, a box appears that says, " QuickBooks and Internet Explorer...Microsoft Internet Explorer 7 is installed on this computer. Quickbooks 2004 is not compatible with Internet Explorer 7. To ensure uninterrupted QuickBooks use, Intuit recommends the use of Internet Explorer 6. " It then gives the options to "Use Internet Explorer 6," "Exit QuickBooks," or "Continue." Son of a Gun!!! I was so intimidated by Options 1 and 2, I never tried "Continue." Well, I just clicked on it and VOILA!, it opened! I feel like such an idiot now. I will slink back into obscurity... Tomorrow I go to certify about 6 scuba students. I think I need that break even though the water will be about 60 and thunderstorms are in the forecast. At least Microsoft, CCH, and Intuit are not involved!

I do provide bookkeeping services for several clients, most of whom are on 2006 or 2007. I actually provide the annual service for this client, too. She brings in the check registers and statements and I input the data...where it sits until I need it the next year for the tax returns as I prefer to have things somewhat tidy for support. I am, at 62, all too keenly aware that it is no longer 1968 - those were the years! I just don't really push folks to spend money unnecessarily. This software does all that is needed for this client or at least it used to. I'll figure out what next to do. Thanks again, and you may have started me on the trek towards the next level of membership here. I have been trying to avoid it. We'll see!

Thanks for the suggestion. I have resorted to that sequence for other clients. The problem is the inability to return a file to the client with updated info, reclasses, etc. I guess I was hoping some technical guru might have figured out a way to inactivate that IE 6 requirement in QB. Sigh... I think it is totally unreasonable. I even posed the question to Intuit tech support. Would one even have been able to install and use QB 2004 without internet access? What if it was on a computer without it? The answer was that it still would have required the installation of the browser. Thanks again!

I have a client with a very few transactions on QB 2004. They won't change...no need to do so from their point of view. After tax season I sent my computer for a spa treatment whereupon they installed IE 7. QB 2004 won't work with IE 7 for some reason. Intuit is not at all helpful with this. My computer guy says IE 7 is more secure, etc. Any suggestions? I just resent having to jump through all these hoops. I don't need any updates for QB 2004 so don't understand why it is required to have a specific browser to even use the program.

I have a few suggestions but think that a phone conversation would be more efficient. Please check my website and call, if you like, to discuss. Champion-CPA.com or email at [email protected]. This year I have a second mishandled, misreported CRUT that remains incompletely resolved as the TP involved is foot-dragging. Another one took about 3 years with several IRS visits to straighten out.

This is a good question but I don't understand why a 1041 would be filed and not just a final 5227. Since the purpose of a CRUT is to eventually distribute all assets to the charitable orgs listed in the trust document, I don't see a problem. I am preparing returns for 2 and at least one will end with donor's death within a couple of years (they are 94 and 95) so will be interested in seeing what you think should be done besides the final 5227.

How do they know??? In yesterday's mail was a fancy brochure and seminar schedule from Thomson/UltraTax. It begins, "Dear Margaret: We're hearing from many ATX and TaxWise customers who are examining their tax software options and are concerned about how long CCH will continue to maintain and support three (3) different tax software systems." It goes on to discuss the benefits including the fact that I could purchase UltraTax/1040 for as little as $1,700! And take $600 of the second product such as UltraTax/1120 for as little as $1,050! I nearly choked. "As little as $2,750" for not even what I now have or need. I surmise that they don't really understand the economics of those of us who are sole practitioners. We may have a few complex tax client situations but I, for one, cannot afford that kind of money. I can put up with a lot of being on hold, if necessary, on speakerphone for those dollars. I'm sticking around another year to see what happens while still hoping Mel comes through. My options are limited. I sort of think that CCH will not support a ship with lots of passengers departing but I do think they are trying to fix some of their mistakes of the last year. At least, I hope so! And I do hope they do not try to convert ATX users to TaxWise users. I will definitely look elsewhere should that happen. Now back to work...

Thanks again, Chrisbry. I will bring that up to date. I did use client IRS PIN because, as I said, I did not prepare the forms or sign, just Electronically Originated the Return. We all learn things everyday.....and I thought I was reasonably understanding all this! Thanks again for your help and for all on this board!

Thanks for the response. I thought I was just the ERO as I did not prepare the 941 or sign it, just efiled it. The 8655 authorizes the reporting agent to sign and file. I took it literally with the words "sign and" not just file. I will have the clients complete both 8655 and 2848. Would you suggest that the period covered on the 8655 go back to the first date? I use the client's IRS number, by the way. Dates for 2848 are easy as they cover years. Thanks again!

Margaret, good luck ! One thing I learned from a poster on this board was to go to the IRS efile site and look up the return status. This helped me figure out which Q4 returns really did get filed. CCH did manage to lose 2 of my 940 returns which were timely filed last quarter, and I had to re-transmit them in March. I paid the late filing penalties cuz it was not worth the effort to seek reimbursement from CCH. If ATX cannot locate your original 941, it's possibly lost, and you may need to re-transmit just to get it over with.

On the other hand, I still have an outstanding 941 from Feb. 18 for 4th qtr and a first qtr from April 18 hanging in validated. This is the same client and others have been quickly accepted. The plus side is, after 6 phone calls between Mar. 5 and April 22 and only a single email from William before his departure, I actually received not one, but two, email responses from cs. Maybe, be still my heart, they are finally responding...

Aha! I was wondering if it was just me! ATX works but veeeerrrrryyyyy slowly with QB open. I, too, have a gig. Maybe we need 2...

This is wonderful news! ATX tech support came through for you. I still want to believe in ATX and most likely will renew for many reasons. This incident helps. My outstanding since Feb. 18 efiled 941 with Jindy (3/5), Mandy (3/8), Tabitha (3/13), Taracha (3/17), Gina (3/26), even William (3/27), (forgot the one in between here), Lily (4/18) and Mandy (she claims to not be the same Mandy and Lily who promised to call back last Friday no longer works there) today all saying EFC is working on those outstanding 941's. My frustration level with tech support is precarious at the moment. I rarely need it with this great board, KB's and 12 years of working with the program, but I am helpless with this issue. I do hope your experience is the beginning of a great new support.

That was excellent feedback! I have been following these comments to aid in my decision. I think your observations have finalized it. I have also been wondering about the Ohio local returns which I have to prepare for many of my clients. I've never seen those mentioned. Thanks again for taking the time to check it out and sharing your experience. ATX does have issues but it has been my software since 1997. I know it pretty well by now, including the areas that need a second look. It would be painful to have to learn those with another software unnecessarily. Like you, I think I will stick with ATX until abandoned. Then I just might retire and only teach SCUBA!

Please, on this board, "frikkin" is the well-established terminology. Check prior posts. Then again, maybe that particular banana IS a bit freakish peeling itself and all...

That is a good question. I have to say that I have efiled many extended federal and Ohio returns over a few years with no problems or correspondence. It has been my uncorroborated assumption that, since Ohio accepts the federal extension, the extension gets communicated. I will say that this is the first year that I have efiled extended federal and Ohio returns with balances due. I had the clients send in the vouchers with payments to cover. It will be interesting to see what happens!

From the Ohio instructions: You must first qualify for an IRS extension of time to file. Ohio does not have and Ohio extension form but honors the IRS extension. You should include with the Ohio income tax return a copy of your IRS extension or your extension confirmation number or a printed copy of the IRS acknowledgement. Except as set forth below, there is no extension of time for paying the tax. Make extension payments on form IT 40P. It goes on to cite a $50 per month failure-to-file penalty...based on tax due. The reality is that if you efile with a payment prior by mail for any tax due or have a refund, there is no penalty. I have one client that files every 2-3 years, always with refunds and no penalties. She is just so disorganized but has other gifts.

Chlorox? Bleach? Easier to read? Hmmm, think through that one again.

My season sounds just like Deb's - rush, lull, rush with that maddening single item (basis, usually) seemingly unobtainable. And, like Joan, I don't have much of a life. I will be teaching more scuba this year because the dive center seems short on instructors now. And, with more extensions than ever, I will be still crunching numbers After a week in Sedona in May, it will be interesting to catch up with those still hanging out here at our "water cooler." What a great group of supportive folks here! And what a difference you all have made in my professional and personal life. JB, if she agrees, are we all invited to the virtual wedding?

For what it's worth, someone on another thread suggested having the cursor over the STOP so that when/if the dreaded red appears, you can stop immediately. That worked for me. Then I decided to just wait abit. My last 4 went through rather quickly as, I suspect, some folks just went on home. I don't think the crunch will last all evening. Hang in there, deep breath, deep breath...

No, silly, the double deduction would be for me. Once for discussion of tax issues and checking out the new software and one for instruction and certification of students. At least for those who are certifiable and who among us is not today?

Perfect! I was working on a projection for estimated payments and that DOES make a difference. Thanks so much.

Mike, the two pastor clients I have retired in 2007. They have sent me a form from the Board of Pensions that declares, per IRS allowance, that their pension is deemed housing allowance and not subject to income tax (per usual standards, frv, etc.). It doesn't, however, address the SECA issue. Nor does my Church and Clergy Tax Guide. I plan to call BofP but what do you think? The denomination is Methodist. Thanks!