Margaret CPA in OH

Loved that roar! Still miss it...

Abby, I did this deletion exercise. It was a bit scary and some years seemed to be in different places. Alas, it didn't free up that much space but when I spoke about the YIKES! 95% full issue, he got in and removed a bunch of stuff, primarily the 'old' folder. He always puts nearly everything from my previous computer into this folder for a while in case I might need something. And this has saved my bacon more than once. But after several months, unless things are funky, it can go. And, of course, every upgrade (he's built my last 5 or 6 computers) has a substantial drive size increase. Anyway I now have 94 GB free. Thanks for yanking my chain!

I think this may be just what you need: https://www.webcaster4.com/Webcast/Page/1148/34796 Tax Obligations of U.S. Individuals Living and Working Abroad. A key phrase is 'worldwide income'. This webinar will cover the following: 2 hours free CPE!  Specify the U.S. income tax obligations of U.S. citizens and resident aliens abroad.  List the requirements for claiming the foreign earned income exclusion.  Summarize the U.S. employment tax obligations of U.S. citizens and resident aliens abroad.  Plus a live Q & A

Would this be helpful? https://www.irs.gov/coronavirus/non-filers-enter-payment-info-here

Great, Max, and thanks. Knowing that 56 can be mailed with 8453 is a relief. Will do and breathe easier. Somehow it seems after more than 20 years of this, learning new (to me) things is still possible!

Max, Form 56 has not been submitted. In looking at it there is a place to specify the tax form and year so seems to take the place of a 2848 and a non-IRS POA. Or what am I missing? The client is 90, has a level of dementia, but also cannot be accessed due to the COVID restrictions. So I don't see how to have the client sign a 2848. Form 56 seems appropriate and adequate but has to be mailed to IRS first or can it be mailed with a copy of the POA with 8453? If it is mailed before filing, how would anyone know that it is accepted/in force? Why would 2848 also be needed? I've read and reread instructions for 56 and the nice summary you referenced. I don't quite see the need for 2848. The only question I have on 56 is authority, 1g Other. I would state the Durable POA. And the POA as fiduciary is a personal representative per the definitions in the instructions. What am I missing, please? Except for the inaccessibility of the client, we do have time to get this completed by July 15.

Files are digital and I just haven't deleted them all yet. Good thought, though, and I have to say it's hard to document and follow a policy for just me. I do have the security policy but guess I had best get a record retention policy in place before I retire in 2 years. Abby, I recall when the drive space was measured in MB so 25 GB seems a lot to me. I think the majority is program files like QB, Adobe Pro, the Microsoft suite and 4 years of ATX which seem to take up more and more space with every iteration. My entire client file is 22.7 GB. I suppose pruning would make a difference.

I know nothing about either state returns however Ohio has a form to use to allocate in-state and out-of-state income for part-year residents or other scenarios. Maybe LA has a similar form. Not sure if ATX pulls other state info anywhere.

Well, my pc is custom built by my IT person so has no extra stuff (games, etc.) on it. The ss drive is 450 GB and I still have 25 GB free which reminds me time to delete old webinar pdf's etc. My files go back to 1996. But my client list has never been more than 100 or so.

1040. She qualified in 2016 by physical presence and filing in October 2017 and has qualified every year since then. For 2020, it will likely be 1040NR as she lost her university position at the end of the academic year and had to return to Europe when the school shut down in March.

In reviewing a client's past returns, I realized that I missed including the statement for substantial presence for 2018. I don't seem to easily find how to address this particularly if there is some kind of penalty involved. Anyone know? It was her third year in the US and she was present about 220 days, easily over the 183.

Weird feeling, isn't it? I did that about 10 years or so ago when I spun off my business clients. I don't think I had anywhere near your total but it was probably 150-200 pounds. I took it to a licensed shredding business to get the document certifying it. Then about 5 years ago I did it again when my biggest paper producing client group (7 trusts) finally were over with assets all distributed. That was probably about 200 pounds. I'm down to maybe 25 pounds total now. It is such a good feeling to not have all that paper.

Abby, there are two different things here, I think. I did not mention a 2848 but agree that an actual signature of a POA faxed with the 2848 works. I did exactly that just a couple of months ago for a client (sister, POA) to get a payoff amount from collections. Got it in to Ogden the day before shutdown and payoff amount arrived about 10 days ago. I am asking about the POA to sign the tax return electronically. The durable POA specifically states, "To prepare and file tax returns for me and to act for me in tax matters." I have had in the past people with POA physically sign returns as POA as I have it on file. I was asking about e-signing as electronic signatures are now accepted for tax returns.

I'm using Verifyle for electronic signatures and now have a client unable to sign (elderly, dementia, nursing home). I have a copy of the Durable POA. So the POA should sign 8879 that name as POA, correct? If I input the email in the POA's name to get it to her, that should suffice I'm thinking as that it what Verifyle enters in the signature block. Thoughts?

Oh, and on the flyer there is an asterisk (always): No additional package charges. Only pay for what you use. I won't be using.

The accompanying quote, and I saw this somewhere else, says, "Per return fee,......; E-signature fee - $4.00 / envelope (current year, 1040 only" Now this was on my quote which was for ATX 1040 Package so MAX or others may be different. I take it to mean $4 each but have no idea what is meant by / envelope. In any event, now that I have and use Verifyle for uploading and downloading documents as well as IRS approved e-signatures, I think this is superfluous for me and the idea of $4 each - not a good deal, in my opinion. Too bad there isn't or doesn't seem to be a good explanation on the website.

It is usually just 10% and I think the extra is for the virus issue. I suspect they want to lock in as many users as possible and may need more money sooner to keep staff paid. It is worth it to me. I suspect the lock in may be for MAX which I used for many years until I transitioned out all the business clients. When the other CPA who worked for me retired, I decided I didn't want to continue payroll or monthly statements or bookkeeping. My life is much simpler now and 1040's only is nice. The last 1065 left this year. It does rankle that I have to pay $30 for each extra state, though, after 3. I have clients in many states and am on the border with two already. Oh well, just 3 more years, maybe...

In case anyone thinks we never learn anything on this forum....

Hmm, how did you lock in? I have never been offered or known of that option.

Another possible option is to open a new account in another bank with the check and additional deposit covering it stipulating that all funds would remain in the account at least until the torn check cleared. It seems unkind at the least to not allow it to be deposited when it is clear that it was torn but made out to the payee and has all the parts together. I mean, things happen in the mail. I do like Tom's suggestion of taping very carefully the parts together and making a mobile deposit. If done well, it might work. If not, try something else.

Were the stocks held in a brokerage account? If so, the 1099B should have sales totals listed/grouped as A or D - oops, Randall beat me to it.

Christian, I just have to wonder why you would still consider him a client and go along with 'this farce,' your words. I could not and would not prepare and sign such a return. YMMV but I did fire a client when I did not go along with a pseudo business that clearly was not.

I don't have the answers but suspect no. I am so sorry for this loss, too. That's why for years I have been doing both a local external hard drive copy and BackBlaze in the cloud. My guess is ATX would keep only forms included in an e-filed copy but don't know why ATX would keep copies of your data that is not sent to or backed up to their servers. Good luck with this!

Thanks, Judy. I've already looked at that and forwarded to the sister, both the video and the form. As there is a place for the agent to complete some data, I thought she should next check with the agent. I did caution that there may be 'a delay' in processing. I had read somewhere else though that some things can be managed more quickly in an urgent situation. Of course that would likely need a human at IRS but this is semi-urgent as the funds are needed to support the client. In any event, I'm not sure there is anything I can do at this point. Early on the sister told me they just needed the payoff amount so the agent could take care of it at the closing so I assumed there was some 'magic' that could take place in real estate closings. Not in my skill set! Thanks again.

Gail, I have advised the client(s) sister to next contact the realtor/agent as she was the first one to tell the sister that a payoff amount was needed. None of them could figure out how to get that until the sister of a friend of the client's partner (got that?) suggested that I might be able to help. So I finally got the payoff figure in a fax Wednesday and immediately forwarded to sister with suggested next step - realtor/agent/mortgage company. The property itself has no mortgage, just the tax liens. I am hoping the agent can manage from here. PatHack, good Idea about seeking some abatement later. I will also suggest that to sister. I think there is time to deal with that later but the potential buyers wanted to close by March 31 and had postponed once already. I don't know where that stands now, hoping to hear from sister soon. Thanks so much for all suggestions. After nearly 30 years, this is a first for me. Really stretched me, just hope all works out for the client.