Gail in Virginia

Aren't wife and off the same position for most men?

She should be able to call and request that they explain the changes they have made, and with her permission you should be able to listen to the call. OR you can get a signed Form 2848 and call and request that the change be explained to you. OR you can submit the 2848 to the CAF center, wait a week or so, and look at the account transcript on line which should explain the changes. If they have changed her return to a refund, I am not sure why you need a 1040X to get her refund. They should send that automatically. Of course, they usually include an explanation when they notify you that they have changed the return. Are you sure thay you saw the entire letter - front and back?

My condolences also. I hesitate to chime in, but I wonder if the fiduciary, whether executor or administrator, should file Form 56 and then sign form 2848 to allow you to continue as POA. You are not the fiduciary, but it is there responsibility to appoint someone to represent your step-dad. But Catherine and Lynne are usually correct, so I may well be making this too complicated.

Thanks, Catherine. I learned something today. Now my head hurts and I want to go home.

This whole thread is full of ship.

Ship happens

Not sure where $300K comes from. Basis was $250K apiece; paid partner $400 for his share; looks like increase in basis of $400 so that TP now has $650 invested in property. This ignores any changes to basis due to reporting depreciation since don't have figures on that. What have I missed?

I like the meme except he has a paddle. Most of the time I don't feel like I do.

Prayers, Lion! What a terrible time for such terrible news!

This does not, however, necessarily mean the IRS will get it right. I have had letters go to clients who properly filed 2014 K-1's on their 2015 returns due to the fiscal year, who then received letters from IRS adding that income to their 2014 return. So far when that has happened, a simple letter and copy of the K-1 has resolved the issue. It is annoying, and apparently not handled completely by computer. I had a 1041 with 2 beneficiaries who received K-1s - one got a letter and the other didn't. Go figure.

What happened when the father took the custodial parent to court - did the judge say the mother had to sign the 8332?

Is that your fault? Did you cause the information to file the returns on extension to come in late? And with some of my clients, a deadline is merely a suggestion - even if I sat here until October 17 waiting on their information, prepared to knock myself out to file it, they might not bring it in until the first of November.

Why should the clients worry? They know they are doing it the way "everybody" does because their barber (or neighbor, or local person in same business) told them so.

I have not actually had anyone able to take the credit because of the minimum wage portion of the provision, BUT it is my understanding that the carry-back/carry-forward rules only come into play if there is no income tax in the current year. In other words, the credit applies first to 2015 and is not refundable; so if it is not used up you would carry any remaining credit back one year and any left after that may be carried forward for twenty years. IRS has informational sheet at IRS page. You might find that helpful.

I understand why you are questioning this - it is almost NEVER this straightforward.

I am curious about the 360deg camera when driving. Does it record? How is it mounted? I have often thought it might be helpful in the event of an accident to have a record to back up your statement, but I have not seen technology advertised for this purpose.

I thought that there was a difference in how you became a registered vs licensed CPA.

Paranoia seems to be an appropriate response to internet technology these days.

NCPE offers workshops for fiduciary and estate returns. Beanna Whitlock is the instructor for those, I believe, and she is an excellent and knowledgeable speaker. Unfortunately, they only offer about three per year. You can check out their website at www.ncpeseminars.com/

This has been an interesting topic. I try to know my limitations, and not to ask questions that two minutes of research will answer, but sometimes in the heat of tax season, my brain gets a little fried and I can barely remember my name. I actually had another preparer in our small town refer a client to me on April 14 because the other preparer was not comfortable doing foreign returns. The return was a New Mexico return. And as far as Pacun's comment about people who have been preparing returns for years not being able to pass the EA exam, I can understand that. Some people just don't test well - they have the knowledge but in a testing situation they cannot communicate that knowledge. But thanks to everyone for being here and putting up with me when I lose my mind.

I agree. I wish I could get the contract to process all the PTIN renewals at $17 each - I think I could quit doing tax returns. And actually come close to only working a few months a year, which everyone thinks is what I do anyway. Ha. Ha. /s

The user fee is reduced to $33 but when added to the fee from the third party vendor who collects the fee, we pay $50. So from my point of view, I am not sure it really changed.

Margaret, I did this for my church several years ago, and I did not have to submit a determination letter. However, I don't remember exactly what I did submit. It might have been our letter issuing our EIN, and maybe something from the United Methodist denomination. Or about the UMC. Good luck!

My gut reaction is that a cash basis taxpayer reports income in the year in which it is received unless to do so would result in a material difference. I don't know how much money we are talking about for two weeks - in some resort areas that could be really material.

Do the same definitions apply here as for EITC? Publication 15 just refers to child. That generally includes foster child, if the child is placed with you by a state or federal agency. Does he plan to adopt the child? An adopted child is always treated as your own child, and if he is in the process of adopting that would probably qualify. I don't have a definitive answer. I hope someone can find one for you - this is an interesting question. And if the child qualifies for purposes of the FICA rules, I would think it would also affect unemployment. Good luck.