Gail in Virginia

Jack, I am running a domain server with workstations. We use SBS 2011 on the server, and all the workstations have Windows 7. I can't say we aren't having any problems, but so far they are relatively minor compared to most postings I see. Occasional crash, can't import K-1 data, still getting used to fixed asset format this year, and slow as molasses to load program, newly rolled over returns and print packets. But we are chugging along. I thought perhaps the fact that we just replaced our server this summer was what was saving us.

Did he get a degree from the "foreign" college? I think the AOTC is only available for your first four year degree. If he is doing graduate studies or completing a second degree, I don't think he is eligible. Did not look it up, though, so I am willing to be corrected.

Probably offended Kimmie, maybe Jeff before he left, other CCH personnel. Who knows?

I don't believe 8582 is available until early March. However, do remember that farmers have until April 15 this year. IRS announced that earlier. This will only be a problem if your state is not allowing them extra time even though IRS is.

My heart goes out to you Joan. Never an easy time to lose a friend, but a stressful tax season has to be about the worst time possible.

What in the world did you say over there? I have seen some really derogatory things posted on their board the few times I have looked this year - in fact, I was surprised it didn't have "technical" difficulties and get shut down.

I am sure the laughter will return quickly now that things are looking up. Glad that it went so well!

I believe that you can If you have the correct EIN. I am not sure that you can before April 1. I think in the past the IRS has wanted you to wait until then if filing form 4852 to give employers plenty of time to get the W2 to employee. Of course, sometimes you know there isn't going to be a W-2.

And you have to be sure the activity that you want to view is the one that is showing. For example, on a partnership return, you might be seeing the 1065 activity when what you want is the 8852 activity.

The instructions list three conditions, all of which must apply for you to not be able to get the refundable credit. I am assuming that she has at least one parent living (condition 2) and she is not filing a joint return for 2012 (condition 3). So that leaves us with her having to meet condition 1 to NOT be able to claim the credit. She does not meet a or b since she is 23 years old. She does not meet c because she has earned income greater than 1/2 of her support. Therefore, she can claim the refundable credit. I think the way it is worded is confusing.

And neilbrink, I don't know offhand where you are located, but the state of Virginia is following suit and allowing farmers until April 15 without penalty. I hope your state is as well.

This is a hard time of year to have a family member sick. I hope all of the pets get better soon.

And in speaking to another preparer here locally, ProSeries had some issues early on that caused rejects in e-filed returns with EIC. I just wish it made me feel better that others are having problems, but it doesn't really. I just want mine solved!

And I don't think that the reason you can't open returns is because ATX has cancelled your subscription. I think some people who are still trying to work with ATX are having the same problem.

You might try going to the ATX support site, to the e-file section and check the status of your return. If it shows there you probably just need to be patient. If it doesn't show up there my guess is that something went wrong with the transmission. In that case, unless someone else has a suggestion, I would have to call support.

I think that I would also be a little suspicious that this might be a "shopper" for the IRS checking to see if the preparer is actually asking appropriate questions and documenting the answers for the EIC due diligence.

Probably because IRS is not accepting those forms until the first week of March, according to the IRS website.

Have you posted this on the official board? I think that occasionally staff at ATX peruse this board, but I doubt they have the time this year.

I had a passive gain that was generating an 8582 and therefore would not e-file. When the e-file error came up, I right clicked the form, discarded it, clicked on re-create, e-filed and it has been accepted.

As long as it is showing the proper refund and withholding, you are fine. The other lines are supposed to be blank if the income is below the filing threshold, because the math might actually work our to a small taxable income and still be below the threshold, so ir just leaves that part blank.

Interesting. Thanks for the news.

I also have been unable to open more than one return, and I have found since 12.8 that I cannot import K-1 data without the program shutting down. I can work around those issues, however, so I am just glad my problems are not worse.

I would be surprised if an EFIN was used for this fraud. My guess would be IRS' free-file system, since max earned income credit would be under the income level to use free file. And I don't think you have to have prior year's AGI to use that. Been a while since I have helped someone use Free FIle to do their taxes.

I like that feature, personally. I don't like that since the last round of updates a 1099-G wants a social security number only for the recipient. I have a large farm partnership that gets 1099G's from Agriculture, Forestry, etc.and ATX is now telling me (after first deleting the recipient information) that the recipients TIN is formatted incorrectly when I use an EIN. I hope this is not a problem when I go to e-file.

Unless you are in two different businesses, I would only do one Schedule C and list both 1099MISC on that one form. If you are paying your supervisor, I assume it is as a non-employee, and if you pay them $600 or more you need to prepare a 1099 for them so that you can answer the question on the Sched C properly.