FDNY

You just cracked me up! Thank you Elrod, I needed that! Can't stop smiling, wife is asking me what's so funny?

When you say progressive do you mean with the line in the middle? I just got a new pair, top 1.75 bottom 2.75 and they work great. Just don't try to get up and walk around the room and stay away from stairs.

MY hat (if I had one) goes off to you two. As a former long distance runner in my 20s and 30s I don't know how I could do it during tax season now. But it must be a great way to clear the head with that runner's high. For me, with not so great knees from all the pounding they took on NYC streets, cycling is the way to go, do it every morning before the start of the craziness.

Bulldog, I'm curious, how much time did you put into the personal return? I have a couple similar returns with multiple out of states, they usually slow me down because each year it's like I'm doing them for the first time. Well organized clients. Usually billed around $600 (personal return only). Their excellent bookkeeping helps me to finish the return with a minimum of follow up, so I get thru the return in half a day (4-5hrs) start to finish. I do think I'm too cheap, but long time clients. Although sometimes I would bill for how much my head hurts after I'm done, you know, that invisible tight band around your head feeling a little snugger than normal.

Needed to share this because in an empty office no one can hear me scream. Longtime SE Speech Pathologist client who every year tries to pull something. This year she has listed "Trainings," with about 20 $150 charges for classes. So the suspicious deductive mind I have (I watch reruns of Murder She Wrote and Columbo), I asked to see a statement. It's from an art school. Asking how this applied to speech pathology she says she has to draw words. What? You draw words? Sorry. Then she gets mad and says who am to decide, what's the big deal, then continues to give me a hard time. Last year it was vitamins, the year before I think it was her Dunkin Donuts coffee habit. I didn't tell her she was just running up her bill with me. Maybe I should take a class in painting by numbers and claim it as CPEs. Borrowing from the Moody Blues...."But we decide which is right, And, which is an illusion." I hope you're all having a nice day.

I've done 5 of these for a high earner until this year as he turned 70 1/2 last month. I have authority over his brokerage account and I've avoided mistake 5 as the money was moved to the Roth when the deposit hit the non deductible IRA account. 1099R always had at most, pennies in earnings. Is it possible to contribute this year and move it to the Roth the same day? My thinking is no as this may be playing on the edge of the rules. Would like to give him good news, as he likes my advice, such as "don't die with all your money in the bank" and "everything tastes better with bacon, even broccoli."

Yes, I too had one last year, what a time saver.

Wow....this is deep thought. The philosophical aspect of this thread is invaluable. And I thought taxes could be complex.

Hmmm...this appears to be an algebraic geometrical question for Rita.

FYI, From the Rolling Stones, you can't always get what you want lyrics - Google Search.url As for the Seinfeld episode with George doing the opposite to get what he wants, isn't that the same as a contrarian investing strategy, only works half the time, but then again every other strategy only works half the time. Now I've got to look up NCR.

The overall heat transfer coefficient is directly related to the surface convective heat transfer of a hug. It's all simple thermodynamics. So the short answer is, yes, if you hug long enough you will lose weight. We may be on to something, group hug anyone?

Wow! This is right up there with the Hamilton-Burr duel. But what I don't understand, is that duel was over defamation of character, but over tax software, you must be using water pistols or paintball guns. The loser buys at the bar, be sure to let us know what day at sunrise. Rita, check you schedule, you're needed to count the paces.

Done, took less than 5 minutes with PayPal. Thanks for mentioning this. Because of Eric and everyone else here I have learned a lot and have saved my butt a few times.

I could listen to this everyday, reinforces my billing policy for me.

And just to elaborate, this client is a PITA who calls often asking about what to do with each property, some owned solely, some with mother and some with husband. Should I get a heloc on this property, how about a like kind exchange, etc. She's always got me looking stuff up but I don't really mind because "I'm Billing Time" (Thank you Elrod, and the acapella group), maybe that's why she's miffed, I don't have all the answers off the top of my head to save her money. She treats nickels like manhole covers.

I'm behind in e filing because I'm waiting on clients to give me their driver's license info for NY returns. Especially the kids away at college partying while I'm working to get them more beer money. You think they would be right on this.

This is because we're too nice to them, and they think they are our favorite client and we have nothing better to do than remember every little detail of their life. I have one with about a dozen rental cottages on Cape Cod and she's miffed when I can't remember which one is number 9. I said to her, "why don't you give them names, if you don't, I will." I still won't remember.

Just received an email from Amazon saying my order has shipped, a fancy smancy Dell computer, $1600 worth. I never ordered this so I called Amazon and they said it is a spoofing email that many people are getting. Now I need to Google "spoofing email" as I never heard of these. She said don't respond to it (I was born at night, not last night). It's a mine field out there.

Yes, a stone's throw over the border from the Bronx. Knowing some firefighters there, they wish they were part of NYC.

And then there's this article in the NY Times the other day (2/17). Those darn Turbo Tax guys. How to Fill Out Your Tax Return Like a Pro - The New York Times.url

As a DIY plumber, electrician, and carpenter I understand the desire to do things yourself. But knowing when you're in over your head, can be quickly realized, so going to a professional is what most people will do. I tend to think this is true in preparing tax returns.

In case you get anymore NYC clients or become a contestant on Who Wants To Be A Millionaire, Kings County=Brooklyn, Richmond County=Staten Island and NY County= Manhattan. Queens is Queens and Bronx is "Da' Bronx". All local tax on W2 should be identified as NYC, someone was being cute (or unaware) by labeling it as Kings. You will need the school code for the county (or borough as we NYers call them) and it will be identified as Kings. Good luck on Who Wants to be a Millionaire.

You're my MA Go To person too! Don't forget, I'm a Red Sox fan now.

Oh yeah, putting a tax deferred "investment" in an IRA, what a novel idea. Advisor should be tarred and feathered. Unfortunately many older people fall for this with high introductory rates, only to be a victim to the surrender charges when they need the money. And the absolute worst is putting a variable annuity in an IRA, a guaranteed loser with charges up the Ying Yang. I believe many states do have laws to protect individuals from these practices..

I think the only way to protect our clients from these people is if the client called us for an opinion on such an investment. Many clients do, but the older ones are just too trusting and fall for the slick sales pitch.