easytax

/s Just one of the very few "glitches" from the government -- they will do better with time. Now, you just need the forms for the coverage for the balance of the year --- and don't forget yours too. Haven't seen mine or others yet, waiting patiently

Per the ATX support people: This is for the ATX program entry QA was; will these fields need to be filled out in order to efile?? AN was; It will depend on the state return that is being filed. Error messages will display if the information is required for the return to be filed.

Rule # 2:

Learn this and you can OWN the world!

Interestingly enough --- some US agencies (unlike IRS) do not apparently believe that the state drivers license is enough proof: http://www.msn.com/en-us/travel/news/tsa-moves-closer-to-rejecting-some-state-driver%e2%80%99s-licenses-for-travel/ar-BBnYMIr?ocid=U147DHP as it does not ask some important questions to be obtained for ID.

Just tried to edit above but apparently timed out. Here is what would be the edit info. Under "best practices" 5000a there is a decent listing of what might be used. Also here is an ACA interactive guide I believe from Pro-Series: https://intuitcorp.quickbase.com/db/bjbbcmui8?a=dbpage&pageID=6&rid=35

According to many articles and IRS comments - these may be something as simple as insurance cards, bills, etc. I am going with trusting "old" clients and asking a lot of new clients -- but bottom line is --if they seem plausible, then in this case they are ---- as the government can second guess BUT since no direct guidance -- my "feelings" are fair game too.

Here is a PDF copy of an article from Accounting Today that speaks to your question. My understanding (which of course could be incorrect) is that the employers WILL HAVE TO arrange for 1095's of some sort (B,C, etc.) as long as they fall under the mandate of the proper number of employees. Even for 2015 where the mandate has been extended, the 1095's appear to need filing in 2016 (again, even though the mandate did not apply in 2015 but the filing requirement does in 2016 (not for 2016 info but for 2015) - confusing is it not?). www.accountingtodayACA Coming Around Again 122715.pdf Hope this helps.

/s Why ---- they just make it the preparers "duty" --- Refundable credits for lower- and middle-incomers are made permanent: Higher earned income and child credits. Plus the American Opportunity college credit. Tighter rules will apply to preparers of returns that claim the child credit… Or the American Opportunity Tax Credit. Beginning with 2016 tax returns filed in 2017, they’ll have to document how they determined the filer’s claim was valid, similar to the rules that now apply to returns claiming the earned income credit.

Brain dead right now, so no cite BUT --- just because you do not use it it year -- you should have --- does NOT make it allowable to use it when you want. Not allowed.

Since star wars is launching in a few days, you may want this long ago photo (nostalgia):

For the ladies (my first written) For all those who really care (political correct version):

These are the folks that regulate us (or want to) but apparently have too little to do (so they look for more trivial things). Here is the URL for the article on MSN: "Is IRS proposal kiss of death for charities?" http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/nonprofit/is-irs-proposal-kiss-of-death-for-charities/ar-AAghY9W?li=BBnbfcN&ocid=U147DHP Here is an excerpt: What’s wrong with the current regime for substantiating charitable gifts? Bizarrely, the Treasury notes in the proposal that the current system works “effectively, with the minimal burden on donors and donees.”

I FINALLY have proof that paper beats rock ---------

CCH // ATX is just going the way of government in general ------ confusion means they are not responsible for any incorrect things ---- you just mis-understood what was stated! Before the blog and these postings, I had only entered the one code (still just one today) ---- and all seems to be working well. Good season and a good holiday --- whatever you celebrate ---- MERRY CHRISTMAS !

Here is an excerpt from the ATX Blog (12/03/15): During installation, you should only use the activation code for your ATX package (e.g. MAX). A few customers’ shipping and confirmation documents may display a separate code for “concurrent licenses”. Please disregard the concurrent license code if one appears on any of your fulfillment documents. If you have previously installed and input this code, no action is required and ATX will install normally as long as the package code is also input. If you have purchased additional user licenses, those activation codes must be entered in the “Activation Codes” dialog box in order for those licenses to be available for use. A single code is provided for each license bundle you purchase and will be reused to enable the appropriate number of installations. Please refer to Program Help for more information about entering activation codes. Some additional product features or modules like Enhanced Asset Management require a separate activation code. Simply enter those codes in the “Activation Codes” dialog box to activate that functionality.

Food for thought

Your connection speed (currently whether copper wire or fiber optic) is based on what your ISP allows to pass through to your system. Therefore a fiber optic could be as slow/fast or faster than what you have now but depends on what you are paying for. This would be true even if you had a "TOTAL" fiber optic from your ISP to your home (most homes might have a feed to the distribution point but typically are still now copper wire from the feed to the home and in most cases, copper wire throughout the home, etc. Here is an article on li-fi (still some years away but something being worked on) --- : http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/technology/light-based-li-fi-internet-boasts-speeds-100-times-faster-than-wi-fi/ar-BBnrQ3z?li=BBnbfcL&ocid=U147DHP . In my area cable ISP is faster than DSL but that is due to the phone system who is the DSL ISP in this area. Just a few miles down --- a different ISP (FIOS) has a stronger and faster DSL offering for a bit less money. It currently comes down to your supplier and the speed you pay for --- just be sure you will get all the "bang for the buck" they offer. In the case of fiber optic --- if your building does not have the "fiber", then that will be the throttling point with the final segment to you be only as fast as that segment can carry -- which may not be fiber speeds. With that said, maybe the cost of running a full fiber system right to your computer(s) may be feasible --- only cost and availability can tell. Depending on what you do --- do you really need more (currently) than maybe 15 Mbps Download / 2 Mbps Upload or 100 Mbps Download / 5 Mbps Upload ? (these speeds are from my ISP - cable modem)? For most of my small business needs these suffice --- but again --- it depends on your needs. Have a good season and a GREAT Thanksgiving.

Loaded ATX 2015 into primary and backup computers (both stand alone not networked) without a hitch. All form downloads went well, etc. Rolled over 40 returns to test and with one error on my part, all went well but seemed to take a bit longer than prior years. The error on my part was to roll over everything after I had set preferences and such in the program. ----- HINT: since I was also rolling over my ERO and Preparer information with doing that FIRST, alone with any clients; I now have to do extra clicks to put that information into the returns already rolled over - when I open them to complete them. HINT/HINT: roll over your ERO and preparer information first, then the full returns, etc. One thing noticed on the returns rolled over --- although I had chosen states, the program initially said I had to add the state/local forms as a PRS unless I specifically chose them as my choices (I have a 1040 program with three states). Once I told the program I did want the states as a default; then the forms downloaded OK. The second item (still being figured out by ATX) was while setting up "options", "preferences", under "return manager", "Tax Research Login Credentials" there is a section that states: Your ATX package includes a CCH ® IntelliConnect ® subscription. If you don't know your login, request your CCH IntelliConnect registration email to get started. I did as instructed last evening and today received an email giving name and acct number for IntelliConnect but no password, etc. --- Upon contacting ATX support, they said they would track things down and call me ---- still awaiting, etc. ---- DID not know I had this with my package, so am totally lost here. Other than the two above (one mine, one ATX) ATX 2015 is off to a decent start. But as Jack and others state --- still way to early. Have a good Thanksgiving and an excellent tax season.

The way the instructions for the 1095 series forms read ==== the insurance provider should supply the forms /// unless certain circumstances occur in which case the "sponsor" of the program will. In a nutshell, small employers providing coverage will have the insurance companies send the 1095 forms. As I understand the instructions --- this basically means EVERYONE will have some sort of 1095 series form to give us (we the practitioners) to show coverage (maybe more than one form too; as they need to show coverage for all year, etc.). Is NOT the government grand for so clear cut instructions and their desire to make the "practitioners" life easier? (just in case it is not clear /s for this line).