David W Ristau CPA

2014 Health Care Coverage Questionnaire Name: SSN: List by name and SSN as shown on tax return or member of your household and answer YES or NO for each person: YES NO Had health care Coverage: YES NO For the entire year. YES NO For part of the year (Less than 12 months) And which month(s) YES NO No healthcare coverage at all YES NO Did anyone besides taxpayer or spouse pay for health care coverage for anyone listed above? YES NO Did you pay for health care coverage for anyone not listed above? If you had coverage for any part of the year: Where was the policy obtained? Employer / Medicare / Medicaid / Marketplace(Exchange) / Other If you didn't have coverage part or all of the year: Answer YES if it applies to any member of the household YES NO Was your previous insurance policy cancelled in 2014? YES NO Do you have an Exemption from the Marketplace (also called the Exchange)? YES NO Was coverage offered by taxpayer's or spouse's employer? YES NO Are you a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe? YES NO Are you eligible for services through an Indian health care provider? YES NO Are you a member of a health care sharing ministry? YES NO Did you live in the United States the entire year? YES NO Are you enrolled in TRICARE? YES NO Did you apply for CHIP coverage? YES NO Do any of the following apply to you? Do NOT indicate which one. Became homeless Evicted in the past six months, or facing eviction or foreclosure Received a shut-off notice from a utility company Recently experienced domestic violence Recently experienced the death of a close family member Recently experienced a fire, flood, or other natural or human-caused disaster that resulted in substantial damage to your property Filed for bankruptcy in the last six months Incurred unreimbursed medical expenses in the last 24 months that resulted in substantial debt Experienced unexpected increases in essential expenses due to caring for an ill, disabled, or aging family member Not sure if community moderator will allow following PDF to remain, however, it is a formatted version of above common questions as created by Drake for their 2014 organizer. ETA by jklcpa - you already know the answer is "NO" to that since you've already seen that I deleted the same pdf attachment in your post in general chat. DWR CPA answer to jklcpa ETA: No, I didn't know for sure because the original PDF was a scan of the page I received and the updated PDF I posted was one I cleaned up using Microsoft Word. [deleted]

I've deleted my post from this thread since it doesn't seem to fit definition of community input regarding ATX and CCH handling of a CCH and that forum moderators using Drake software pre-empt shared ATX user experiences on a community board titled ATX Community. I've left the generic wording for ACA questions ATX users may find helpful in the void ATX leaves in its own 2014 organizer. Wording is my modification of a Drake organizer page given to all attendees at a Chris Bird forms update seminar I attended yesterday. Here is organizer wording that you can format yourself as needed: Health Care Coverage Questionnaire Name: SSN: List by name and SSN as shown on tax return or member of your household and answer YES or NO for each person: YES NO Had health care Coverage: YES NO For the entire year. YES NO For part of the year (Less than 12 months) And which month(s) YES NO healthcare coverage at all YES NO Did anyone besides taxpayer or spouse pay for health care coverage for anyone listed above? YES NO Did you pay for health care coverage for anyone not listed above? If you had coverage for any part of the year: Where was the policy obtained? Employer / Medicare / Medicaid / Marketplace(Exchange) / Other If you didn't have coverage part or all of the year: Answer YES if it applies to any member of the household YES NO Was your previous insurance policy cancelled in 2014? YES NO Do you have an Exemption from the Marketplace (also called the Exchange)? YES NO Was coverage offered by taxpayer's or spouse's employer? YES NO Are you a member of a federally-recognized Indian tribe? YES NO Are you eligible for services through an Indian health care provider? YES NO Are you a member of a health care sharing ministry? YES NO Did you live in the United States the entire year? YES NO Are you enrolled in TRICARE? YES NO Did you apply for CHIP coverage? YES NO Do any of the following apply to you? Do NOT indicate which one. Became homeless Evicted in the past six months, or facing eviction or foreclosure Received a shut-off notice from a utility company Recently experienced domestic violence Recently experienced the death of a close family member Recently experienced a fire, flood, or other natural or human-caused disaster that resulted in substantial damage to your property Filed for bankruptcy in the last six months Incurred unreimbursed medical expenses in the last 24 months that resulted in substantial debt Experienced unexpected increases in essential expenses due to caring for an ill, disabled, or aging family member

I've used the feature for many years too, however, it was my experience in the pre-2012 program years with the excel platform that changing the font in the preparer signature area prevented customized forms from updating during the tax season. (I like to have the preparer signature field print in brush script size 14 for my signature) That said, ATXKristin posted today stating "All of your customizations will remain intact after any form updates." Full post thread for "F2848 license number " discussion of updates : https://community.atxinc.com/forums/thread/195326.aspx

23. I can't afford to have a CPA do my taxes. I'll go to Jackson Hewitt or H&R Block and save a lot of money to get my taxes done.

I found this stand alone program through Google: http://www.depreciationworks.com/information.html $ 389 initial first year multiple user site license and $ 129 per year renewing license. Seems a lot more reasonably priced for your clients than Sage. No surprise there....

I guess I am missing something here. Why aren't the preparers being trained that they will be held accountable with job loss if they alter a prior year return. And why, FredomTax, with multiple preparers in your firm haven't you placed password entry into a return and then at the start of a new tax season CHANGE THE PRIOR YEAR program passwords for EVERY EMPLOYEE? If you change the password and not tell the preparers the new one, I guarantee they will stop and ask what happened and why did you do this and you have another opportunity for quality control training. And then do not tell anyone what the password is for the prior year without a supervisor request? .Have each preparer MANUALLY enter the signature dates on the tax returns for clients AND preparer. Change the status of each return to complete when you receive the e-file acknowledgement. Use the "hide returns marked complete" option in the Returns manager. Print all returns to PDF BEFORE printing to a paper printer. Print the client paper copies from the PDF files, not from the tax program routine. And don't forget to pester ATX to add bookmarks to the PDFs printed like their nemesis Drake does. It would be helpful to not have to change each PDF to open in bookmarks index and bookmarks at least on the major stopping points in the PDF. Seems to me that ATX is simply lazy in not adding the bookmarking protocol to the program. Or in the organizers, too, for that matter. I like the idea of changing the colors of prior years to something other than the current year default as a means to remind you the prior year original return is etched in stone. For over 10 years I have rigorously followed the above steps inside my own office and have had several part time preparers see a light bulb light up over their head in tax season when they have to ask for the new password to open a prior year return and realize that the new password is a stop sign to allow for time to think before jumping irreversibly off a cliff with client return data and simply saving the return when they're done with it.. I have very little trust in ATX backup routines. I do use import and export frequently rather than relying on a backup routine from ATX. Especially when upgrading computers and moving datafiles, Last, but not least, take off the letter date field on the cover letter. ATX will always insert current date on your letter if you leave that pesky date field in the cover letter when you access the file and it is one of the reasons why the program asks if you want to save the changes you've made when you've accessed a return marked complete. Better to remove one more source of grief causers from the chain of events, IMO.

I googled and found this article and suggested wording from Camico today: http://www.thesavvycpa.com/camico/2011/09/camico-risk-management-articles/the-disengagement-letter-what-are-the-components-and-appropriate-language/

I used to charge 2% per month (24% APR) for invoices over 60 days outstanding. In 2015 I'm shortening the time to 30 days outstanding. If credit card companies can charge 29% on their credit cards, (which is what's stated in some of the monthly statements I receive) then I'm sure I'm well within reason charging 2% a month. I'm not a bank. Nor is anyone else on this forum. I've learned the hard way that some people will pay it and some won't. Those that don't pay it are either one-time customers or no longer a customer. QuickBooks makes it easy to assess, prepare and print finance charge invoices and monthly statements. Starting in 2015 I'm also sending any account at 120 days to a collection agency and dropping the client if there isn't a payment plan in place with us. Enough is enough.....

@ Clay: I have used several Visioneer models over the years. I'm currently using a Visioneer Patriot 680 as my primary scanner and also Xerox Documate 3220 as secondary scanner. I scan to PaperPort Pro version 12.1 and refuse to upgrade to later version because Nuance removed the proprietary .max file type from their software. PDFs are handled by Adobe Pro version 11. I currently have about 50 GB of scans on disk and backed up to cloud via BackBlaze and CrashPlan. Client info is kept in Alphabetic sub-folders based on last name with subfolder years.

I wasn't a Saber or ATX customer prior to year 2002 tax filing in 2003. I used TAASC 1986 to 2000 and then the referred Pro Series for 2001. Friend recommended ATX after I complained about Pro Series learning curve and price in 2001. I'll contact ATX and see if I can finagle install codes for 1996 to 2001.

Thanks for updating the link today. Odd collector that I am it was nice to download years 1996 through 2000 for my archives. Now all I need are valid install codes for those years and I could theoretically roll up a client from 1996 to 2014. Or at least listen to Max in the interview movie again.....

Well done Margaret. Long term friend/client relationships can be a real minefield to walk through for difficult issues. I think your response stated as facts the items which comprise your invoice. For next year consider adding interest to late payers' balances.

Politely ask via letter for the remainder of your invoice outstanding and include a copy of your invoice with payment applied. Then when you see her at the book club you can either thank her for paying the remaining portion of the bill or ask when you will receive her payment. I send out invoices and over 35 years have at times been burned on payment. This year I started enforcing my 2% per month carrying charge and sent out invoices and statements. Yes, it's a pain to generate the items in QuickBooks, print and mail. However, I've noticed the deadbeats are starting to pay up. At 6 months I turn the invoice over to collection agency and split what they collect. Ask for large retainers.

All files have been paperless since 2006. Current year client docs are returned to clients from the ONE lateral drawer used for them during tax season. All paper in office is micro-shredded. Less space in recycling bin....

KC: got the signature, now for the quote...

Can someone explain to me how to suppress printing the client mailing slip when printing organizers? I never use mailng slips and have been able to suppress when printing returns, however, when batch printing organizers, the mailing slip is included. I've tried changing slip option to "never" in all searches, however it still prints when printing organizers. Thanks!

I was told by ATX that the updates are not cumulative. When downloading 2012 program and latest update, which is 2012.19, that means there are a whole bunch of updates to save in an update folder. An archive disk, as in years past, would eliminate the need to download and save the interim updates. I do not recall ANY notice from ATX during the 2012 season of the elimination of the archive disk. Does anyone have a sugestion on where to download the earlier 2012 updates?

How about this approach: "My fees are based on time required to complete your return. My hourly rate is $ xxx.xx. I add $ xx.xx for computer and supplies expense. Sales tax, if applicable is added to the total invoice amount." I've used this approach myself for many years. I also include a time sheet on the fees over $ 1,000. Current billing rate is $ 250/hr. Minimum charge, 1 W-2, nothing else: $ 75. Very little resistance to the fee structure.

I live in HI and IL, traveling between offices in both locations.

I've charged an hourly fee for preparation for over 35 years. As I note the time for preparation, unusual or non-recurring items are noted in the description on the invoice, with time provided for that task. As long as the preparation software performs as advertised and expected, I've not had any problems. 2012 software cost me over $ 25,000 in lost unbillable time. We don't use loyalty discounts in our billings. Reasonable rates with explanations of unusual items have not encountered negative comments. PITA clients are charged additional time until they leave or I can't stomach them any longer, whichever occurs first. I concur with gailtaxed that there are some clients we don't need in our practice or life.

No.

End of December is when we send ours.

I am assuming that most users run organizers from within the prior year program; i.e., 2013 organizer generated within the 2012 program. Organizer cover letter and engagement letter are 2 separate documate templates in 2012 program. IF and ONLY IF you remember to make a copy of the master template and save in a separate folder as a backup, try using WordPad to edit the templates. I did. It works.

When opening the Federal (or state) letter inside a client, look for "Letter Options" Click on it and go to item # 3 Other Information You can change hte letter to "has been efiled" or "will be efiled". Be sure to save the change. In version 12.10 on my computer, the change sticks. I've been printing most of my returns without a problem in this area. I do not use bank products, so I can't comment on whether they affect this letter change.