RitaB

Yeah, that's what I thought was going on... Ok, ya got me. I have no clue what you said up there, but it was very impressive and THANK YOU AND ERC for your diligence on this. This community is like coffee, only better, and it keeps me going at work. Really, thanks for all you guys are doing. We all appreciate it!

I am having problems with the office computer: Internet Explorer cannot display the webpage Most likely causes: You are not connected to the Internet. The website is encountering problems. There might be a typing error in the address. What you can try: Diagnose Connection Problems More information Connection with home computer is working fine.

Oh! Well! That explains a lot. Now I understand why you have been so adamant in your disagreement. I mean, that is so unlike you. Silly me; just a misunderstanding! BTW, the check you'll be getting from me is made payable to you and your employer jointly. You should endorse it and forward to him. I'm sure he will allocate the funds properly.

Whaa? Oh, sorry. I was watching this strange van with really dark windows and a satellite dish looking thing on the roof that is parked around the corner. There's some sort of zippered opening on one side...

To be honest, all I am thinking right now is what kind of MORON am I to submit a question to a government agency? They probably have not responded because they are waiting on results of the full-blown investigation they have launched of me. All because an insolent employee hurt my little pride. I am ready to write everybody a check for $250, no questions, no arguments.

Cheer up - my side deal obviously did not pan out, cause the hospital kept the dough, so there is a silver lining here. I'm glad that poor hospital was able to benefit from my wicked ways. There are so many injustices in life, huh? For example, it would be appalling to steal from an employer. From what I understand, employees sometimes actually spend time doing personal things, like posting on message boards, when their employers think they are working. Sometimes they don't even clock out to do these personal things. Breach of contract, I say. Theft. Lawsey mercy. Lawsey. Mercy.

Yes, Cathy, I actually submitted the question to them Thursday of last week. No one has responded. I did not name the provider, and I will not pursue the matter with the hospital even if the Commission's response agrees with my opinion. I asked the question here to see if I had completey lost my mind just because I was insulted. Not completely. Ha ha.

Wow. Opportunity of a lifetime (OK, about five years) for me to come up with something really sarcastic. I got nothin. Crap.

Yes, you are so right. As I am thinking about it now, I guess that is why the school insurance wanted to work with me and not the providers. As I re-read all this, if you tend to think that way, it almost sounds like I paid the hospital early to try to make a buck. I assure you all, that is not the case. I was willing to pay early because I wanted to make sure I was on their "good list" for my daughter's sake. I figured the quality of care might be better that way. In fact, I didn't even know how the school insurance company was going to help us (if at all) until the surgery was over. They have never helped us in the past with sprained ankles and such. This was much bigger, as you know. Anyway, I actually still feel just as strongly that the hospital was wrong, but I probably will not even contact them again, unless it is to express my opinion about the attitude of the young lady that was rude to me. The surgeon was top notch, and you never know, I might have to use that hospital again. Jainen, I do not feel insulted by you or anyone else on the board. I wanted honest opinions, and I got them. Thanks to all.

So what would you call the result of the hospital effectively entering a new charge (by taking away the credit) in order to keep the $250? The result of that seems to be pocketing money they were not owed. It also seems to me that the second insurance company knows that providers exchange discounts for early payments, and that was not a concern or they would have required provider statements instead of EOB's. The early use of my money had value. The hospital decided it was worth $250. They got the early payment, then increased my bill to keep another payment. I lost the use of my money, which the hospital valued at $250.

Yeah, what she said. Plus, I would like to emphasize that the school insurance made it quite clear that I was to forward EOB's and NOT statements from providers. And, like I said, I called the school insurance after the tongue lashing, and was reassured that I had indeed followed their directions. The school insurance rep that has handled the whole deal even expressed the opinion that I should contact another supervisor at the hospital. Regardless of who should get the $250, it seems to me that changing my already paid in full bill was not right.

Really? I think one of the reasons we have problems with the whole health care business is because more geeky "basketball moms" like me don't look at the bills and ask the provider to explain things. Here's an example: Me: Hey, why did you charge my insurance company $50 for this tylenol that CVS sells for $1? Hospital accountant: Don't worry about it, Mom. They paid us $10, and we wrote the rest off. Am I supposed to be glad about that? Well, I am paying premiums based on these things. (And, yes, I know everybody has to make a living.) My point is, I don't want to trust those type issues to either presidential candidate or some mouthy accounts receivable clerk. In some things we need to be our own advocate. Sorry, I have really been insulted by this hospital representative, and I don't mean to take it out on you, jainen.

Well, that is correct except for the times I have shut down my business, taken my daugher out of school, and driven 200 miles round trip because of this life changing accident that I wish had never happened. I would gladly have given everything I have to have prevented this accident. (Actually, a player "took her out" on purpose, but that's a whole other story.) This same injury ended my own basketball career in college, and I thank God that my daughter appears to be doing much better than I did. Yes, I am thankful for her treatment.

My account was paid in full before I forwarded the school insurance check. I paid what they agreed to accept for my responsibility before the surgery was performed. Yes, I think that was my question. Thank you all for the input, and yes, I am thankful for the treatment my daughter received, the insurance company I hired, and the school's insurance company (that my tax dollars paid). It just really rubbed me wrong to be accused of insurance fraud, when I had followed every direction to the letter. The hospital was paid in full, before the surgery, the amount they decided to accept from me. There was no bargaining on my part. I am sure the young lady has a difficult job and was just having a bad day.

In June, my daughter suffered a torn ACL (which required reconstructive surgery) during a school basketball camp. The school insurance company instructed me to forward EOB's from my insurance company and they (the school insurance) would in turn issue checks for the patient responsibility amount, payble jointly to myself and the provider. I was to endorse the checks, forward to the providers, who would apply the payment to my daughter's account. One provider (a hospital), had offered me a prompt pay discount if I would pay what they calculated to be my responsibility before the surgery. I took the offer, wrote them a check, plus an additional credit of $250 for prompt payment was entered. In September, when this provider received the check from the school insurance (which was made payable to myself and them jointly, I endorsed and forwarded), they entered a negative credit, rescinding the prompt pay discount they had given me in June. They sent me my credit balance, less the prompt pay discount. When I called to ask about it, one representative was very nice, but could not explain the policy of retracting a credit. She handed me off to her supervisor, who was extremely beligerent, and actually implied that I was trying to commit "insurance fraud." I was almost seeing their point of view about it all until she said those words, then I just had to say thank you and hang up before I completely lost my composure. I called the school insurance to make sure I had followed the procedure they outlined, and the representative assured me that I had. My question is: What was the correct thing for the hospital to do? a) Refund my entire credit balance? b ) Rescind the prompt pay discount and keep it? (This is what they did.) c) Rescind the prompt pay discount and give it to the school insurance company? d) Rescind the prompt pay discount and give it to Barack Obama to spread around? (Just kidding, just kidding, just kidding.) I would think if they were concerned with taking the ethical high ground, they would choose a) or c).

I'm with Lynn. List them all, and charge lots. Be sure and print that Form 4562 Statement AND the Tax Classification Report when you do the return to show how you have slaved over this, in case the dentist is as cheap as my vet guy. HaHa! Seriously, if you lump assets into groups, you may wish you hadn't. If the dentist disposes of some assets, it might be easier on you if they are all entered separately.

How funny! "Standard and poor" really cracked me up! Seriously though, how many people have asked you if they should withdraw their 401(k)? I just remind them that they purchased the shares they have for way more than those shares are selling for now. Looks to me like stocks are on sale... I have some savings bonds that my Dad bought for me years ago @ 4%. What do you all think about cashing them and investing in the market now (or last Friday)? My crystal ball is in the shop. If we only knew...

Yes, you are right - I will remember that when this happens again next year with him, cause you know it will...

Yikes! One called yesterday: If I get my stuff to you by the end of the week... blah, blah, blah... Same guy called Aug 8, cause he thought return was due Aug 15. I've not even heard anything from about half of mine that got extensions. I am soooo thankful for extensions; I would lose my mind if I had to deal with this group in April. Around here, it's not so much that the returns are difficult, but the people sure are!

Thank you all for the suggestions. The clients that aggravate me the most are those who argue with me and/or just refuse to learn: Come on, I still don't see why my expenses have to be allocated between my W-2 job and my 1099 job... OK, well, you just divide them up however you think... What?! I have to pay on the gain when I sold (past tense) my farm?! Joe the mechanic said I didn't have to pay tax when I sold my house... I know you printed all that stuff from the IRS thingy, but my lawyer said all the partners could be employees... I usually have no problem explaining things to most people, but there's that handful that just are not teachable. You know, they just wear me out. Usually late, disorganized, put off paying, call every few days with questions, then don't want to do what you told them...

I tried to search for suggestions for diplomatic wording of a letter firing a client, but I can't seem to use the search feature effectively. Anyhow, if any of you would like share how you word your letter, I'd really like some ideas. I have a few that I told myself I would lose before next tax season, so I need to move ahead with it! Thanks!

Well, I'm so glad I asked. I started to download, and my little voice said to cancel. I also have had a Peachtree upgrade sitting here for a week because I'm afraid something will go wrong. Murphy's law, you know.

Has anyone had any problems with Service Pack 3?

Thanks for the link, John. I haven't been hounded too much, especially compared to some of you, but I had one week in June where it was two or three calls a day! I checked for the clients, like you did, John, and they seemed to appreciate it a lot. When I couldn't determine what was going on, I gave them the phone #. One really aggravating one last week: Mom did her 30-year-old son's (and her own, BTW), put student loan interest on wrong line, holding up the stimulus rebate, wha-wha, what do I do? I told her call them and try to straighten it out on the phone. If that doesn't work, here is a nice 1040-X that will be a piece of cake for you to fill out. Yeah, that was mean, but she's one of those people who call all the time asking for advice, then does her own return. For my own personal story, I didn't file my return til June. Had a refund direct deposited on June 13, and the stimulus payment was deposited on June 20. I couldn't believe it. I didn't expect to see it til Christmas. Shows how much I know!

It it weren't such a pain, some of our experiences with this would be funny! I had a client sooo distraught cause IRS took estimated tax penalty she owed out of her stimulus payment. She never pays quarterly, always has to pay penalties, and only now because of the stimulus payment does this bother her...