RitaB

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...

Yes, that was a great improvement! It used to bug me to death when I didn't have the instruction letter for an amended return. Good job on that one, ATX.

taxit - you may already be registered to e-file business returns, but in case you're not, neilbrink gave me this heads up earlier when I kept having rejections on the 7004: "You have to be registered to efile business forms, etc. Check with the efile help desk. 866-255-0654" I had no idea that I needed to be registered. Guess I never thought I'd be e-filing business returns and never signed up. Anyway, I called the number, which turned out to be pretty quick, especially compared to the process described online at irs.gov. I think the lady said I'd be able to e-file in 24 hours or so. (I know - they're due tomorrow...) I had no problem e-filing the 990-N a couple of days later, using ATX. My "client" (for lack of a better term) did not sign anything. I hope I don't have a problem over it, but he is in another state, plus it's one of those free-gratis, pro-bono deals... (yay)

Yes, first thing this morning, I have an e-mail: I'm only getting back $300, why is that?" Extensions: are they not just horrible? Some are not, and I'm actually glad to be working on tax returns now, but the ones that do this year after year after year! Why can't they get it together? I don't mind if they come October 1 - just write those mileage figures on something before you get here... Maybe I could use some Prozac, too.

Wow, it's a small world. I finally got my Mr. Pro Bono's e-postcard thing filed yesterday. During the rejection process, I discovered that I had to be set up to e-file business returns. Who knew? But, at least now I will be in shape to better help all the other Bono family members.

Well, now I'm glad I asked! Thanks, Lydia. Sometimes I hesitate to post, but you never know who might be wondering the same thing, I guess! Did you get an e-mail from PT regarding the 2009 upgrade? I usually hold out forever on upgrades, but I'll have to check this one out. It took me forever to get used to 2008... Some things really take a lot longer with the upgrade, kinda frustrating...

Thanks, indyscott, but I think I have figured out the problem. I was looking where you said on the EmployER tab, because I just KNEW the problem was there. Turns out, I clicked the "withholding info" tab, and the employees that were showing up on the report had "TN" entered on the state row, and the ones not showing up were blank. I never thought to look there cause we don't have a state income tax on wages, and everyone was showing up, no problem, on the "Payroll Tax Report" for unemployment. Apparently I lucked out, cause I have no idea why I even looked at the withholding tab... What I have done in the past on those companies is copy the Payroll Tax Report to an MS Works spreadsheet and edit to get everything lined up, etc. Better than writing, but still aggravating. So glad I discovered my goof! Thanks for your help! BTW, I e-mailed PT yesterday, and their reply was not helpful. Basically, they said, "We're not helping you unless you pay for tech support." If I didn't really like PT, that would have made me mad.

Hey, GLJeanne - No, these employees being left off are just TN employees. I have not found any way to manually edit the TN LB 0456. I would love to override something and keep moving along, but I have not found a way to edit that particular form. I suspect I am overlooking something, but I can't find any difference in how I have set up these employees... Thanks for the response!

Yes, I researched quite a bit to find that code. Now if I could just get my own return done...

It was so funny today, a client called to say he already got his stimulus check. He did not e-file, he mailed his return with a check, probably first of March. So no direct deposit. He got the paper check already. He thanked me. I said, "You're welcome." I have been grinning stupidly over it all day.

Oh, so he would have owed $1300 on the original return? I didn't get that part. So, client will have to write a check for $1300. (Well, that's what I would have him do.) And, of course, this is all your fault cause your crystal ball was in the shop when you prepared the original return, right? (Haha.) Just had a call, and I am surprised I have not had more: "Did you put put my refund in the bank?" (Like I am giving out tax refunds personally.) Me: "Did you tell me to?" Turns out she had no refund, but she is listening to the stimulus news...

Yes, I think you are correct to put 1000 on line 19. I would send a check for 300. Well, not me personally, you know what I mean.

Sounds like advisor is steering the employee toward being a contractor? Reminds me of the scene in Mr. Mom, where Michael Keaton is trying to impress the electrician: "220, 221, whatever it takes." I am currently trying to fix a mess for a vet who failed to mention that his employees now have a 401(k) plan. He's been telling the office manager not to concern herself with any taxes on the 401(k) amounts. Office manager happened to mention it to me on April 14.

I have three companies for which the payroll report "TN LB 0456" (TN unemployment return) is always incorrect. Some employees and their wages will be left off, and I cannot find what I have wrong. All my other companies are fine. It's probably something I'm overlooking, and I have searched the Peachtree site without success. Just hoping someone knows the fix. Thanks in advance.

I took it that way, too, Mike, cause Linda said the housing had not been "set up before." Also, the church didn't issue anything (no 1099, no W-2, no nuttin') for 2006, 2007 which also made me assume, perhaps wrongly, that no housing allowance had been designated. As I look at it from another point of view, I could be wrong. I will be encouraging my two pastors' churches (both new clients, both needed extenstions, etc.) that didn't do W-2's to prepare the W-2's going forward. I will even show them how to prepare the W-2's. Didn't want to leave the impression that I was not concerned with doing things properly. When I read my earlier post, it kinda looks that way.

You're welcome. Mike is one of the those "most knowledgeable clergy tax return preparers". Listen to what he says. Yes, I have a copy of Pub 1828; I like it, too!

Linda, I feel your pain. I'm currently working on two pastors who did not receive W-2's myself. Just finished another one where the church treasurer prepared the W-2, but incorrectly, after me telling her last year to leave boxes 3 and 5 blank, and copying the example from Pub 517 for her. Yes, it is too late on the housing allowance for 2006, 2007; it must be designated prior to payment. It is not too late to do something for today forward in 2008. I would not prepare the W-2's for 2006 and 2007, just prepare the returns correctly. That's just me, I'm still feeling whipped, and I would have been more accomodating earlier in my career when I wasn't so jaded. ;-) There are some great preparers on here that do lots more clergy returns that I. I'm sure you've found a couple of them on searches. I personally think Pub 517 is good. There is a mistake on a worksheet, #3 I think, if your clients file Form 4361.

I started to say that I love the green turtle neck, styles come back around cause almost all of us has one of these... (At first, I didn't see your picture.) Ruined a perfectly good joke... Love the hair, by the way.

HaHa! I also had one to stroll in yesterday at about 3:00 with a check to mail with his extension request. First time I have seen him since April 15, 2007 when he did the same thing. Hasn't filed since 2004. So happy, so casual, no worries. I wanted to choke the life out of him. I have been at this for 13 years, and I'm not doing as well as you are... maybe it's a problem with my birth certificate or something. I will be working on this, though...

I agree. I have a few tough ones here that brought in their stuff at the end of March. I told them it was doubtful, and that I would get extensions and get the returns done as soon as I could. Almost everyone is fine with this. I had one to bring stuff on 4/14, expecting me to get it done. I don't care if I had nothing to do, I would have gotten them an extension. He said, "Well, I'll just take it to HRB." I am glad to see them leave when they have that attitude. Course they'll be back next year when they think about the difference in price. I really think they were afraid of not getting the rebate. I'm sure the HRB fee ate up at least half of the rebate. Anyway, don't be afraid to lose people like that. You are better off without them.

Every year I say I'm going to disappear on April 15. These things actually happened to me: Person #1 (carrying folder full of crap): I could probably do this myself... Me: OK, good! Thanks! Person #2: I did my own return and don't know where to mail it. Me: Do you owe or are you getting a refund? Person #2: Well, I don't owe. Persons #3, 4, 5: Say nothing. #3 slids a stimulus package across my desk. It has #4's name on it. Me to #3: Didn't you claim #4 as a dependent? Person #3: Yes. Me: Didn't you call me a month ago and ask about this, and I told you #4 does not qualify for rebate? Person #3: Yes, but we wanted to be sure. (I still have no idea who #5 is.) I hope I am not at my office ever again on April 15...