BLACK BART

Is IRS taking renewal applications for PTINs yet? If not, when does it open? Thanks.

I second the self-congratulation (tax preparers have to occasionally do that if no one else will shoulder the load). About the QBI phaser - isn't that a Star Trek thing? I knew I should have gone to that university seminar instead of buying those easy-peasy CPE hours online. Wish I could share your optimism. I'm leery of such speculations ever since somebody here once said Obamacare would be similar to Romneycare and probably no trouble, while another commented, "Maybe so, but it's no walk in the park," which was a mild understatement.

Alright; you're past due. Where's my joke?

Customer whose retired dad lived with him (had same name except for middle initial) was a Chrysler salesman when the company was struggling financially a few years ago. Good salesman though and, although he usually got paid at the office, corporate headquarters mailed him performance bonus checks (without the middle initial) for two months after year ended. He worried aloud one day about the store going out and Pop said "Well, hell; it's no wonder they're going broke! They've sent me two big checks lately and they don't owe me a dime!" Salesman cracked up laughing, but graciously never told the old boy what it was about.

Well, yes, those are the obvious and easy ones wherein you can just pick up the receiver, immediately hang up, problem solved. But many local callers' names don't show in the caller ID; just your area code, your local prefix, and a 4-digit number you don't recognize. So you have to listen a bit to see if it's a real customer. Gail's and Lion's methods are good workarounds, but the thing is, it takes time away from your actual business to deal with the continuous nonsensical distractions. While working a case the other day, the receptionist was out, I answered, lost my place in a count, and it took a hundred numbers and five minutes after that bogus call to get back on track. Like Catherine I sometimes get several more than three per day; it just grows, and after enough of this your phone becomes a burden rather than a help. It's a sort of "mission-creep" type thing becoming more and more onerous like say, the growing 8867. While Edsel was funning us the other day about IRS requirements, I can foresee a day when some of those questions will demand serious answers for, say, a schedule C or an S-Corp. We've only got so much time to sell and everybody wants more and more of it. Did anyone notice that the ATX 8863 education credit has become more difficult to complete and that, strangely, ATX offered (in the "warnings" of return check mode) to sell you an add-on to your program to navigate easily through the form? I don't know what the cost is.

Well, they may not be but they say they are Google. And yes, last year they began using our area code and then progressed to our local prefix. I tried the reasonable approach recently and listened to their entire spiel, starting off emphasizing I was not interested in buying anything. They assured me all was well and there would be no charges whatever. Five minutes later, they tried to end the call by notifying me I would be invoiced $170 for something. After a good cursing to his supervisor they hung up. I've tried blocking the numbers but you might as well try to count the stars by comparison - each time I do that they simply change or add a digit and it's all new. Their computer is smarter than my computer.

Anybody else have a problem with them? I receive three calls each and every day from them without fail; no matter what. Complaining to supervisors, over-talking salespeople, being on the DO NOT CALL list, cursing, begging for removal, screaming, beating the phone on the desk, nothing helps. You're on their computer list and there's just no way to get off. You'll be dialed again tomorrow morning.

One more lick: Last one I went to a couple of years ago there was (always, always is) someone who didn't ask during Q&A, but waited until the monotone speaker announced, "Oh, it's break time; let's reconvene in 15 minutes..." at which time everybody who's been bored out of their gourd for the last two hours is closing books, limbering up, attempting to get launched and stumble to the refreshments table for caffeine and pastries. It's right at this exact moment that some %$^#*&@ blurts out "Wait; I didn't quite get that last point; would you expand on the new Tax Court ruling vis-à-vis IRS reg, code...." A collective groan from the audience and the urge to strangle...

Ha, Ha! - I love an unbiased assessment, John. But I suspect we'll all go on with our preferences - Jack with "in person", Max with Sequoia, me with California, and you with online. For outstanding commentary, I herewith suggest your rating be upped from Supreme Guruness to, umm, maybe...Grand Poobah. P.S. Say Catherine, couldn't y'all just "identify as a man" and stand in the short line. I cain't think of anybody who'd object. J

Hi Jack, Like Edsel, I still like you too. For one, I used to swipe your tax tips off another board years ago. For two, as lots of people know, you're a pretty nice guy even though being a Missourian "show-me" sort. This is not to say Max is mean (he once spoke kindly to me) or wrong about his tough Sequoia stuff (sounds like deep-reading) but I kinda had it figured like you that if it wasn't "live" it wasn't so hot. When I used to go to seminars I couldn't always "spot" a slacker or (like the ex-president) "look into the soul" of a classmate, but a husband and wife team came every year - she pulled out her knitting needles and clickety-clacked away (didn't bother to open her book) for two days while he took notes. That seemed spot-worthy. But (and telling you this is like being sent to the principal's office) I'm "buying" all my hours now by mail from some off-the-wall outfit in California. It's expensive, but it's open-book and as a rep once told me "Nobody's ever flunked these courses!" However, I did once give a scathing review to a receptionist who was rude to me. Anyway, I'm still speakin' even if we're in opposite camps. By the way, I think Edsel's right about the dress code. While I used to get to wear my dapper ties 'n' threads to seminars, now I've reverted to somethin' like -- hmm...there's an old Turner Classic movie wherein the departing colonial bwana of a Malaysian rubber plantation deep in the jungle says to the newly-arrived overseer, "First, you'll stop shaving...... P.S. Max- you can scramble the eggs in a paper bowl & microwave for 100 seconds - not as good/bad as Spanish fried, but it'll do. ____________________________________________ "Far from the madding crowd's ignoble strife." Gray - Elegy in a Country Churchyard

Ours (AR) is the same (standard fed/ item state if you want), but I think my practice will still be adversely affected. We do lots of older folks who keep working after 62 at a diminished wage plus pensions plus the taxability of Social Security which keeps them filing. They're empty-nesters so personal exemptions are irrelevant, but the doubled standard will render the SS non-taxable. Next time they can mark W-4s "Exempt" and they're done with it. While SS isn't state taxable here, standard ducks are very, very low so while I may do a few, I can't charge full price for half a case. Too, our state revenue offices still hand out printed tax books for middle-aged DIYers (the old heads mostly won't fool with it) and millennials can do it online for zero to $12.95 (I can't beat either of those prices). But...the office building is paid for, so eviction's off the table.

Try this: SuppliesOutlet.com (877-822-8659). They're in Memphis and you get a five-pack for $85 less 10% discount. Good merchandise, quick delivery. http://www.suppliesoutlet.com/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI7f-orJXB2wIVDrXACh1HyAVREAAYASAAEgKdfvD_BwE

I swear; anybody who has a monthly/quarterly account of any kind with you wants this thrown in with that fee. They don't want help, they want you to DO it (plus their kid's FAFSA if you'll go for it). Your due date (same day as delivery) is a little better than ours which is about a month before the notice is sent out. My guy actually HAS a computer, but never did quite catch on to usin' it - he used to print out annual P&Ls for me, but was such a lousy one-fingered hunt and peck typist that he finally went back to tearing a page out of a spiral notebook (I appreciated it - you would too - he once put "Ford Truck-$34,000" in "Supplies Expense") Also, he never figured out how to turn it off (always just jerked the cord out of the wall). MY phone is a flip phone (never yet sent a text-but makin' progress-can now MAKE calls as well as RECEIVE them). He doesn't have one, period. I'm surprised that Nebraska has huge penalties (figured that state was just a Yankee version of Arkansas). Our penalty is zero; they just send 3 or 4 more notices before throwing in the towel -- a little consolation of living in the sticks with no cultural advantages. Anyhow, three months ago I just took a large Sharpie, wrote across his notice "WE DON'T HAVE A COMPUTER - SEND US A PAPER FORM!", mailed it back to the state. Nothing else heard from them. Like John said, tell him to find a kid and he'll find a computer.

I know just how you feel; I'm real picky about my donuts too. I insist they have a hole in the middle.

But, but....I thought our homespun humor, cracker-barrel wisdom, and cornpone colloquialism (see below) somewhat compensated for our lack of expertise (hmmm...better make that "my"; John's pretty swuft 'bout taxin' stuff) and/or whatever other flaws we bring to the board. http://www.dictionary.com/browse/colloquial P.S. to Rita: Sorry about missin' the meetin' and didn't mean to diss your sincere invitation (would really like to meet you, a few others too, some maybe not) but my wife's got to have surgery then and wouldn't take it kindly if I went off somewheres (actually I gave up on those family reunions). Anyhow please forgive & I'll wash your shoelaces - with malice toward none and charity for all, I remain, your most humble and obedient servant, blah, blah, blah -- BB. P.S. to Catherine. My apologies (that's all I do anymore) if my Nazi-spelling censorship offended you - I don't like those corrections either, but couldn't resist attempting to be funny when the opportunity presented itself. You're a great poster and your scientific essays are impressive - thanks for everything.

Me too. I once said this to a client who couldn't pay me in full: "Well, if you're short, Mr. Short, you can pay me next month."

John, you're just like me. A chronic grump. Have to say though that that funny line you put at the end of your posts for a while still gives me smiles whenever I think of it. It was (remember) "Despite the high cost of living; it remains popular." Yuk-yuk-yuk!

That #&%(*@* royal wedding is finally over. Only downside, we've still got to go through the royal divorce in a year or two.

Haven't you misspelled misspelling? According to an unimpeachable source (Wikipedia), there's no dash in there. If this is correct, consider yourself reprimanded, but not chastised, banished, or anything drastic.

https://www.jklasser.com/news/when-are-foster-care-payments-tax-free/ Got it here; thanks anyway. The quoted rates were wrong (thought that $50 - a partial month - was a bit light); per DHS it's $300-400-500 depending on age. All's well that ends well. Those old yellow book guys and TurboTax are gettin' about as good as CCH.

Does anybody happen to know if such is taxable? Guy left sack of junk with me to be sorted out after 4-15 & I'm doing it now. In the debris are three check stubs from AR Dep't. of Human Services listing one month's payment for three juvenile reprobates - $50 for mild cases, $300 for the moderately tough, and $410 for those in which karate skills would be helpful and it's a good idea to lock the bedroom door at night. I've heard about this program over the years from different people; the state farms out the troubled kids to any soul willing to take them in and hopefully rehabilitate them. But, I've never had a client who actually did it (well, I know one who applied but was turned down -- good thing too; I wouldn't leave my hamster with them). But anyway, there's no 1099 or anything else here and the client's clueless. There's a phone number on the check stub, but I don't want to call and ask "Is this taxable" to somebody who's going to say "You're a tax preparer. You're asking me?" Probably will end up doing that anyway, but thought I'd give it a shot here first.

Sorry, cain't make it. That's family reunion season and several relatives in dire straits are depending on me to co-sign their bank note renewals. Too, although I am allowed to leave the state, I don't like to get much further away from home than Little Rock. Good luck with your barbecue'n and stuff.

After all the mind-churning problems that have come rolling down the pike this year, I think maybe next year I'll just go to the nearest J-H box company and apply for the lowest peon position they've got. They tell me (maybe some of you know better) that they put the newbies on "interview mode" and let 'em ask/answer "yes" or "no" to the computer and, voila, a tax return is born. I've always sneered at those modes since with ATX you actually have to know something about taxes to get anything of difficulty to work, but lately the easiest path seems the most attractive to me. While I once had a "Cadillac" program that would do everything except make breakfast, inflation pushed me into ATX and I've been stuck there ever since - I've been trying to remember who it was who posted here (pre-Obamacare) that he/she wasn't worried about the health insurance dealie coming up 'cause they'd just plug it into the computer and everything would fall into place. That remark prompted a reply from somebody saying they'd experienced the similar "Romneycare" and while survivable, it was "no walk in the park". Anyway, it's been an exhausting season (just one opinion - you're welcome to yours or to pop the champagne if it suits you).

I don't hate you (you're too nice a guy) but I can't imagine how you manage to pull it off. Personally you're liable to find me lying back in the swivel chair, legs up on desk, mouth open, dozing and half-awake at any time after lunch. Either the loud doorbell or my assistant {wife} jolts me awake just in time for my feet to hit the floor and to sit up straight 5 seconds and try to look normal before the intruder gets to my large (lay-down) desk. I remind myself of a client; an older guy housepainter who has a pickup and a Purdy paintbrush hanging out of his paint-speckled overalls who, worn out, went to the doctor for general malaise. Doc said "Do exercises." He said "Doc, I'm 75. After a day's work it's all I can do to make it back home and fall in the recliner."

Tom, Rich, and Possi are absolutely right. They keep upping the freebie EIC/CTC while piling on regulations, audits-in-disguise, and draconian penalties to stave off public complaints about the outrageous fraudulent amounts given away. All this while branding us as their "partners" (which I strongly resent) and touting "FreeFile" to slice into our income right along with TT and every other Tomas, Diklah, and Hariq (I'm keeping up with social change ) who owns a kitchen table and calculator. At this rate they may eventually let us deduct black helicopters and nothing else.