Daune/CA

Do you really think you might still be behind the first of April? Then how about May 1st, should be better then :)

Could there not be a potential capital gain depending upon equity in house when purchased or married and equity at time of divorce? Yes it is a property settlement, but there may have been a gain in equity over the marriage time that was more than amt of payments to principal. Of course it would be equity divided by 2, which I gather the full equity at time of divorce is $62,000. Sale only for husband, purchase of equity by wife.

Since when has the rest of the world been sane?

Consider there will not be as much room for clients to grab those figures out of the air for their returns! :)

I had a client years ago come in to have his sale of property handled, and then he proceeded to tell how it should be handled, which was wrong, but more favorable to him. Piece of property was business, investment and residential (all at once). I said I could not file it that way, and I pushed the papers back to him and said "If you want it prepared that way, you take it and prepare it, because I cannot." He picked up his papers and left with his wife, and they talked a short distance from our preparation center at the time. Eventually, he and his wife came back and asked if I would prepare it correctly. Which I did, and did her return for many years after he had passed away. Nothing more was ever said about how it should be done, and I got a good fee for it over the years. You have to stand firm when you are right or they will not trust you.

A time rating manual like the Auto Industry uses would take care of that problem. It is the Auto Industries Bible. You use the stated time allowance X your local hourly rate = Fee charged. If you use the time posted by IRS for completion of a form, it would probably be overcharging, but there must be a reasonable time available somewhere X your local hourly rate. Just throwing it out there IMHO and knowing that it is not exactly that easy to determine.

You did not persue this client. Sent to you by a satisfied client-legally. You may want to disclose to new client that you have done work for per diem firm, and that you felt they needed to know this before you do any work for them. If they are still willing to have you do their work, then proceed legally. (Document client trail for your own records)

This appears to be a good advice, since we can not tell what congress will do in the future. (At least she would receive the interest earned on it) But their history shows that more times than not they have amended to make retro or made it even better. Look at the "one time exclusion" that was on the books for many years, and now you can exclude many times over. Get a group of folks together to send emails or letters to their congress rep to eliminate the payback! Pressure makes them take action! A lot can happen in 15 years.

I have always gone with an hourly fee, I just think it is fairer than by the form. Being in CA and I was in an urban area then, and I am an EA, my hourly fee was higher for new clients than for existing ones. Eventually, I had to raise both. Base your hourly fee on your area. And I agree wholeheartedly with GLJEANNE, do not allow them to talk you down, they lose confidence in you then. I have told several over the years that is what I am worth, take it or leave it, and all stayed with me. Daune/CA

Thank you to all, those resources (especially the reference to FAQs) were very helpful.

Can someone please respond to my question? Thank you!

Question? Can a married woman that files MFS, because husband has taxes due for a period in which they were separated, claim the credit on a property that she is the only owner listed? Purchase was in 2008.

Just a thought-would it not be the price that the dealer would sell it for on that date, and not what the dealer would pay him for it (wholesale price usually)?

It appears to me that using mentioned preparer is a guarantee of being audited. I would wonder why so many have been audited and only 2 won, if so. If your clients desire to be audited, then by all means suggest they go to that preparer. Short term refund vs long term audit and pay back!

Thank you!

Can you rollover from last year's TRX (Intellitax) to this year's ATX? I have just received the ATX program and can't get the rollover to take place, because it was not ATX last year. If there is a way to accomplish this, it would be appreciated. I figured if it could be done, someone on this board would know. Daune/CA

Yesterday I was at my local Wal-Mart buying a large bag of Purina dog chow for my loyal pet, Biscuit, the Wonder Dog, and was in the checkout line when the woman behind me asked if I had a dog. What did she think I had, an elephant? So since I'm retired and have little to do, on impulse I told her that no, I didn't have a dog, I was starting the Purina Diet again. I added that I probably shouldn't, because I ended up in the hospital the last time, but that I'd lost 50 pounds before I awakened in an intensive care ward with tubes coming out of most of my orifices and IVs in both arms. I told her that it was essentially a perfect diet and that the way it works is to load your pants pockets with Purina nuggets and simply eat one or two every time you feel hungry. The food is nutritionally complete so it works well and I was going to try it again. (At this point practically everyone in line was now enthralled with my story.) Horrified, she asked if I ended up in intensive care because the dog food poisoned me. I told her no, I stepped off a curb to sniff an Irish Setter's ass and a car hit us both. I thought the guy behind her was going to have a heart attack he was laughing so hard. Wal-Mart won't let me shop there anymore. Better watch what you ask retired people. They have all the time in the world to think of crazy things to say. Thought you might get a laugh out of this. Daune/CA

I'm Retired I was tired yesterday, and I'm tired again today. When I was younger, all I wanted was a nice BMW. Now I don't care about the W. I asked my wife if old men wear boxers or briefs? She said DEPENDS. Food has replaced sex in my life... Now I can't even get into my own pants! That Snap, Crackle, Pop in the morning... Ain't my freaking Rice Krispies. I was always taught to respect my elders... Now I don't have anyone to respect. Looking forward to retirement? Daune/CA

Yes, I remember it well. My parents did not have an inside bathroom until several years after I was married and had moved away. We rented rooms to a couple of teachers during the school year, and it was my job to empty those "chamber pots". There were no such things as "a shower", you positioned yourself in front of the kitchen sink and washed yourself all over the body. Besides it was cold, because the coal stove had not been going long enough to heat the room yet. Yes, "those were the days", but I don't think I care to return to them anytime soon. Our telephone did not have a "dial", it was a crank on the side of the large phone hung on the wall (our phone ring was 3 long rings). We used those crank systems later to send a charge to people touching anything metal, or foolish enough to hold onto some wires while we cranked the crank. The radio was an "old Philco" that had to be grounded. Ours was grounded on the same metal stake that grounded our phone. (Even with it grounded, fire would shoot out of the phone during a thunder and lightning storm.) If the radio was on at the time the phone rang, you could hear the conversation of others on the party line over the radio. We got some "very interesting gossip on the raidio". Those were the days in Ohio. Yes, I am older than dirt! Now in California, and with the weather they have been having in Ohio recently, I am glad to be in California, even if the legislature won't pass a budget. Daune/CA

I see that the "Governator" is suggesting a wine tax that would make "2 Buck Chuck" not 2 bucks anymore. What's a guy gonna do :angry:

Williams, CA - I-5 & Hwy 20 Central Sacramento Valley Home of Granzella's Restaurant (Stopping place for folks going north from Sacramento or points southern frm there) Granzella's burned down in October, 2007 and was rebuilt and opened again in July, 2008 Cairo's Steakhouse Western & Italian cruisine - There are Western Brands branded into wood moldings throughout the restaurant and bar. Sacramento Valley Museum A trip into the past, especially of this part of the Sacramento Valley A genuine small agricultural community, yet is it a small city of abt 5,200 population in Colusa County (Rice, Almonds, Tomatoes) The tomato processing plant is one of the best in the U S of A. Stop by for a visit on your next trip north on I-5, good food and good people! Not bad for a dude raised in northeastern OH, near Lake Erie & Pymatuning Lake-where the ducks walk on the fishes backs (Quite a sight to see). Daune/CA

Have you considered the possibility of contacting this company to advise them about the thin ice upon which they tread? Don't know how close preparers are in your area, but since they are a part of your community, you may run into them frm time to time during the year.

But it appears that BF is about to become a better earner, especially should he have to support "new baby". May turn into a better fee, or just a "bigger headache" :)

You do not have to be an EA to provide a tax class program for civic and church groups. Your knowledge of the subject is all that is required.