So do we post our tax kook of the week nomination here?
I had a client this week that I still have a headache from! Think of everything he said as being in a Gomer Pyle voice, because that's what it was. Last year, he came to me for a second look at his return because "there is no way she prepared it right last year. She didn't know what she was doing. Look at that high amount on that form (his Social Security statement). That high amount should've gotten me thousands of dollars in refunds." I had to explain to him that receiving Social Security did not actually amount to a large refund. If no money was withheld, there would be no refund from that. I also had to explain that last year's preparer did, in fact, prepare his return correctly. He argued with me for quite awhile - I had to chat my husband to come in and rescue me. I dreaded my appointment with him this year from the moment I saw it appear on my calendar.
This year was worse! He insisted on claiming his daughter because it was his right to claim her because she was his daughter. No SSN. No support paid to the mother, and she did not live with him. I told him that I would need a signed form from the mother allowing him to claim him or a court order that gave him permission to claim her. Aside from that, I could not put her on his return. He told me he didn't care what the IRS or the courts said, he should get to claim her because she's his daughter. (Remember Gomer Pyle voice) Then he freaked out because "every tax form is required to have a dollar amount on it (?) and that form there (insurance documentation) doesn't have a dollar amount on it. While I don't think the dollar amount on it should be as high as a thousand, it should have at least $500 on it."
He had to get additional documentation to me to finish his return, and I finished it last night. I knew I should've just sent him on his way with his documentation on Sunday, but I thought maybe I could talk some sense into the guy. He came in to pick it up today and refused to pay the measly $60 I charged him "because you must've prepared it wrong. You don't know what you're doing. You're scamming me out of my money. You wouldn't let me claim my daughter. That paper I brought in from the mobile home park (lot rent) had a lot of money on it, and I should be getting at least $1000. And $60 is too high. A normal tax return is only $25."
Guess my nine plus years of preparing returns does not qualify me to prepare a simple property tax credit in Michigan. I can't believe I could only get him around $300 when he got all that FREE Social Security money! I did invite him to pick up his documentation and take it to the place that would only charge him $25 and would know how to prepare his return. I just hope all the paper they give him has dollar amounts on it!
Have a great night, everyone!
