Monkeyman

How far up into Maine do you need to go? I love the idea of a nice lobster dinner, and cheap too! Maybe the Monkeyman or some of the former ATX employees can give me an idea of a good place as close to Boston as possible?

Thanks and keep the ideas coming.

Tom

Lodi, CA

Hey Tom,

Great to hear you will be up in Maine this Summer.

You don't need to go that far up in Maine to get to the "good" places to get great seafood.

Old Orchard (near Saco) is very nice, but kinda "touristy". I am a natural born Maine-iac and we still go there most Summers because it's fun and there is A LOT to do in that area.

Your boys can chase the girls on the beach while you and Patty have a cocktail on the pier.

As the other poster said, don't go to a restaraunt to get lobster. They cook the lobster ahead of time, freeze it, and then re-steam it before serving it to you.

Go to the small lobster pounds, where they boil your lobster in seawater in large outdoor kettles.

These places allow you to pick and pay for the lobster you want,

instead of paying $60 for one that you will have no idea how big it is.

If you want to visit Caribou, it is at least a 5 hour drive from the coast until you exit I-95 at Houlton, then bang a left and drive for another hour. We will probably still have snowbanks

Have fun!

Monkeyman

Aren't you glad you got PEOPLE and THE BOX?

LOL, Chrisbry, yes I am.

I printed and signed my tax returns today and will mail them shortly. Phew!

I want to thank all of you who helped me and answered my questions.

My wife and I were very grateful and lucky to have a great bunch

of folks like you to help; you were an excellent (and free) resource.

Thanks also to the folks who outright offered to do my return for free.

I appreciate it but I am your typical stubborn New Englander and wanted to do it myself.

Thanks again!

Mr and Mrs Monkeyman and Monkeycubs

We have and continue to get A TON. Back window dark, covered with snow, all schools in the area are closed. It's gray today, as it usually is from October until June. lbb

lbb and Booger,

I live in Northern Maine and running out of places to put the snow in my driveway. The snow at the mouth of my driveway is over my head (I am 5'9"), and a full foot above my mailbox. I have to dig into the snowbank to expose the opening of my mailbox. We are supposed to get more tomorrow.

My snowblower will not blow the snow over the banks at the edges of my driveway as they are so high. I have to blow everything to one edge, then blow it forward and around to the banks by the road. I will try and post some pictures of the snow in my driveway ASAP.

That being said, I think we should keep the board open to Elrod's meals (he came under fire on the ATX board for it before and was defended), and JB and Booger's jokes without a separate board.

What I still find amazing is the willingness of the folks here to read the board daily (during busy season) and help other members overwhelming the need for humor and light-hearted conversation.

This is one of the reasons I miss working with you folks directly: You want so badly to help and do for the good. That's why I get several PMs when I post a question about my tax return.

The NT marker always worked before, and should work now. That's just the opinion of a sales and customer service guy.

Monkeyman

I said earlier; I am SICK of people complaining about these forms not being ready!!!! On TP Exchange, people are complaining about ATX. The other companies may not be printing 'DO NOT FILE' on the forms, but paper the paper filers returns are just stacking up at the service centeres. DOESN'T ANYONE READ THE FRICKIN' NEWS?

No, joanmcq, most don't read the news.

They all want their clients' RAL money NOW!

The people complaining about ATX are rejects from other

companies trying to make a fast buck out of desparate people.

They are also the same folks who complain EVERY year. See my earler post on this subject.

Personally, my family could use the money now, but have to wait for the 8863.

We are not desperate, because we budget well, but could still use it.

Remember GoZone a few years back? I received several hundred emails (literally) on that.

Some people are just DUMB. I am being serious here: In my last days as a supervisor at ATX, I took a call from someone calling from the airport, (the lady could barely speak English) who had heard from a relative living here that she could make money from "tax preparation loans".

WTF?

Monkeyman

I THINK YOU ARE LYING, BECAUSE THE IRS WILL NOT ACCEPT THOSE FORMS.

I hope other ProSeries users will expose your lie.

Whoa, KC, I have never seen this side of you before. Go get her!

tilt is probably a ProSeries troll trying to sell the program here as others have done.

She obviously has little actual knowledge about tax issues.

Will they be processed correctly??? Its the IRS that has said the forms could not be filed until Feb.11. I am getting REALLY TIRED of so-called preparers that can't keep up with taxes enough that month old info is news to them!!!

I couldn't agree more, joanmcq.

I used to get all of the sales emails through the ATX website.

At this time of year I would get eleventy kajillion emails, USUALLY ALL IN CAPS,

demanding that a form be made available my competitor has them you do this every year why does it take so long this is a simple form to reproduce the IRS has it on the website the paper form is at the library it's January 2nd and my client wants their refund blah blah scream complain whine.

That is one part of my job at ATX that I do not miss. I could tell stories that would curl your hair about these "preparers" that knew less about tax law than a 20 year old kid in our call center.

I loved sending them to the IRS website and proving them wrong.

Monkeyman

Is the 8863 or the 5695 really that complicated? It is Feb 6, and my clients should be getting refunds already! I can't believe that I am again telling clients that I don't have forms available. This is so frustrating! Do other softwares have such incredible wait times? Does ATX not have enough IT people to take care of the changes?

Grumble Mumble.

schirallicpa,

Isn't there something from the IRS that prevents the form 8863 from being filed until after Feb 11th?

I have the form in my personal return and was advised of this.

Monkeyman

A Doctor told an middle aged gentleman that if he gave up wine - women - and song...he'd live 30 years longer, the man replied that he'd give up singing and settle for 10.

Mr.Duxbury,

I am a 30 year old man and couldn't agree more with that

My Unlce Dale kept a gallon of ice cream hidden from his wife in the gas station where I worked as a teenager (1990's). His Wife would leave and he would take 2-3 large spoonfulls and hide the carton back under the meat in the freezer. He also would chug the occasioanal beer and reward me with the same at the end of a hard day (illegally, at 17, and I appreciated every one).

Me: "Uncle Dale, Aunt Cathy said you should watch your sugar!"

Uncle Dale: "Young Feller (Maine accent) , I will die with a full belly, and I encourage you to do the same"

He was born in 1949, smokes cigars and eats ice cream every day, and can still beat me arm-wrestling. He also LOVES my Daughters and does not hesistate to crawl around on the floor with them.

"That's all I have to say 'bout that" - Forrest Gump

Monkeyman

Just as good and easier than melting chocolate in the microwave is to spread Nuttella (I'm sure I'm spelling this wrong). You can find it with the peanut butter and jams. It is a hazelnut chocoloate spread out of Europe. Just spread it on the graham crackers and enjoy, no need for the microwave

Peggy,

Nuttela is the correct spelling(?) and it's very tasty. I like it on a hot English muffin.

We prefer putting the 1/2 graham cracker with one large marshmallow in the microwave.

Nuke until the marshmallow looks ridiculously large: immeadiately remove and add 2 squares of a Hershey chocolate bar and squish together with another piece of graham cracker. Let it set for a minute so the chocolate softens.

Of course, we all know the best way to have smores is to roast a marshmallow over a fire until it is in flames, and then clamp it btween two graham crackers; the bottom one holding the chocolate.

Monkeyman

This has been going on for a few days. If you are trying to print from the PDF button, the software freezes.

The fix is to print to PDF Factory, which you should have if you have been using ATX since 2004 (?). Just click the change printer button and select PDF Facory.

If you don't have pdf Factory, send a PM to Monkeyman and I think he will be able to get it for you.

Tom

Lodi, CA

pcosten,

PM me with your email address and I can send you the file you need.

This site gives me a hard time with sending attachments.

(maybe because erc is like 20 times smarter than me)

Monkeyman

How do you get any response from ATX customer service. I am a new customer and I have contacted ATX four times in order to get fulfillment of my order. It is Feb 4.

I have NEVER experienced such terrible service, if you can call it that.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Hi William,

Have you tried ATX new sales?

That number is usually really fast compared to tech support at this time of year.

877-976-8773 (I think) or, for sure 800-944-8883 and hit the options for new sales.

Monkeyman

Eli got me all figured out on this.

'cause he's the man :lol:

I also have the installer file available for PDF factory if anyone needs it.

PM me with your email address and Iwill get it tight out to you.

Kerry

Hello Everyone,

My wife got a 1098-T in the mail with an amount in box 2 (amounts billed for qualified tuition and related expenses).

Where do I input this number? Is it the 8917 or 8863?

I can see where the credit (if any) might go into

line 49 of the 1040 but have no idea how to get it there.

I appreciate any advice you can give.

Thanks!

Kerry

Max. I was actually having a good day until I tried to go onto myATX. well at least the hold for Tex Upport wasn't too long. My 'activation code' they reset my password with wasn't the same as the actual activation code I used to install my program. Two changed digits. No sense whatsoever. Now if I can find out what's up with the CA efiles....

Okay. Then you should definitely be getting the CCH 1040 Express Answers in print, and Kleinrock's 1040 Library on-line. I believe MAX was going to come with a user manual as well.

I would call sales; 1-800-944-8883.

Monkeyman

I've gotten no books

Hello Again joanmcq,

I am sorry you are having a bad day. I have no job as of yet and an excrutiating ear infection.

What program did you order?

Monkeyman

Hi joanmcq,

The technical support number has always been 1-800-638-8291 in the past.

I don't know if they have switched over to being open on Saturdays or not.

Monkeyman

We are having "breakfast for supper" - pancakes with sausage. Yum. Yum. and Yum.

Booger, I could post an inappropriate Rock Hudson joke but I won't.

(I want to mind my p's and q's around KC )

PM me if you want to hear it.

Monkeyman

I added my thoughts. I don't post as much as I should here, but I do appreciate the knowledge you all share so kindly. I am hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst!

Enjoy the weekend!

Hello Mr.Phelan,

I appreciate the knowledge here as well. I really, really do.

I have roughly 2 dozen professionals helping me with my tax return!

Monkeyman

Also, be sure to review eligibility for a credit for retirement savings contributions via Form 8880. Your post indicates that you and/or your wife may be eligible for a credit. There's not enough information to know for sure, but there's enough information to make it worth looking into.

Slappy Tax,

Thanks for the heads up. We can take this credit.

My wife was a part-time student in 2007, but the form

instructions indicate only full-timers are not eligible.

Correct me if I am wrong.

Also, thanks again for the info. I really appreciate it.

Monkeyman

johnmac - I haven't spoken with Danielle since getting the news.

I know she must be very busy and am leaving her alone.

Tom - Thanks. I have your contact information.

Me either. Especially since I wanna be an investor. And Maine is lovely in the summer (well, ya gotta wear a lotta bug repellant in the woods, but). And Aroostoock is lovely although I did just look on a webcam and it looks a mite bit chilly right now!

joanmcq,

It is snowing to beat the band right now in Caribou.

We are expected to get 6-8 inches before the end of the day.

I had to drive to a job interview today in this mess (only 12 miles or so), and they were

impressed because I was the only one to show up in this weather so far.

Monkeyman

You folks are great.

My wife and I really appreciate the help.

Hello Everyone,

I remeber when I worked at a gas station, had one W2,

and did my taxes with a booklet from the library in 20 minutes

My wife's W2 has a number in box 12a, with a Code of S (employee salary reduction contributions under a section 408(p) SIMPLE - not included in box 1).

Her wages and SS wages differ by the amount in box 12a.

Do I include the amount in box 1 when entering the information on the W2 worksheet,

or the amount in box 1 added to 12a? Do I have to do anything special with the number in 12a?

Thanks!

Ker....I mean Monkeyman