mcb39

Thanks so much Eric. I wasn't able to log in at all. I couldn't get beyond the weird messages. On the other hand, this was CE week so I spent two days in class and have that behind me now as well as RTRP and PTIN. Good to go for one more year. Am slowly moving into new office addition, but taking a week off now for R and R over Thanksgiving. Happy Thanksgiving to all of you and remember all the good things we have to be thankful for., in spite of the storms and floods.

They called today. They are shipping November 26. Some nice updates in store for all. I received 2011archive disk yesterday.

And that brings up another subject........the free services that are out there. However well-meaning they are for the low income folks, they can be a disaster. I had a client who left me last year for the local Technical College students free preparers. When I asked to see it, she brought it in because she hadn't gotten her refund. For beginners, the preparer had generously "given" them over $4,000 in interest income, which should have been a Sch A Mtg Int deduction. There was so much wrong and they had failed to e-file which is why the taxpayer hadn't gotten a refund. We started over from scratch with both Fed and WI and I was able to e-file even though it was after April 17. Then about the same time (after the due date) the Tech mailed in the return that they had prepared. You don't want to know how many months it took me to straighten this one out. The State gave them the refund I had calculated; then received the other return and kept asking them to refund the difference. Because we had filed POAs, the State ended up calling me and asking if I knew what was going on. I explained it to the agent and she said, "I hope they come right to you next year!" This is another whole can of worms and nobody is doing anything illegal because they don't charge. The Commission on Aging also prepares returns free for the elderly. Generally these are mostly Wi Homestead Credit claims, but nevertheless, you have to have some tax education to prepare a proper and correct tax return.

I accidentally marked the General Chat forum as read. How do I unmark it? Thanks.

We can argue this subject into the ground and resolve nothing. I am one of the older preparers and have chosen to move forward. I just don't agree that compliance will solve much as we are losing some excellent preparers because of it. I have the credentials now and am happy to be certified. However, just as it will not change the way that I do business, this could also be true of many of the "slackers ". On the other hand, the test wasn't as easy as many seem to think. I was quite bitter early on, but have put that behind in order to move on and continue to offer services to my clients. As I said before, I took the test for them. I take the CE for me.

My clients have been having nothing but trouble with EFTPS as well as Payroll e-file. We have regressed to paper filing until they get their wrinkles ironed out. Of course, I am talking about small companies with very small and/or seasonal payroll.

They really do.....I sent that to all the men in my life who use e-mail.; although I think that has been around before.

That's it in a nutshell. I have no clue how to do formulas in excel or any other spreadsheet. But I did the math question in my head and then checked it on a calculator. I do, however, know how to do a spreadsheet by hand. How dated is that?

That probably means that I am in the process of wasting nearly two years' profits on a remodel/addition to my office and hardware because my job might become redundant. I have the same suspicions, John, but sometimes we just need to move forward. In any event, I am helping to stimulate the economy.

This makes the RTRP sound so mundane. Those of us who took the test were in a panic for days prior and greatly relieved when it was over. In our own way, we have advanced at the level required (not necessarily desired). I don't consider myself to be any better or worse a preparer than I was before the test. I will still do the best job that I possibly can for my clients. I took the test for them rather than for myself. As for CE, I have always done that on my own. Knowing where and how to find the answer is a huge part of this job. I have never messed up badly enough to have a client require representation. At my age, I am not in this to take care of anyone's clients but my own. I am not offended by any of the above posts, but recognize that some younger preparers might be. We were forced to take this test in order to protect a great deal of time and equipment invested in what we do.; and I don't necessarily think that it has solved any problems for the IRS who is standing over us with a club. :read:

I came up with 20 (16 plus 16 plus 4 minus 16)

I renewed last night also. Nothing about proration that I remember. It does ask "have you or do you intend to comply with the 15 necessary hours by 12/31. I am taking mine in November so I answered "yes" and renewal went through just fine. Even printed me out a little ID card this time.

I say, "Just let me check to make sure what it is this year" They eat that up. I have a problem with form numbers as well, but it had little effect on the RTRP test. You DO have the ability to look some things up in Pub 17 online.

"You're right, Karen!"

I agree, Jack, almost word for word. I am complying because I want to continue to do what I have already done for many years without being policed. I do also greatly resent the fact that supervised employees do not have to comply. I WAS a supervised employee many years ago and know that my "supervisor" did no more than glance through the return before signing it. Who is going to make sure that every CPA, EA, RTRP and Attorney who has preparers working for their firms, is going to do a thorough check of every return prepared? How could they possibly monitor this? And, what is going to change at the HRB, Liberty and other chains? How is this lack of censure supposed to make the rest of us feel?

We don't know yet. I didn't even know this until last night.

I was able to renew my PTIN last night even though I have not done CE yet. The question they ask is whether you have or intend to complete CE before Dec 31, 2012. The PTIN login page has changed drastically since the last time I visited (as Terry also found out). I wasn't going there because I was so tired of seeing "provisional" long after I received my RTRP cert in May. So, yes, you can renew your PTIN prior to taking the CE, which was a huge surprise to me.

Sorry, John, due to other commitments, I have not visited the PTIN renewal page lately. Last time I was there, I was still provisional. Tonight I am listed as an RTRP. I took your advice and was able to go through the process and renew my PTIN for another year without CE first. The moot question was Have you or do you intend to complete.................? Thanks for another load off my tired mind. I have no doubt that the IRS will be checking. At the same time, I have no regrets about signing up for the two day CE classes that I have. I have done so for many years when it was not required and find it to be both helpful and necessary. They have speakers from both the IRS and the State and I have always felt that if I learn just one new thing, it is worth it. Of course, I always learn more than one thing. It is also a great two days of interaction with other preparers. This is a really nice tool for preparers, like myself, who work alone.

I got my Microsoft Office 2010 3 user program on Ebay. Never had it before, but will go on my new computer which is being set up now. Office trial came with new puter, but after 30 days the price to keep it going was more than I was able to buy it for. Also, I wanted to purchase the disks. I always want the disks.

A lot of folks in rural areas are still using AOL and other dialup services.; sad to say. Even my DSL is rudimentary, but I am just glad to have it in any form.

My courses with Tax Insight next month have already assured that they will be informing the IRS directly when we have completed the course. They have to have your PTIN on registration. I have been with them since 1996 for CE and they always give a certificate. Where on the PTIN renewal website does it give you the option to self-certify compliance? Continuing Education Credit Information The WISCONSIN ANNUAL INCOME TAX COURSE includes TWO HOURS OF ETHICS CREDIT. Participants receive a Completion Certificate to be used as proof of attendance in applying for continuing education credit. Tax Insight reports Continuing Education hours to the IRS for Registered Tax Return Preparers (RTRP's) and Enrolled Agents (EA's).

Of course you are appreciated Kea, but I meant jklcpa. Sorry for the confusion.

Totally agree with Kea. If you are not doing the 1065, your client should receive a K1 from the Partnership showing the allocation of his departure. Depending on the type of business it was, assets, "hot" assets and other distributions will come into play.

I would think about doing a part year final return for the partnership including the partner who is leaving; ie: Jan 1 through June 30. Then I would think about doing a part year return for the rest of the partners from July 1 through Dec 31. I did one of these several years ago when one partner sold his share in May, but that may not be your situation. I still think that two partyear returns might be correct. As I am in total chaos at the moment, which includes no power in my office, I can't look it up for you. Moved necessary operations to the kitchen this AM.

Terry, you got a laugh out of me, with question #3. I feel your pain. #1 No dependency. He is not under age 24 and made over $3,650. #2 Whose name are the bonds in; if the parents, the interest is not exempt except for themselves or dependents; and apparently he is not a dependent. No matter what, it shoud not have any effect on the tuition credit. #3 Relatives or relatives of relatives seem to be the biggest thorns. Am glad you made me laugh, because we had snow on the ground this AM. I am NOT ready for that. 6 pm is not late to receive a call when you work from home. I had one Sunday night at 9:30.....I let the answering machine take it. :dunno: