mcb39

Where do you come up with this monthly fee? Is that an assumption of using the card reader for EVERY client? My understanding is that there is no fee unless you use it and, then, it is 2.75% of the charge. The client that I am helping to set up had a machine that she had to pay for when she installed it. Then there was a monthly fee in addition to the percentage, which was around 5%. She just purchased the business and got rid of the credit card machine. Also, I am in complete agreement with Tom. I DID look at the I-transact. Scary!!!!

A funny thing happened on the way to the Word program. I had already installed all three of my 2010 Office Home and Student, but was only really using one and occasionally two. Recently installed it on a fourth computer with no problems. I bought that one on Ebay. I purchase many brand new items on Ebay and sometimes you can find some phenomenal buys at great prices. PS. The Office program is registered to me.

I only expect a few occasional clients pay with a credit card. I thought I could use this as a ploy for those who forget to bring their checkbooks. Most of my clients are excellent about paying and many will pay up front. Thanks again to all of you for your input.

Thanks all.....that is great encouragement. My client will be using it with a mini ipad, but I will be using Android, if I use it at all. Anybody see any problems with the Android issue? Everything I have read about Square says not; but it is obviously geared to Apple.

OK, I did a search of the community and read all the comments from 2013 regarding the Square Credit Card Reader. NOW, are there any recent comments as to how well it works and how well any of you like it. I have the free reader coming; have no idea if I will ever use it; have downloaded the app and it appears fairly easy; but would like some input. I have a client who is going to use it and she will be counting on me for guidance and advice.

I know this sounds insane, but I download them both and pick and choose the pages that I want to print. Generally, I prefer the original organizer, but if my client has a business, rentals, etc, I choose those pertinent pages to print. I gave up sending organizers to all clients years ago. Am now to the point where I create and send an organizer to the clients who want and will use one; I print and keep the organizer for the ones who don't and won't and keep it for my own use. After all, the organizer is more for our benefit than for theirs. As I said before, some clients are adamant about having one. Others have their own methods of organizing their information; and some pay more because they don't do either.

Is his accounting cash or accrual?

Thanks Eric.....we all know that you do your very best for us. I am happy to know that it is not my computer that is acting up.......again!

After all these years; I pretty much know who will use the organizer and who won't. There are several clients who request it and take it with them to the warmer climates for the winter to work on. Others I print and keep in their folders for me to use (clients with Sch C businesses; Rentals, etc.) I enclose the engagement letter along with the organizer. Those who don't or won't use the organizer just get the engagement letter along with my personal yearly letter giving them a heads up on anything new to expect.

Wisconsin has an entirely different method of calculating capital gains. I don't even want to go there.

Sometimes we HAVE to have our toys. For me it is a form of self-gratification and thanks for all the work I do. On the other hand, I now have three laptops and and two desktops. My XP desktop is only for programs that don't convert to Win 7. My oldest Win 7 laptop is for leaving at the other house. No number pad, but the external works just fine. Have two identical workhorse 17" laptops; one for in house and one for back and forth. Of course, we all value different things in our equipment. My laptops do have dedicated video cards and have i5 with turbo boost. Win 7 Pro. My main working machine is an i5 desktop; which will be entering it's third tax season. Thankfully it was brand new for 2012 and handled most of the issues with little pain. And then there are the real toys: Tablets. I use that when I am (rarely) sitting on the couch and want to check e-mail or FB. Or, my husband says something like, "Is that guy still alive?" I have an almost immediate answer. My tablets also work through my phone line if I am traveling and wi-fi is not available. Wonderful for Gas Buddy and/or just browsing. We all lead different lifestyles and have different needs. Hopefully, we have lives outside of tax preparation. In my mind, it isn't so much what you have, but how you take care of it and whether it meets your processing needs. Does it have the features YOU want and does it make YOU happy? Last, but really first, backup, backup and backup!!!!

Well, my cosmetologist certainly isn't. She relies on me for every little thing. Some days drives me nuts, but she does a good job on my hair. (I pay her; she pays me; agreed on up front.)

I guess I may have whimpered too; just silently. I also have very low blood pressure, but not because I don't stress about certain things.....a lot.!

I don't get what the difference is. I have one H/W business that I have to prepare and charge for a 1065 and the business is so minimal it is not really worth it to them. Thankfully, it was already being done that way when they came to me; so they were used to paying for it. (much more than I charge); but it is a pain. The IRS gets the same amount of tax either way. I loved that "check the box" I am in a CPS.

This is exactly what I do.

As I said before, put it behind you. What if you made a major purchase of a really expensive coat? Six months later you find it on the clearance rack for 50% off. Getting angry will only raise your blood pressure. I purchased the program I wanted. I put it behind me. I made enough doing extensions to pay for it. I like money as much as the next person, but sometimes it's just better not to stress over it.

IMO If you want any particular program; negotiate the best deal you can; order it, pay for it and put it behind you.

To clarify that I am not entirely clueless, I have two external drives for each computer. I alternate complete backups frequently. The most recent backup goes in the safe. The other backup goes somewhere else off-site. At the same time, I export each return as I am working on it to a jump drive. The reason for the panic was because I was working on a new laptop that did not have all of the returns on it. However, after catching my breath, I realized that it did have the returns I was working on; on the hard drive. I exported those. When I got home, I exported all of the 2014 returns to the jump drive and I am now back to where I started. Incidentally, my last extended return left my office yesterday afternoon. I have one more to mail out and I am finished with 2014; for now. All returns have been filed and accepted. Some quarterly payroll and bookkeeping to do and I will be out from under pressure for a few weeks. Then, it starts all over again. Thank you all for your input.

Take a vacation. It was just an offer. You don't have to renew before Dec 31. Relax and try it after the 16th; or wait until November to start trying. I've never had a problem getting on to the site.

You used to be able to just click a box on the top of the screen and it would do the division; assuming that it was equal. That has been gone for a long time. You can either give them each a schedule C and split the expenses or enter both 1099 Misc as they are reported. They "should" combine on the C. The only problem I foresee is the issue of two different SS.

Did you know that many of the newest computers are shipping without CD drives at all? Yes, buy a USB CD drive or more jump drives; spend more money. I have so many thumb drives now with different things on them, I am losing track. This past weekend I was wiping a SD card for a hunter and accidentally wiped the thumb drive that had all of my 2014 tax returns on it. Luckily, I was able to come home and export them off of the desktop. Talk about being in panic mode. I have never done anything that stupid before and didn't know it until I went to look for a file. Well, maybe once or twice. Just finished showing my son how to use the backup program to back up his system to an external HD.

Scenario: OK, say for instance that you decide this year not to use ATX any longer. What do you do if you purchase a new computer and no longer have access to the ATX site for downloading? What do you do if you have to prepare prior year returns for a client and cannot access the ATX site for downloads to the disk you made? I Always want a CD installation disk for any software that I install. This year I passed on Medlin, but only because I have faith that Dennis will take care of me if I get in trouble. It's the same as reading a book on a tablet. I WANT the paper in my hand. Just my little quirk, but am sure that there are others who will agree.

That may be fine for you, Jack, but all of us don't have powerful internet that makes downloading easy; myself included. No, there will not be an archive CD this year. I have already established that. However, I always want the beginning disk for installation on a new computer, etc. My internet service is "needy" to say the very least.; and I have no other options that I can afford.

Is that your cheese board?

So we can learn it all over again?