Dave T

Is anyone having difficulty with e-file rejects on returns with the 8863 Fducation Credits attached? I Updated to 12.8 lst night and then submitted a return with the credit attached only to have it rejected. Here is the scenario: -Two undergrad students, he with 7400 in expenses and she with 1943. - Total on line 30 of each $ 2500 and 1943 resepectively. - Total on line 1 of the 8863 then is $ 4453 Reject error says total on line 1 can't exceed total(s) on line 30, yet is doesn't, it's the same amount. This is frustrating Thanks for any insights. - Dave T

Beginning to get the hang of the client letter with one exception. I can get the Federal and State letters to combine as requested and have the paragraphs desired and in the right place but the problem is with the state component. Even though the retrun will be e-filed it still says " enclosed you will find two copies of the return ... mail to, etc." I have tried checking and un-checcking the box " Let ATX decide" but still comes up with the same verbage. I'm sure I'm doing something incorrectly so any help would be appreciaated. Thank you - Dave T

I know that with the problems people are having with rollovers and the slowness of the program this seems like a rather trivial matter but I have a question that someone might be able to respond to. I rolled over over my first clients return and entered the preparer information. In other years I would then unprotect the worksheet and change the font so that the preparer's signature actually looked like script. I can't find where the unprotect function is located or if it even still exists. Thanks for any assistance. - Dave T

Client who lives out of the area contacted me recently about foster children. She and husband took in a special needs child ( 6 years old ) in July of 2012. Her questions concerned dependency and CTC. In reviewing Pub. 501 I've detemined that the child is a qualifying relative and not qualifying child due to not being in the home for over six monts. ( Miised by a week.) A few other facts: they are not in the foster care businsess and would like to adopt the child. The State agency provides them $40.00/ day for the care of the chlld. My question, in looking at the support worksheet in Pub 501 I can't figure out if this payment from the State is used to calculate the over one half support test? Thanks for any assistance that can be provided. Dave T

Had this happen recently on 199-DIV's that had foreign taxes paid. I too couldn't get it to flow to the 1040 until I entered the country in which the taxes were paid. On the 1099 input sheet there is a drop down box with a list of countries but since I wasn't sure what country(ies) it pertained to I selected OC - Other Country and it flowed perfectly. Perhaps there is a similar box on the 1116. Hope this helps. - Dave T

Yes - I've noticed recently that my New York State returns are printing pg 2, pg 1, pg 4 and then pg 3. Also noticed, although I'm not sure if this is related that even though I created a state e-file, that the authorization document didn't appear on the print menu. - Dave T

Not sure what I'm doing wrong and don't remember having this problem in the past but I've input Foreign Tax from the 1099 Div into Box 6 on the detail worksheet and it's not flowing to line 47 on the 1040. Is there someithing on the 1116 that I need to enter or checck to make it flow? Thanks - Dave T

Taxdan, I just got home and encountered the same problem. I too have avast and got the same error message. Need to get this resolved - I'm falling too far behind as it is. - Dave T

Client serves as a liason for foreign students, taking them to appointments, school contacts etc. In addition they house two of the students providing room and board. Client receives three 1099 Misc. from three different sponsoring organizations. Total involved is approx. $10K. Here are the questions I have regarding this: 1. Would the one 1099 from the organization that is sponsoring the students in their home go on a Sch E and the other two on Sch. C, or all three on Sch. C or is it all line 20 - Other Income, or some combination thereof? 2. Aside from mileage, client didn't track any other expenses. Is there some type of per diem meal allowance that could be used simiilar to that used by Child Care providers? 3. What about utilities and depreciation for the space used? Thanks for all the assistnace on this subject as well as for the wealth of knowledge that is conveyed on a daily basis on this board. Dave T

I know I need to do some research on this but was wondering if anyone might ever have encountered this. Clients adopted three children from the Ukraine in 2011. Expenses had occurred in 2010 and 2011 and adoption became final in May 2011. I know that the children quailfy as dependents and two of the three are under 17 so qualify for Child Tax Credit as well as Adoption Credit. The issue is none of them have a SSN. They became US citizens later in 2011 but as of yet don't have the SSN. I know there is something called an ATIN for adoptees and of course an ITIN but I'm wondering if they will be able to qualify for the items above withour the SSN The parents are in the process of applying but don't know if I can file the return without them. Thanks in advance for your assistance. Dave T

Wife has purchased several items and likes them very much. As to the original topic, I had a Pampered Chef rep. come to me last year wanting their return done ASAP to be able to fill out financial aid forms. I wasn' able to accomodate in their time frame but did look over their info, while they were here. It seems to me I had an issue how Pampered Chef reported certain information. As i recall she had won a number of incentives some nominal but a couple trips as well which I questioned as how the value of these items were determined as they should have been included in income as well.

Not sure who is on the board this weekend so first of all Happy Mother's Day to all of you moms. A couple of questions for those of you who are out there: Picked up a new client this year and as it was just about time for him to leave for the Ukraine before the filing deadline we filed for an extension. Client is a pastor of a small church and has a full time job in sales ( I guess there's some irony in there when you think about it.) Church doesn't pay him a salary but does provide him a parsonage and reimburses him for ministerial expenses, mileage, etc. Here are the few questions I'm encountering: 1. Prior preparer never computed S/E tax on the fair rental value of the parsoange. I'ts in a fairly rural area and I know it's up to the pastor to tell me what that figure should be. When I spoke with him prior to leaving for his trip I know I really caught him off guard and as a result I know he's going to owe quite a bit as his other job dewsn't withhold enough to even over his salary there. 2. His monthly expense sheets are pretty straightforward with the exception that he's included his tithe to the church as a reimburseable expense. I think they are just shown on Sch. A and that's it. If so that would put his reimbusements greater than his expenses and the excess would go on line 21 as 'Other Income". Is that correct? 3. Finally, and this doesn't pertain to the clergy side but rather to the sales job, he receives a normal W-2 form the employer but in addition to that he gets a 1099-Misc from them that he says is for an automobile allowance. It's over $6K and I know it's income but I presume it should also be subject to S/E tax as well. Is taht corect? Thanks for your help with this. Dave T

Yes, you're correct. I should have said I made the correction to the 8606 and that cleared the distribution from being taxable as it was a qualified distribution. The 8606 was still created as you state. Thanks Dave T

Margaret Thank you for your response to my situation which was identical to yours. Your solution was right on. The distribution was qualified and therefore no 8606 required and not a problem to create the e-file. Thanks Again Dave T

I agree that it shouldn't be taxable but I'm wondering why ATX requires the 8606 and why it is computing part of it as taxable? Thanks Again Dave T

Tax payer is 64 years old, began contributing to a Roth from 1998 until 2002. Total contributions approx. $ 1,400. In 2010 she closes out the account and receives approx. $ 1,650 and of course a 1099R at year end showing the distribution and taxable amount not determined, and in Box 7 a distribution code T - Roth Distribtion exception applies. On checking the return it says an 8606 must be completed and when I complete Part IV it shows approx. $ 250.00 as taxable ( $ 1650 - 1400). This doesn't seem right and I'm wondering what I might be doing wrong. Any thoughts? Thanks Dave T

Couple qualifed for first time home buyer credit in 2008 and now have to begin paying back. Credit was for $6,200 and during 2010 both the husband and wife receive notification from the IRS showing that their credit was for $ 3,100. and that payback over 15 years is $ 206.66 per year. I was reading the instructions to 5405 and don't know if I missed it but do I need to include two copies of the 5405, one for each of them? Thanks - Dave T

Grace, I have a client that has been a long time volunteer firefighter in New York and has received this service award for many years. I have always put this on line 21. Interestingly, it used to come on a 1099-R and it has only been a few years in which it began to come on a 1099-Misc. If your client is a current firefighter, don't forget to give them the $ 200 credit that is allowed to volunteer firefighters and ambulance workers. I believe it goes on IT-249. Dave T

Have a client that qualifies for first time homebuyer credit and it is my understanding that a copy of the closing statement needs to be submitted. Can the file be efiled and the closing statement be sent with the 8453 or does the return need to be paper filed? Thanks - Dave T

Yes - he is 56 years old and that appears to be the answer. Thanks for the response. Dave T

Here's an oddity ( at least I find it so ), client receives a 1099-R from New York State which exempts pensions of Federal and State governments. Distribution code is 3 which is a disability pension and the amount flows to line 7 of the 1040 as wages. This allows client to receive $ 400.00 Making Work Pay credit and because this and SS is his only income qualifies him for Earned Income Credit In addition, since this is a pension it is not taxed by NYS. I know the tax code isn't always logical but this seems especially strange to me. Any thoughts? Dave T

I had a client that had donated a vehicle but had not gotten a 1098-C from the organization. IRS says that won't accept donation w/o a copy of that and if the return is e-filed copy B of the form needs to be sent in with the 8453. Dave T

JB, Ray, or other Ohio preparers a little help please. Client's son began attending college in Ohio in the fall, John Carroll University, and worked part time there ( at the school) as well. His W-2 has a small amount of Ohio state tax withheld as well as a bit more local tax and labeled UnivHgts as the locality. I presume he would be consdidered a part year resident but am wondering which form(s) I would need to file on his behalf both for the state and the locality. He only made approx. $ 600 so also presume he would be getting a refund but just want to be sure. Thanks for your assistance. Dave T

Potential new client comes with last years return. I'm reviewing her 1099 Misc and notice that there are amounts in the non-employee compensation box and in the other income box. On the back of the 1099 is a breakdown of the other income items which represent awards for meeting various sales targets ( Pampered Chef ). These vary from mugs to Visa cash cards and also a trip among others. The prior year preparer put all these on line 21 as other income and entitled it prizes, and I'm wondering if some or all of this should go on her Sch. C and be subject to S/E tax. I saw a discussion of this recently on the board but don't remember the consensus as to how to report. In that particular case it was windows that were won in some type of contest. Someone, I believe it was KC, mentioned an acronym of SPFF (?) and wasn't sure what that meant but do recall it had to do with this topic and that indeed it might be subject to S/E. Thanks for any input. Dave T

I know ministers can reduce their S/E tax by any unreimbursed business (ministerial) expenses. The question I have is whether their tithe back to their church is considered a business expense? I have read Richard Hammer's book on the subject but in my mind there remains some uncertainty. Apparently if the tithe is mandatory as a condition of employment then the tax court ruled that it is an expense and not considered a charitable contribution on Sch. A and thus can be used as an offset to the S/E tax. (Assuming no reimbusement form the church) I guess the question is if it is understood that the pastor will tithe and/or strongly encouraged but not necessarily a condition of employment then how should it be classified? Mike M. I know you and others here do a lot more clergy returns than I do so I'm wondering what your thoughts are. Thanks for any input. Dave T