rfassett

Well - I averaged 87 hours per week in Jan and Feb and ramped up to 94 through March and the first week of April. We pre-schedule all of our tax returns so we have a very smooth and level season. That is how I got to this point on April 11. It is not for everybody - but it works for me. I will do that to avoid the panic mode at the end of the season. Have had that approach for years. I am slowing down though. There were several years back to back where I averaged 105 hours per week for the whole season. The titanium in my chest is probably a result of that. I do not recommend those hours to anyone. It sure was nice, though, leaving the office at 4:30 yesterday to get in some quality porch time. The sign over the door to my porch says "Heaven is a little closer on the porch". And there is truth therein. Good luck and smooth sailing to all those still fighting! Congrats to those who have called it a day!

This is something probably all of us fear. At every juncture during tax season I hold my breath when a program takes a little longer to open or some other non-normal thing goes on. And the fact remains, other than ours and our loved ones health, this is probably the most vulnerable spot for most if not all of us during our busy season. The Serenity Prayer comes to mind right now. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change; courage to change the things I can; and wisdom to know the difference. Living one day at a time; enjoying one moment at a time; accepting hardships as the pathway to peace; taking, as He did, this sinful world as it is, not as I would have it; trusting that He will make all things right if I surrender to His Will; that I may be reasonably happy in this life and supremely happy with Him forever in the next. Amen.

Closing the season with 474 returns done - 5 -1120; 60 -1120S; 26 -1065; 5 - 1041; 3 - 990; 6 - other; and 369 -1040. Extensions are done. Will be here tomorrow, Friday and Monday working on quarterly payroll reports and payrolls and putting out fires - very low key, low stress.

We use the same system except that my invoice says simply "Tax return preparation fee". I cannot remember any client wanting me to expound upon that.

I have been seeing that around here for years. I, too, was blown away the first time I saw it. Talked to a practitioner that does that and he tried to justify the approach. I wasn't buying it. That would be akin to going to the car repair shop and getting a bill that includes a charge for the use of the mechanic's tools. Maybe we should also put a line item on our invoice for a charge for the use of our brains. Some days that would be deeply discounted, though.

I don't hate Jack's approach, but I think I would put the expenses in the medical section of Schedule A with a line item noted "reimbursement of medical expenses from xyz charity (see line 21 of form 1040)". I would then list the 1099M amount on line 21 of Form 1040 and then on a separate line zero out the amount with a notation that the amount has been moved to the medical section of Schedule A. Be sure to force the printing and efiling of Schedule A. The only reason I prefer my approach over Jack's is the Schedule C approach implies that your client is in some sort of business. Not so for this money - or at least not according to the facts stated.

I will bet you will find it would have been cheaper to just buy your own booze. Just sayin'

Sounds like an IRA with the estate as the beneficiary (or no beneficiary). Doesn't matter what is inside the IRA, the distribution is ordinary income subject to ordinary tax that someone has to pay - either the estate or the beneficiaries of the estate. I am questioning the treatment though because it would seem to me that the estate should be paying the tax. Sounds like the treatment you are looking at is an effort (although not correct) to move the income to a potentially lower tax bracket.

We have experienced the same thing and have been trying to figure out why! I put in a lot more hours early and mid season to be where I am today. That said, we will still have about 60 extensions. Which is about normal for us.

1 return in house with 3 days to go!

Don't be so hard on yourself - it was just another piece of paper. It is a wonder that we all have systems in place that prevents this type thing happening on a regular basis. But I do understand your feelings - that punch in the gut feeling when you find you cannot blame the client for not giving you the info. But alas, you, me and the rest of us, are just mere humans - irrespective of what some of our clients think of us.

I have a new client this year that will not be back. The conversation went something like this this morning. Guy has a very small Schedule C. Me: You owe $96. Him: Why do I owe? I had enough medical expense to offset my self employment income of $10,400 gross. Me: It does not work like that. But how much medical expense did you have. Him: $6,000 Me: That is below the standard deduction (even with your other itemized deductions) so there is no benefit to that. Him: (In total seriousness) But I had $8,000 medical expenses Me: Still no good. Him: (continuing to be totally serious) But I had $10,000 medical expenses Me: Come and pick up your return and pay me for my work. Him: I am not upset or anything. I just want it to be right. Me: Good bye! In another call this morning - client says she underpaid her state withholding liability by 2 cents. Go ahead - ask me how much I care on April 9th.

JJStephens - I have got to say that you are scaring me just a little bit. Are you OK man? I know we all joke about offing a client now and again, but you know we are just joking, right?

Yes - Great Story Rich! Wild life is very interesting to watch. As to see the reflection of the deer's eyes in your headlights? On my journey home last evening, five deer, in single file format with a second or two between them, jumped off the right hand bank onto the roadway and continued their journey across the road right to left and off into the woods on the left. Not one of those deer looked at me and if I would have been driving in the dark and looking for the reflection of their eyes, this story could have a very different ending. The evening before last, on our trip home, we observed a herd of 16 deer grazing in a field and they were not twenty yards from the road. I love living in rural America!

Right there is why I do not like to drive after dark in these parts. I leave the office in time to be home before it gets dark and then work in my office at home until I am through for the day!

Unless I am misunderstanding the facts as stated, the son simply needs to file his own return and not claim himself. No amended return is necessary.

I am in coast mode and will simply coast across the finish line. I don't care what the sob story - I will not be forced into making the clients lack of planning an emergency for me. Had one in today - "Oh, we just got back from Florida Saturday (have been there since October). If we bring our stuff in tomorrow can you get it done?" My response was "maybe .....and maybe not". My thought was, "I guess the US Postal service and the world wide web does not work in Florida." Anyway, I have horsed around and got four done today. I did some of my own company accounting on Saturday. Through March 31st, our billings are up 13.25% over last year. Right there is a great explanation of why I am now in coast mode. I am flat out tired out.

And Happy Easter to everyone here. Our office is never open on Good Friday but I work and am finishing up a couple of complicated returns today. I will work on State Corporate and Partnership extensions tomorrow as well as do our monthly billings. And then I will take the rest of the weekend off. Up early Easter morning for a sunrise service at the local church camp followed by a wonderful brunch and great fellowship, Then it will be time for me to head to the couch for my Easter nap! A Blessed Easter to one and all!

Agree with TAXMAN

I enter my zombiatic state of living sometime around the third week in February and stay there until about the first of May. I am certain you can all relate. It is really a strange sensation. I can actually feel my transitioning into and out of that state of being.

I hope you find (or have found) your return. This happened to me last week but I did not think much about it until I saw your post. Freaked me out at the time because I thought it was just me not seeing what I was looking for. I do not remember what I did exactly, maybe shut down the program and reopened, and there it was. The fact that the return is still in the rollover manager is immaterial to the issue at hand. The rollover manager looks in a different place for the prior year return info.

Stop hiding and come out into the open more often. As you have found - not many folks here have too much of a bite. Well, there are a few exceptions - but you will never be abused here.

When I become President and make the rules, everybody will open their own mail and dispose of all of the envelopes before it gets to the accountant's office.

Meant to say that we were not going to open on the 16th. That is the big payroll day. That will be a very laid back early done day. We will not be open at all on the 17th.

You are nuts man. I have 35 in house with an anticipated 75 to 100 being dropped off over the remaining days. Our cutoff was last Thursday. So the only ones I feel any pressure about are the 35 - which I hope to have done by Friday. It is coast from here on out. We were not even going to open on April 17th, but that is a big payroll day for us, so we will be here - but not doing anything tax return related. Returns will all be picked up, e-filed, and extensions done by the time we close at 6:00 on Friday the 13th.