kcjenkins

Excellent

Tie-breaker rule only applies if two people who COULD claim the child do not AGREE on which will claim the child. If two or more persons have the same qualifying child for EITC, dependency exemption, child tax credit, head of household filing status, or credit for child and dependent care expenses, only one person can claim the child as a qualifying child for all these benefits. Person claiming child other than parent must have a higher Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) than parent. Otherwise, you must decide who will claim the benefits, including EITC, using that qualifying child. If you cannot agree, and more than one person uses the same child, the tiebreaker rules apply.

The only logic I see is you are being too nice, not charging them extra for the call.

There is one clarification needed here. If a married person that does not live together at any time during the last 6 months of the year (NOT 6 MONTHS OF THE YEAR) then they can file as single or head of household (if have qualifying dependent living with them) BUT THE OTHER SPOUSE WHO DOES NOT HAVE A DEPENDENT DOES NOT THEN GET TO FILE AS SINGLE. That other spouse still has to file as MFS. Neither of them can file as single unless the divorce was final by year end.

I think the academic minds there had just honestly not given any thought to the timing. The third year I complained not only to the Dean, but decided since I was a member of Beta Alpha Psi, to send a request to the President of the Ole Miss Chapter, asking them to bring up the changing the date. Don't know for sure what worked, but they have changed to holding it after the 15th. Don't think that would work on on the NCAA, and I know it would not work on Congress.

Well, I'll tell you the easiest way. You buy the stock from your client, for $1. Then report the sale. I have a folder with 6 or 7 stock certificates I got that way.

They are a lot like ATX was when the Willetts owned it. Drake is a family firm, willing to make a reasonable profit and taking pride in their customer service. So was ATX until it was bought by CCH.

Usually, Jack, but not all of it, always. If, in fact the grant is for more than the tuition and qualified expenses, then the excess is taxable.

Do NOT file a new or amended return, but DO call the IRS again, early morning, and explain again that the form was included by error, but was not in fact part of the return, as no EITC was involved. If you are lucky, you will get someone who can, and actually WILL fix it for you. Yes, it can and does happen. Especially when you get someone early in the morning, while they are still feeling human. I expect they get enough abuse from callers that toward the end of the day they just are not feeling like making any extra effort for anyone.

Their basic offer is a fair one, I don't think they will need to sweeten it.

From Pub 970 Pell Grants and Other Title IV Need-Based Education Grants These need-based grants are treated as scholarships for purposes of determining their tax treatment. They are tax free to the extent used for qualified education expenses during the period for which a grant is awarded. So you consider not just tuition, but other qualified expenses as well. Qualified education expenses. For purposes of tax-free scholarships and fellowships, these are expenses for: Tuition and fees required to enroll at or attend an eligible educational institution, and Course-related expenses, such as fees, books, supplies, and equipment that are required for the courses at the eligible educational institution. These items must be required of all students in your course of instruction. Expenses that do not qualify. Qualified education expenses do not include the cost of: Room and board, Travel, Research, Clerical help, or Equipment and other expenses that are not required for enrollment in or attendance at an eligible educational institution.

A lot of people do not understand taxes at all. So they just accept what their tax preparer gives them. And of course they like big refunds.. Why not? But, they do not want to cheat, and when they learn that they have been filing incorrect returns, they are sad to lose the big refund,, but accepting of the reality. Some of them go back to get corrections filed, some just go forward, but most honest people want to file an honest return.

No form letter, but just a bit of free advice. Make it as brief and non-specific as possible, Just your need to reduce your workload, or concentrate on a different type of business clients, or something like that. Be nice, no matter how irritating the client might be, do NOT mention any thing negative about him or her. That can not help, and could hurt. Always assume that if you handle it politely and professionally, leaving personality out of it, you hold the high ground if he is not happy. And you'd be surprised, but sometimes those people you fire [nicely] still speak well of you, or even refer clients to you, that fill that category you told him you are focusing on. Never make an enemy when you do not need to. Free advice, worth at least as much as it cost you.

I did not hate them, as long as they accepted the fees I charged them, which was higher because of the PITA factor.

Right you are.. You should get only a live program, if the company even hesitates at this point, you should assume they are not going to be that great to work with next year. They have sold all the 2012 programs they are going to sell, there is no cost to them at this point to let potential new customers try out their product. They should be falling over themselves to accommodate you at this point. They should be begging you, not the other way around.

Yeah,, it's actually based on truth, you know. I especially like the fifth one.

Yeah, my birthday, April 11, meant I seldom got to celebrate it on the day. On the other hand, it meant I got a better 'treat' when we did celebrate a week later! And it took three years of complaining, but I did finally get Ole Miss to change their Accountancy Weekend event until AFTER 4/15. They used to hold it in March.. OK, I do not know how much my complaints played in the change, but I did ask all my Ole Miss friends to request that they take us tax practioners into consideration. And they have, for the last several years scheduled it after the 15th. Because of Don's health, I still have not been able to take advantage of it, but maybe this year?

Your fences need to be horse-high, pig-tight and bull-strong. Keep skunks and bankers at a distance. Life is simpler when you plow around the stump. A bumble bee is considerably faster than a John Deere tractor. Words that soak into your ears are whispered... not yelled. Meanness don't jes' happen overnight. Forgive your enemies; it messes up their heads. Do not corner something that you know is meaner than you. It don't take a very big person to carry a grudge. You cannot unsay a cruel word. Every path has a few puddles. When you wallow with pigs, expect to get dirty. The best sermons are lived, not preached. Most of the stuff people worry about ain't never gonna happen anyway. Don't judge folks by their relatives. Remember that silence is sometimes the best answer. Live a good, honorable life... Then when you get older and think back, you'll enjoy it a second time. Don 't interfere with somethin' that ain't bothering you none. Timing has a lot to do with the outcome of a Rain dance. If you find yourself in a hole, the first thing to do is stop diggin'. Sometimes you get, and sometimes you get got. The biggest troublemaker you'll probably ever have to deal with, watches you from the mirror every mornin'. Always drink upstream from the herd. Good judgment comes from experience, and a lotta that comes from bad judgment. Lettin' the cat outta the bag is a whole lot easier than puttin' it back in. If you get to thinkin' you're a person of some influence, try orderin' somebody else's dog around.. Live simply. Love generously. Care deeply. Speak kindly. Leave the rest to God. Don't pick a fight with an old man. If he is too old to fight, he'll just kill you.

Not for buying inventory.

The point is that whether the interest id deductible depends not on where the money comes from, buy rather on what the money is used for. Used to pay her personal income taxes means it's not deductible.

Good point,

Hey, they MIGHT be. Are they part of your "office decor"? Then they could be 'office supplies'.

You said it yourself, each case is different, and if you " don't think I could have automated it in a manner that made sense" then your decision is the right one for that return. We each find the 'automating' easy or hard, depending on our own skills with spreadsheets, etc, and I don't think there can be one "rule: that always works.

And those 'fun returns' tend to come in late, at best, and late and incomplete at worst, don't they?