Catherine

You don't need nickels to Rita-hug them, though!

Sometimes it's nice to be reminded of features that are embedded.

WARNING for anyone who is thinking of signing up for the Equifax "TrustedID Premier" service. If you agree to it, you are WAIVING your right ever to sue Equifax.

Another option is to refuse to respond at all. I fired a chronically late problem client *after* sending him a "drop-dead date" by which I needed to have ALL materials from him. I gave him several weeks' advance notice, and waited a week *after* the date to hear from him. Then I sent the "you're fired" letter and *instantly* got a scathing, nasty, "how can you leave me in the lurch like this" response. I did want to respond - with a Rita-hug. After conferring with my assistant, I decided to wait a week and see if I still wanted to respond. Within that week, I got a call from another accounting firm, wanting to transfer records. I made *them* get the Section 7216 disclosure. Then I sent everything they requested, with an admonition to them to get paid first and to be stone-cold bastards about deadlines with this guy. My mistake from the get-go was to be lenient. But then, he was a hand-me-down client from a retiring colleague who had told me he was always a little late but always came through. The client took that leniency and over more than a decade turned into a real problem. The new folks were very grateful for the advice.

Prayers for you all! May evacuations go safely and swiftly, and may you return to find your homes and belongings intact.

So I just *think* about doing all that, instead. It's most of the fun, less time, and no down-side.

I have sometimes thought that if I could be sure to get through to an actual person, I would at some point like to do that. And then just breathe and moan into the phone, like an old geezer having a spasm or something. Except I can't be sure to get a sleazebucket; I could get some poor schmuck taking a distasteful temporary job to keep from losing their house.

These days, either one will get you pulled over. I think the dummy parts would get you more than just a stern warning, though.

We're waiting for a K-1 from my mother-in-law's estate - were supposed to have it weeks ago. Then I can finish our returns. Ugh. It has been an absolute albatross this year.

Or at least, never accept a thumb drive from him.

I have fired clients. Generally NOT for chronic lateness. For those, I simply tell them that they WILL NOT have their returns ready by the deadline and will have to pay penalties for late filing. Then I do them as I can. And if the holiday season gets busy and I don't actually get to the return until the first weeks of January, that's fine by me. However, I *do* charge a late filing fee which is hefty. Had one guy (whom I fired for other reasons) who never got me 1099-MISC information on time. Ever. Eventually I was charging him $20 per form (my standard) and $60 per form late fee: $80 each. He just paid my bill... don't even know if he ever saw the separate line item late charge. As Margaret noted, and as I have to re-learn every couple of years myself, we simply can not allow ourselves to care more than the clients care. That way lies madness. (And anger; a different kind of mad-ness.)

Remember, years ago, when it seemed everyone had one of those "Baby on Board" signs in their cars? A woman I worked with at that time had a different sign: "Ex-husband in Trunk" and she had a crappy old tie that dangled out on one side...

Printouts from the Bursar's Office can be a huge help here - I demand them from all my clients with education expenses. (And they're getting better about actually getting them for me, too.)

Thanks to Eric for the latest round of improvements to our beloved forum! I like the new "like" button with choices. Sometimes we do want to express something other than simply liking, and now we can! I must say, though, that when I came back from an early afternoon appointment and it all looked different, my first thought was to wonder what had gone wrong with my computer while I was away...

I prefer "small boulders" myself.

You can also take the 529 plan money as taxable income - sometimes paying the income tax and then getting the credit works out enough better to make it worthwhile. If that was done, you'll also have to show the taxable income on Line 21 from the 529 plan distribution.

Sympathy! Here in Mass. we have the other side of that woe. Tiny little groups that qualify for the 990-N (postcard) can't use it: Mass. public charities report (required) *demands* a 990-EZ accompany it.

Amen!

One crucial question before your final decision to take this client: do you have a nice big desk with a goodly and comfy space underneath it? Big enough to hide in for a while, with your jumbo-sized bag of Skittles (or snack of choice), when it gets overwhelming? If not, refuse the engagement!

Pull the wage & income transcript? No state info... just federal. But federal affects her visa more than state anyway.

Over the years, I have fired more than one client when I became convinced that the information I was getting could not be trusted. I am NOT saying these clients were crooks! Some of them were in over their heads but refused help; others just overwhelmed. Also computer crashes with no backups, shaky paper records, and no time/unwilling to take time to re-create. We've all seen multiple reasons. (And the ones you just don't trust - the ones where you count the toner cartridges when they leave.) You are putting your professional reputation at risk, and taking a chance on nasty preparer penalties. If you decide to take it on, get a BIG retainer, start from scratch with original records, and work your way forwards. You might also work with a tax attorney from the start (getting them to hire you to do returns gives *you* privilege as well as protects you; your work will be submitted under the attorney's aegis). If the prior preparer's machines were seized, starting with an attorney might be a good move even if all the records are pristine. If they went after the preparer, they are going to scrutinize the returns he prepared.

And stops CO from trying to prosecute some poor dumb schmuck who sells one single $500 item to CO in a year.

I would recommend against using your address. The USPS does still have "General Delivery" but authorized pick up agents might be an issue. I believe (but don't quote me on this) there is a limit to how long they will hold mail before it is returned to sender. The UPS Store bought Mailboxes Etc some years ago; they have boxes for rent by the month that give a street address with unit number. That might be a low-cost option if your client does not have friends she trusts to accept her check(s) for her.

In Massachusetts, you are required to pay employees within seven days of the end of the pay period. Earlier is fine; later is not. The odd thing to me is that direct deposit pay is usually available earlier than paper checks; it is one perk to tempt people away from paper.

You might want to talk to your bank and see if they have someone they recommend. Or at least will play nicely with. Silly to do tons of research and decide, say, on the Verifone product - only to find that your bank doesn't accept payments from them.