Catherine

You also need a statement from the Bursar's Office of charges and payments, *and* the clients' proof of payments made (to show it was parents who paid, and not Uncle Joe or whoever). That will give you the info needed to put in the proper charges and get the proper credit amount. You might also want to attach those other two as pdf's to the return. But just the 1098-T is utterly insufficient for proper calculation of those credits. And far too many of them are candidates for the Great American Novel, as well.

When it comes right down to it, HOW can you prove the kids lived with the parents? They might live with grammy and grampy three blocks away, and still go to the same school, see the same doctor, have Sunday school at the same church, heck even get their mail at the parents' house. At some level, we have to be able to believe what we see. Or close up shop and go home. Hmmm..... y'know, if we ALL (every preparer in the country, not just our little forum) did that, for one tax season, we'd collapse the tax system. Ooh, tempting!

I do, too. But *everyone* sees the full charge on their bill, and then the discount. Sometimes that discount is based on nothing more than me seeing how tight their finances are; sometimes it's based on how thorough they were in their preparation for me. But everyone loves a discount! I have gotten thank-you letters over the discounts. But that's some of the reasons why I charge by forms and set that bar high: so that I can give a break where needed, and not have to pad a bill to compensate me for not "Rita-hugging" a PITA client.

In my office, that 1040-A-MA return would be $175-$225 (or more), depending. Depending on what? Well, lots of stuff. The big one being, did they give me everything at once or did I have to email them multiple times asking for the same %$#@ information? And even that simple return might be harder than it looks - was the A interest and property tax only, or did they contribute to 23 charities that have to be investigated for political contributions mixed in with the list? Did they refinance a mortgage and take out extra to buy a car? Did they have one job all year or were there five W-2's from temporary jobs plus unemployment? Did I get the Mass. 1099-HC along with the 1095-A? I won't give a price without seeing the prior-year return, and even then it is estimated high and given with the caveat that the price is subject to revision (up *or* down) if the situation is substantially different. And I'm sure we've all had folks call asking for an estimate with "my return's pretty simple" (uh, no, or you'd be doing it on ttx online) - and then they "fail to mention" the three rental properties or day-trading as a hobby - and then get miffed when you tell them the fee is going to be more than the original quote.

After they are processed, your client might get fined. You (or your client) can always ask for those fines to be waived IF there is sufficient cause.

Eric is, for keeping our forum up and running!

I have clients who have been with me since before the kids were born (or since they were toddlers). I've seen the wives come into my office with a big round belly, and gotten the baby pictures by email. They come in every year, I hear the tales of school and getting to take the class hamster home for February vacation, I see the kids coloring in books in the corner, they get bored and come climb on Daddy's lap - I am NOT going to go crazy asking for "proof" these kids are theirs or any of the other gobbledygook. New clients - those I'll ask for some documents.

I'm with @NECPA in NEBRASKA on that comment; thank you because I don't know what I would do without this group.

And the monomers from those coat the inside of the windshield - which is where that icky film comes from. And it's so hard to get off because those monomers want to polymerize so they're trying it with your windshield! (Bet you never knew what scandalous activities were going on right in front of your face!)

I have e-filed *one* and sent out another *one* for signatures (no e-filing; homeowner association). Several other corporations/partnerships in the works with info queries out on incomplete sections. Info in-house on only three individual returns; no one else has their stuff together yet.

I saw something similar. Last year they asked for ssn's for the signer; this year they are asking for ssn's, address, phone number.... it's just a matter of time before they start requiring blood samples, it seems. At which point, we'll not only be unpaid auditors but also unpaid phlebotomists! Then we can get a class-action suit against the IRS to pay us for all this unpaid work, claim the back pay, plus benefits and gov't pensions.... ok; I'll stop daydreaming now.

I've seen in the corporate returns (Drake) a new "return verification" section that requires last year's taxable income and some other info. I've never seen that before, either, and again it's a new "prove who you are" section but geezles for corporations? Is there something similar in ATX this year or did Drake just luck out on getting this pilot program?

My preferred term is "legis-vermin" and it applies equally to ALL of them, whatever side of the aisle, federal or state. Actually used that term to one (state) person who is individually decent and she got *such* a kick out of it!

Do they still make car air freshener with that smell? They did at one point - I remember seeing it in a car parts store and getting a chuckle out of it.

I use CPA Site Solutions and get one of their basic packages; $52.50/month. Comes with 10 email addresses (of which we use three), huge file share portal, monthly e-newsletter that goes out to all clients (who have email; a couple of elderly hold-outs don't), monthly articles on-site updated automatically, various financial calculators, an available online organizer (that I don't use), integrated online payroll and accounting (that I don't use), and more. Support has been excellent on those rare instances when I have a question or problem. Took me way longer to decide which of the standard templates I wanted to use, than to set up the site once I chose it. Go look if you wish; it's www.grant-financial.com And one colleague has said good things about her new site through GetNetSet dot com and I think there is some discount for NATP members.

FWIW, the CFS calculator can take YTD earnings and withheld tax into account. But then the client needs *another* new W-4 for the next January...

CFS tax software has a cheap (about $40) W4 calculator that works pretty doggone well. You can strong-arm it (meaning, over-ride just about every field) to get a quick answer, or fill out every detail screen to fine-tune including allowing for YTD withheld tax. Or anything in between. Send new W-4 to client (and spouse), boom you're done. They have a form to hand in to HR, and it takes less time than trying to explain the nuances to clients.

I've seen a couple of these - and more than once I've seen mismatch notices, manly due to people who had changed their names on marriage or divorce and never notified the SSA.

The last couple of years I have been using EFileMyForms online and they let you e-file without ssn's. Before that, using the FIRE system, you CAN e-file as long as not more than 25% of the 1099's are missing ssn's.

Hope it works well for you!

I send them with whatever information I have. Lots of times you can find addresses online - especially for people who are (or who claim to be) running a business. Yelp, white pages online, etc. In the ssn field,leave blank or put "refused". I have never seen the IRS demand retroactive 28% backup withholding, but I *have* seen letters stating every new check must have that. Funny how oftentimes a client telling their vendor they are required to withhold 28% magically makes those w-9's appear. One client, years ago, had one recalcitrant vendor but they just kept paying anyway. I changed their QuickBooks vendor's info to print the check out to "NO MORE checks until W-9 received!" and the office lady did not know how to fix it so they were stuck. Worked like a charm in that instance, and I still chuckle over it.

The trick is to learn to see those folks, *not* as problem clients, but rather as "walking annuities". Easier said than done!

That's endemic in this job, Medlin. We sympathize!

Archival software utility fee?

I remember re-inking the ribbons; boy was THAT a messy job! We had an ancient manual typewriter at home and the ribbon was in good shape but needed re-inking on occasion.