Catherine

For my "daily" passwords I have taken to using 1Password (password manager) on the computer. However, for the long lists of "never use this again" especially where there are rules that have to be obeyed but are NOT presented until you try something (sorry, must be 9-23 characters; sorry, MUST include special character *^%# or @; sorry must NOT include special characters *^%# or @; etc) I have a password-protected Word document that lives on an encrypted drive. Last time I checked it was TWENTY-EIGHT PAGES long. And yeah, if someone manages to hack into that, I might as well convert everything I own to cash, store the cash in a safe, and never attempt to go online again.

Take whatever password you used and add a 1 to it. Next prompt, change the 1 to a 2. Rinse and repeat. Once you get up to 9, you might be able to go back to 1 - or put it at the beginning instead of the end.

Yes, definitely call support. I called about Mass; I can e-file but paper forms are not yet approved (by the state) so I can't print my clients' copies yet. Had to settle for MA screenshots to confirm info before submitting. Before attempting to efile I wanted to check the state status. They answered quickly and explained it all in short order.

Me, too! I figured there was something special in Ohio that needed the Rita hug treatment as a standard practice.

That one item I track on my spreadsheet, and also work on clients in the order their documents came in. That only seems fair!

Here's a new - and very nasty - one. Is it the one your client got caught in? Link is safe; goes to Forbes Magazine. W-2 phishing scam

Good idea, @BulldogTom!

Maybe she needs to buy additional property. Just sayin'...

Proving my point that the main effect of new rules & regulations is merely to change the details on how to get around them....

Ever notice how they relent when it's a case of big institutions with entire departments dedicated to accounting that get the "relented" - but when it's poor schmucks like preparers and/or the general public, we just have to deal and if it's too much too soon with too little notice well that's just too doggone bad. Grrr.....

Sometimes I think the proper term is autoINcorrect!

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.