Catherine

I just got the last tidbits of info to finish a 1041 for an estate's income. 2015 calendar year. Is this e-filable now, or do we have to either file on paper or wait until the 1/19 e-file 2016 opening? Just spent ten minutes searching on line and have not been able to find a definitive answer.

He's throwing a tantrum. He missed the 10/17 date for 2015 taxes and has given me nothing - but now is upset that he has to find someone else with "no notice" claiming it's like he walked out of a job halfway through a kitchen renovation (contractor). No, it's more like he walked away from a job that was discussed but never had a plan approved, a contract signed, or a deposit paid.

Oh, man, I had one royal PITA client bugging me by email yesterday. I sent him a polite "you're fired" letter a couple weeks ago. He still has NOT provided me with 1099-MISC for his 2015 vendors (yes, the ones due 1/31/2016), and NO information for 2015. He had that requested monthly all year long. Finally got fed up and fired him. Now the jackass is mad at ME for firing him "without warning or 2 weeks' notice" and what is he going to do now? Nor did he even sign & return the engagement letter sent in Jan 2016 Do I even bother responding a second time? (First response was reiteration that this is "not up for negotiation.") Or just let him stew, and refuse any/all phone calls?

But we still love you, Rita!

I bought a timeshare week in the early 80's -- but with a smart group that is owner-owned and operated (phew; lucked out and didn't know it at the time!). We love our annual vacation there, know just what to bring with us and to expect from the unit. Annual maintenance is about 1/3 what it would cost to rent anywhere in the area, and it's drivable distance from home. Lots of them are not good places - but I lucked out and know some others who are happy with theirs, as well.

www.constitutiondecoded.com

Responsible, need to documents AND save copies of client documents, and WE get fined if clients' data is wrong. At various conferences the IRS reps keep saying "we know you're the good guys!" but the crap coming out of DC puts the lie to that.

Merry Christmas and a VERY Happy New Year to all my friends here!

I tell clients that the piece of paper I regret is the one that I do NOT have. Sometimes today, though, those papers are saved in PDF format rather than on actual paper.

I have all my dated certificates (some just as pdf's) so if there is any question later I can prove CPE credits. So I'm not going to worry about the IRS systems. We were warned at some seminar or other that it was going to be a case of playing catch-up for them.

(Snipped quote actually from Pacun) I don't audit but I *always* look over new clients' prior-year returns. How else do you find state tax owed and paid for the current Sch a, capital loss carryforward amounts, sometimes charity carryforward amounts, and other items? If I see something egregious - or even if the return I do looks vastly different from the prior year's results, I look more deeply. If only to reassure myself that I have not done a stupid!

Using a throwaway tablet as as screening tool is potentially a good idea - but. (Always a "but"!) If it gets a virus *and* is wifi'd onto your network - it can get on your network. A seminar I just attended said if you suspect anything, first thing to do is pull the ethernet cord off that machine! Then you can change passwords, delete, etc. without viruses getting to your network or going out.

I know why you did it. Your mind was on three different things at once, the name was familiar, you have received similar items before that were legit, and your attention missed the tell-tales for just a half-minute too long. It can happen to ANY of us - which is why you telling us about this incident helps us to stay vigilant. (That it also garners you some sympathy for your aggravation and problem is a nice side effect.) Thank you for the warning! And I hope your IT guy gets everything all set and restored quickly.

I have one family that owns a hotel out of the country. FACTA and FinCen and 5471 and more. However, the hotel's books are taken care of by a high-end firm in that country, and they have a currency pegged to the US Dollar so no conversion issues. I get audited financials for the 5471 (that I double-check but do not prepare), I warn all members to file their FBAR/FinCen forms. The one member who has most responsibility has his own tax guy but I do provide the 5471. Other than the 5471 the whole set of returns is pretty straightforward. That's as far as I go. Another client had some joint ventures out of the country and I told him flat-out to get someone else. Foreign operations, foreign employees, currency conversions, foreign taxes, foreign assets (including possibly buildings and land as well as equipment), treaties with multiple nations -- nope. There isn't enough hair dye in the world for me to get involved.

Just don't use the leaves until after New Year's Day, as the new law doesn't go into effect until then! lol.

I ordered two sets; one each for me and my assistant. Thanks, Lion!

Yes, dear! As for Naveen - I agree with Abby and RitaB. Be respectful, make it sound like this is not usual but you've seen one or two, not surprising at his age, good for him for recognizing and stopping, but you're one of the "lucky" few and (for those who owe) we should fix this else you may well get a letter. Of course those owed refunds will be eager to amend. They will all think you walk on water, the refund people will be pleased as punch, the tax-owed folks will be glad to avoid the nasty-gram from Uncle Sam's tax boys, and no one will disparage the old preparer.

I have only two clients who qualify for small amounts of EITC. I have no problem doing them as they give me good records to work from and both are married couples. One brings the kids in with them and the other has no kids so that's not an issue. Anyone new - I doubt I would take them on. The requirements are far more than I want to deal with for anyone new.

I give everyone a paper copy AND a CD with password-protected pdf's of everything. Used to have a file named "opening instructions" with the algorithm for figuring out the password but after multiple calls I renamed it "Read me BEFORE calling Catherine" which people mainly do! Cut the calls down from 30 per year to about 2 or 3. Additional paper copies? Sure; mailed only to YOU, go to my web site and use the PayPal link to pay the $30 fee. Once it's paid I'll start. Amazing how many people want to try to look again after they "can't find" their return the first time. (Which I take to mean that it wasn't sitting on their desk at home in plain sight.) Additional pdf copy? Only by the file share portal. That one is free but only when I get around to it which might not be until tomorrow.

1. CPAperless' product "Signature Flow" (although they've changed the name and I can't remember if that is the new or old name) only charges per signature; NO monthly fees. 2. Most web sites will allow a PayPal link (client does not need a PayPal account). Drake (my software) for 2016 tax year now accepts credit cards inside the returns with no monthly fee; again just a per-transaction. 3. Adobe Acrobat but go to ebay and buy a license for Acrobat X (ten). It's a couple of years old, works perfectly, and will be cheap due to age. Get a registerable version. Alternatives would be Nuance's Power PDF or pdf995.

The IRS has ten years to collect tax due under current laws. Plus the SOL never starts until a return is filed. We will have PLENTY of business for years to come, even if the feds *and* the states all cancelled all taxes starting 1/1/2017.

They have been doing the upgrade all week - with limited phone support and VERY limited online access. The rep I talked to about a client issue said "Monday - I hope" so the official line is Monday but personally I will be surprised if they are really back in full swing that quickly. I would give it until Tuesday or Wednesday before I got concerned.

Reminds me of a couple summers ago when I was still at my home office only. Client dropped by unexpectedly to discuss a situation that had just come up. I was working in my garden after a rain, mud from hands to elbows and from feet to knees. He paid me to sit on my back porch with him and talk, while he pulled pertinent documents and held them so I could read them. Then he opened my back door at my direction and put all the papers on the kitchen table - I wasn't going to touch them until after I'd cleaned up, which wasn't going to be until I was done in the garden! And he apologized for interrupting my work, and then made nice comments about my garden.

You can also make the client appt thru ycbm *for* them - they then get an email with the reschedule link. I've done that for some folks who dither on times - I pick one and let them change if they want.

If you really want people to book appointments, you can try https://youcanbook.me/ for free. You can set up the times YOU are available, clients can book for a half hour or an hour, both you and client get confirmation emails and a link to cancel or re-book. It links to your computer calendar, too, so if you block out vacation (or CPE class) schedules those are already included in your not-available times. I have used the freebie version for about a year now, and it works just fine.