Catherine

But NOT the back yard kind of hug!

I tried that exactly once. It was a lawyer -- who bills as much per HOUR as my entire fee was -- and he paid half. I did not invite him back the next year and frankly if he offered $1,000 per return going forward I wouldn't take him back. The level of disrespect shown to another professional was astounding.

One of our good friends said the key to a happy marriage comes down to a few phrases: "Yes, dear," "You're right," "I'm wrong," and - when all else fails - "Huh?" lol

I agree with your rant. It should be trivial - and mandatory - to hold a return for investigation when the name and ssn do NOT match last year's data. Even if name and ssn match but address has changed - might be worth a peek. But to do NOTHING about egregious differences and then hold a refund for folks with the same demographic info for years running is just a bone-STUPID waste of resources. And the time taken investigating this means dozens of frauds WILL go through because the investigators are busy doing things that should not be done.

Our anniversary is April Fool's Day. Doug wanted a date he would absolutely never forget. It has worked! Hard to celebrate, though, so we usually do cards and then celebrate in May.

I do my best with extensions -- but I also figure that if they bring me info late, it's NOT my problem if they should make a payment and don't. I'm not going to delay someone who brought their paperwork in earlier, in order to calculate extension payments for latecomers. If they generally owe, I give them a payment coupon to mail in. Especially this year, I won't bother chasing people down for signed 8878's just to send a direct debit extension payment. I'm going to have more extensions than ever and it's just too much. At this point they should be glad I'm here and not on a beach in Belize.

Two suggestions: arnica rub or BioFreeze. Both are fabulous.

My original plan was to groom my assistant to take over more and more. he is going to be a great EA (studying for the SEE this summer) but as time goes on I am more convinced he doesn't have the stamina to be a sole practitioner. He'd do better as a #2 or #3 at an existing firm. So that brings me to selling. I may keep my hand in as an instructor (the state EA society keeps asking me to teach but I have no time to prepare those classes) and drastically scale back my personal practice. But this year,between the town trying to evict us (which looks like it is going to fail), and this eight-days-dead computer issue, I've had it. I refuse to go through this again. Don't worry, I'll stick around here; you can't get rid of me that fast! Hey, I might be able to travel and visit people.

My main computer has been DEAD for a week. In that week I have managed to complete a whopping total of SIX returns on my assistant's machine, while playing EMT/nursemaid/assistant to the slew of IT professionals who always say this next attempt will fix everything. Today I set that machine aside and brought in and hooked up my home computer. I need to access my network storage (another call to an IT center but this one has a hope of getting me good info), then bring over my data files and a couple of other must-haves, and then be back in business. EVERYONE is going on extension, my assistant will be starting to process those tomorrow. No guesses of tax due or anything. I have well over a hundred UN-touched returns in house and more arriving daily. I can put everyone on extension, collapse in my office, or be in Belize or New Zealand before anyone realizes I have left. I pick the first one. I'm done. My practice is going up for sale on 4/20. I'll do pay-per-return for family, a couple of nearly-pro-bono's I do, and my very elderly clients (because change is so hard on them).

Hallelujah Chorus this morning and I spent some time last night brushing up on the alto line thanks to YouTube (note-perfect, for those interested). They asked me to join the choir so I guess I acquitted myself well. Cupcake reception after service. The church was packed; wish it was so *every* Sunday! Here is a lovely little video (less than two minutes) on Easter: Because He rose

Grammar saves lives!

Thanks to all!

Thank you both!

Client has office in home and takes OIH expenses and documents everything. This year, had the exterior painted. Obviously not a one-year write off but neither is it 39 years 'cuz paint just don't last that long. What do I do. Again; brain is NOT working today. TIA!

Sorry guys; brain-dead. Between a nasty headache and computer problems ALL week I can't think. Client inherited her dad's house. Had to hold on to it for a while - clear it out, transfer title, fix the problems that made it impossible to sell, etc. Finally sold it. Form 4797? Sch D/F8949? Other? It was not held for investment. It was not rented out. She didn't live in it. She just had to wait to sell it (and while waiting paid mortgage, property taxes, minimal utility bills, and had much-needed repairs done including lead paint abatement).

I am amazed you managed to leave them untouched long enough to photograph them!

Like Judy, once I have good numbers I put info directly into Drake by hand. I don't trust imports and frankly have NO clients who do their own books whose QB files I trust: I see how many items I have to fix to get decent statements that reflect accounting reality rather than the "bookkeeper's" fantasy of how things work. When I do the books, it's all so clear and streamlined that direct input takes me very little time. Leaving me more time to argue with balance sheet items which I always find aggravating. I tried once, years ago, to import one QB file into ATX, to see how it went. Just *finding* all the errors took me about twice as much time as direct entry would have so I abandoned that idea permanently. I have found Drake to be very *open* to programming suggestions but not necessarily *responsive* to me directly. I sent in a couple of suggestions last year and got nothing but the auto-response (and never even got that from CCH). Then found some of those suggestions incorporated into this year's version. The K-1 import in Drake, from S-corp and partnership returns, is flawless and fast. I like that. The trades import from Gruntworx (or any excel file, I guess) is also very good but I try to make sure I make any changes needed (T, S, J coding, adding the state, for two examples) in Excel first because I can auto-fill there but not on the 8949 entry grid.

I am also very happy for you. Welcome to the club!

Thank you!

Kids live at home (local schools). Mom took out funds for two kids and paid for both -- but dad claims one and she claims the other. What a mess.

This on youtube looks like SO much fun -- and so pretty, too! Easter Eggs - super pretty

If someone is absolutely determined to file by 4/15 and I have to bump them out of the regular queue, I charge a "rush" fee (or something similarly named) and tell them specifically it is because other people must wait so that I can complete their return. Hopefully teaches them something plus reimburses me slightly if there are folks I then have to contact who expected to be finished. But normally - nope. I *love* extensions as I cannot see the point in killing myself to finish a return by a deadline when the client got me papers late.

That part I *do* have.

I send clients the link to the "where's My Refund" from MY web site - hoping they look there first, next time. A vain hope, I know.

Well it gets worse. There *is* no total. Instead it shows all distributions ever made from the umbrella account - for all three kids in the family. But if looked at by date (again, no total) it adds to $18K but the 1098-T shows $9K paid.