Catherine

My two cents... Tell him your long-standing policy. Offer the return of the prep fee (that you say you have no problem with) and the free return next year (IF and only if you would want him back a s a client). Tell him you would have prepared the amended return gratis but since he decided to go elsewhere he took that option out of your hands. If you really want him back and/or you really want to keep the parents as clients, you could offer to pay the amended return up to the amount YOU charge for those returns (when you do them). Or you can simply say you have offered what you believe is fair, and stop talking. Once you make that point (as they say in sales) the next person person to talk, buys.

@mcb39 -- calling my HOME office on a Sunday is, prima facie, grounds for being fired. Multiple times? Grounds for egging his house... or at least thinking about how much fun *that* would be!

Hey; eighty is the new sixty!

I have used several of the methods above. Additionally, I have told people that due to changes in my practice, they should expect to see their fee increase X% to about $Y (big numbers in both of those spots!), or that I will no longer be doing returns of type Z (whatever theirs is), or returns where we (we = me = my tiny company) do not also do the bookkeeping, or any number of other conditions. The key part is to pick a condition that you are absolutely *certain* they will walk away from in a huff. If their bugaboo every year is price, quintuple it! But usually some version of "I don't do this type of return any more" will do it. There is no wiggle room there. Also depends on how certain you are about ditching the bum (um, problem client). You can't trust their figures - ditch 'em fast! If it's just money - well, someone on another forum had a tale a few years back. Client drove him nuts; called constantly. Took the advice of "double his fee" and the first year still drove him nuts. Doubled again - not quite as nuts but not worth it. Doubled again (!) and became the guy's favorite client. The calls that were a royal PITA at $1,250/year were a pleasure for $10K a year. Client always paid quickly; they just wanted way more hand-holding than $1,250 bought.

And most people's definition of wealthy is "someone who makes $30K more than we do" or similar. Works whether they make $30K or $330K.

I always fill them out -- if nothing else, I assure myself that there is nothing egregious I have missed by seeing it all tie out nicely.

Got it in one. Take the income so you can get the credit. And your use of "wealthy" really does belong in quotes. I have seen far too many clients get *nothing* for grants or scholarships because of income that is "too high" and also have AGI "too high" for credits, who have a 80-year-old 3-bedroom house that needs a new roof they cannot afford to replace. Too high my hindquarters.

But if the parents count the $200 as taxable income, they might get a smidgen of tax credit. For $200 it's probably not worth the bother, though, once you go through it all. How desperate are they to save ~$20 in taxes?

Cutie pies, every single one of them!

and has a dance party in the elevator... Sheriff's deputy dance party

What a beautiful boy -- and you look so happy, JanitorBob!

I stand sometimes when my weak hip starts aching.

And now Joe Cocker, again after a battle with cancer. BBC article on Joe Cocker

Only for naps! Like in that amazing workstation recliner that @easytax linked in another thread.

Wow, @easytax what a concept! I recall trying to work after my appendectomy; somehow they managed to wrench my weak hip and sprain it and I could neither stand nor sit comfortably, and I alternated between those two positions and laying down on the sofa when my hip just hurt too much to continue. With that reclining function I could have worked in comfort And *not* have needed to move to catch a snooze, either.

I (mostly) solved the PJ's problem by getting my little office a mile from my house. Why "mostly"? - Because some folks still show up at the house to drop papers off.

Only exception would be if the legalities *finalize* after the turn of the year. Then they are required to file as married (joint or separate). Here in MA divorces are not final until 90 days after the judge signs off. So an Oct sign-off means final in Jan.... and one final year of married filing.

Thank you, @JohnH for the reminder of how they work and the excellent examples. I will spend some time this week working up a couple good ones for myself. Hmmm..... have to be home for a couple of hours Monday overseeing installation of a carpet runner on the stairs, and I have Drake on this computer. That could be a good time to develop them - then I can email them to myself at the office.

cPaperless's "Signature Flow" is excellent. Encrypts, confirms identity, e-signatures, then automatically returns to you all validated. Fee is only per-signature so it's worth signing up for even for 2-3 clients (unlike some services that charge a hefty monthly fee plus a per-signature fee). I have out-of-state clients, travelling clients, or folks who don't have convenient access to scanners or faxes so while they can *get* a file share document with no trouble, they can't send it back to me easily. I'd rather pay to have their sign's than have them go to a self-service fax place where the chip SAVES their confidential information (name & ssn) for heaven only knows how long and with heaven only knows who gets access.

I saw The Who in Worcester some years ago. *Fabulous* show. Remember your earplugs!! Having them meant I could enjoy the music rather than end up with a three-day headache and ringing ears.

I agree with both Judy and John - except I printed the ACA guide to paper as well as saved to desktop. Sometimes it's easier for me to grab paper than to open up yet another window on my monitors (perhaps if I go to three....). However - @JohnH do you have any macros to share? I had one last year for MA-specific health forms (annoying, aggravating, repetitive things) and for a couple of other items but - not being used to writing macros - they took me a while to figure out.

OK -- When Fiona (older girl; now 25) was in 3rd grade, her teacher came in one morning and told the class, "You all got a perfect grade on yesterday's homework because MY puppy ate YOUR homework." Much hilarity ensued - probably particularly on the part of the parents who heard the tale (tail?) later.

Jeepers creepers.

So far, history does not record. So tell us, @RitaB -- how much of a hissy fit DID she throw?

Ethics and sincerity: once you can fake those, you have it made... Seriously - thanks for the link. But my problem with most "ethics" courses is that anyone NOT ethical can fake their way through them - and the ones who are ethical don't need them. UMass Tax School has a guy who does this portion of their annual tax school and he's very good: he shows where the slippery slope can start between helping long-standing clients and going too far. Usually using situations that sound normal until you add in a very believable twist. Sometimes left-out details that one would not usually think to ask a long-standing client about - then he goes through the clues that should get you poking around some more.