Catherine

Yes but the numbers are for 2015 returns and I'm just hoping my clients don't notice and just stick the thing in the pile of stuff to hand me.

As Lion has done, I have also added "return reprint" fees when clients showed up and asked for a second copy (no fee if we know ahead of time), "bookkeeping fees" by the hour, and all manner of additional fees when required to really show the client what they cost themselves in carelessness. If that doesn't work after a year or two, I fire them. Just fired a client of a decade, today, for giving me crap data and not responding to requests for clarification. Then wanting me to meet on a weekend because they are going on vacation! Uh, NO.

"Forms and Schedules Discount" if I discounted forms/schedules. "Professional Courtesy" when I bill for my free first half-hour consultation. Other discounts might be senior, military, family multi-return (folks bring in the college kids' so we don't get the rejects after the kids screw up and claim their own exemption). Those last might be percentages or dollar amounts depending on the client and how cooperative they have been.

He did an absolutely *fabulous* job as Col. Brandon -- and also as Dr Dane -- and also as Professor Snape. Such talent. We are diminished.

I would probably charge pretty close to your planned fee BUT -- I would put the full price on the invoice and give a discount. People LOVE getting the discount. I get (occasional) thank you letters for the discount. And the client has a better idea of what my services are worth. (I price by the form and have a high per-form charge, so PITA clients and complex clients get no discount. Easier forms - like the elderly lady who does a smattering of translation and has a three-line Sch C - get small to deep discounts.)

And today, Alan Rickman as well. Also 69; also cancer. Rest in peace, Professor. BBC article

I signed up for that years ago, and when I left ATX for Drake sent my contact a note telling them. They didn't care and told me I can still use the program for the discounts. I suppose they would rather give me the discounts than see me go to one of the other vendors. Just in case anyone else left ATX and wondered.

Thanks for the warning - will keep my eyes open for this one. I know of some clients who hold shares.

Sad news on his passing today. Remarkable, as well, that he kept his battle with cancer secret for the last couple of years. Also glad that he was surrounded by family. There are far worse ways to go than surrounded by those you love, right after a major album release, and without having made a spectacle of your illness. Also nice that unlike far too many musicians, he died of a disease rather than suddenly by drug overdose. Sigh.

easy should be ease

OK. Now is the time to tell this TRUE story. My friend Wendy is a lawyer. She was in a huge pre-trial meeting. Lawyers everywhere, supposedly trying to settle something but actually involved in a p1$$ing contest. No women except for her. She got *totally* fed up with them, stood, and said, "I am going to leave this room for ten minutes. Whip 'em out, measure them, put 'em back. Then we'll settle this case." and walked out of the room. Ten minutes later she went back and a room full of very sheepish male lawyers settled the case. History does NOT record the results of their measurements - probably none of them had a tape measure, so it would have been only relative.

One of my colleagues at MaSEA wrote this. In case any of you/your clients are interested. 2016 candidates' tax policies in plain English. Voters' Guide to Tax Policy

And don't drive like MY brother!

That is not a problem: the problem is when you start having three-way arguments with yourself, and losing.

Sounds like a return of capital to me.

And "Tax Freedom Day" is getting later and later, as well.

And another email this morning; someone got a 1095-A and wanted to know how to get the company to rescind it as she doesn't know what it's for. My husband came home from a trip to deal with stuff from his mom's estate in an ultra-foul mood, and someone in my town is putting a motion to town meeting that needs to be fought and I have a feeling that coordinating the battle is going to get dumped on me. I'm telling you, New Zealand is looking real good right about now. Even with all the earthquakes.

Maybe April 16th, after the madness has gone on hiatus and some sleep has been obtained.

I got an email from Drake recommending either Firefox or IE; that notice said Chrome was also incompatible (as well as Edge).

I will send out my document checklist (instead of an organizer) and engagement letter as soon as they are ready to go (i.e., printed and collated). I hope by the end of this week. Have already had one phone call and one drop-off for 1099's for clients' vendors. I am SO not ready for this...

It is SO bouncy!

What Lion recommends is actually really good advice. Mail back his original. Possibly include a letter to the effect of "despite repeated requests for information we have heard nothing from you since your email of (date) - so here's your stuff good luck and goodbye."

Even if they repealed the 16th amendment tomorrow we would have work guaranteed for 10 years, as they work on collecting under the ten-year statute. And I would far rather help my clients figure out how to make more money in their businesses than help them plan for the annual tax hit! Every time someone asks me about a flat tax I say, "It's great - until you have to define income and expenses for businesses. And in three years the legis-vermin in DC would be paid off to put in enough special provisions that we would be right back with the self-contradictory mess we have now." That makes them think.

Happy New Year to all!

My advice is to print out ALL those emails (from and to) as pdf's (or as paper, or both) and put them in the client's file. Should this loser ever decide to sue YOU for being the "cause" of losing the refund, it will serve as an important part of your protection. CYA, always, especially since it's the losers we chase - to help them - that turn around to blame us for their failures.