Catherine

For ANYONE who scans docs -- I recommend Adobe Acrobat as an adjunct. You can get brand-new, registerable, but slightly older versions on ebay for a small fraction of the newest-from-Adobe price.

To all my online friends here at the ATX Community Forum. Catherine

My favorite scanner was a Kodak i1120 (not made anymore) that would feed *anything* without mucking up, simplex or duplex, because of the super-vertical paper path. Also TWAIN compatible. It died suddenly then revived itself several months later (when I turned it on one more time before pitching it... go figure). But it now has to be run through Adobe Acrobat; its own software doesn't play well with Windows 7. Now we use a Fuji ScanSnap S1500. Also scans simplex and duplex. Its own software works just fine, and it can also be run by Drake's document manager software (which makes choosing the file location and naming a bit more streamlined). Not a TWAIN scanner, though. The feeder is a bit fussier than the Kodak; not as many pages can be loaded at once (more of an angle; not quite so vertical a path). The Fuji has to run from a specific computer. The Kodak could run on a network (rah, TWAIN). It's far from my desk and I find that annoying, so I don't use it that much right now. My assistant, with the direct connection to the Fuji, does almost all of the scanning at this point. If you want a truly networkable scanner, those are heap big bucks compared to the Fuji and its ilk.

I have two file drawers of client docs. Went mostly-paperless a couple of years ago hallelujah. What is in my files is pre-conversion notes (slowly getting shredded as more years pass), engagement letters that haven't been scanned, and my scribbled notes for each year that I don't think are worth the effort of scanning. The client folders also have phone numbers under the names, in case I have to make a quick call before my computer wakes up, has its coffee, reads the paper, and decides it's OK for me to try to use it. Or when I have too many programs/windows open to want to bother with yet another, just to find a number. Notes on bookkeeping clients stay on paper, as I lug those off with me to the client's location.

If nothing else, go to Legal Zoom (or equivalent) and get one through them. It will be basic - but it will also be relatively inexpensive, legal, binding, and should do most of what you want. Once it arrives, take it to the UPS Store or your bank and get your signature notarized. Done.

of course!

My husband has it memorized to 28 places - which, at the time (no longer due to an expanding universe and better telescopes) was accurate enough to calculate the diameter of the visible universe within an error of 4 feet. He says he'll add a couple more when he gets around to it.

Rita, I love your snippy commentary.

on cash registers in Germany a total hoot! http://fellowshipoftheminds.com/2014/12/19/jingle-bells-in-a-german-supermarket/

OK; was at a tax seminar tonight and a couple of folks from the IRS were presenters. One of them, in telling about issues with varying suggestions for making more services available online, pointted out the issue of security. He asked, "What do Sony, Target, Home Depot, and others have in common?" He then went on to say that the IRS's computers have not been successfully hacked, NOT so much because there is so much tighter security, but because there isn't that much useful information ON those systems. The room erupted in laughter.... He said, "That didn't quite come out the way I meant it." But is sure was accurate!!

Judy makes a good point. Form the most part, my "pay up or no more work" clients are folks who came to pick stuff up straight from work and didn't have a checkbook with them. Or with whom all is done by email, fax, and file share portal. And for many it ends up being mainly my fault, in not following up with a statement (paper or email), until the next season starts up. The letter I just sent is an accounting client who hasn't paid me since July... I know he's both overly busy and very forgetful, but he's promised a check "this week" a dozen times (or more) now, and enough is enough.

Not by a bot! Those are the huge majority of spammer sources.

One of the lines in my "welcome to tax season" letter - for those few to whom it applies - is something like "all prior balances MUST be paid before any new work begins" - in bold face, with a statement of past charges. Either they pay up, pronto, usually with apologies -- or I never hear from them again. Either way, I win. If it is part of the standard letter, folks don't feel like they are being singled out. Good luck! Just had to tell an accounting client (a neighbor) to pay up or no more work. I did it nicely, included a copy of the engagement letter he signed, highlighting the sections applicable, and gave him a specific time limit and three payment options. If he doesn't cough up, the last thing I do is send his employee a W-2. But it's never easy. We don't get into this business because we hate people and want to make their lives difficult!

What Judy said is correct. I will simply note to you for future reference that in Drake all payroll (W-2, 1099) forms are prepared in the Client Write Up portion of the package (which comes with the unlimited tax prep package).

A little girl starts a dance party on a subway platform. About two minutes long. http://happyplace.someecards.com/friday-morning-dance-party/an-adorable-little-girl-managed-to-turn-a-subway-platform-into-an-impromptu-dance-party/

Thanks, windmill -- will pass that name along. Catherine

MA - while backwards in many respects - allows filing of back annual reports.

Bumping this up the queue -- still looking.

Elderly client needs an estate attorney. She is north of Santa Fe, NM but can get there with no difficulty. Anyone have any referrals? Thanks, Catherine

An acquaintance from contra dancing has need for an EA to help his elderly mom, who is moving/has just moved to PA. In or near Reading if possible, if not then Lancaster, Allentown, and Harrisburg also acceptable (in his order of preference). Anyone here interested? Send a PM. Thanks, Catherine

Very nice!

anytime!

Thanks for confirming!

Form 3 is under e-file mandate BUT they still won't take prior-year returns. So you'll have to paper file. There is no check box to opt-out, to my knowledge. No e-filing of prior year returns, at all.

Is the $10,000 exclusion from the additional 10% penalty for early IRA withdrawal per person - or per couple? IRA's are individual - but home purchases are done by couples. So does the couple get $10,000 withdrawal excluded, or $20,000 withdrawal excluded, from that additional 10% penalty? Every client before these folks have been individuals buying houses... TIA, Catherine