Catherine

The Print Manager (always a weak point in ATX) has been even worse than usual this year. It has been randomly re-ordering forms, not printing forms chosen - and many here have complained of the oddities they've seen during the season. Lodge a complaint with CCH and/or make a suggestion for next year that they FIX the fool thing, and we hope they pay attention. Other than that, all I can offer is to check every return carefully -- not just when you check the boxes, but with the paper (or pdf) you end up with -- to make sure it is what you want/need.

Every time they have "simplified" the tax code, my phone starts ringing off the hook.

Here is some more "intolerance" and "offense" for those inclined to see in that way. http://www.mcnaughtonart.com/ONUG.pdf

blah blah

Bleeping picture would NOT post... trying again... getting a "post too short" or a "must enter a post" error?! Eric - what's going on here? Won't let me attach a file, won't take the picture, won't take the post as it is too short...? ONLY when trying to add the picture. Huh?

Came across this over the weekend and just loved it....

I read both -- and found it very interesting that the "controversy" was about purportedly "extremist" and "intolerant" views. "The truth shall set you free -- but lies will ENSLAVE you." coupled with "To crooked eyes, truth wears a wry face." I would posit that those who found controversy in the prayer of an earnest man of God are themselves intolerant and looking with crooked eyes. I pity them, and pray that they _open_ their eyes. While I do not agree on all counts with Rev. Wright's prayer, I certainly see nothing "offensive" -- except large doses of truth, which are always extremely offensive to those who refuse to see.

Thanks, Margaret -- that's what I _thought_ (that it could just go on the joint return). But I couldn't find it online or in the Tax Book, and ended up giving up after spending way more than $20 of my time looking. You have a great weekend!

Taxpayer died in 2011. Everything held jointly with spouse; couple with both retired and living on IRA's plus a small pension. The only IRD was a whopping $20-and-change interest earned but not paid. What do I do about this? There was no estate opened (they'd already sold their principal residence to go to retirement living); everything they had was under all the limits. A final 1040 for the decedent with $20 in interest? I've tried looking it up and all I can find is guidance when an estate EIN has been obtained. TIA, Catherine

Congratulations!!

Yay, Terry O!! Good luck, Jack - I _know_ you'll do well!!

There are a number of generic "mortgage letters" available online if you're looking for specific wording. I have never prepared one of these letters and my clients have never pushed once I explain why the lender wants it. Nor have any of my clients been denied a loan for lack of a letter from me.

Have the client give a copy of the broker statement to the lender. YOU should not give ANY letter of ANY kind to the lender; they are looking to off-load their underwriting responsibility to you. If the client ever defaults on the loan, the lender will come dunning YOU since they'll blame their decision on approving the loan to your statement. Even if all your statement says is "as far as I know this client does not pick his nose in public."

Herman Cain calls that the "SIN" tactics -- sidestep the issue, ignore facts, and name-call.

Refund through February? I thought it was a strict all-sales-final policy. That would be a good and welcome change.

Thanks, Mike!

Jack from Ohio -- You are right that they had no explanation for the taxpayer. BUT. It may have been the "goose" they needed to actually process the return and refund. Sometimes things sit and sit and get forgotten _until_ there is a call. So even though there is no explanation to the taxpayer it is the event that starts the taxpayer's result. Sigh.

I had considered that -- but my computer takes forever to boot so I wanted to see if it was a problem with them before taking that step. Not like I didn't have other things to keep me busy! Thanks.

Whatever bee they had in their bonnet seems to have resolved. Finally got my returns through.

Have tried several times to efile today and I keep getting "failure to connect to EFC" errors. Anyone else having this trouble, or am I the lucky one? Catherine

She's also being called " Lieawatha."

"Four score and seven years ago our fathers brought forth on this continent, a new nation, conceived in Liberty, and dedicated to the proposition that all men are created equal. Now we are engaged in a great civil war, testing whether that nation, or any nation so conceived and so dedicated, can long endure. We are met on a great battlefield of that war. We have come to dedicate a portion of that field, as a final resting place for those who here gave their lives that that nation might live. It is altogether fitting and proper that we should do this. But, in a larger sense, we cannot dedicate — we cannot consecrate — we cannot hallow — this ground. The brave men, living and dead, who struggled here, have consecrated it, far above our poor power to add or detract. The world will little note, nor long remember what we say here, but it can never forget what they did here. It is for us the living, rather, to be dedicated here to the unfinished work which they who fought here have thus far so nobly advanced. It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us — that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion — that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain — that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom — and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth." Abraham Lincoln Gettysburg PA 19Nov1863 To all who have served -- THANK YOU. Cpl. James F. Murray Jr., USMC thank you especially I still miss you.

Jeepers, Margaret -- that's a good one. If there is a trust, then the amount allocable to taxable income are deductible. Without a trust.... I wonder if the legal fees could be considered a medical expense (required in order to provide needed services)? As for bond -- would that be a deduction from the $1160 income, if you client paid it? Taxable fees, yes, but not SE tax since she is not "in the business" of providing conservator services for hire and for profit, and is doing this as a kindness for family. Guesses only; YMMV. Tried looking it up and had NO luck.

Done, and will do again and again.

Get some good rest the night before, take a deep breath, and do NOT get ruffled if the "right" answer isn't one of the choices - sometimes it isn't there and you will get at least partial credit no matter what. The trick is to read the questions carefully - take your time there as they can be worded to make you -think- they're asking for one thing when they're really asking for another. And don't second-guess yourself - I always found in practice tests that the ones I went back, over-thought, and changed were the ones I got wrong; the first answer was far more likely to be correct!