Catherine

My thanks as well.

All the midwest, south, adn now mid-Atlantic states getting hammered by these astoundingly powerful storms. Tuscaloosa tornado video: Tornado video

Glad to hear it, KC!! You (and everyone in the line of storms) were in my prayers.

Sounds like a pretty tangle to me...

We can see two of those monitors in the picture that accompanies the article; very slick, very nice! Even far from tax season, however, my desk NEVER looks that clean - I'm jealous!

Congratulations, Deb!!

Much sympathy and many hugs to you, Linda. Happy Easter and a Blessed Passover to all. I will _definitely_ be here during the "off" season, plowing through my extensions, catching up with those prior-year clients (who were told flat-out, "You're years late already, the folks for this year come first"), and generally keeping up with my buddies online. ANYONE who makes it to eastern Mass this year -- stop by! Drop me a note and you'll get directions and a cup of tea (or glass of iced tea) when you arrive. Catherine

Try to correct and re-submit the e-file -- and if it's rejected, mail it in, instead. Print out that error code before you change and re-submit, though! Catherine

Here, here, likewise, ditto, and huzzah! Don't know HOW I'd make it through the season without each and every one of you, my online colleagues and friends. And for one LAST time this season --- LOL!! Catherine

Thanks KC & Lion -- I got hold of the client, and that's what we did. We'll amend later - he supported the son through October, so there is NO question of who has the right to claim that exemption. The client talked to his son, who will amend his return. At some point I'll have to inquire as to whether the son has to amend his Wisconsin return (he wouldn't in Mass -- you get your own personal exemption regardless, here). I told them to have the son wait until the IRS sends an inquiry letter, so the amendment wouldn't be slowly burbling through the system while a letter was demanding immediate action with paperwork likely to be sent to a different processing center. Catherine

Enough is right. I posted a couple days ago about a client who wanted me to claim casualty loss on termites. Got him straight on that one, got his return finalized, sent in Federal and state yesterday. Federal got rejected. Turns out his son who just graduated college claimed himself (state went through because the son now lives in another state). So now I have to explain this to the client, along with preparing the return for paper filing (plus the e-file rejection code and the new form we have to send along when we paper file), and explain _why_ we should do this even though it (a) makes no tax difference for him (AMT) and ( will cause headaches for the son, and © increase his underpayment penalty/interest amount because now his electronic debit payment won't go through today like it was supposed to. I know what is right, I know what to do -- but doggone it, I just don't _want_ to right now!! I am _tired_ and expected to spend this week in my garden. My roses aren't as extensive as jainen's, but they need pruning. My peas need planting. Can I go hide under my desk now, and come out in May? Nope; can't do that, either, as there's a deadline on how long we have to correct an e-file rejection and still be considered timely. What do people think about fixing the return to delete the son's dependency exemption -- and then amending on paper later? Gets the tax payment in quickly -- but files a return known to be inaccurate. My sympathies to you, SaminGeorgia, and thanks to all for listening to me whine. I'm cranky tonight. :wall:

And for those who think we can tax our way out of this particular pickle, here's an excellent video: Eat The Rich, with Bill Whittle

May be too late for this year if you've filed her return, but you can now schedule _Federal_ estimated payments a year out when the return is submitted. Doesn't help with the state, though. And the client has to remember to have $$ in the account that day.

I stop holding state returns a couple days before the due date; better to need to amend than to get a late filing penalty. Release and file 'em.

You can always make a voluntary donation to the Treasury. Or to Eric and the ATX Community Forum! Maybe lower your estimated payments, too, so that you don't suffer this horrible trauma again next year. Happy rose bush sniffing!

If you're in the area, definitely give a call/email and stop by if I'm here and it's convenient for you! Catherine

My first serious training in taxation was my own return, for sure! Plus helping friends puzzle out different details on their returns. Eventually I figured out I could make more than a sandwich and a cup of tea for a return, and the rest is history. :P

I am SO with you there, Margaret. I could use a four-hour massage to get out all the accumulated knots of the past four months! That's not going to happen, though, so after next week (when I've gone and dug over my veggie garden and planted out the peas), I'll try to get a one-hour scheduled. Four times in a week! (I wish.) Just had a corporate-only (C-corp) tax client send me an email asking when his personal returns are due.... Catherine

Thanks for listening (reading) & sympathy! At one point yesterday things were bad enough that I literally crawled and then sat under my desk and told Gwen, "Tell anyone who calls that I'm gone and won't be back until May!" :wall:

Client of several years. Had termite & carpenter ant damage found in 2010; needed extensive repairs structural to house, trees that served as feeders fro nests had to be removed, etc. He wants to deduct as casualty loss. Tried to explain insect damage not "sudden" and therefore not deductible. Well, he doesn't agree with me, because it sure was sudden and unexpected to him, and insists that I include the damage in his return. I've sent him a scan from TTB stating not deductible. If he still insists, I'll have to offer him back his paperwork, as I'm not going to submit a loss that I know will be disallowed. And possibly get me a preparer penalty for a frivolous position. Sigh.

A reminder to all that we should be sending our favorite suggestions for new features to CCH. I just sent a request that, when you go to the print manager and get that notice box about "forms X, Y, and Z have estimated values" that we be able to _cancel_ instead of just "continue" at that point.

The solution hides until you ask....

Polish gymnast

That's the PROBLEM -- when I change the figures for ONE office, the OTHER page with the numbers for the other office change, too!

Client moved during the year, so there were TWO offices in home. Form 8829 has drop-downs for Home 1, Home 2, etc -- but it's the same numbers on both -- if I change one, the other changes too. How do I get these to separate? Also how do I tell it to _stop_ counting the home the client moved _out_ of? Or is that necessary? TIA, Catherine