Catherine

To KC & Kea -- Vicks (I remembered before I saw your post, KC) and the old facial steamer I used when the girls were little and got croup helped a lot. Starting to feel more human today and a little air is getting through. Hallelujah!

Have a _terrific_ time on that cruise!!

Thanks, KC. I had echinacea tea with honey this afternoon, and regular (decaf) tea with whiskey this evening. The main problem is lack of oxygen, though, as it can't get past the Quickrete that used to be my sinuses. Tried Afrin and it works but makes me feel weird (not nearly as bad as Sudafed), and I've decided that it's not a weird-but-better, but just a weird-but-different, so I won't bother with it again. _Great_ time of year to come down with this. It's my "reward" for taking off a day and a half last week to visit a college with Gwen. Catherine

That's all in my engagement letter -- and I keep a copy and they get an electronic copy with their pdf's.

Very cute! Now we instead have cars small enough to pick up and put in your back pocket. Then there is _this_ little gem: Reliant Robin

Sounds like an _excellent_ idea -- but we both know that the ones who really need to listen to that are the very ones who will ignore it!

That's the idea; no call today, though. (Just as well; I have a _horrid_ cold and sound like a caricature of someone with a cold - great impression that would make on a stranger.)

I'm working on a guy who hasn't filed since 2001 (health problems, then he never caught up as it was overwhelming). Son is the go-between as dad is up to answering questions or telling son where to look. Every time we turn around, it's something new. Now it turns out that he and his wife have been separated for umpty bazillion years and while she files single now (and has "for a few years") at least for the first few years the status was MFS. So now we need to know if _she_ itemized or used standard deduction, etc. At least she'll understand the issues because she used to work for the IRS!

So, just wait 'til the next time they drop by, I guess. Then you can tell them about their voice mailbox. I had a client call super early this morning (didn't hear the phone so the machine got it), and used up ALL the time on my digital recorder except for 34 seconds. This lady does NOT know when to shut UP. I didn't even bother to _listen_ after the first two or three minutes of message.

Love it!!

(for Rita)

Congratulations on being 2/3 there! I also took the test back in the paper and pencil and NOTHING else days and it was not fun -- but I slogged through it. Inside basis, outside basis, partner capital accounts -- blech. And how much of that have I used in the intervening years -- durned little, and when I do I have to go look it up. It's not the sort of stuff you remember if you don't use it daily and I'm not sure I'd trust my memory anyway. The thing that annoyed me (and maybe they've changed this part) is all the memorization of limits and phase-outs and other nonsense that changes _every_ year.

I had problems yesterday and last night, too. Made the assumption it was them....

Good luck to you, Jack!! I am SURE you will pass all sections, first try. Catherine

You guys are great. Thanks!

I believe the parents told the kids that the money was untouchable until retirement. That ought to stick until they're old enough and mature enough to look into it on their own -- by which time they may be mature enough to not touch!

First thing is to get info from the client on where those checks came from. If it turns out to be owner investment, edit the deposit and instead of an income account as the source, choose the owner equity account.

Client received ONE check from a former employer in 2010 as a payment for a patent award; fortunately when the USPS was still forwarding mail after a move. Employer was for 2009; patent award was late. Never got a W-2; company has been bought & sold - plus they moved across country - and he's left voice messages at several HR offices and no one gets back to him. Total is $3100. We have all the tax data from the paystub and there will be no differences since he didn't work for them that year; no insurance, no 401k, no life insurance, no parking benefit, etc. This is less than 5% of their income for 2010. Can we file as-is, or do we really need to wait for a maybe-never-receivable W-2? Wife got laid off and they could really use their refund. TIA, Catherine

I signed up a couple years ago and had NO takers, so didn't bother. This year I thought to re-try, but every time I try to sign up I get an error from the ATX/CCH site saying that they are having problems; try again. Very weird. So I guess I'm not offering it again this year.

Jainen -- your statement is one with which I can concur whole-heartedly!! I think we've all seen that.

I just got rid of -- oops, I mean, "I just had two client appointments back to back" and hope that from here on in I can get lots of work done. Husband and daughter #2 are home, though, and that means that soon someone will start hounding me about what I am going to make everybody for lunch.... and even if I dump it back on them and retreat to my desk with a bowl of Cheerios, I will have been interrupted. The OIC works great when I am by myself!

Hope your headache is better now, Marilyn.

Yes, BUT -- has to be a special custodian. There are companies that specialize in precious metal IRA's, and there are a half-dozen or eight repositories that will hold the physical metal that have dealings with those IRA companies. ETF's don't need a special custodian.

No age limit; client set it up that way so that the kids could participate if they worked. Thanks for the reminder, though!

Thanks for letting us know. The billing invoice has been very aggravating this year. Catherine