Catherine

My cousin sent me this clip. It is astounding, but also reminds a bit of what our clients expect US to do each year.... It's in Chinese, but you don't need the words to follow magic. Magic

Dear Client (who never showed up last week as announced): First, I wish to thank you most sincerely for not showing up (without notice or warning) last week - after announcing the prior day that I should expect you (not asking, announcing). At this time of the tax season, ANY extra time to work on returns is truly appreciated. I noticed this morning that you sent me an email at 1AM informing me that you would be dropping off papers today at 3PM; would I be here? Well, the answer unfortunately is "no" (my daughter has an afternoon activity and I will be a taxi driver at that time), but you can surely put those documents through the mail slot, and they will be here, safe and secure, until I get back later on. I promise not to step all over them when I return. In answer to your question of will I be able to file your returns by 4/15, the answer again is "no". It's good that you noted that an extension was OK, as I filed one for you last week. And at the moment I do not recall why your tax preparation bill last year was $383, or if this year's bill will be about the same - but be certain that I will be looking into this issue as the most important one of my day.

I had a client who got a state refund for $1. He was very amused; said it was the most enjoyment he'd gotten out of a dollar in a long time.

Hope you have a VERY

Thanks, Eric, and a very to us!!

KC -- Hope you have an absolutely FABULOUS and VERY Thank you SO much for all the advice you give us here; we need you and we love you! Catherine

Sounds very bizarre and that there is a LOT of very pertinent information missing. I think your idea of talking to the IRS first sounds good. My one concern would be getting a POA through fast enough. I've only ONCE gotten one filed through e-services successfully. So you may want to see if BOTH these folks could be in your office for a conference call with the IRS on Monday - and warn them that they'll be twiddling their thumbs for a while. You, of course, will be hammering away at your computer on another return while they're listening to that horrid muzak on speakerphone. Good luck!

YAY Margaret!!!!

Great plates!!

Hope you have a VERY

Congratulations!

WONDERFUL!!!

Hope you have a VERY

Very funny!!

To my distant friends, MargaretMort and bstaxes -- my prayers for full and speedy recovery, and for peaceful hearts in your families, to you both. Love, Catherine

Dear Client -- I called you two weeks ago to let you know your taxes are done. When you called back, for the first time, THIS morning, I was already fully booked for the day. I know you're in a hurry to get your refund and are now mad that I can't change my schedule to "squeeze you in" and that tomorrow isn't as convenient for you. Tough noogies. Sincerely,

Hope you have a VERY

Hope you have a VERY

I'll second Kea -- on my list for tomorrow was to file extensions, including a 1041. I'll hold off on that one.

I read it as a straight 10% commission question. Looking back more carefully, the first question should be -- WHAT is the total she's paying interest on, under what specific terms? $1,000/month plus interest -- if someone's charging her 10%/month (11% - whatever) -- there may be violation of state rules on usury. More questions to get the full story. But percentages depend highly on what direction you're calculating from.

Again, it's for the PAPER-filed returns (and don't forget the little "I do not want preparer to file my return electronically" checkbox!). They are read by machine and if the PAGE count doesn't match the coding, the Mass DOR folks have to pull it from processing and look at it in person. So you get to look at each form in the filing copy, count the total pages, and put in that number.

Seems to me the agents calculate it that way because it works better for them. 10% of product sold is 0.10 x (sales total). End of discussion. It's a standard problem of "direction" in reporting statistics -- going from a product failure rate of 1% to a product failure rate of 2% is a 1% increase -- it is also a 100% increase (doubling of the rate). The result depends on where you start, what direction you go, and at what you are looking. The careless, the unscrupulous, and the biased, can twist these to make answers that favor them (or their point). Which is why whenever someone presents you with statistics, you need to know where they started from and why they're using their chosen methodology. See a lovely little book entitled, "How to Lie With Statistics" Book link Should be required reading. When I was on my town's Finance Committee, we all read it; it was VERY useful.

The only help I can give on this one is the trick that putting a "." (a period) in the state field cues the program that the address is foreign.