Catherine

Have a VERY :bday:

Congratulations Deb!!!! Now raise your rates! :lol:

I don't use proseries myself, but have used it at the office of a colleague whom I have helped on many an occasion. Proseries always drove me nuts with its' worksheet-based format, especially with the odd numbering scheme. Drake's worksheets are much more logical -- they follow the number of the form. I could never navigate in proseries without lots of effort and frustration. ATX by comparison is a breeze to navigate -- start on the form and use the jump-to bunnies to get wherever you need to go. The tabs for different forms/schedules can be put on the side (like in proseries) or on top, as you prefer. And ATX is less money for more forms and a complete package -- no buying separate licenses for business, for fiduciary, for each state, etc. Hope this helps.

have a VERY :bday:

I used to do the double-pocket folders and part of me still thinks that someday I'll go back to them. But I've been using the Tenenz ATX-compatible folders for the last several years in part because of the cutouts that show the year and name. During tax season it got to be a pain to keep printing out labels (yes, I know, I could get them all ready in early January and ignore the ones who don't return). But I like the hidden-staple top, I like how professional it looks all put together, and I've been happy with their service. My clients like them, too (although most liked the double pocket folders, as well). But samingeorgia you also have my sympathies on the aggravating non-service you've been put through. It always amazes me how companies pine for more business and then won't take very standard, easy steps to keep the business they already have. Catherine

Well, there is no way to stop some people from being stupid, and there never has been. There are laws on the books in -every- state already about distracted/negligent drivers. We don't need new, item-specific laws. You may ban cell phone talk -- or text messaging, or name the specific item you think is stupid (and with which I will most likely agree!). That won't stop the idiot putting on her mascara while driving on the highway. Or the nincompoop reading the morning paper (or sales quota report) in stop-and-go traffic. Or the person trying to eat their morning cereal with milk from a bowl with a spoon. The bozo adding granola to his yogurt at 75mph. Those are all actual examples that I have either seen in person or have read the news reports (mainly post-accident). So it's not new laws, rather it is the enforcement of the existing "negligent driver" statutes. With immediate and definite penalties. Mascara in your hand? Lose your license for 90 days. Open yogurt? Ditto. No recourse, no exceptions. (Obviously those don't apply to passengers, just drivers.) But people will still do stupid things and some of them will die. And some of them will kill innocents around them, and that is really and truly sad (one of my college pals never came back for sophomore year; hit -walking on the sidewalk- by a drunk who didn't realize he wasn't on the road). It was that way back in the days of horse-and-buggy, and even in the days of ox-drawn wagons. Some things don't change. And more unenforced or unenforceable laws won't do it. Drive (even walk!) defensively, and always assume the people around you are drunk, high, or just deranged. Chances are you won't be far off with at least some of them.

Hope you have a VERY :bday:

Have a VERY :bday:

Perhaps you should see the 4-page Massachusetts health care form. Plus worksheets to figure penalties. That do NOT auto-calculate in ATX but have to be done by hand and over-ridden on each and every line. Folks don't have to try to stick us with their penalties for the results to be onerous for us as tax preparers. Just putting the IRS (MassDOR) in charge of ensuring compliance and the headaches will start. Ask me how I know this...

Have a WONDERFULLY :bday:

Congratulations, michaelmars!! Catherine

Have a WONDERFULLY :bday:

Have a VERY :bday:

And we have a close family friend who would be dead today in either Britain or Canada. He had kidney cancer and it was pretty far advanced and had metastasized in several places by the time it was found. In EITHER the UK or Canada, he would have been told to go home and get his affairs in order. Instead, in the US, he was able to to get a new treatment. Much of the cost was NOT covered by insurance but they started treatment anyway -- and the family held fundraisers. The treatment worked for him. He is alive, well, there is no evidence of disease three years later, and he has become a national expert on what they now term "e-patient" protocols and has been asked to speak at large medical conventions. I'll stick with the current US system, thank you very much. There is no access to care issue. There is an insurance reimbursement issue. And more regulation will NOT cure that but rather make it worse. Additionally, it will RESTRICT access to care, causing a whole slew of new, real, serious, problems. Catherine

Hope you have a VERY :bday:

And some people don't own their own homes. Is a permanent place to live ALSO a fundamental right? Some people don't own a car. If they cannot afford one, should one be provided for them by the government? Where does it end? Flat screen TV's? The right to keep and bear a washer/dryer set? How much can or SHOULD the government do? The founders wanted the government to do the LEAST amount possible. Individuals, states, and then PRIVATE groups were to do the rest. Because inevitably a government that starts interfering with private actions ends with tyranny.

Hope you have a VERY :bday:

That sounds like fun!! It would almost be enough to get me to buy a GPS myself!

KC, thanks for fixing the link -- I tried yesterday and got nowhere, and didn't notice the missing character. While I don't remember any of these I still enjoyed it! Catherine

You're welcome. You can also find online here http://www.constitution.org/constit_.htm the text of the US Constitution plus all amendments. Article 1, Section 8 enumerates the powers of the Federal government. Those were the _only_ powers conferred, and the express purpose was to keep government _out_ of the general affairs of the people. All else was to be left to the states and to individuals.

http://www.tenthamendmentcenter.com/2009/0...constitutional/

I figured interest, yes, but was hoping to ditch penalties and interest on the penalties. Thanks, I'll try this method using your suggestions and report back anything notable if/when such occurs. Catherine

Hi all -- I'm finishing up a set of returns for a homeowner's association. There are four in all; 2005 through 2008. An elderly former treasurer neglected to send in the 2005 -- 2007, and the new board discovered this and had to go back, find old financial data, go through it, etc. Then they called me in. We think we now have everything done correctly and ready to send in. Usually it's a very bad idea to send multiple returns in together, but in this case I wonder. They don't have a big tax burden, but it's a small association and late payment penalties and interest on those penalties will be an issue. Rather than send each separate return in with a request to abate penalties and why, would it make more sense to send all four returns with _one_ letter, showing now full compliance once the situation became clear? Thoughts? Yes. No. You're nuts. Let me stop laughing first. Pray. This is a joke, right? Etc. Thanks!

Ah, yes, the vagaries of wells and pumps. I used to fill clean rubber bins with water before any big storm forecast, and used water from those bins more than once! Then there was the time a lightning bolt hit the wellhead (about ten feet from the house!). Fortunately I got an emergency crew that time and had a new pump in just a few hours. Must say I don't miss that aspect of having well water at all. I hope that your pump man (or his brother) gets your new pump installed without a hitch tomorrow! Catherine

Unfortunately, I have no idea how to solve your problem. But I really hope that you got your water back and had a chance for a shower at least!