Catherine

I have been a Firefox fan for a long time but will have to check out Chrome. does anyone know about security? One of the many reasons I loathe IE is security flaws big enough to drive a truck through. Catherine

:bday: to you, jklcpa!

Have a TERRIFIC day!

Have a GREAT day!

Same thing happens even without the document manager -- print to PDF first time just fine. After that, blank files unless the original has been deleted by hand before the new file is written. I'd been assuming it was my PDF writer causing this problem. Perhaps there is something else going on -- I currently do NOT have the document manager, and I use pdf995 to write to pdf. But I get the same error as KC mentions. Could this be an issue with pdf's in general? Perhaps one of our VMSUS friends can answer this question? And yes, KC -- how is your husband doing? Last we heard, it was "somewhat better", if I recall correctly. Catherine

I sent a note and will let folks know what they say.

A dear friend, whom I've known since I was 19, said to me once, "What happened? We were 19 just yesterday -- and now we have mortgages, and _gum disease_!" We were only about 30 at the time..... but the "gum disease" really made me laugh. (Full disclosure -- she was the one with gum disease, not me. )

:bday: !!

Bizarre. I got an emailed receipt only.

I heard nothing about a "release letter" when I signed up.... That's odd; I may call back and ask about this. In my copious free time, LOL.

It sure does make you feel good. More willing to go that extra mile, as well. Catherine

I jumped. My one remaining concern was the price of my web site. TRX investigated for me and since I will still be using ATX, I still get the discounted price. I asked ATX last week what would happen to my pricing if I downgraded to 1040, or went PPR, and haven't heard one peep back. TRX, when I explained my concern, got details from me, went off for a day and investigated, called back for one more bit they needed, then called back _again_ with the answer that my web site price would not go up (and they started days after I asked CCH). Plus the money-back guarantee in writing that if the software isn't available, I get my money back (which we all know that CCH won't give). Better service AND save money? Here's hoping it works out even half as well as it sounds! Catherine

Dropped off forms today to an elderly couple (both in their 90's). The only started coming to me last year -- he had been doing their taxes with pencil and paper (not even a calculator) for decades. They had a bit of a situation this year with needing to track down basis for a small fund they sold, and their broker faxed me 31 pages of transaction history. I got their basis figured out and it saved them close to a thousand dollars in taxes. When I did out their bill, I charged them extra for the time it took me to do that basis history. And I felt bad about it, because they're really nice. Not hurting for money, but the dingbat broker should have been able to give them an average cost basis -- all the info was right there. When he made out my check, he gave me a hundred dollars more than my bill. When I told him he'd got the amount incorrect, he told me that he knew very well what I'd charged, and what it was worth to him that I did that work; please take the check. Then we regaled each other for the next half-hour with tales of folks who'd done nice things for us for no reason whatsoever. Catherine

Folks, calm down. He's in Hawaii. So he's surfing!!!! He'll get back to us when the waves aren't so much fun.

:bday:

I am suddenly re-thinking the jump to TRX. Not for anything TRX has said or done (or CCH, either, for that matter). But I just remembered that the price of my web site is a special discount for ATX customers. If I go to TRX, I'm not at all sure that I won't then have a jump in my web site price. I did the math; if they hike my web site price, then my savings drops from $340 (the difference between the TRX price for TTO, and the price I'd pay CCH for Max, because I won't buy TTO from them), down to about $80. For $80, it's barely worth the bother. Although the tech support might still be better from TRX (how could it be substantially worse?), I get all my support right here anyway. Ponder, ponder, agonize, ponder some more, consider, ruminate, excogitate...... :dunno:

I took one look at the picture and thought "Cincinnati chili" -- which I haven't had in years. Sure 'nuff.... Of course they don't sell it anywhere near here; maybe I'll try some by mail. Thanks, taxbilly!

I got a solicitation call today from TaxSlayer. The guy I spoke with was warning me about TRX "actively soliciting" new clients through this forum. Claimed there are "rules" about not trying to solicit current clients away, just for a better price. He also had "heard about" lots of tech support problems with ATX this year, "even worse than last year". That really turned me off to TaxSlayer in general, and sounded a lot like them trying to solicit me away from _both_ ATX and TRX by pretending 1) even worse tech support from one and 2) shady dealings from the other. But my, my, how word does travel here in our little cyber-village. BTW, I also got a solicitation call from ATX asking me to renew. I didn't have time to talk as they called right before an appointment I had. But the email they sent offered the standard 10% discount (and then take away half of it with outrageous shipping costs). Catherine

thanks!

:bday: and have a terrific day!

:bday:

See's chocolates are pretty darned yummy. I actually have more dark left than milk, but it was pretty even. When in doubt, I gave away the milk chocolate and I prefer the dark (figuring if there were leftovers....). I have 7 milk chocolate left and 14 dark. There were even a few clients who _refused_ chocolate! Some don't eat sugar, a couple don't like chocolate, a couple forgot to take them when they left... Catherine

I think my one remaining question is about e-filing. The only things I've really needed from ATX support the last two seasons have dealt with someone in the EFC needing to "open the back door" so that a previously rejected (but corrected) return could be resubmitted. So, Braeden: How does TRX handle these cases? Do they go to ATX for us, do we have to go to ATX, or do they somehow do the "unlocking" function themselves? I did _not_ go with TTO in the past because I couldn't justify the expense with my small practice. I've even toyed with the idea of going PPR. But to get TTO for $699 sounds terrific. Even better service to clients, streamline some stuff for me, and a better price?! Catherine

Saw a tee-shirt the other day: "Come to the Dark Side -- We have cookies!"

Aw, shucks, Margaret, you'll make me blush!! To all the others who requested chocolate -- wish I could send it to you all, but my clients got almost all of it. I bought those "Bite Back At The IRS" bars; dark and milk (from Mostad & something; they had the best price by far). People _loved_ them. Folks who don't eat chocolate took bars for their kids ("But I'm saving the label for me!"), some folks reported that they showed their co-workers. Others said the chocolate didn't last until the end of the street. But they were a huge hit. If anyone has recommendations for tweaks to the spreadsheet, I'll _gladly_ listen! Catherine