Catherine

It was very neat.. I thought about taking photos, and now I regret not doing it.

I also watched part of the eclipse (eventually the need to get to _sleep_ won out), and it was really pretty. But I've tried taking pictures in the past, and they rarely come out to be worth looking at. Unless you set up a telescope, with a 35mm long-exposure camera. We have a friend who belongs to amateur telescope societies and _he_ takes some lovely pictures. But he also does several-minute-long exposures.

Catherine

I've been having the same problem, as well.

Since 8:30AM (EST) every time I try I get the error. Came here to see if anyone else had, as well. So it must be on their end, not ours.

Wonder if they're having weather-related problems? Heard there was sleet and ice in the southeast.

Catherine

Are you sure you have not entered the house in asset entry also?

I have actually done it _both_ ways for one return -- and can't get rid of this duplication no matter what. And in the other return, I have no asset entries whatsoever, and just filling out the worksheet doubled the depreciation number. Which is why I suspect a program glitch.

I've also had some other problems with itemized lists adding correctly on the worksheets and then _not_ flowing through to the form or schedule and having to put them in as overrides.

Lots of oddball little quirks and glitches this year. Some I can live with, but I really don't like having to override numbers that should flow from itemized list or worksheet straight to a form or schedule.

Catherine

Hi all --

I have a bizarre error showing up on two different returns. Updating the program doesn't fix it.

Form 8829, business use of home. When I enter the depreciation information on the worksheet for Line 41, it properly calculates the current year depreciation. So far so good.

But the number that actually shows up on Line 41 of Form 8829 is _doubled_ the amount on the worksheet??!!

Anyone have any ideas of things I can try? I've tried deleting the form and re-installing it, I've tried deleting all the entries and starting over, and anything I could think of.

I'm stuck unless I override. I'd prefer to not do that.

Help would really be appreciated.

TIA,

Catherine

I have been trying to connect to support.atxinc.com all afternoon and continue to get a "Server Error in '/' Application" message. Is it just me, or is the website down?

I've been trying myself and getting the same error.

Plus, I haven't been able to access the NAEA online tax research service.

The common thread there is that both sites require the use of Internet Explorer. Since I never use IE except for these two sites (and complain to the powers that be mightily about it!), I've been assuming it has been an IE problem. Every site I've tried to access through FireFox has worked just fine all day.

Catherine

Everytime I use the ATX PDF, or my own PDF software (as a printer), or just print to my actual printer, as soon as the printing is done the next thing I try and do the program will crash. Never had this problem in years past.

I don't know if it is Vista or ATX?????

Well, here you may have found the/a problem. I have several friends who are IT people, and the problems and incompatibilities and crashes caused by using VISTA are legion.

I'm still using XP Pro and have had no problems at all printing to pdf.

Catherine

This has been going on for a few days. If you are trying to print from the PDF button, the software freezes.

The fix is to print to PDF Factory, which you should have if you have been using ATX since 2004 (?). Just click the change printer button and select PDF Facory.

If you don't have pdf Factory, send a PM to Monkeyman and I think he will be able to get it for you.

Tom

Lodi, CA

There's another program called pdf995 that is shareware - you can pay $9.95 for it, or use it free and just click past their ad. It works great; I've used it for years. Just install, then choose pdf995 as your printer.

I've never liked marshmallows. But graham crackers with slightly softened chocolate -- oh, now, _that's_ tasty.

Catherine

Hi Everyone,

I have a client who received a check (Dated Dec 23, 2007) in Dec 2007 for $7000.00 as some sort of settlement payment for Alimony. However, she did not cash the check until Jan 2008.

Is this still considered Alimony received in 2007 Tax Year?

Thanks.

Jerry

Received in '07, counts in '07. Clients choice to not go to bank in '07 doesn't count.

Catherine

I have a sole proprietor who uses an EIN (no employees). So the 1099's she gets all have the EIN instead of her SSN. The Schedule C also shows her EIN.

However, the default for 1099's is to use the SSN. In order to show the EIN, I have to override.

Is this going to cause this client to not be able to e-file?

Thx, Catherine

Taxwise is approved to e-file mass return but ATX is not approved. ATX is estimating that at the end of January will get approval. How can this be when they are owned by same company. ATX has no excuse for not getting mass approval. Very disturbing.

I was at the Mass EA Society meeting last Thursday and we had as our speaker the brand-new MassDOR commissioner. She said that they (=MassDOR) have been slow getting vendors authorized this year as a result of the changes _they_ had to make after the Federal changes. But they have approved vendors covering 95% of last year's e-filers, and hope to have several other vendors approved in the next week or so, covering 99% of last year's e-filers.

Does that help?

Catherine

We are in the process of creating a web site for our business (home office consisting of my wife and me).

I was wondering, if you have a website, would you mind either posting the URL here or sending it to me? I'd like to see what others in the ATX community are doing.

Yes, I am aware of the CCH website service. While it looks very professional, the cost is more than I am looking to spend.

Thanks!

Did you know the CCH service has a special price for ATX users? $495 for a year for the site, all the "fixin's", email, domain name, everything.

You can take a look at mine, www.grant-financial.com

Catherine

Cody Edward was born January 14th at 8:35 pm.

He weighs 8lbs 5.9 ozs and is 20 inches long.

Both baby and Mom are doing great. WOO-HOO!!!

I love babies

How wonderful! Congratulations! My "toddler" is 17 and my "newborn" is 14 - and helping me with taxes again this year! You think you're never going to get through those first six weeks or so... and then you blink three times and they're off to school.

Tell her to _enjoy_ this new little one. And to sleep whenever the baby sleeps - and keep that up for the next 4 years, LOL!

Catherine

Hi to all --

I do use the ATX client letters. I know how to edit up a template and format the letters the way I like (my firm information centered, one field deleted, another in boldface; no rocket science). And then start a new return from that template; hey-presto! -the letters are the way I want.

However, it is _royally_ annoying to have to manually re-do the letters for _rolled over_ returns.

Am I missing something obvious and stupid, like (for example) a way to open a rolled over return with a template and _not_ lose the rollover information?

Would really appreciate any clues.

Thanks!

Catherine

When I prepare several versions of a return, I duplicate the original then when I save it, I give it a different name similar enough to recognize. The same is necessary for an amended return--you need to name it different enough to make it easy to distinguish.

If you have two with almost the same name, the last part isn't visible. When I have this situation, I just make the change on the Return Manager which is just a matter of deleting an old name and typing in a new name.

I've been using the Copy(1), Copy(2) when working with current-year returns, mainly because I try a couple things in quick succession and can then pick one and be done - and don't need to keep the others. With projections, I've been using names like "Sell Rental Smith" or "Buy Rental Smith" or "Mary BTW (back to work) Smith" so I know what they mean. Those stay for reference (but won't get imported next year).

Thanks for all the advice and info. Will keep it all in mind as I get amendments and other changes.

Catherine

In the future, as you go through the different scenarios, save the first scenario and close the client. On return manager, highlight the client and pull down the file menu and select duplicate and you will have a chance to name the second (and subsequent) scenario properly.

Well, that works so long as the one you eventually want to keep was the _first_ one. On one client, tried three different ways to treat one income source. Turned out Copy(2) of Smith, John & Mary was the best for taxpayer. Used that one, deleted the ones that didn't work out -- and then couldn't figure out how to rename the one I wanted! Had visions of them living forever as Copy(2) of....

Catherine

Thanks, all!

Thought I'd tried clicking on the return name with no luck, but had looked in vain for the "Rename Return" file menu choice. didn't realize the return had to be _open_ to get at that!

One of those silly, little things....

Catherine

I've had a few clients this year where I've made multiple copies of returns, to try different scenarios either for 2006 tax year or to see the effects of proposed future changes. These included buying or selling rental properties, changing dependency exemptions, all manner of things.

Most of these trial returns can be deleted once I'm done. However, in a couple of cases, the one I finally used for 2006 and want to keep is now named "Copy (1) of Smith, John and Mary".

How can I rename this file (after deleting the "Smith, John and Mary" that _didn't_ get used, of course), to read "Smith, John and Mary"??

Couldn't find anything in the knowledge base or the book or in-program help. Figured someone out here would know.

TIA!

Catherine

Sheri, you might want to just use the ATX billing invoice, and modify it to add a statement about the past-due nature of the bill in the blue box on the invoice. You can do that by typing the statement one time, 'copy' it to the clipboard by highlighting it and using <control>C, then, on each new bill as you go to it, go to the blue box and hit <ctrl>V.

Or you can modify the billing invoice itself. But then you'd need to delete the statement on any 'new' bills you generate.

When I don't feel like loading QB up and printing statements, I just re-print the original billing invoice and have a rubber stamp that says "PAST DUE" that I stamp on it. And mail it off.

Catherine