Catherine

You mean you don't like having to parse out vague conditional triple negatives? Where's your sense of adventure?

I took a more careful look; I have disks for 2014 and 2015, but nothing more recent. Probably too old for what you need/want. Sorry!

The call in problem with the IRS FAR pre-dates Call EnQ's product. Don't blame them for the IRS' chronic lack of staff. I'm hoping they come up with a limited-call fee; I'd happily pay a small monthly fee for a couple of calls a month. One colleague here has had excellent luck with the IRS' call-you-back service, too.

I have Quicken 2015 disk; would have to dig to see if I have 17 or 16. Will check tomorrow if you haven't found one on ebay by then.

I've had people tell me similar. I ask them if they have a bank - yes (of course). Well, guys, the IRS already knows about it. You're not telling them anything new. Had one client who did not trust computer systems; wanted to paper file for that reason. When I told client it cut down on transcription errors at the IRS - i.e., the info goes into the computer regardless - that "reason" went poof! like a soap bubble. My guess is the preparer is using personal software not licensed for e-filing more than a couple (all family) returns.

Excellent! Congratulations, dad.

Quick note to @BobH - have not heard back. They may be all set, or they may be swamped in "what do I do next" stuff. Will contact you when/if I hear from them.

Thanks, @BobH, and I will see if they're all set or if they still need assistance.

Depends on the clientele. If you're doing the books, then jumping right on those LLC returns can be a good use of January working hours. If you do more payroll, then the W2s and 941s will take your attention. If you have a bunch of Schedule C folks who send 1099s, that's another time sink. Even if you have lots of college-kid parents who need FAFSA info can grab a bunch of your January. We used to spend a gazillion hours on FAFSA forms in January, then for some years it was 1099s. Now it's more W2s (the kids grew up, the small businesses expanded to employees instead of temp workers). Examine your own client list and the snafus for the last year or so, and see what it makes most sense to jump on quickly - then warn the right client set that you want to jump!

I'm done with minimum required cpe but could use a few more to help with the 3-year required hours. Always too much to do!

A distant connection needs a referral to an estate attorney (and maybe a tax pro, too) in southern Colorado. Anyone have a name for me? Thanks!

to Eric!

Yes, I also got a renewal email last week, logged in, and renewed. Done for another year!

When in doubt, I tend strongly to file.

Go ahead, rub it in, see if we care! (I think all of mine, that are going to be done before the deadline, have been submitted. There are always the one or two who won't send me back sig docs - and in a couple of cases, outstanding data docs - for weeks yet. That's on them, not me.) Guess it's time to break out the work on the longtime nonfilers again. Whee!

I'd wait until I got an ack acceptance back on the 2019, and then e-file. The service will sort it out eventually.

Well, this one can go nowhere until you get the docs. Including he should not pay her one red cent until the details are examined and ownership - and tax liability - shares are determined.

We also know that the IRS will look at bank-to-bank transfers (such as from operating account to payroll account) as "income" going to the second account. So they will wildly overestimate the income for anyone who transfers their own money from one account to another. Those who put money into money market accounts to earn a bit of interest until it's needed will have to "prove" to the IRS (who won't have the personnel to process the proofs submitted) that the $5,000 was not income to their checking account, but savings transferred to pay for the end of year mortgage, utilities, plus Christmas gifts. It's a nightmare waiting to happen. The only good to come from it would be if trying to process all that data melts the processors on all the IRS computers, and they go back to the Stone Age for a decade.

@Eric - whatever happened to our wonderful little emoji of banging a head against a brick wall? That would be the *perfect* response to this post!

They don't send out real cards anymore, but the do send fake cards that look real - along with an application. Plus plastic "membership" cards with donation solicitations, and more. They all look real, until you look closely.

The question is really twofold: legal, and tax. Was it part of a QDRO in the divorce agreement? Is there anything in that agreement that states "husband will sell property X and give half of proceeds to wife" and then is there anything like "after provision is made for payment of taxes"? If he is to pay all the tax, then she should get her portion after the tax amount is paid, and it would be part of the property settlement and not taxable income to her (since he took it all, and paid tax on it all). If there is no provision for him to pay the tax, then she gets her portion on a 1099 as nominee, and she reports half the sale and gets half the basis (as of date of divorce; should have been listed there with a value) and pays tax for herself on the then-taxable gain (if any) but not on the part that is basis (i.e., her property) under the divorce agreement. Hope that it at least as clear as mud.

Just venting. Got off the phone after an *hour* talking with (at?) a client. Why do people spend the first fifteen minutes of a call meandering their way from one half-formed thought to the next? And the next forty-five minutes asking the same questions a dozen times but never listening to your answer? Plus drag in all manner of unrelated, stupid, items into the middle of it all, for extra self-confusion? I had a cup of tea and a piece of chocolate, and put on some soothing classical instrumental music, so I am slowly calming down. But I really, really, really wanted to dope-slap this woman all the way down to Rita's and leave her there for hugs. I'll calm down the rest of the way before I bill for the time because right now I'm thinking that $1,000 for the torture of the past hour is too low a price.

Honey chile, some of us have been unbalanced from the start!

On dodge a colleague of mine has used locally is to issue a 1099-NEC to the S-corp owner who then puts it on a Sch C with his 1040. He mainly uses it for smaller corps that frequently don't have the cash flow to reliably have a payroll - but it might work here. As long as the owner is paying that fica tax, the service might not make too big a fuss.