Catherine

You HAVE to check the tax treaty. For most countries, it's ordinary income here - but not for all. Tax credit F 1116 almost always works better than Sch A.

Good way to describe it! I'm going to borrow that, Abby.

This is something I've NEVER understood about the 1310. The instructions read (working from memory here, at wrong computer) that if you DON'T have a court-appointed person, you can e-file, but if you DO have a court-appointed person, paper file only. Seems absolutely positively 100% back-asswards to me. The court appointed person has a fiduciary duty; the random non-appointed person may well not.

Hey, there's no reason not to use their own rules to your advantage.

I have not - but then I only have experience with very small firms. My problem is the other way - trying to revoke POAs for former clients. I've sent in I don't know how many revocations yet I still get letters for these folks.

The official procedure is to take the originally faxed in POA (no word what to do if you *mailed* it in), write "REVOKED" all over it in heavy marker, and fax that to the CAF unit. I've done it for several clients over the years. It has NEVER stopped me from getting notices for them, annoyingly.

I get the Boise X-9 "Splox box" 20-lb, 92-brightness, which is a half-case of paper in ONE box with NO separate reams. I can pick up a half-case without help, and not having to rip the paper wrappings of reams is nice, too. None of my printers will take a full ream, so that inner wrapping is a detriment rather than a benefit.

The trick is that a non-CPA, non-EA preparer can ONLY represent the taxpayer for returns that s/he has prepared. No other years.

For a $300 fee, sure.

"No one considered" in large part because those making the laws have NO IDEA how the income tax system works - they're lawyers. Not real people. Certainly not accountants!

Then you want a 2848 and make sure you specify on it the tax year in question, the CP2000, and also civil penalties. Those should go on three separate lines on the 2848 so there's no question. In the column for "tax form" you can leave it blank or put "1040 series" for the first one. Think about if you want to go back or forwards a year - in case there are carry forwards (from prior or to following) that could affect the other year's return, having it on the 2848 right from the start can streamline the resolution.

Well, there's a data point. Thank you! I always thought if it was a live account, the bank would take it. Even if the names didn't match.

Never heard of it, but I'll be interested to hear what you find out, whenever that is.

And if it had been TEOTWAWKI, she would have forgotten all about the cash. Which would have been worthless anyhow; in that situation she'd have been better of with barter-ables like cigarettes and liquor. LOL.

There is a provision in Drake (I dunno about ATX anymore) where you can list a dependent and check a box for "do not claim dependent: HOH qualifier only" so look for something like that.

There was a great cartoon I saw, some years ago (and of course can't find it now). The caption read, "How tax software is supposed to work." The drawing was a computer with a huge hopper above the monitor, and the person was dumping paper in the hopper. I swear that's what our clients think we have.

There is only ONE answer now:

Your government at play!

I have never seen worse, in 25+ years. Y'know, we're going to start looking back on LAST year, with EIDL and PPP and stimulus-only returns, and think, "Good times, man, good times." (Whimper.)

I have a return that needs Form 1310 - so of course it has to be paper-filed and we'll see a response sometime in the next century at this rate. However, will the IRS take a direct deposit request with this, or will they insist on a paper check? I ask because there have been delays in getting a bank account for the estate - but if there's just going to be a paper check sent, we might as well get this return in the queue. Otherwise, we'll wait for the bank account info so at least once they do process the refund will arrive quickly.

MA might be voting on something later this week. When/if they do I'll post the results here. MassDOR says information will be posted here: MASS DOR faq page

MA *might* vote on something - heaven only knows what - this week. So we're on wait.

But assuming he meets the income and no-employer-plan requirements, he has until he files, or the due date (now May 17) whichever is first. So if he already filed, he's out of luck.

I got it figured out. Thanks to everyone!

Doncha just love the ones that answer "we got a debit card, but thought it was a scam and shredded it - now what do we do?" Right along with "I got a check and it got put in the recycling pile by accident - now what do I do?" At least those are a bit more creative than "I dunno."