Catherine

Will call later today! Thank you.

We love ALL the stories, Bart!

We drop all tax work and start filing extensions around April 7th. Our deadline for paperwork is March 15th but almost no one gives us everything on the first pass so it's basically a way to stop people from complaining. Once extensions are all filed, we turn back to returns and always file bundles of the extended returns by the deadline.

Great nomination, Judy!

Years ago, I decided to refer to ALL of them (local, state, federal) as legis-vermin. There's something very satisfying about that term. And everyone who hears it laughs (ruefully) and gets it immediately. Said it once to a nice female legis-vermin and I thought she was going to fall out of her seat, she was laughing so hard. Said I didn't know the half of it, and couldn't wait to tell her husband.

I found a problem just *reading* your description, Lynn! I think I went cross-eyed about half-way through.

Get the check copy and BOTH brokerage statements NOW, while the clients still knows where they are. Scan or copy, and put them in the file. I had one of these a couple of years ago, and sure enough we got a letter. I already had the letter written - put in the then-current date, printed the letter, check copy and both statements showing within the 60-day window, and it was done.

I am very amused when someone answer the phone saying, "This is Kevin" and you just KNOW that his name is actually Ganesh. I always think of the credit card ad where the guy in Siberia with the heavy beard answers the phone saying, "My name Peggy" (was that an old Capital One card ad? - they've had some good ones). That's a generic someone, not ATX - 'cuz I switched to Drake in the 2012 debacle.

Yes, but it's far easier to try to dun people for money - since many will panic and pay. I have NO sympathy for these states (especially my own); there is waste enough to choke a horse, but they just want more.

Short answer is NO.

And I had it on my list but I had not gotten to it yet. Will now!

I got it a couple of years ago through a Drake promotion; $250 a year. I'd love to hear who Margaret's carrier is - while I will gladly pay the insurance I would prefer to pay less, y'know?

If you get money as nominee, you will need to send one or you pay taxes on someone else's money.

I detest Form 1116. It just does not NEED to be as convoluted as it is.

I don't know how people can face themselves in the mirror in the morning after ripping off an old woman like that. Sure, I've filed 706's for a slew of reasons (starting SOL if nothing else, at times). So charging her for some work, fine. But $4,500 for nothing but copies of papers she already had, plus blank tax forms? Sometimes I wish public flogging would come back into vogue. As for your comments, @Lion EA - YES we have to charge more. Plus tell them that we charge for all the questions they are not asking their lawyers - only after telling them we are NOT lawyers, we don't play lawyers on television, and we don't give legal advice. There is frequently a lot of money (and tax) issues caught in legal issues. I talk to clients about the tax and finance portion and send 'me back to their pricey lawyers for the legal part.

AMEN!!! As the Queen of Snarky Comments, I would be in BIG trouble if kidding was not allowed.

This may depend on state law. Here in MA, they are really strict about what constitutes child support versus alimony, and it has to be spelled out in the decree. The state will consider payments as child support if they can be tied in any way to child milestones, even if it is called alimony. So decrees here tend to be *very* specific.

It can also be a specified number of years, so long as it is NOT linked to milestones of children (then it becomes child support). I have seen alimony for specific numbers of years. I have also seen non-QDRO pension splits when the pension payer (state government, in the case I recall) does not allow re-apportioning (or naming) of benefits to an ex-spouse (and yes, then the payments end with the recipient's death, regardless of the other spouse's status). As soon as I read "military" I made the same assumption. That might not have been correct.

Will do, Max!

Love it, Gail!

My assistant and I made one for him with a literature sorter. When he wanted to stand, he put the keyboard to the side, picked up one monitor, put both on the box. Tilt the other monitor (which was bigger, too) up. Ba-doom-cha, done. Good cheap way to see if you like it, at least. Like this one: Fellowes literature sorter from Staples

If you've got a tax case, I think you could proceed with that. Has he given a 1099-R to the ex for the half-pension amount? Or paid the tax himself and given her half the proceeds (net of tax, one would hope)? If he is required to pay it to her, there is a good case for him sending her a 1099-R, and subtracting that payment from his income (as a 1099-R correction, or as alimony). Online places such as efilemyforms let you file a 1099-R online for a couple of bucks.

Last man who tried to get funny with me was some years ago at a contra dance. The father of one of my older daughter's best friends, too (the sleazebucket). I managed to avoid him by "accidentally" stumbling, and elbowed him in the gut at the same time. I apologized for the elbow with a BIG smile. Funny how he never tried again.

If you ship, I'll buy!

Thanks; I'll see what I can pull together to tell her.