Chrisbry

It is difficult for reps to get permission to call out to customers,

Then the reps should NOT tell a customer that they will call them back. I had it happen 4 times to me, and the last time I said, "Please don't just say that to pacify me because I know you won't call me back." And lo & behold, she did not.

I believe that CCH/ATX was very unprepared for the onslaught of calls due to software & efile problems this year. The "ignorance" doesn't anger me but the "pacification" does. If you don't know something, just say "I DON'T KNOW". Then transfer my question to someone that does know.

How hard is that?

Couldn't have said it any better Tom.

One of my co-workers pointed me to this site. I work in Tech Support, not Customer Service. The difference(this year specifically) is that Technical Support handles and fixes errors that occur within the software. Customer Service takes care of form questions, how-tos, actual tax-related questions and various other non-technical problems.

That being said, if you have an error in the software, feel free to ask and I will try to help. Unfortunately, typically, all I can help with is errors, software functionality, and maybe answer a few "Why does this happen" questions. I am here of my own accord in an un-official capacity and you can ask questions/listen to me at your own risk.

Riiiiiiiiight, Horton.

Let's keep this polite and I will try my best to help you:

Next Question: Where were you in January, February & March when so many of us were having problems?

You might want to inform the "powers that be" that a little information goes a long way in calming the masses. What I mean is -- if a "Bulletin" would have been posted, or a notice had come thru somewhere, I probably would not have had to spend an average of 6-8 hours a week trying to get answers from Customer Service (note: 5-7 of those hours were spent on HOLD).

And finally, why do I not have form 2555 yet, or the 2008 version of form 941.

Gailtaxed -- have you updated your software? I have Form 941 for 2008.

Question 1: Has ATX "fixed" the 941 ACK problem?

As you know we are nearing the filing of first quarter forms. I do not want to go thru the same "crap" as I went through in January, February and March waiting for ACK's.

Question 2: Whatever possessed CCH to fire all of the ATX knowledgable staff right before tax season?

I voted : Not Sure, will decide later.

I like my ATX. But I'm pretty sure if I do renew, I will downgrade from TTO to Max and order my research materials elsewhere since I actually prefer The TaxBook over 1040 Express Answers. I'm sure I can find a weekly newsletter to replace the Kleinrock Tax Bulletin.

$99 shipping for one CD seems a little steep. I also have no use for the Trial Balance or the Document Manager programs.

I have this same situation personally except that upon the death of my father, everything went into an Irrevocable Trust. I filed Form 56 (Notice Concerning Fiduciary Relationship) last November with the Trust documents attached showing myself as Trustee. I efiled his return in February. I am having to keep the Trust checking account open longer now to deposit the stimulus refund when received.

It's interesting -- I worked for an EA for over 20 years, a CPA firm for 4 years, and have been on my own for 5 years and the first I heard anything about the requirement of filing Form 56 was just this past year.

No need to file Form 1310 if Form 56 has been filed.

I got a call just last week from ATX asking if I needed to buy their software or if I was happy with my new software....

I asked Amy in CS on Friday how long she had been with ATX. She started to respond, "I've been with CCH....." I cut her off and said "I didn't ask you how long with CCH, I want to know how long with ATX." She stammered for a minute or two and couldn't answer me.

I'm waiting to see what the renewal price will be for 2008 for ATX {and how many times they contact me to renew}. :scratch_head:

I'm confused or have missed reading something.

I efiled my Dad's return in January and it was accepted. He died April, 2007. I FINALLY got his trust return efiled & accepted after 3 submissions.

Do you have the Personal Representative information filled in right below the PIN info?

Remove the DD information from the 1040EF information and uncheck the "Use on State" box. Then, manually enter the RTN and ACT on the State EF information page. It should work just fine.

Thanks Jack -- but I had already done that. After almost 2 hours on the phone with ATX to resolve my 1041 ACK problem and this -- we have it figured out with a temporary fix. The program is not carrying over the checking/savings code from the NE Efile Info page. They don't know why, but I'm sure it's high on their "priority" list to fix!

Oh and in case anyone is wondering -- no time table yet on when we will be able to enter DD information for Form 1040 on Zero returns/balance due returns for the rebate. I'm not holding up returns for that. They'll just have to be happy with paper checks.

Is anyone else having a problem when you have a balance due on the federal and a refund on the State (Nebraska in this case).

I keep getting an error message when I create e-file that the checking savings boxes must equal the checking/savings boxes on NE Efile Info. Restore field. (they are the same BTW).

The only way I can get rid of it on the State level is to check the savings box & use on state form on the 1040EF Info. THEN, I get an error message that a paper check has been checked. Do not enter direct deposit information.

I don't remember having this issue earlier in the filing season. Is this something that they have changed?

NEVER MIND. Not enough coffee.

I don't do enough of the 1031 Exchanges to remember .....

Is the calculated gain shown on Form 4797?

If so -- when I select the Like-Kind Exchange from the ASSET, why does it NOT defer the gain but put it to 4797 and then 1040 and it is taxable. I've got the 8824 finished. So something doesn't seem right or I haven't had enough coffee this morning.

Oh, I see.

You don't have to deal with an occasional client's bringing in an IRS letter about not signing, but you do have to deal with each and every clients' signing the paperwork that you have to keep track of on an ongoing basis, rather than holding the IRS responsible for all that detail. Plus you have to keep up with their original W-2 forms as well.

Now I understand.

AND -- I don't have to contend with the letters from IRS for their input errors from a paper filed return. None of my clients have had any letters from the IRS in 3 years for efiled returns -- but the clients that insist on paper filing (or can't efile because of non-efiling forms), have had them and I have to tell the IRS where they are WRONG.

My favorite was about 7 years ago when the IRS told me there is no such form as Schedule E. :lol:

The client will need to file two signature forms one for fed and one for the state. Nena

That also depends on what state -- Nebraska no longer requires a signature. They accept the Form 8879 signature.

W-2's aren't transmitted to ATX.

You create the file, check them with Accuwage and then upload the file to the SSA website.

Accuwage needs to be downloaded from SSA. Are you registered on SSA site? You will need a login & password to e-file W-2's with them.

I've done all my clients W-2s this way for 2 years now. I'm hoping to eliminate the unnecessary matching letters from scanning errors on the SSA's behalf.

Not sure when the efile deadline is though -- sorry.

I was getting the same error message with a balance due and DD information entered. I unchecked the "use last year info" on the 1040EF Info sheet and the error message went away and it let me create the efile.

However, the bank info is not printing on the Form 1040. In this case, I have a State refund so I'm wondering if the DD info will transmit to the IRS.

Danrvan and Chrisbry, thanks for your response.

Chrisbry, do you mean you have two schedule F's open and then later delete one of them? If you was going to put it on the husband's schedule F anyway, why not do it at the beginning? Am I understanding your great advice here?

Why put it as other income on schedule F?

No, I did not delete the wife's Schedule F. I showed the 1099's on Line 6 and nomineed it to Husband's Sch F on line 34 (leaving ZERO on wife's). Then I showed it as OTHER INCOME on Husband's Sch F as Nomineed income from Wife's SS #.

Perhaps not the right way to do it, but it's done. Both deposits go into the farm account which the wife has no signature or access to {nada} and then the amounts are applied against the Farm Operating Loan. If the IRS was to insist that this income has to be put to the SE in the wife's name, I'm pretty sure I could come up with enough RE taxes, interest, and other farm expenses to create a loss on her Schedule F {husband showed a profit}.

AG Payments are now issued 1/2 to husband and 1/2 to wife if they are joint owners of the land.

I entered all of the spouse's Ag Payments on a Schedule F and then nomineed them to the husband's schedule F, OTHER INCOME. Spouse is not an active participant in the farming operations. Rare, but it's true.

Situation:

Partnership LLC went belly up. Partner #2 has left the country (literally) and will not respond to Partner #1's emails.

My client (Partner #1) personally paid the $1,000 loan + $140 interest that the partnership got from a 3rd party. Partner #1 also closed the ptr account and took the $47 that was left in the checking account to apply to this loan.

I'm interested in knowing some other viewpoints on this besides my own.

A. Show the loan as OTHER INCREASE (M-3 adj) and indicate: Distribution of Liability to Partner

B. Is the $500 (Partner #2's liability) + $140 interest less $47 cash deductible by Partner #1 on Schedule D as a Business Bad Debt?

Any other thoughts or suggestions?

Well, I wonder just what is so danged important on the ATX site? I quit going there because they weren't posting any new updates to problems, the e-file checking is worthless this year, and I don't have an "account" that I need to review (even though they send me a monthly email to check my statement!)

Even my BANK doesn't make me change my passwords that often!

How do you keep track?? Any better suggestions??

P.S.

I have moved the STATUS column right next to the return name column. I make a memo in the status column (ie waiting on 8879, efiled, need ack, need info, etc). This way, I know at a glance what is happening with each of the returns.

Added: I also mark the complete box as soon as both fed & state have been accepted -- in both the return manager & efile manager.

I haven't had any problem with Corps or PTR -- 1041's are a whole different story! Still waiting on one. I think Maria is getting tired of hearing from me. But every time I call, I get her -- which is probably good because I don't have to re-explain things! LOL

I never noticed the 12:00 AM -- but I don't really care. As long as I have an ACK, I'm happy. As long as my clients are getting their refunds, they are happy.

I was confused by that feature last year and wasn't sure I really liked it. This year, I think it's great because I can "create e-file" so that the Form 8879 is complete with numbers and then print. Then when I get the 8879 back, I recreate the e-file and transmit.

I also like the added "will be e-filed" option in the letter. I don't remember that being there last year.