Tax Prep by Deb

Thanks ERC! At first my heart gave a lurch, but then I remembered same things happened last year! We've grown to love and respect this site and those who post here! Deb!

Out of curiosity I checked it out, pretty lonely over there! Deb!

Just received an e-mail concerning missing acks for CA, (actually my screen shows they've not been sent to agency yet) and I received a reply that the issue has been addressed on the MYATX website: updated 1-23-09--state acks--We are receiving Acks from state agencies now and are beginning to send those acks to customers. We step through each new state manually for the first few acks to make sure the files received comply with standards and process correctly. Most piggyback states acks we?ve received will be out to customers today. We?re working on states that use non-standard ack systems, including MA, CA, IL and OH. These will begin processing in the next day or so, and we expect to have all acks on autopilot by early next week. We have heard that both AL and CO are having issues getting Acks through to developers, but both states are actively working to resolve this issue. CCH SFS does not consider state acks late until 5 days after the federal accepted ack. At that point we research all returns missing acks and coordinate with the state agency to re-acquire all outstanding acks. Just thought you might want to know! Deb!

My experience with tech support this year has likewise been a wonderful experience. They are so much more knowlegeable with our program this year. It is a big improvement over last year. Deb!

I also see the message you are referring to. I don't believe it means a things and it has not prevented me from e-filing or receiving acks. I think it's just a quirk the same as me having to go and change my 1040 e-file info form to indicated NO bank products. That is annoying! Deb!

Take a look at your preparer tab and verify the info there. Sounds to me like maybe you have something invalid entered on the EIN tab. I'm a one person office so I don't enter anything on the EIN field, but rather I have a PTIN number that I use in the appropriate field. Hope this helps! Deb!

Yes, I have studies that publication extensively. I do have one client that I prepare a 1065 for and everything is small enough that I don't do the balance sheet, but I would like to feel comfortable in preparing more extensive partnerships. I have likewise done a very small corporation return whereby the CPA who prepared it likewise did not do the balance sheet, so I followed his pattern and feel O.K. with that one as well. But again I would like to feel good about doing one that is more detailed, but would prefer learning before doing! Deb!

Exactly! Deb!

Same here on everything you said! I have dreaded the start of tax season this year for a number of reasons. But I have had several of my clients come, some already setting appointments, but I am sure hoping for more than what I have gotten so far. My dad passed away in September, and he was my right hand man! Every time a client comes through the door they ask about him and I have to tell them and watch their shock over and over again. Fortunately they are very understanding, but it causes me to dread them coming in because of having to repeat everything over and over. I knew this would be a tough year for more than one reason. Always in the past my Tax season money was what I would call my play money and what I made through bookkeeping paid the monthly bills. When my dad passed away our family budget was reduced as well as many of my bookkeeping clients either folded their businesses or dropped off the face of the earth, so needless to say this year I will be living off what I make doing taxes. So even though I am having trouble getting going this year, I know I must! I share a home with my parents and we all pulled our resources to stay afloat, but now it's mainly my income and what social security my mom gets that keeps us going. I keep telling her it is expensive to live! I hope everything goes well for you this filing season! Deb!

I have tried to stay away from preparing any type of corporate or partnership returns because of lack of experience. I was wondering if anyone could recommend any book or publication that would be helpful in understanding the in's and out's of preparing these types of returns? I do have some accounting experience, but would appreciate help especially in preparing the schedule's dealing with balance sheets. If anyone has suggestions would you please share these with me? I've turned work down because of this, however with the economy the way it is I hate to send anyone away. Thanks, Deb!

Tom, I have a feeling it's like last year. The same things happened. They allowed us to send them but ATX held them until as they told me, California turned on there machines. If I remember correctly it was almost two weeks after the federal returns started flowing that I received any CA acknowledgments. This year with the budget mess it could be who knows when they will even start receiving the returns let alone issue refunds or IOU's. Because of that I'm not overly concerned as my clients know they won't be receiving their state refunds any time soon, it's just a bit annoying in that we can't hold them, we have to process them when we receive the doc's signed but now they sit in limbo! Oh well, I will keep checking and as soon as I get something back I will let you know! Deb!

Not mine. I froze my prices this year and sure hope my clients appreciate it and refer others to me. With the economy the way it is I felt that if I froze my prices they would still come instead of trying to do them themselves. Only the next three months will tell if it was a smart decision. Deb!

If you have been on hold for 9 hours I would assume something is not right. The longest every, which was last year in the middle of transfer of support I was on hold for about an hours. Never ever, ever, ever, would I wait for 9 hours. Something must be wrong. Deb!

Thanks for the info! Deb!

Sorry, I don't know what else to try, but maybe someone else will. Deb!

Wendy, Have you been able to open any returns? Is it limited to just this one? The reason I ask is that maybe you can import the file from your backup (if you backed the return up) and get it to open that way. It could be that something has happened to just the one particular file. Deb!

Wendy, If you already have the program installed, but are having trouble opening the return go to the MyATX website go to the tab that says download, look on the left hand side and you should see prior year updates. Select that and you will find an update tab for your 2006 program. I am quite sure you will have to down load the update and save it to your desk top then install it from there. But I checked and it is available on the regulary MYATX website. I'm here messing around, so I will check back and see if you were able to locate it. Hope this helps, Deb!

Jainen, don't give up. Even though what you say may not get through to the ones you are posting to, there are many like myself who have learned a great deal from you expertise, and who truly value your opinion! Deb!

Already this year I have answered many calls asking me if I could do their tax return with just their last pay stub. I politely tell them that by law I can not and you can almost hear them say well HR Block says they can. I explain to them that these are loans, that HR Block cannot submit the e-file without the proper documents such as W-2 and 1099's. These people rarely bring me their work. Well today I got a notice from IRS that is reminding me of this very point and also indicates what could happen if they do a monitoring visit and I do not have the W-2 1099's ect. I thought about framing it so that all my clients can see it, but then again my clients already know I will not do that, so they never ask. The ones who do ask don't come in. So I guess it's just for my own peace of mind that I am doing things correctly! Deb!

The IRS Stimulus Payment Website is back up and running. Just wanted to let anyone who has been waiting know! Deb!

This is just off the MyATX website: Fee Collect returns with EFC Rej 15 01/19/2009 Problem: You attempt to efile a Fee Collect return, and you get EFC reject 15 for fee mismatch. Solution: This is a problem here in our system. We are working to correct this error and should have a resolution later today. For now, please hold these returns until this message is changed to advise you to send; or you could take the Fee Collect off the return and send as a regular efile, but holding the returns for a few hours is probably the better solution for most EROs. Deb!

This is just off the MyATX website: Fee Collect returns with EFC Rej 15 01/19/2009 Problem: You attempt to efile a Fee Collect return, and you get EFC reject 15 for fee mismatch. Solution: This is a problem here in our system. We are working to correct this error and should have a resolution later today. For now, please hold these returns until this message is changed to advise you to send; or you could take the Fee Collect off the return and send as a regular efile, but holding the returns for a few hours is probably the better solution for most EROs. Deb!

Has any body receive acknowledgments from California yet? I sent a return off this morning, but have not received ack for it. I'm not concerned, just curious. Deb!

Looks a 100% better than first filings for last year! Maybe a smooooooth year is ahead? We can all hope! Deb!

That has also been my experience. They have had the knowledge and are able to help quicker. I was promised a call back and they actually did it. My experience so far this year equals what it was until last year. Deb!