Roberts

ATX customer service is literally closed and they aren't working remotely?

If you can't find the person to serve them legal papers to separate, it's sort of hard to legally separate. It's still possible. Realty though is that this client could just go to the next preparer and inform them they are single and file that way. Also, I've personally never inspected someone's divorce papers to assure the IRS that they are legally divorced.

When I became an EA I signed up for the NAEA. You were required to be a member of the state affiliated group and every year I'd get a letter about their state meeting about 2 weeks before the event and long after it was full and signing up was impossible. The first year of that happening I thought about how I had only become a member 4-5 months prior so maybe it was a one-off. Second year, well that's odd. Third year I decided it had to have been intentional. I wasn't getting any mailings except that one when it was way too late to attend.

A text is not completely safe, I certainly wouldn't call it extremely dangerous. Texts are encrypted as they fly through the air - it's only at the phone company and on your phone that they are vulnerable. My FBI client who refuses to email anything even if encrypted, will text me documents.

I have multiple lawyer friends / coworker arrangements and 15 minutes is pretty normal. You do a 2 minute call - bam $75 charged. I had a lawyer in my office on Monday late in the day and we talked about nothing for an hour. On Wednesday I ask if he was ever going to get me that folder of documents and he says he gave it to me Monday - that's why he was at my office. I tear up my office looking for this huge file - nope. I KNOW he didn't give it to me but he's sure he did. He looks everywhere in his home, office, car on Thursday and can't find it. It's got to be in my office. His dad calls me this morning and asks why a huge folder of tax documents meant for me is sitting on his recliner. Heart attack averted.

Illinois was extended yesterday.

I have a ton of returns yet to do and finish but I am 100% caught up. Nothing in my possession is able to be done except deliver a few returns when the "shelter in place" order is lifted in 3 weeks. I have about 12 returns that are requiring some K-1 forms. Gotta say, it's a weird feeling.

This is why I'm not firing the guy. He directs to me about $20k in revenue.

I fired a lady on the spot when she wanted me to argue with the state that she shouldn't have to pay penalties and interest for failure to pay estimated payments. She wanted me to do it for free and said if I had any integrity I would. It should supposedly be included in my fee. Not a woman thing.

His dad was how I got the account and he's possibly the greatest guy in the world. The son is a nice guy but he's way the heck in over his head and not detail oriented on this stuff. He does all these screw ups and he's worried it'll get back to dear old dad.

Last year a 1041 had a tax due with a penalty because they didn't make estimated tax payments (they were given coupons in 2018 just like every other year). I told them a penalty was coming but they insisted I not include it on the return. I got blamed when the bill showed up and they wanted me to pay the penalty. They even give me the IRS notice that they paid the penalty for me. This year I email ask if they made the 2019 estimated tax payments I gave them and the account trustee calls and quietly tell me no but they figured out I screwed up the tax free interest. Somehow, their not paying tax on tax free interest is what prohibited them from paying estimated taxes on taxable capital gains. He wants to go line by line on last years return and figure out where I reported that tax free interest as tax free. While I'm on the phone the secretary (working from home) emails and says no they totally forgot to do it again this year.

I have doubts the IRS would call on that. Per the IRS website: Question: How do I access my online account? Answer: To access your online PTIN account, go to the PTIN system login page. On the top left side of the page under Returning User, enter your User ID and Password in the designated fields. Then click “Sign In”. BOOM - there is your PTIN once you log into the IRS

I don't know if he owes. Whenever asked, I tell clients to talk with a real estate attorney to make sure it is handled properly. Most of the time I've had them, people claim they are like kind exchanges but they aren't IMO. Selling farm land and buying a commercial property. Selling the property, mixing the funds with their own and then a year later buying another and claiming it's all fine. Had a guy yell at me because he insisted his selling a debt free farm for a debt financed commercial development property in the city was a like kind exchange. After that - my response is they need to get an attorney.

My tax rep informed me that all personal contact via the phone is essentially done for now. They closed all the offices and until they can either return the employees or set up "work from home" solutions for the employees, they are done. I don't know how the IRS can securely allow work from home on such data. Just my opinion.

Need to call someone at the IRS and the number says no live service is available. Is there a number for anyone to call? Or do I need to pull their transcripts?

CPA in the office next door is excited about us not coming to work because we are his supposed primary risk of getting sick. He has clients in and out all day, he's put up a sign for the cleaning people to not enter his office. He has declared he can't stop working even with the auto delay. Why would someone in their late 70's want to be that stressed about work and life?

Chicago is reportedly going on lockdown also. St Louis metro followed Illinois last time when they shut the schools down so most think we'll follow this weekend. The Missouri Governor is basically doing nothing on a statewide basis - leaving it up to counties to decide. I'll work from home - come to the office every day and check the mail. If a client mailed in a check, I'd need to deposit it that day. A guy I work with is picking up 10 rather large returns tonight and I'll pick them up this weekend. Once those are done, my season is in glider mode. Maybe 35 returns but none take more than 45 minutes to complete. I'm sort of looking forward to a 2 week lockout to get everything caught up! Did you know that before the filing extension today, lots of states considered us exempt because of a legal requirement clients have that must be met?

Had a client who owed $1m last year. She sold a beach front home that had an absolutely massive increase in value and that is after taking a stepped up basis for her husband's half. They paid about $250k for the home back in the 60's and she couldn't afford the property taxes after her husband died. The people who bought it were a group of friends who did speculation that they could sell it for more - several supposedly had to file bankruptcy because it took over a year to sell it.

They have 100% NOT changed the due date of returns as of yet.

Did they really buy it 60 years ago or did they inherit it? Did they have a certificate? It would have had a date on it. Multiple websites will give you a price as of a particular date.

Doctor on the news said it is highly unlikely to catch it from a door handle. CDC has made it pretty clear, it's an airborne virus and that's why they are limiting group sizes so much. My brother in law is a scientist and said touching someone with the virus doesn't increase your risk significantly but if they sneeze in your office it could spray for 12+ feet. I'm mailing back multiple returns to older clients so that they don't have to leave their homes and I don't have to go inside their space.

I can admit, I'm completely lost when I look at a tax return anymore. Nothing is where it is supposed to be.

Yes I believe it was announced before it was properly discussed. Doesn't Congress have to order it? The initial report I read was that they had to decide if everyone received a 3 or 6 month extension. Everyone around here is in freakout mode with the markets dropping and businesses going into work from home mode. Feels like everyone is frantically trying to get their taxes done before they are put into quarantine! I really only have about 40 returns that still need to be brought into our offices. Another 20 that we are waiting on forms but we are likely 90% done.

Doesn't matter. The reason I thought I'd have to leave OLTPRO is a feature actually in the software. Just didn't see if for a while! It looks a little differently than the way Drake does it but it ends up with the same figure.