Lion EA

Does he actually write her a check each month, or was a QDRO put in place at the time of the divorce so ex receives her check directly from the plan?

Do you have an hourly fee? If not figure it based on what you charge for complex returns/hours you spend on complex returns. I'd probably not charge for any research I needed for my own general knowledge that can be used on other 1041s or other returns/questions in my practice. (Show everything on the bill, but then apply a discount.) But, I would charge for research specific to only that 1041. Also, know in your own mind what your minimum is, the amount below which you never want to see that client again. Hand the client the bill and act like you expect payment. If they balk, you can offer to increase the discount because they're a continuing client or organized or nice or have multiple family returns or it's Wednesday or whatever. If you have to go below your minimum, fire the client as soon as the check clears. If this is a one-time client anyway (estate, no other family as clients) I start with NO discounts at all. If you gave him a quote, don't be afraid to go above it if the work increased from what he originally outlined. Explain what changed to increase the time and work. (If you're not done yet, stop to call him to explain what's changed and what your new quote is.)

I don't let clients use my internet. If they're able to connect their phones to their own carriers (not always possible out here in the boonies) then they can use their own devices on their own networks. I'll hand them my landline to make a necessary telephone call.

Hard wires here, too.

When I set up my OIH, I had an electrician come in and install four recessed lights in the spare bedroom (173 sq. ft.) I was converting to an office. Due to some issues in the ceiling/beams/whatever, the placement wasn't great for clients sitting across the desk from me but great for me. I added two tourchiere floor lamps in the dark corners. And, really lit up my desk with a table lamp (I moved it from our bedroom dresser when the photographer was coming, because I needed something to fill in the space below a print hung really high on the wall from before I removed the hutch from my desk; but I liked it so much I kept it on my desk). I have windows on two sides, so get sun from morning until sunset. Brightness is not a problem for me. I am running out of space, though.

After the stylist worked his magic!

Way too many client stacks to photograph and maintain security! Pretty much the same except for open returns on my monitors, and a bowl of soap instead of that cheesy fritata thing in the picture.

This was NEVER typical. I stayed up all night to get it this clean. Then, a professional photographer had his stylist rearrange my office for a photo shoot for CCH's Partners quarterly magazine, so it looked even better! Never has since 2011.

Not current but typical. Three monitors. Middle is data entry and right is government forms, both portrait so I don't have to scroll to see a whole page. Left monitor has email on the right and Chrome tabs on the left, including ATX Community.

Hugs!

I have two adding machines on another "desk"/old stereo equipment-room divider piece of furniture in my office and a Rolodex in the lower shelf of "my desk"/old computer hutch with the top removed. And, piles everyplace and dust. A client wants to stop by Tuesday to drop off but has questions, so I'll have to clear off some of the mess.

Can't get a picture under 1.01MB...

Any NYers listening in on this thread? Right now H&W have NYS drivers' licenses. Is that going to cause a problem. Catherine: did your clients get international licenses, or FL? Thank you for confirming that your clients in this situation do NOT have state returns. I guess I'll start a checklist of changes for them to make. Has anyone seen such a checklist, to keep me from reinventing the wheel during tax season?! Love all the talent on this board. I haven't seen a lot, but all of you together have seen it all.

Consider yourself hugged, Judy. Hugs and hugs and hugs.

In the past, I've had NY and I've had CT ask for a copy of the new state's resident income tax return when going NRPY. For this family, we cannot provide that. We've filed NR NY for a year or two with NY rental income and a NY mail address (c/o friends) and a Singapore residence. I expect NY to be a problem...

One more question. When they sell their house, from that point on they will file NO state income tax returns? NY is a bit sticky about You have NOT left until you've stuck the landing, become a resident in another state. We have managed to make a case for them filing non-resident NY returns to report their rental income/loss, not stepping foot in NY for a couple years now. After they sell (if that's what they decide) they can have a mail drop, preferably in a non-tax state, and file federal but NO state returns, right? They do visit the US, but less often now that aging parent issues have resolved. College visits, some family visits (one set of relations is moving to FL).

Thank you, Catherine. I couldn't see any reason why for tax purposes. They think it might have something to do with no residence in a state re college financial aid, but they'll have to ask that of the colleges their daughters are interested in. They wanted to keep their house when it was going to be just a couple years. But, things change.

My biggest concern is -- Do they need a US home or a mailing address or any permanent nexus in the US at all during the time they are away? Someone (their broker?) told them they had to own a home (maybe it was the college financial department). And, they already had a good tenant lined up and thought they'd be back in 2-3 years. Now that they're staying longer, they're having second thoughts. And, I don't know! Anyone know? Any leads on how to research? My attempts at searching have not brought me close to any answers to any of their questions.

Every once in a while I get clients who go overseas to work for a couple years or more, but not often. This is a couple plus two children living and working in Singapore for the last few years, now staying until 2020. As I’ve seen people do before, they rented their house to friends/good tenants. Who has time to sell in the press of packing up your family and career (college professor), and who wants to return years later to no home and with no current equity to buy a house in what will be an unpredictable market? But, their trip has extended long past their original thought of two years, and they’ll be returning just as their girls are off to college and then out on their own, a time to downsize. He’s taught at Yale in CT, as well as Vassar, so may not need to return to Poughkeepsie, NY. They wrote me the following: "From a tax standpoint... As you know, we own our house in Poughkeepsie with approximately 100,000 left on the mortgage. I'd like to think we could sell it for at least 200,000 at this point. Our tenants have expressed an interest in buying but we haven't had any conversation further than that. We spoke to a realtor last summer who would be happy to handle the sale. All that said, what would it mean? It is my understanding that we need a residence in the US for multiple reasons such as continuity, taxes, etc., especially if we plan to come back...which we do. C starts at E College in August and D has 2 more years of high school before heading either to the US or Europe. A and I will stay here for those years while she finishes making our return Summer 2020. Do we need to own a home? Does it have to be in NY? or would CT or MA be acceptable options for you to continue doing our taxes? We don't know where we would return to but it is possible, maybe even likely that it will be the northeast. The benefit to me of not owning the Pkpse house is not worrying about what needs to be done, such as new roof, furnace repair, general degradation, etc. I would consider buying a 2- or 3-bdrm townhouse and having a property manager oversee it... These are the questions I would love to have your insight on."

I've also seen OC Other Countries on lists, as well as Various.

You have too much free time during tax season, John!

I had a colleague who said the big firms, brokerages, etc., lock a bunch of lawyers in a room until they come up with a usable loophole. Then, the IRS locks a bunch of lawyers in a room until they can close that loophole. Rinse and repeat...

And, you can binge watch a bunch on many holidays.

So, stealing and reporting it on your tax return could be a good tax strategy...

Darn. More questions for the interview/organizer. Did you steal something in 2017? What was its Fair Market Value? Did you return it in 2017? What if its value went down/up before it was returned?