Lion EA

ATX offers a pay-per-return option...

I worked for HRB for 11 years before going out on my own. I had a PTIN from the first year it was offered. I always signed my own returns. I had to take 24(?) CPE each year to be rehired and 30(?) to be on the HRB certification track. They must be running a course to prepare for the RTRP test, similar to the course to prepare for the EA test that HRB has had for years. Really the same requirements as being on your own. Except that a Block employee could pay as little as $20 for unlimited Block education and $0 if an EA. I do miss the free courses, and the texts were almost always excellent. Classes are on line and in classrooms.

Pacun makes a great point. Go for the EA. The RTRP can always be your fall-back position, since you have until the end of 2013 to get one of those designations. Find a study buddy, live or online.

Do NOT compete on price. As has been mentioned, it's really hard to raise prices. (You can always discount for well-organized clients, that Schedule D with only one trade, the long-time repeat client, the client who sent you a referral, etc.) Decide what you're worth and stick to it, showing your full price on invoices with a discount shown if applicable. Compete on the time you have to offer or your expertise or relationships or being available year-round or..., but not on price.

You can do it. Take the test. :D

Word of mouth. Touch base with your current clients to tell them you have time to take more clients this year. Offer them an incentive to send you clients. Tell everyone you know that you're expanding your business and have time for new clients. Hand out business cards when you talk to people. Contact your lawyer and your broker and your realtor and.... Include tax info in every conversation you have, did you know CT raised their highest tax rate to 6.7% or something you think will touch a lot of people or that specific person. Good luck!

Yes he will need to rest after exercising. Rest and ice. Making him ice will sit him down or lay him down to nap or at least to read or watch TV or even visit with family. Use the meds as needed; that's why his surgeon prescribed them. Icing a lot during the day can postpone the need for pain meds a bit. Steve would use tylenol or whatever his surgeon suggested when he thought he might not need the stronger meds right that minute. Hang in there! He owes you a wonderful vacation when he's 80% recovered, or at least a great night out, or maybe just a day at the spa without him! Oh, I did get someone to come in to sit with Steve, visit and be there to refill ice or get him water, when I had to go to clients' sites. It was really a nice break for both of us.

PS to NECPA: Tell your husband to DO THE THERAPY AND ALL THE EXERCISES HE'S TO DO ON HIS OWN, ALSO. The therapy/exercise makes all the difference. My husband talked to lots of people who had shoulder surgery (and hand) from his surgeon before deciding, and all were pleased with the procedure and progress -- except the one who did not do her exercises and was complaining about lack of range of motion and continuing pain. Do the exercises and then ice. Pain meds if needed. One person said they took pain meds before going to each therapy appointment (not recommended if he's driving!!). Steve would ice after therapy and after exercising and take pain meds at bedtime if needed.

Twice Blessed.

Taxable on W-2.

I've been renewing for some time to get the latest versions to cover me for the few clients that use various years and to get the ProAdvisor discounts on payroll, merchant services, etc. and to have dedicated support in the USA. I keep looking at the price each year and re-evaluating.

My husband had total shoulder replacement the end of June and bounced back really fast. Steve was on pain meds for one night in the hospital and a couple more at home. At his 10-day check-up, they took out his stitches. The surgeon told my husband that he could drive as long as he wasn't on pain medicine and told me to do NOTHING for him anymore. A therapist had come to the house until then. Once he could drive, Steve went for therapy. He finished physical therapy in November, and the therapist told him to have his trainer at our gym "take off the training wheels." Steve is so thrilled with his new shoulder that he can't wait to schedule his other side in the spring. He'd have done it already if CT's winter weather and putting coats on with a sling wouldn't prolong his recovery! Steve had some set-backs during our power outages during Hurricane Irene and the October storm when he was lugging buckets of water up from the basement to flush toilets, but it was just bursitis from overusing his muscles. He was frustrated that he had to slow down his therapy for the bursitis. His new shoulder is so much better than it'd been in years. Urge your husband to take pain meds when he needs them. And, the best thing we bought was the "ice machine" thing that circulates cold water to the right spot; you don't have to run to the freezer to refill ice bags every hour so you both get more sleep. Also, talk to your insurance company about a physical therapist coming to your home until your husband can drive. I wish your husband recovers as quickly as mine, and I wish you're off the hook as soon as I was. Feel free to contact me if you need to talk.

I'm a member. I haven't made use of my local chapter. I love their publications, on line and on paper. I'm considering dropping NATP to cut costs and keeping NAEA. However, I just renewed for another year, so will not drop them yet.

I remember doing long division with the pencil and paper they gave us for the EA exam in 2004. Hadn't done that since third grade! Can't remember the question but remember doing the long division. I think the scary part then was having to take all four parts at once over two days or waiting an entire year to take another part. I'm glad I passed all four the first time. I hate to memorize, especially LAST year's tax info that I'll never use again, so that made the test and the preparation hard for me.

Just received this email today: CCH has scheduled electronic filing system maintenance for Corporation, S Corporation, Partnership and Exempt Organization returns starting on Friday, December 23, 2011 at 1:00 PM EST until Monday, January 2, 2012 at 11:00 AM EST. You will be unable to upload returns during this timeframe. Any returns uploaded between Monday, January 2, 2012 and Sunday, January 8, 2012 will be submitted to the IRS on Monday, January 9, 2012 after the IRS opens for Tax Year 2011 processing. Please note, Friday, December 23, 2011 at 1:00 PM EST is the final day 2008 tax year returns can be electronically filed. The electronic filing status system will no longer have 2008 tax year returns available for documentation.

Merry Christmas, everyone! And, Happy Holidays of whatever type you're celebrating this month. Enjoy! And, a huge THANK YOU for gathering around our virtual water cooler all year.

Who do you visit in a city with a Prometric center? I remember taking the EA exam here in CT with a FL resident who prepared taxes in FL but visited his brother in CT during the exam week. Don't know if he was trying to stay near an exam center or turn a personal visit into a business expense! Maybe you have a relative or old college roommate or...near an exam center that you've been wanting to visit. Or, a tourist site you want to see near an exam center. Be creative.

Welcome. You'll see the activity level here jump next month. Stop by anytime.

Until someone else jumps in, I'll tell you what I remember from when I used ATX and changed computers. I was told to export and then import the data after installing the program. I did that successfully to move several years of ATX returns to my newer computer a couple of years ago.

When I took the EA exam, CT had only one location. Since it was a two-day exam, I booked a room in the hotel and packed my own food. Now, CT has three locations for the RTRP exam. It's only one day. And, as has been mentioned, any travel costs are deductible business expenses for those already tax preparers. You do have two years to take the exam. You can wait for a while to see if any other locations open nearer you. Maybe you can find some other preparers to car pool...

My PTIN has four leading zeros. I thought that was because I got it the first year they were offered. At some point I became an EA. My PTIN did not change then nor did it change with the new requirements/fee. I still have the same old PTIN for 2012 as I always had.

Go for the EA now/during 2012. You always have RTRP as a fall-back position before the end of 2013.

You're the best !! :D

Long ago I had a partner of a closed partnership that paid some late-arriving closing costs from his own checking account. I was with HRB then, so it was probably the Block hotline that told me to use Schedule E page 2 for UPE. Client stayed with HRB when I left, so don't know if he ever received any IRS correspondence. Now that K-1s are matched, that may no longer be the preferred method.

Suggest the corporation put in place an accountable plan expense account covering reimbursements for employee's business use of their personal vehicles. Employee turns in expense accounts based on standard mileage rate or actual operating expenses, monthly or whatever; corporation reimburses. Business miles only; commuting is not a business expense. Deduction for corporation; not income to employee. Until such time, Form 2106.