Bart

Thank you. Thank you. Only shared my story because all of you keep me going with your stories. 

4 hours ago, Catherine said:

Years ago, I decided to refer to ALL of them (local, state, federal) as legis-vermin.  There's something very satisfying about that term.  And everyone who hears it laughs (ruefully) and gets it immediately.  Said it once to a nice female legis-vermin and I thought she was going to fall out of her seat, she was laughing so hard.  Said I didn't know the half of it, and couldn't wait to tell her husband.  

Sounds even better that politricks

I hired a part time reparer a couple of weeks ago.  I had to leave earlier than her yesterday so I explained that the front door lock was just a button in the knob and she would be able to lock it and still leave and have it locked behind her.  She thought I meant the door to my office not the main door to the whole office.  She locked my door with the key safely tucked away in my desk.  I have spent half the day trying to take the door off it's hinges so I could get back into my office.

6 hours ago, RitaB said:

Can I interrupt this thread to say that education credits are the biggest time suck of my entire practice?  They NEVER remember the Bursar's Statement.  I have copies of a sample statement in my top drawer and pull one out as soon as I see the 1098-T.  It's as if I pulled a unicorn out of my, ahem,  left ear.

The second biggest time suck is:  "This is my W-2 (it's a 1099-R), this is my husband's W-2 (it's a 1099-R), this is my pension, this is my husband's annuity, this is this, and this is that, and here is my bank interest, I don't know it's enough to count (yeah, if you bring it to me it's going on the return),  BBFB.   (Blah, blah, freakin blah.)

I am so glad they TRY (even tho they get it wrong as Rita said) to tell me what the forms are.  You know I have never seen any of those forms before.

Missouri is way behind.  Plus their two page tax return just morphed in a five page return.

I need to fill out a 3115 for missed depreciation.  I would like to know if anyone would be interested in being hired to fill it out for me.

In Missouri there is an annual fee and an annual filing requirement with the Secretary of State for a corporation.  No such requirements for an LLC.

There is an LLC entity you can form that I believe is called a step LLC.  Each LLC is it's own LLC and has liability protection from the other LLC's but all LLC's are under one umbrella (maybe it is just one LLC but however you do the "step" part separates the liabilities.)  Since it is the same umbrella you could file only one Schedule C.  I know you can do this with a Delaware LLC.  I think you can now do this with a Missouri LLC.  You might be able to do it in other states.

We used to take our boy scouts to Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge near Mound City, MO.  It is known as the snow geese capital of the world. Eagles eat snow geese.  In the fall there are at least 100,000 snow geese migrating south and they stop at the wildlife refuge.  The eagles follow them.  Two hundred to three hundred eagles.  They also have a demonstration and show off 2 - 3 eagles inside a barn.  They even let them fly around in there.

In Missouri, a corporation has an annual filing requirement with the Secretary of State and an annual fee.  An LLC has no such requirement.  It is easier to be an LLC taxed as an S corp than to be a real corporation.

I keep an air horn next to my phone.

In the Drake FAQ on what Drake requires for efiling one question says:

How often do I need to register my EFIN?

This is a one-time verification process.  You do not need to re-send your EFIN document unless your EFIN number has changed.

I have not had the trust fund recovery penalty assessed against me but I was a signor on the bank account of a client whose payroll I processed and tax deposits i made.  They missed one tax deposit and I immediately sent a letter to the bank demanding my name be removed as a signor on the account.  I ask the bank for confirmation and I sent a copy of the letter to the client.

I do not see this as the mother being forced to sign the 8332 under duress.  A divorce decree is negotiated.  If the mother agreed to sign the 8332 I would guess that she got some other consideration which benefited her.

very valued

5 minutes ago, Catherine said:

And last year's withholdings?  

I'd rather send in $0, as I have NO idea if clients changed withheld tax or even have the same job.  Seems to me if I have NO information, anything I put down is wrong.

From the instructions for the 4868:

Qualifying for the Extension. To get the extra time you must:

1. Properly estimate your 2015 tax liability using the information available to you,

2. Enter your total tax liability on line 4 of Form 4868

3. File Form 4868 by the regular due date of your return.

Although you are not required to make a payment of the tax you estimate as due, Form 4868 does not extend the time to pay taxes.

I do not tell the IRS anything about withholding or any payments.  I only need to estimate the liability not tell the IRS how it might get paid.

14 minutes ago, Catherine said:

And then what do you do about a client who has given you NO paperwork by 4/15?  

I use last years tax liability.

I had one where she turned 70 and a half in 2015 and drake did not limit her IRA contribution.  Softwares must have problems with birthdays.

Using a ten key by touch is best skill I ever learned.

He made enough to have additional medicare tax withheld.  The additional gets added to withholding.  Is that the difference?

Taxpayer spouse died ten years ago.  Taxpayer lives in house for a while and then moves to nursing home 4 or 5 years ago.  Allows child to live in house rent free.  Taxpayer now sells house.  Did the taxpayer get a step up in basis on half the house basis when spouse passed away?

Do not do anything with the $5000.  It is not taxable since she held up her end of the bargain by teaching for 5 years.

3 hours ago, Jack from Ohio said:

I wish we lived close enough to merge our practices!  We would be unstoppable and the best tax practice in the state!  You and I think so much alike, and I recognize your mountains of experience and knowledge!!  If and only....

hey.  I got dibs on her first.

2 hours ago, Jack from Ohio said:

I have not yet figured how to have 50/50 split of days in a non-leap year?  Staying at Granny's counts for the parent where the child was supposed to be for that day.

I have yet to see any situation, that in reality, was anywhere near 50/50.

I had one where it was 50/50.  Parents divorced but still lived together.  Both had kid 365 days.

2 hours ago, Catherine said:

 I'm generally a happy person.

She will happily shoot at anybody or anything.