JohnH

I always encourage clients to take cell phone calls. They usually have enough sense to know whether it's important or not, and I don't think I'm smart enough to make that decision for them (even with my crystal ball). There is always something for me to double-check while they are on the phone, either some item related to their business or even if it's just to take a quick look at my email & texts. (another benefit of multiple monitors, BTW). So their brief period of inattention doesn't threaten my ego or insult my professionalism. And we are all able keep the business/personal life ball in motion. (My idea of true multi-taksing) But it is also significant that I don't have a schedule full of appointments back-to-back like many of you do, so I can understand why delays during appointments can be problematic if your work flow is organized in that manner.

Here in NC we know how to have a snowstorm. We had 8" of snow over a 24-hr period, accompanied by some sleet and freeing rain before & during. Driving was risky even for those of us who know how to drive in the mess. I hunkered down at the office during the sleet & ice, waiting for the snowfall so I'd have good traction on the way home. Everything ground to a halt for about 36 hours, then by noon yesterday temps were in the 40's and people were back to work. Today's high will be mid-40's and next week it will rise by about 10 deg per day until it hits the 70's on Thursday. Atached images are from the back porch at noon on Thursday and noon on Saturday. One week we're complaining about the snow, the next week the problem is the heat & humidity. I had to go back and add the "Charlotte" photo, in light of the small earthquake near here in the past 24 hours.

I decided to devote some time this morning to updating several macros I had written last year to speed up several data entry steps. I was thinking I'd have to re-write the macros. But when I went to edit, I found that Drake had moved my existing macros into the 2013 program, so all I needed to do was edit a few line entries and I was done. It's really nice to work with a program that anticipates things like this and does them for you.

Trying to remember what a typewriter is. Seems like I used to own one of those things 30 years ago. Setting up the format in an excel spreadsheet has the advantage of re-using the layout for people who have one, two or three forms to be issued. Once the template is done, it can be used over and over again. Enter the payer data one time and let it repeat on the second form on the page, for example.

Good move, Mike. Having a blanket policy avoids having to "ask permission" as Apr 15 approaches. And you don't have to waste valuable time negotiating with them during those golden days after Apr 1. The fact that an extension is filed does not preclude your looping back and completing some returns before Apr 15, but you are able to do that at your convenience. The extension just takes Apr 15 off the table as having any special significance.

And if you don't want to use the site I referenced, you can set up an Excel spreadsheet to drop the info onto a preprinted form. A little trial and error usually produces a layout in a few minutes. You can get a few preprinted blanks from Judy, from me, or from any number of others on this forum. Just ask, or send a pm. You can download the black and white form from the IRS in order to get copy out to the vendor right away. then you have time to get the red IRS copies from one of us before 2/28. Office Depot also sells forms sets, along with custom software.

OK. So my solution is not to prepare EIC returns.

Does this apply to all returns filed, or only to returns claiming EIC?

I like your breakdown. Mine is similar, with one MAJOR change. Period 3 - Everybody goes on extension as the info comes in the door - no exceptions. No stress, and Apr 15 is just another routine day.

I'll have to admit to being one of the culprits in taking this off on a tangent. Probably wouldn't have happened if I'd been at the office workinng rather that hanging round the house today due to the snowstorm.

Don't underrate those old printers. They are generally more robust, and they often use way less ink/toner than the more modern ones. My workhorse printer is an old HP1100. It is a miser on toner, plus with the copier attachment I can make single copies while sitting at my desk.

Not a viable option when it's the firm's money at stake. KC, you're thinking too much like an entrepreneur...

Totally agreed on the dual monitors. I plan a 3-monitor setup on my standing desk.

How far could you have gotten on a tax return in the time it took you to post that reply? :)

The turn this thread has taken reminds me of a friend who would always say "I'll never be too old or too fat to bend over and pick up money."

So if you left a dirty $10 bill in your trousers and it went in the wash, would it be best to dry it and reuse it, or just throw it away? After all, you probably have plenty of other $10 bills lying around somewhere.

I don't think he had a solid legal basis.If he did, then I'd be in the camp that says "no 1099, no deduction".

Are you saying that Sec 6041 requires that the deduction not be taken if the information return is not filed? Then what purpose is served by the two questions on the Sched C, Form 1065, Form 1120, and Form 1120S?.

I think the auditor put one over on you. There is no legal basis for denying the deduction in the absence of a 1099. So unless there were other potential problems you wanted to avoid by conceding this issue, you may have given up too soon. I also don't agree with denying the deduction to a client when they haven't issued a 1099, provided they have proper documentation for the expense. ( "Proper documentation" would be canceled checks, valid receipts, etc. but would not necessarily include 1099 forms, contrary to the assertions of many tax pros who should know better) It is the job of the IRS to audit, not the person the client trusts to prepare their return accurately. This isn't even a grey area - the existence of the two 1099 questions on the tax form make that perfectly clear.

Just a reminder that this is an independent forum, not subject to the whims and policies of any software vendor. This independence comes as a result of Eric's generosity with his time and thanks to the excellent job our moderators do to keep things civil. The main responsibility the rest of us have to do our part in maintaining the civility and to occasionally hit that "Donation" button at the top to provide ongoing funding. So I'd like to suggest that right now, at the beginning of tax preparation season, is a good time to step up and do our part. I just sent my most recent donation, and I encourage others to do the same (if you haven't had the opportunity to have done so recently). This is the most valuable Forum in the entire accounting community as far as I'm concerned, and I hope others have the same attitude.

I too am committed to Drake, for exactly the same reasons as Joel & Pam. Tax software needs to be fast, reliable, and smooth. Wasting a lot of time & money worrying with special hardware, compex configurations, and all the techie stuff may apppeal to some people. But for me personally, I just want the software to do its job efficiently so I can concentrate on the real task of client tax service & advice. One should not need a NASA-grade computer sysem to perform the basic math functions needed for a tax program. And it should never be necesary to wait for the program to perform the simple tasks involved in tax preparation.

Yes, after giving it some thought, I came back to delete it and found your post. I agree.

why dont you just ask for their email address when you get their phone number and other contact info? You can also ask if they use email or texting as a primary means of communication. I find that many of the younger clients dont use email very much - they almost exclusively text.

I encourage them to drop off or mail their info to me. I strongly urge them to email info to me rather than call. I do everything possible to keep my clients out of my office so I can get some productive work done. But there are a few who simply must sit down and hand me their info. In that case we make appointments. But if they want an appoinntment at a time that isn't convenient for me, I just tell them it isn't convenient. i don't really care when they go to the dentist.

You lost your crystal ball? That's unforgivable. Possibly a Circular 230 violation.