JohnH

People in the south don't think about how much our tires are worn because the steel rims on the horse-drawn wagons we all drive never wear out. Wen we need extra traction in the muddy streets, we just throw a few bales of hay and some jugs of moonshine in the back of the wagon and wrap some barbed wire around our bare feet. We don't know anything about freezing temperatures because we all lie around snoozing in the hot sun all day.

I have four monitors, which are connected to three computers. I'm going to add a fourth monitor soon, but haven't decided whether to run it from the computer which presently has two monitors or whether to add it to one of the single-monitor setups. I wouldn't be able to function efficiently with less than 3 active monitors, and this is without having a monitor for clients to view.

I file extensions on everything coming in after mid-March. Then I loop back and get some of them finished anyhow. The extension did no harm, and the client is better trained for the next year

Joel: I view extensions as my friend. They make the deadline date just another routine day in my office. I recommend that approach highly.

Yep, I'm going out of the country for a couple of weeks and didn't want to have to deal with extensions when I get back. I'll only have a few left to prepare when I return, thanks to Drake's efficiency. It will be difficult enough dealing with personal returns those first few weeks - no sense having the corp extensions hanging over my head and occupying a part of my brain. There's little enough room up there as it is. I will add that filing extensions is not something I do in a reactive mode. Extensions are a part of my operating plan, so I generally get them done fairly early anyhow (personal and corporate). If we file the extension and the client happens to get everything to me on time, there's no harm done if we decide to go ahead and file by the due date. What I detest is filing extensions in a last-minute panic - that's where most of the errors occur and it isn't good for the blood pressure.

Last year I decided not to do the conversion when I began using Drake. I just entered everything fresh for all personal and business clients. So today was my first experience doing corporate extensions using an established data base. What a breeze! I would just enter the Fed ID number, answer a question, open the client, and away I went. Fed extensions required 3 entries. NC extensions required 4 or 5. Using the "Selector Box" made navigation extremely simple. Then a click on "view" and I printed Fed & State after a couple of more keystrokes. While It's printing, I'm opening the next client. This program is fast, as we have pointed out many times before. I also saw a way to automate the process with a couple of macros - might just do that next year. So in the space of about 2 hours, I have about 24 extensions completed. There are a few stragglers, but the task is basically done. Don't know of a time in the past when it was ever so easy or fast.

I'd send the contractor a 1099-Misc and enter "REFUSED" in the Federal ID number/Soc Sec field. Also include a W-9. If they haven't filled out the W-9 by the end of Feb, may as well send the IRS their copy with the Fed ID/SocSec field blank. The client doesn't have much to lose in this situation - at least they've demonstrated they tried to comply. I think the penalty can be up to $100, but I've never heard of it being imposed, especially for a small number of 1099-Misc forms. Here's some guidance: http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Filing-Forms-W-2-and-1042-S-Without-Payee-TIN's

If it's clear they are a price shopper, you could always have a little fun with them. YOU: "I can see that this conversation is going in the direction that I must charge for answers to questions. The answer to the first question is free, but there's a charge for answers to every question afterward". CALLER: "How much do you charge per question?" YOU: "$100 each. What's your second question?"

If I must use a symbol to indicate sarcasm, hasn't the sarcasm failed?

I think "it depends" is a great answer. If they keep insisting on a number, give them one so high they might need Depends.

If they otherwise qualify, I think they have until Apr 15, 2014 to get it done. I suppose the IRA would need to be funded far enough in advance (a few days) in order to get all the conversion paperwork done.

Here;'s another resource regarding gambling diaries. I first found this site after reading a post on this forum, I think. I've gotten their diaries for my clients for several years now. http://www.ladyluckdiary.com

Is it even possible for an "OT" post to get hijacked?

Based on what I've seen regarding tips, I don't think I should eat at a restaurant where a client works. When they tell me they earned no tips, I'd have to tell them I can't prepare their return.

An English speaker knows they are properly trilling their "rr"s when their tongue is numb for a few seconds after pronoucing the word.

I thinks this illustrates why translation involves much more than simply googling a word in a foreign language and finding what it "means". Meaning for many words and phrases is only derived by knowing the context. For example, if we say in English that a persons is a "hard case", someone googling the words outside the context might conclude they are a steel box. In this case, it's pretty clear Pacun isn't saying she is a claw or a fish. So I'm inclined to think "garra" is a Spanish or Portugese word, typically used as a figure of speech, and is a complimentary term describing someone who is bold, courageous, or strong. Sooner ,or later someone knowledgable about the word is going to clear this up. The nuances of translation are generally more interesting that the simple word meanings.

I think there is an informal usage of "garra" which is close to "bite" and implies "sharpness" or "edginess" or even "courage". It would line up with the English concept from which we get "biting commentary", etc. Maybe Pacun will enlighten us with an explanation of the colloquialism and in which part of the Spanish-speaking or Portugese-speaking world it is generally used. I had never heard it before. BTW, don't try to pronounce it unless you're ready to trill that "rr" forcefully.

Borrowed from a post I liked over on another forum: "The Time has come," the Tax pro said, "To talk of many things: Of Wages, Tips, and Interest, Of Donations of Rings, And why the business profits not, And whither taxes' stings." (With apologies to Lewis Carroll)

I can't vouch for the reliability of the source, but here's something I found by googling your inquiry. It appears to have an example that's on target for your question. Of course, yo'd want to verify the information before actually following their advice: http://www.farm-equipment.com/pages/From-the-September-2013-Issue-Special-Report-How-Special-Depreciation-Rules-Impact-Farm-Equipment-Purchases.php

I find that I don't gain much insight from people with whom i agree, It's the exchange with those with whom I disagree that informs me. I will miss her, but there are plenty of others on this forum to take up the slack.

best thing that happened to him at that trip to the casino was the tax withholding.

I'm sorry to hear this.

These aren't related parties, are they?

Apparently the closed captioning software doesn't have "Polar Vortex" programmed into its dictionary...

I agree. It's Jan 6 - time to get down to business on this part of the forum. All the personal jabs and innuendo should be saved for the "Politics" section, which is still going strong for those of us who want to indulge the urge to lob a few grenades at one another from time-to-time.