NT - Full Moon Type Filing Season

[Crank]

Another off topic rant but this tax season has been quite abnormal with many of my regulars still promising to get their stuff to me "soon". Its going to be a killer last week. I think with the filing deadline being April 17th this year people think they have extra time so they are procrastinating more than usual. They are going to hate to pay for an extension only to have their returns completed the next week. Its their own fault. They think that because I work out of my home that they can drop by anytime .... and I wont even get into how bad the late/missed appointments are this year ...sheesh!

[Tax Prep by Deb]

Glad to know I wasn't the only one! My entire month of March was extremely slow even though dollar wise I was ahead of last year. Now everyone is in panic mode! I too believe it's going to be a busy last two weeks, but I'm rested, so bring it on!

Deb!

[rfassett]

I told my wife last week that the next two weeks were either going to be very frustrating or very disappointing. Disappointing if we don't see the 68 missing in action or frustrating if we do. I told her to pick her poison. She apparently picked frustrating because we have seen a slew of them come in so far this week. Of course they are all being told that there is NO guarantee that they are going to be done by the deadline. Actually had one guy call yesterday and ask if I could get his return done by the deadline - if not he was going to take it somewhere else. To keep him from embarassing himself, I told him to bring his info in. I honestly doubt if he would have found anyone else that would get it done at this late date. I attribute alot of the late returns to the incredible weather we have had here. The clients have not had to be holed up inside the house. Case in point, one guy who got here last week said he traditionally gets his info ready while he is watching the Daytona 500. Well, the Daytona 500 lasted three days this year and he still did not get it ready - the weather was just too nice here.

[GeneInAlabama]

I LOVE extensions. I don't charge extra for extensions and I tell my clients that if they want their returns done early, they have to bring them in early. Tax season lasts from Jan 1st to Oct 15th for me. Most of my clients are OK with that. The ones that aren't get their work in early to me.

[JohnH]

I'm with Gene. No extra charge for extensions because they're helping me keep the stress level down. Generally, I've been filing extensions since March 10 as they came in with their data. Saves rushing around as the deadline nears.

Next week is going to be pretty much routine around here, no matter how many clients show up. Extensions generally don't take long to complete. The 17th is just another day for me - I generally come in late, spend some time reviewing extensions, and go home early to take my wife out to dinner on "deadline day".

[mcb39]

No charge here for extensions. Both Feb and March were extremely steady and busy and lots of them are still missing, though trickling in. I started telling them last week that they would be going on extension as I have 40 to complete before I get to any late comers. Extensions benefit me more than them,; expecially after having my DSL down for over a week now. I agree that it has been an extremely strange year.

[fredazcpa]

Have a box marked extension that clients can see, here again no charge for them and I am going to have to move back the date again, this last min stuff is killing me, so are real easy, people just not getting it, others tuff stuff becasue they do not understand what they have and what it takes , Turst

[joanmcq]

I just got an email from new clients where I made some big mistakes on the returns. Not big as in dollar figures, but stupid little things that are embarassing to say the least. I think my exhaustion is catching up. I'm looking at the pile of stuff now and second guessing whether more crap slipped through.

No more complex stuff if I'm not at my best. And I don't know if I'm going to be there until after about April 30.

[Lion EA]

Had an email today that a corrected 1099 is coming out in a week for one of my clients with hundreds of pages of trades. Thank goodness I talked her into an extension last week. I don't charge for extensions. In fact I offered three clients discounts if they would go on extension to help me out in my time crunch, even though they were next in line. Yeah, giving myself time to prepare returns for less understanding clients. For some unknown reason this year, almost all my clients dropped off in the same week in late February. So they all think I'm taking too long to complete their returns, even though I'm working through them in the order received. And everyone since 15 March was told they'd be on extension. I can do a lot more returns in nine plus months than I can in three plus, and make more money. And, not do the complex returns when I'm sleep-deprived in April. Maybe I won't use 15 March next year, but use the weight of their documents or the thickness of their 1099-Bs as my criteria for who's going on extension! I lost my voice and am on prednisone which sent my glucose levels sky high and the cough wakes me from the little sleep I'm getting; my hubby has pneumonia (he's a church music director so is a little busy right now, too!) This has been a screwy year.

[joanmcq]

I'm definitely using March 15 as a drop dead date next year. I have so many new clients that I really had a hard time planning. and SE RDP returns.....damn, they are difficult! Or having IRA deductions different for CA than fed, and running 'what if' scenarios. Didn't run into this before, but this year....OMG.

[Catherine]

My letter next year is going to put in bold face not only my drop-dead date of March 10th, but that I must have ALL documents in house on that date. This year I got a slew of folks who dropped off in early March and when I got to their piles there was TONS of stuff missing. Now am having to remind them that the letter did say _complete_ and not partial.

Lion - same issue as you with timing; too. A gazillion drop-offs in a week and a half and going through in order means the ones at the end of that week and a half now think I've been eating bonbons for a month, LOL.

[mcb39]

No Kidding! Phone calls from everywhere this AM. Returns coming in faster than going out and had to have a little weepy moment. Now am ready to go again. Guy called from Ala and said that he is leaving for Japan tonight and will be back on the 16th.....and I am in WI. Good thing we set up automatic estimates. My stomach is so tied in knots that I couldn't eat a bonbon if I tried. Someday soon........we'll be laughing.........someday soon.

[Lion EA]

I know. Get off the phone so I can work on your return! I started letting my office phone go to voice mail trying to save time. I listen to messages late at night, too late to telephone back, so email them a short response drawing attention to the time as to why I'm not responding via telephone.

But, I need to start listening to the messages earlier. Had a couple that really needed an immediate telephone call to benefit me, more involved by delaying. Gotta screen calls. Or, maybe get hubby to do that...

[Lion EA]

Oh, and it's Spring break at many of the towns around here. Lots of sudden calls wanting their returns by the 10th. (You made your airline reservations months ago; couldn't you have mentioned this earlier?) I promised three for the 10th (already have three others promised for Easter delivery!) and then started offering extensions. Turns out many will return late the 15th and just are too busy to come in to sign the 16th or 17th!. I said I'll email signature pages (upload to FileShare, actually) or file extensions; most found time to deal with signatures after their vacations. Still wish I could get a few more to go on extension.

[Kea]

I had a lot of folks this year who are typically early bringing stuff in late. Especially folks getting brokerage statements and K-1s in mid to late March. (Can we get rid of OIDS, please??) One client, who's mother passed away last March is STILL waiting for the K-1 from her mom's (now hers & her sister's) trust. I did ask her to ask for K-1s that were properly separated by DOD. Nothing yet!

[joanmcq]

I did the weepy thing yesterday. And then I got this from a client this morning:

"Good morning, Joan.

Thanks for the email. You told me that you'd be back to us in 2 1/2 weeks and TO THE DAY you're a woman of your word. Thanks for that too. "

Of course that is one good thing about working in the middle of the night....people don't call you and you can't call them. Nearly all my correspondence is by email. But that one was a really nice way to start the day, and I had no idea how long it'd been...I've stopped giving estimates as to how far behind I am. but now I know!

[Jim Oh Bkkr]

... and when I got to their piles there was TONS of stuff missing

Must be the weather, this has been unreal this year.

J

[JohnH]

Next to the ones who bring in the info with key parts missing, the other favorite group are those who call in Feb just to let you know they will be in to see you soon. Then when they show up with it in mid-to-late Mar and you tell them they're going in extension they reply "But I called you last month to let you know I was getting it together." Apparently some people think that letting you know they're working on their stuff equates to your beginning work on their return or at least getting it into the queue.

Thanks for the call - I remember getting the message.

Anyhow, here's your extension...

[fredazcpa]

next year, anyone after the cut off, have not figured that out yet, and extennsion will go in owe or not, or the other option would be charge a premium for being late 10 20 30 percent just fustrated this year more so than usuall. Family getting together for Easter, not this year for me, can not get more than a few hours sleep, only good thing is only a few more days left

[joanmcq]

We have two hams in the fridge. I won't have to cook either of them. My bf made chocolate chip cookies tonight. I got to lick the bowl.

And got to redo a return that was not that complicated that I totally screwed up. It was a big wake up call to slow down and not worry so much about the pile that's left to be done, just the one in front of me.

[JohnH]

Isn't that always the case? I don't mind finding an error on a complicated return and then have to re-do it - that can happen so easily. But having to re-do a simple return because I omitted something silly is frustrating, even if it takes half the time to correct.

Can't say I ALWAYS manage to do this, but as the deadline approaches I try to slow down the pace while lenghtening the hours. All the while keeping in mind it's important to get rest, and there still has to be some life balance. Otherwise it's easy to become resentful and that can too easliy spill over into a conversation with clients - never a good idea.

Personally, I'm spending more time on extensions than actually completing returns for the next week or so. If all is handled correctly, "deadline day" is nothing but a final review of all extensions that have been filed - no actul return preparation unless I feel like doing one or two just to amuse myself.

[frazzled]

This past week has felt like I am in the Twilight Zone. In recent days, the office has felt like a ghost town. I have sent my receptionist home early two days this week. The phone is not even ringing!

I bet (I hope) they crawl out of the woodwork next week! Still have about 80 MIA!

[mcb39]

Had a guy call on Wed who said he would try to get his stuff together that afternoon and would drop it off on Thursday. He Did! It is in the box. Am having a friend come in next week just to file, assemble and generally clear the clutter. Oh, Glory Be! She also knows how to answer the phone. It will be heaven.

[Catherine]

Late yesterday I found a simple return; done, printed, ready for client pickup first thing Saturday morning -- looked at it and found an item I just plain-old forgot to include. Remember thinking "Must go back and get that in there" -- and never did. So I'm re-printing it now. Sigh. My response last night? Only one sensible thing to do; catch the last hour of the local contra dance. It was fun but I sure was tired out from all the long hours and am glad I was only there for an hour!

Wednesday I had my whole schedule scrambled utterly and completely on me THREE times before 11AM. By the end of the day I was an absolute wreck. Had to duck out on a quick errand to pick something up and on the way back stopped at a local church that was having quiet prayer time all week. Spent 15 minutes in the quiet and dark, on my knees, remembering all I have to be grateful for. Did me a -world- of good.

[Crank]

Thursday 4/5 was a complete horror show for me. It started out good and then went crazy after noon. Lots of clients dropping off before Easter, clients calling and showing up with missing docs/items and a few that decided they needed to pickup that day. Sheesh! Wife actually told me to stop around 9pm because I "looked like hell". My son came home from college for Easter break and said the same thing.

I should reconsider my extension fee but my fees are so reasonable (vs. Block & Other CPAs) and I am so flexible and accomodating with being available to clients that it's like my little piece of revenge for them being inconsiderate.