Today I found a new feature on my front porch

[jklcpa]

Yesterday I posted about a new feature I found on this forum. Today I'm posting something I found on my front porch.

We hardly ever use the front door of the house, but sometimes UPS will put a package there if it's raining. I'm expecting a small package so I decided to check the front porch. No package, but I did notice a folded up piece of paper in the corner of the front porch along with some cobwebs. I would never have seen this paper by looking out the little sidelight windows next to the door. It was a W-2 belonging to a young man that lives somewhere nearby!

I suspect that this young man may be slightly learning impaired. He graduated from high school several years ago and is probably 21 or 22 years old now. He shows up occassionally to have my husband fix flat tires on his bicycle and do some minor repairs to it. I don't even know exactly where he lives, he lives with his grandparents, and the W-2 shows a P.O. box as the address.

He came by last year in mid-summer with his 2011 W-2 for me to look at because someone told him that he should. He had no federal or state taxes withheld, the earnings were under the threshold for filing, earnings too high for someone to claim him as a dependent, and he was too young for the EIC, so he went off on his merry way.

For 2012 he has $10K in earnings and will receive almost all of his federal and Delaware withholding back when he files a tax return. I wonder how long the W-2 has been on my porch! Why me?

[Guest Taxed]

You made this kid's day! I think you will have a client for life!

Right now I am sitting on a 1040EZ for a 19 yr old girl who will get $380 back BUT she is too lazy to come and sign and give me the original W2.

[jklcpa]

I might make his day whenever it is that I see him again. He only comes by when he needs bike repair, usually a flat tire from riding through broken glass. Last time he was here, he showed up at the front door and told me "yes, I have a flat tire." His tires weren't flat. One pedal had cracked and fallen off the bike and someone had stolen his saddle. We have some junker bikes that we were able to take spare parts from and get him back on the road, but this is part of why I think he's slightly impaired.

[Guest Taxed]

If it was me, I would create a 1040EZ and put Sample watermark with a note to call me and send it to that PO Box address on the W2. He probably lives within biking distance from your house and no matter how "impaired" he is, that will catch his attention.

I have done many of those 1040EZ for $20. Takes me 10 minutes!

[jklcpa]

Nah, I kind of know where the grandparents live, not sure of the exact house. I'll probably see him around soon enough and will deal with it. It's just not what I expect to find on my porch. Reminds me of the year when one of my husband's coworkers, a regular client of mine, stuck all his tax return info under my husband's tool box at work. I never heard a peep and on April 10th I called him to see if I was preparing his return. He never told my husband that papers were there or that he expected my husband to bring them home to me. Yeah, that guy was a bit impaired too for a different reason; he'd had an auto accident with head injuries and had some permanent damage.

[mcb39]

Nah, I kind of know where the grandparents live, not sure of the exact house. I'll probably see him around soon enough and will deal with it. It's just not what I expect to find on my porch. Reminds me of the year when one of my husband's coworkers, a regular client of mine, stuck all his tax return info under my husband's tool box at work. I never heard a peep and on April 10th I called him to see if I was preparing his return. He never told my husband that papers were there or that he expected my husband to bring them home to me. Yeah, that guy was a bit impaired too for a different reason; he'd had an auto accident with head injuries and had some permanent damage.

But, doesn't it give you a good feeling when you can give good news to someone like the boy on the bike. Some things cost so little and can mean so much.

[Guest Taxed]

We all have a few "strange" clients. I have one family that will ONLY do their tax returns on April 15th. So each year as I setup my calendar in Jan I send them an e-mail, see you on April 15 at 5pm!

Then I have a bunch of clients who will NOT pay their balance due with a personal check or ACH debit. It has to be a bank check or money order???

[kcjenkins]

They probably think that keeps the IRS from knowing where the bank.. Silly, but that's what some people think. I've had some tell me that! I don't even waste time explaining the facts too them.

[jklcpa]

But, doesn't it give you a good feeling when you can give good news to someone like the boy on the bike. Some things cost so little and can mean so much.

Yes, absolutely. I won't charge him for this return.

We've actually given him at least 2 inexpensive bikes over the past few years and keep fixing bikes for him for free. He doesn't have a place to put them inside, and even though we lube everything really well each time he comes by, they eventually rust up and are not worth fixing any more. We usually have a bike that we've picked up at a yard sale that we give him, either as a loaner or just give it knowing he'll need it until it too is so rusty to be beyond salvaging.

[Gail in Virginia]

We used to have our office in the house. One year a client's mother called and told us her son had brought his taxes by early that morning and left them for us to do (this was on April 14.) I went out to look for them and found that he had carefully placed them inside the grill. Good thing his mother called. By the way, his mother was in her 80s then, and he was in his early 50s. Old enough to know better?

Clients like those are part of the fun, right?

[Guest Taxed]

What will happen when the 80yr old mom passes away? Will the 50 yr old son burn down the house?

Who places important papers inside a gas grill? I have a box for dropoff after hours and now and then I will find a packet under the doormat!

[jklcpa]

I've wanted a drop box and haven't gotten around to it, but this year will be the year! Quite a few clients have their package of documents nicely organized and we mostly chat and catch up with each other rather than looking at the papers. I've asked those clients and some others, and they said they'd have no problem with a drop box and thought it was a good idea. It will free up a little bit of time for me, and the client can come by at their convenience. Win-win!

[Guest Taxed]

Try it and you will not regret it. If you have someone handy in your family get it made with external grade plywood and put a 2 inch by 12 inch slit on the lid so they can drop the packet and a lock for the lid.

I have it bolted next to the main door during tax season.

I made mine with an old wooden box and had the lid added. I am due for a new one this year because the wood on that box was crappy and it is splintering.

I would recommend stensiling "TAX RETURN ONLY".

I request my clients to call me or text me after they drop off. Sort of alerts me to get it.

[GeneInAlabama]

I put a 12 inch mail slot in my office door. If someone puts a package through it, I can't get in my office without tripping on it. It is also very secure.

[GeneInAlabama]

>>I would recommend stensiling "TAX RETURN ONLY".<<

I would put "TAX RETURN INFORMATION ONLY". Some people might think it means what it says.

[jklcpa]

I'm not keen on putting a permanent slot in the door. I'm cold enough without adding to that, and my husband is not handy as far as doing something like this. I'm considering a locking mail box that I could get from a home improvement store.

I'm going to start a separate thread. Thanks for the input!

[Lion EA]

A couple of years ago I had a carpenter client install a large mail slot in my front door. I still have a storm door which stops most drafts. And, my entryway is a small square from which you turn right into my living areas or left into a short hallway and then right into a longer hallway to the bedrooms, bathroom, and my office; so really no extra cold (or hot and humid) air creeping into the house. I love it. And, best of all, my clients love it so they use it.

[jklcpa]

I started a new thread with a picture. No way I'm putting a slot in a door that leads directly to the outside. Besides, a large package of tax papers could crush one of my dogs. Smallest is 3.75 lbs soaking wet.

[Lion EA]

Even without a mail slot, I still think you need a storm door if your house is cold !!

[jklcpa]

Storm doors on the front and back. No way to put a storm door on my office because the steps into the office have no landing and I'm not spending to have steps redone. The office would be cold anyway because of the door opening when people come in. Plus, the office is the room furthest away from the furnace.

[Guest Taxed]

Do you use an electric space heater during those cold Fed days to take the chill out of the air. Yes constantly opening a door is a problem keeping the heat in. Plus you have to deal with those folks that will hold the door open and still be talking to you!!!!

[jklcpa]

Yes, I do have a heater. I don't work well with numb fingertips and really cold feet.

[jklcpa]

Well to update, I ran into a neighbor at the grocery store that happened to know the grandfather's phone number where this young man lives. I had a nice chat with granddad and left a message for my newest client to call me. He never called but sure enough, I found his bike in my driveway yesterday morning with a flat rear tire. When he came by this evening about the bike, I asked him the couple of questions I had, got the efile signature forms signed, and he left with a smile about those refunds that will be coming his way. After a lousy start to the weekend, this made my evening.

[joanmcq]

:)

[Lion EA]

It's all about building those relationships.