MsTabbyKats Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 New client...a referral and I was misled. The CPA who referred did not tell me she is a lawyer...although not currently working as such Long story very short....I've been getting the info in drips and drabs for a month. And everything becomes complex. Example....daycare is 4 facilities with different amounts of each kid....and she sends me formulas. The total credit for 2 kids is about $300. I sent her the final return and she needs to talk to me (I'm busy...I don't take phone calls now...e-mail and I respond almost immediately) about her home office and capital gains. The gains are exactly as on the 1099-Bs...the home office is exactly what she told me! I just don't have the patience to discuss with her. There is a communications gap between us...and a real mis-match. I'm sure she feels this way too. I am ready to say either: I don't have the time to complete your return and you'll need to go on extension (she owes about $20K...and wants to open a SEP-IRA)...and pay me now Or If you want your return filed by 4/15 you will need to have someone else prepare...and I will just charge you a consultation fee. I really want to say "we just don't click"....go away and don't pay me a dime...but I don't want to cause a problem for the woman who referred her. Rant time over.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 If there are questions or open loops at this late date, I would only give her the option of an extension. The extension will give you both time to either get on the same page or for her to find another preparer.Also, the extension gives her until Oct 15 to put the money in the SEP. She can pay the balance due with the extension assuming she will put the money in the SEP by Oct 15, or if she doesn't come up with the SEP money by then, she will owe additional tax at that time. Of course, she can also make a partial payment (or no payment) with the extension request and simply pay the FTP penalty and interest when the return is filed. No matter how or when she pays, the important thing is to get the extension in.Of course if it were me personally in this situation, I'd already have had the extension in place... the run-up period to Apr 15 is exactly the wrong time to be dealing with this sort of nonsense from a client. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsTabbyKats Posted April 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Oh...I agree...but I know she doesn't want an extension. The thing is...I really don't want her as a client. I don't want to deal with her or extensions. I never do extensions. My husband just sold his business...and I don't want to commit to being here on October 15th! I want to do an extension...and then she finds someone else, She is very different than my typical client,,,in personality and finance. I thought I was getting a newly divorced woman with barely any money. Instead...she's got a giant portfolio with giant capital gains. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsTabbyKats Posted April 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Btw...this is really more of a rant than asking for advice. But I will never take a referral from this woman again. She knows I hate doing tax returns for lawyers...and she hid that fact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yardley CPA Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 MsTabbyKats...I think all of us have felt, at one time or another that we don't "click" with a client or two. Ultimately, we provide a service and if a client wants to speak to me on the phone or meet face to face, I try to accommodate that. They are the client and if that makes them “feel better,” than so be it. The extra time I spend with them would also be reflected in my invoice to a certain degree. If you’ve been dealing with the client for the past month, it may be a bit late to tell her you can’t complete the return but you may be able to suggest an extension so you can spend more time with her discussing it? I know what you mean about asking her to go away. I've felt that way too at times. J Good luck! 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsTabbyKats Posted April 4, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 Lol...the referring CPA just told me the X (she did their joint return when they were married) was already in contact about the capital gains. The client gave me 4 brokers statements. Two had the x-husbands name as primary. I didn't look at them. The other 2 had her name and her name only...which I used. Well...the CPA also said "extend".. So "extend" it will be....with my invoice in full. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaB Posted April 4, 2014 Report Share Posted April 4, 2014 No, I don't have THAT client (currently), but I do have a few of THIS client: Got the return done mid February and they are just now picking up because they owe. So I get to recreate the e-file, and I know that's a minor issue, but still a PITA. Also, love the guy with two 20 page 1099's who thinks I just need the first page. Well, yes, as a matter of fact, I AM on a need to know basis, and I need to know the details of your sales. MsTabbyKats, I also have gotten a few stinkers over the years because "friends" sent them to me. One person in particular has sent me nothing but trouble. When they drop his name, I'm not taking new clients. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kcjenkins Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 New client...a referral and I was misled. The CPA who referred did not tell me she is a lawyer...although not currently working as such Long story very short....I've been getting the info in drips and drabs for a month. And everything becomes complex. Example....daycare is 4 facilities with different amounts of each kid....and she sends me formulas. The total credit for 2 kids is about $300. I sent her the final return and she needs to talk to me (I'm busy...I don't take phone calls now...e-mail and I respond almost immediately) about her home office and capital gains. The gains are exactly as on the 1099-Bs...the home office is exactly what she told me! I just don't have the patience to discuss with her. There is a communications gap between us...and a real mis-match. I'm sure she feels this way too. I am ready to say:I don't have the time to complete your return and you'll need to go on extension (she owes about $20K...and wants to open a SEP-IRA)...and pay me now That is exactly what I reccomend you say. She may go elsewhere, or not, but the extension protects her options. She will probably go elsewhere net year, but if not, you can either fire her then or not, your call. Funny thing is, sometimes this sort turns into a good client, once they learn that YOU ARE IN CHARGE. I once had one like this, that I almost fired [and almost cursed out, something I almost never do] who ended up a personal friend as well as a good client. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MsTabbyKats Posted April 5, 2014 Author Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 End to the story...maybe I told her to file an extension...NO...she didn't want to! We came to an agreement about the home office that did not involve calculations. She told me that the large brokerage account was joint with her X...and I should divide it in half. I said I couldn't....that both of the accounts had her name and SS number...and only her name and SS number. Then I got a really good idea. I told her to call the broker...and ASK...who was the owner of these accounts. So...we are now waiting for an e- mail from the broker. And when it turns out that I'm right...up goes the fee! I do think the "you go on extension " tactic did put her in her place. But I don't want to do her again. She's just not worth the aggravation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 You can nominee accounts for which she was the primary owner. and you said there were other accounts which you ignored which were joint accounts? And the daycare? Happens when there's more than one kid and one bill...some places don't separate it out. Trick is to bill for this stuff. I prefer emails too, but if someone wants to talk about the return, then that's just part of the service I provide. I think it's really too late to tell someone to go somewhere else, especially if they've given you the info, and you're just not clicking. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Richcpaman Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 Tabby: I will take her off you hands... I do a number of lawyers returns. Crabby ones? I LOVE to bill them... Rich 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
michaelmars Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 I handle a dozen lawyers, you know the type, they always get retainers up front for them but take 6 months to pay you. but I love them because they are the ones that refer business clients to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pikester1967 Posted April 5, 2014 Report Share Posted April 5, 2014 I handle a dozen lawyers, you know the type, they always get retainers up front for them but take 6 months to pay you. but I love them because they are the ones that refer business clients to me. I have 1 dedicated lawyer myself. Very good referral for additional business which we work both ways. Only took 1 situation to convince of my expertise, never been questioned again. Actually calls before making tax moves and has turned out to be a great client. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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