Spouses occupation

[ILLMAS]

What occupation do you use when you have a non-working spouse?  I want to see what others are putting before I say what I used to use and what I use now.

 

MAS

[JohnH]

I usually ask them and then put whatever they say.

I also leave it blank on occasion.

[kcjenkins]

Depends, sometimes H/W [for housewife] have left it blank, sometimes Student [where appropriate], sometimes, if they have credentials and want to keep it, I leave their prior occupation, Nurse, for example.  

[Lion EA]

I ask them.  Had one "Domestic Diva" once.  Often it's Homemaker.  Sometimes Unemployed.  More and more Retired, even those younger than I am.  As has been mentioned, often the most recent occupation if they're looking or on a maternity leave or temporarily ill or....

[Jack from Ohio]

I never fill those in.

[MsTabbyKats]

Associate

[Catherine]

Empress of All She Surveys...

[SaraEA]

Housewife?  Who is married to their house?  Homemaker it is, you MCP.  Actually it doesn't make any difference at all unless the taxpayer is taking employee business expenses, in which case an auditor might wonder why a mail carrier is taking deductions for meals and entertainment or malpractice insurance.

 

Sometimes it makes a difference to the client.  I had a guy who was "looking for work" for a good 10 years.  About 5 years in I changed his occupation to "umemployed," and he called me out on it.  Now that he's in his late 60s and collects Soc Security, I changed it to "retired," and again got called out.  I guess their occupation is whatever they say it is, and as long as it has no affect on the return do whatever they say.

[kcjenkins]

Did have one "Domestic Goddess" and one "Jack of All Trades".  Not on the same return.

[JohnH]

I also had one I took over who liked to describe themselves as an "Administrative Assistant", but their prior tax preparer's software apparently only allowed a certain number of characters, and it did a very poor job of abbreviating the term.

[GeneInAlabama]

I think "homemaker" is a very honorable title.

[Jack from Ohio]

Filling this in is a waste of my time.

[GeneInAlabama]

Yeah, it takes at least 5 seconds.

[Pacun]

In order to answer this question correctly, you have to read the mind of the IRS (which is hard to do). Why that question? That question has to do with the allocation of income, especially tip income. So if someone was a waitress or waiter (nowdays), if you put that previous title, the IRS could expect some tips reported. Same thing for hairstylist.

 

I always use housewife or househusband.

[Jack from Ohio]

Filling this in is a waste of my time.

 

 

Yeah, it takes at least 5 seconds.

It serves NO purpose for tax calculation and I have never heard of the information being used by the IRS in any manner.

[ILLMAS]

I used to use House Wife, but with so many things becoming politically incorrect after the dot com boom, I now use Home Maker, but there is a reason why the IRS would like to know your occupation:

 

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/09resonknowtax.pdf

[Jack from Ohio]

I used to use House Wife, but with so many things becoming politically incorrect after the dot com boom, I now use Home Maker, but there is a reason why the IRS would like to know your occupation:

 

http://www.irs.gov/pub/irs-soi/09resonknowtax.pdf

At the firm, for the last 30 years, we have never filled in those fields. In 30 years there has never been any mention of those fields in any dealings with the IRS, including audits. The firm has filed over 60,000 returns in that amount of time.

I have been in business for 17 years with the same results.

There is no reason for the IRS to know what the occupation of each person is.

[mcb39]

At the firm, for the last 30 years, we have never filled in those fields. In 30 years there has never been any mention of those fields in any dealings with the IRS, including audits. The firm has filed over 60,000 returns in that amount of time.

I have been in business for 17 years with the same results.

There is no reason for the IRS to know what the occupation of each person is.

That may be so, but I have found that often the client will make a correction either on the organizer or verbally.  It seems that nobody wants to be a "nobody" doing "nothing".; even if the answer is retired.  Home Maker, Student, Self-Employed and others work well when in doubt.  After all, we are working for the client, not the IRS.  Often clients DO care.

[Richcpaman]

Whatever works.

 

The IRS has released information in the past where they reported the AGI in comparison to the occupation listed on the return.

 

Therefore I list for my clients, "Death Eater".

 

Rich

[Gail in Virginia]

Whatever works.

 

The IRS has released information in the past where they reported the AGI in comparison to the occupation listed on the return.

 

Therefore I list for my clients, "Death Eater".

 

Rich

Do your clients ever question your choice of occupational title for them? 

[Richcpaman]

Do your clients ever question your choice of occupational title for them? 

No, but I want to see if it shows up on the survey one day...

 

Rich

[Jack from Ohio]

No, but I want to see if it shows up on the survey one day...

 

Rich

The fields are ignored by the IRS.

[Lion EA]

I don't make choices for my clients.  They tell me their occupations.  I ask questions.  I interview.

[JohnH]

And now for the really important question - how do you list your occupation?

I'm thinking of changing mine, but can't decide what is most comprehensive:

1) Marriage Counselor

2) Amateur Psychologist

3) Mind Reader

4) Truth Detective

5) Unpaid Government Data Entry Clerk

6) Uncompensated Auditor

[Jack from Ohio]

And now for the really important question - how do you list your occupation?

I'm thinking of changing mine, but can't decide what is most comprehensive:

1) Marriage Counselor

2) Amateur Psychologist

3) Mind Reader

4) Truth Detective

5) Unpaid Government Data Entry Clerk

6) Uncompensated Auditor

All of the above??