Terry D EA Posted February 15, 2015 Report Share Posted February 15, 2015 Whew!!! I just had one of clients leave that drinks and smokes and literally smells up my office to point I want to puke. Half the time he can't remember what he has done with his documents, dumps a pile of letters; etc, on the desk for me to rummage through, and couldn't tell me if he paid his vehicle taxes or not. BTW, current license tag and in NC if you don't pay the vehicle taxes... not sticker and no registraton. It killed me to have to take time and look them up on the county website as the air in my office was no longer suitable to breathe. He has been coming to me for quite a few years now and I have to go through the same air filtration process when he leaves each year. I can definitely prove all of those febreeze commercials wrong. It takes at least two or three applications to begin to clear up smell. So, this year I raised the price of preparing his return with the idea that it would make him mad and he would go somewhere else. Not a fat chance. He didn't even blink at the increased price and wrote the check. Now he says he is headed to Costa Rica to leave in a year or so and needed tax advice. I naturally told him that I was not an expert on foreign taxes, US taxes when living abroad; etc, and advised him to find an expert in this area. Nope, wants me to bone up on this. At the very most I have one year here in the US left with him and if we do business when he is in Costa Rica or wherever he goes, the only thing I'll have to fumagate is the envelope when it gets here. Ok, rant over and the febreeze has finally taken over! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfassett Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 I have a female client that thinks perfume was made for her. Lovely person, great client, would always have my back, but uses way too much perfume. We have to air out the building after her car has left the parking lot. I pray that she would never return immediately for some reason and find all of that airing out going on. I sure would not want to hurt her feelings 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JohnH Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Personally, I wouldn't buddge on refusing to handle his work after he goes to Costa Rica. Trying to bone up on somehting like this for a single client is a losing propostion. I'd tell him he has to find someone else and he can expect to pay them a lot of money to prepare his returns. If he can't afford it, then he can't afford to go to Costa Rica. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 (edited) Personally, I wouldn't buddge on refusing to handle his work after he goes to Costa Rica. Trying to bone up on somehting like this for a single client is a losing propostion. I'd tell him he has to find someone else and he can expect to pay them a lot of money to prepare his returns. If he can't afford it, then he can't afford to go to Costa Rica. Don't tell him that - he might not GO!! Just tell him he needs to find someone else, who specializes in expat issues. If he insists on you doing the research, that's billable time paid IN ADVANCE. He'll leave. (I don't usually advocate charging clients for research time. However, if the research benefits him and him alone, and he is the one insisting YOU do it -- bill him!) Edited February 16, 2015 by Catherine 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cathy Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Terry, Do yourself and your other clients a favor and put up a no smoking sign outside your office (or thank you for not smoking). Evidently, there were only 2 tax offices in the country that a taxpayer could smoke.....mine, as I smoked like a train until January, and yours.....be glad you don't smoke. Just tell him that you had another client to come in after he left and his smoke residue caused your other client to have an asthma attack, and you can't be responsible nor do you want one of your clients to get sick just because he/she came into your office at the wrong time.....behind a smoker! It can happen....just one of the many reasons I quit. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jklcpa Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Do we even know if Terry's client was smoking at the time? I've had drinker/smoker clients that reeked and brought a lingering cloud in with them on their person and clothing, and my office had a strong odor of stale bar and grease, sweat, and smoke even though the person didn't not smoke while here. I also have one business client whose wife has similar heavy bad habits and smokes those skinny black cigar-ettes. They have a stronger and more stinky odor, the biz papers themselves reek of it and make the whole room stink while they are in my possession, and the smell gets on my hands while working on the records. When I have to visit their site, I freshen up in the morning and shower when I get back so that I don't have to smell like that all day, and I always leave my jackets or coats in the car. *gag* 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GeneInAlabama Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 When I used to smoke (about 50 years ago), I had no idea how I affected others. I thought my mother in law was very inconsiderate because she only had one ashtray in the house and I had to carry it around with me wherever I went. How stupid I was. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
schirallicpa Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 ok - i have farmers, oilmen, and smokers. And my dog likes to toot every once-in-awhile. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rfassett Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 ok - i have farmers, oilmen, and smokers. And my dog likes to toot every once-in-awhile. Oh sure, blame the dog! 5 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaB Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 Would it kill you, UPS guy, to air out for 30 seconds before you come in here? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max W Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 The rules on expat taxes, look pretty straightforward. http://www.irs.gov/Individuals/International-Taxpayers/Expatriation-Tax As for smoking, I can't imagine someone being so rude and inconsiderate to light up in someone's office without asking permission. On the few occasions that someone asks, the reply is "I would appreciate it if you would refrain while you are in here". Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terry D EA Posted February 16, 2015 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 I find it amusing how folks tend to read into this original post. I said "he smokes" I never said he smoked in my office. I would NOT let that happen. I too am a reformed smoker from over 30 years past and can't stand the smell. From this guy it was a combination of smells but the sour ugly alcohol smell is what just about made me sick. I work out of my home and have an office that is attached but separate from the rest of the house and I can close a door so no one can see the rest of the house, but the smell from this guy leaked into the laundry room and kitchen. Kinda reminded you of pig pen on Charlie Brown with the cloud of dirt following him. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RitaB Posted February 16, 2015 Report Share Posted February 16, 2015 I find it amusing how folks tend to read into this original post. I said "he smokes" I never said he smoked in my office. Sometimes I give up on something I want to post cause I don't want to take the time to pre-address every misconception that is going to happen. And we are the people who pay attention to detail. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
joanmcq Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I'll take your Costa Rica guy. I do several ex-pats, including one of my couples that retired to Costa Rica. And PDF forms sent through the portal don't reek :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 I have a client that returns every year....he smells like Fritos. Not entirely unpleasant...just very odd 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted February 17, 2015 Report Share Posted February 17, 2015 Warm Corona? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TAXMAN Posted February 19, 2015 Report Share Posted February 19, 2015 I get the waitress who came in to pay with her tip $. $ all smelled like pizza. Even next morning when BK was taking to bank. At least she paid. I went home hungry for pizza. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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