I hate the week before 15 October

[michaelmars]

Well the many once a year people that procrastinate are not the ones I care about.  Almost all of our returns have multiple k-1's in them so we are stuck till 9/15 to do them.  For a firm our size we put out about 1800 returns and most of them are multistates,  multiple sch E's and lately a lot of our clients are in tic's to unlike k-1's, we don't even receive the info till now when the tic's accountant works on it.  We bought out a 2 man firm a while back and they do a lot of $300 returns, our core starts at $1000  or they are part of a business client.

We have been trying since august to hire 2 people, a 3-5 year person and a junior.  There is no one out there even sending in resume's.  If we go into tax season this short handed then we will have a revolt from our staff.  Gearing up for the new January deadlines, we added a full time bookkeeper and 2 part timers to get all of our write-ups done by jan 15th.  As for the new March deadlines, no way, every business return is going on extension [especially 1065's with no money due] March 1st.  Then we can get them done as we get them done.  April should now be a snap and we will spread our work load out over may-august for everthing we would have normally done march and april.

These new deadlines are going to make us all drastically change our work flow practices.

 

[mcb39]

12 hours ago, Jack from Ohio said:

I don't even try or worry about it.  9 months is enough time for ANYONE to gather and forward tax information.

Penalty?  TOO BAD SO SAD!  (wait till you see MY bill!)

 

I just stole the wording from your sign for my FB page.

[Catherine]

On 10/15/2016 at 10:23 PM, SaraEA said:

Next year, set a deadline of Oct 1 and don't promise anything to those who show up after that date. 

I set a deadline of September 15th, years ago, and that deadline goes out by email to everyone still uncompleted as of June 1st, and again on August 1st.  STILL we get people missing it.  Heck, I have a couple of folks who still owe me 2014 information - and one lady who owes me every year starting with 2012!  She has lost a couple of refunds for sure, yet she did send her 2015 info (got the last bits Friday) and as has not been the case before - she owes.  Oh, well.  

I was in here over the weekend - but working on slides for a CPE presentation on stock options I'm giving in January as part of the MaSEA annual tax update.  I did, while I was here *anyway*, send out a couple of signature forms to folks who got me the last tidbits.  One case was the ssn for a new dependent, another was bank info for direct debit for payments.  Gee, funny - I don't have any of those signature pages back yet today.  I am *not* going to sweat it, and I am going to leave at 5PM today no matter what.  

[RitaB]

13 hours ago, SaraEA said:

 

Guess we'll have to get creative with conjuring up "reasonable cause" excuses.  Can anyone offer better wording for lazy, disorganized, better things to do, just don't care?

 

How about "since taxpayer mileage 'log' was not creative enough can you let him slide?  He had good intentions.  If you concentrate, you can smell those good intentions, come on now..."

[Catherine]

Or just give him a Rita hug and prepare the estate return, instead. 

[SaraEA]

Michaelmars, where are you advertising your job openings?  People don't get newspapers anymore and thus don't read the "help wanted" sections.  You have to go on social media these days.  We advertised an opening at all the local colleges that offer accounting degrees...not one response.  I'm not sure I trust those posting to get where they need to go.  You have to post the opening online but aren't "registered" with the college so can't check if your position is actually posted.  If you know people who teach there, it might be a better bet to contact them directly.  Our professors at the university where I got my masters used to forward us emails about job openings they received personally.

Another thought is to spread the word when you attend live seminars.  Ask a few people if they know of anyone looking for a new job; it will get around.  I know that a lot of H & R Block staff, many of whom are very well trained, think every year about getting another job where they don't have to put up with senior management's ever-changing nonsense.  Problem is how to reach them. Linked in?  State employment office sites?  Local employment sites? You just have to get on the internet.  Ironic that now that we have all these ways of reaching a million people, we can't reach them.

[joanmcq]

I finished my last one at 11:58pm.  I'm not doing this anymore.  I've got a few that didn't pick up their returns and they're still sitting here.

The last one was an RDP couple who also have a partnership.  The woman running the p'ship biz (not one of the couple) didn't like how my employee was keeping the books, didn't pay her, and is looking to buy the biz from the couple, but is facing an EDD audit.  I warned her about the ICs....so anyways, I never got the stuff to do the p'ship, so I never finished the individual returns.  The p'ship always had losses, so the couple said, can't we file without it and amend.  So, last minute.  And....when I looked closer at the file...mega ESPP sale.  Mega.  All on of of the RDPs, since the ESPPs were bought before they registered.  So a big rush to get him filed so at least he wouldn't have the late filing penalty on a 38k balance due.  I feel it was my bad for not looking closer at the docs, and he did send them to me on April 15, so I've had them.

The other RDP had a refund, so he got filed today.

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

I wrapped up the last one that had all of the information at 1 AM on 10/17 and e-mailed them for signature. Had to resend to another officer, because the first one texted me that he wouldn't open the email until late that night. I am just glad to be able to wind down a bit and get out the quarterlies, sales taxes, bookkeeping and all of the late returns in to try to start fresh in January. I just need to register for four more hours of CPE and I will have all of that figured out for the year. 

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

I just had a client drop off their 2015 work with their 2014 8879. Husband signed 1/15/16, spouse 4/15/16 and my check was dated 6/15/16. I hope it is OK that I used today as the date signed when I transmitted it. That is when I signed added their OIN 

[joanmcq]

I've been purging and packing all day, all last night too.  Still have to do the payroll tax returns for me and one client.  Pay bills.  Drop clothing off at the WEAVE thrift store (I think they'll be happy to get my business suits and other professional clothes plus a lot of other stuff I've unfortunately outgrown).  Do an amended return and three (easy) back returns.  Call one client that never picked up their returns.  Email another one that hasn't paid.  Got rid of all the really old tax materials; I guess if I have to look up 2005 tax law I'll just have to use the internet.  Never did get around to putting a bunch of stuff on the lawn with a 'FREE' sign on them.

I can't wait til this move is over!!!

[SaraEA]

Joan, don't you know that if clothes hang in a closet long enough they shrink?

[FDNY]

8 hours ago, SaraEA said:

Joan, don't you know that if clothes hang in a closet long enough they shrink?

That's how I get my incentive....someday I'll fit into those elephant bells with the 30" waist.  Can only wear them on one day, Halloween.  Better stop eating today...or last month.

[joanmcq]

I may have burned some off this weekend loading and unloading trucks. I did discover I haven't packed any belts yet. 

[Catherine]

16 hours ago, joanmcq said:

I did discover I haven't packed any belts yet. 

A nice piece of twine makes a good emergency substitute.  But be careful not to tie too good of a knot in it!

[mcb39]

I can't remember the last time that I wore a belt.