talking about being busy

[WITAXLADY]

I like to get about 5-8 tax returns of normal types done a day - getting a couple complicated entity's in between a week - I am the last review, my staff inputs.

I am lucky now to get 5 done a week!!

Since Covid with the EIDL, SBA's, hardships, employer unemp comp, and now farm SBA, I think I am just going to tell people - "you know we HAVE been closed for 8 weeks!!"

And none are patient anymore - they do not care about anything anymore...

Sorry - most are nice and some have called back and apologized.

Hospital staff say everyone is angry - angry they have to isolate, and others angry, people are not!!

We just had our 2nd case so we sort of quarantined early - waiting for other shoe to drop -

maybe should have posted other thread - but was talking initially about busy =- still working 7 days a week - usually 9-14 hours a day

Haven't worked by myself in 17 years... and at that have someone in 2 days a week to keep going on paperwork and remotely with emails and phone calls.

 

Be Safe

D

 

 

 

[NECPA in NEBRASKA]

D,

I feel the same way. I don't even know where the time goes. People are really pushy here, also. I am working completely by myself and I'm not the happiest either. I was going to try to make it until 70 doing this, bu tif it keeps up like this, I may just wait to 65 for Medicare and then go work for somebody doing anything but this. I spend so much time answering the phone, emails and reading that actually preparing returns is a pleasure. I just got Ifirm as a portal yesterday, but I don't have time to learn to use it for at least a few weeks.

[scottmcfly]

Yes!  Just because you did their tax return, they think you should be “on call” to answer all of their stupid questions tax-related or not.

[ILLMAS]

Funny how we can all relate, and this conversation is happening to often, when I talk to non-tax persons or people that don't deal with clients, they always say "why do you setup boundaries".  I hate when that happens, but they correct, so please share how you took over the driver seat and took away the power from that pushy person.

[Patrick Michael]

Recently all  the calls about the stimulus checks have been taking up a lot of time.

[Lynn EA USTCP in Louisiana]

Or the calls about their tax returns, mailed priority, and aren't in their mail box on the expected date.  As if I can do anything about how or what the postal service handles the mail.  Ugh !!!

 

[Lion EA]

Or, the nonclient (friend, church acquaintance, relative of client, etc.) who wants your opinion because they think their tax professional gypped them out of deductions by failing to file Schedule A -- when the standard deduction was much higher than their itemized deductions or the SALT limit lowered their deductions or...

My daughter's teenage friends each received $1,200 so now my daughter's mad at me for claiming her. Please amend my return.

When will I get my stimulus check?

What will be my capital gain rate for 2020?

I often let my phone go to voice mail, because I encourage email so I have a savable trail. That meant I'd answer emails fast. Now, I'm letting many wait until I'm done for the night or until the next business morning (even if I'm sitting here on non-business days).

[RitaB]

Thanks to all of you for the comments.  I am dragging.  I know I am so very fortunate because I work alone,  don't prepare returns with clients in front of me, and I've not missed a single day of work.  Stopped working Saturdays a month early.  But Holy Crow, I feel like I can't get anything done.  I had five of my October PITA clients who became April PITA clients, and you know it's like pulling teeth to get them wrapped up.  Bless their hearts; I don't know who ties their shoes for them.  Add one million EIP calls and hey-my-return-was-filed-in-February-but-I've-not-received-my-refund calls.  At least my folks are overwhelmingly pleasant, and I know some just want me to tell them we're gonna be fine.  So thankful for the extension from April 15 to July 15.  I sure needed it.

[Lion EA]

I too am thankful for the new 15 July deadline, because my tax preparation is no where near what it would be by a normal 15 April. I'm still going to have lots of extensions.

I love the clients who call to ask if I filed their returns yet when I'm waiting on them to give me the list of information needed that I emailed two weeks ago. No, when you give me your W-2 and NY driver's license and answer the virtual currency question and give me details on the $6,000 you gave to charity and confirm your banking information and..., I'll complete your returns and send them to you for signatures.

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

26 minutes ago, Lion EA said:

I often let my phone go to voice mail, because I encourage email so I have a savable trail. That meant I'd answer emails fast. Now, I'm letting many wait until I'm done for the night or until the next business morning (even if I'm sitting here on non-business days).

These days, with the way many people think, having a printable trail is not an option.

Voicemail transcription to email is handy.  Not always accurate, but reasonable, especially since the sound file is usually attached.

[Lion EA]

Do you recommend any transcriptions apps? Are they expensive?

[Lee B]

Thank you for making realize how fortunate I am that my practice is primarily small business write up, payroll and business entity tax preparation..

I just counted and I only have 6 non business 1040s that I do and 3 of those used to be business returns.

Truly, I have not had a single one of these calls. Now I feel like I am sitting underneath a Double Rainbow ! 

[Roberts]

Our VOIP provider gives us an email with voice to print copy of all voice mails. I can also download any voicemails I think.

I can also record any phone calls I want (my state only requires one side to know a call is being recorded).

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

4 minutes ago, Lion EA said:

Do you recommend any transcriptions apps? Are they expensive?

For a free service, with good features, "wash" your calls through a google voice number.  In other words, forward your calls to GV and let GV be the answering machine.  If you want to answer as well, GV can forward to another number, such as a cell.  You could even (I think) port your business number to GV, and just forward to whatever cell or LL number you wish (presuming you want to answer some of the time).  GV handles texts in and out as well.

I also use VOIPO, as a virtual service, since they handle incoming and outgoing fax as well.  While VOIPO offers an actual VOIPO physical phone, I don't use it, as I prefer forwarding.

My setups are fairly complicated, as I travel (so I use different cell carriers depending on where I am at).  I also like to have an easy to swap option, rather than having a failure cause me to have to scramble.  I actually have a check list of steps showing how I bounce things around, with notes on how to change if something goes awry.

Public facing fax, is a virtual number (VOIPO), which creates a pdf emailed to me.  I can send outgoing fax messages by attaching PDF and using a special email address format (receiving fax number @ a certain domain).  $36 per year IIRC.

Public facing voice, virtual number using VOIPO. $185 every two years IIRC.  Has voicemail transcription (attaches a sound file to an email).  Many other options.  The one flaw is their ring silence option is in beta.  Accepts text messages too, in a similar manner, and allows replying to incoming text messages directly (email send to the text number).  I can also forward my public number to another number, or use simultaneous ring.

Both GV and VOIPO have ways to have outgoing calls use your public number for caller ID, such as when forwarding to and calling back from a cell or other number you do not want the public to see.

If I did not need the fax ability, I would probably just use GV as my "hub".  I am likely porting the voice number to GV when my VIOP voice subscription runs out, and just keeping VOIPO for fax.

[BulldogTom]

1 hour ago, Medlin Software said:

For a free service, with good features, "wash" your calls through a google voice number.  In other words, forward your calls to GV and let GV be the answering machine.  If you want to answer as well, GV can forward to another number, such as a cell.  You could even (I think) port your business number to GV, and just forward to whatever cell or LL number you wish (presuming you want to answer some of the time).  GV handles texts in and out as well.

I also use VOIPO, as a virtual service, since they handle incoming and outgoing fax as well.  While VOIPO offers an actual VOIPO physical phone, I don't use it, as I prefer forwarding.

My setups are fairly complicated, as I travel (so I use different cell carriers depending on where I am at).  I also like to have an easy to swap option, rather than having a failure cause me to have to scramble.  I actually have a check list of steps showing how I bounce things around, with notes on how to change if something goes awry.

Public facing fax, is a virtual number (VOIPO), which creates a pdf emailed to me.  I can send outgoing fax messages by attaching PDF and using a special email address format (receiving fax number @ a certain domain).  $36 per year IIRC.

Public facing voice, virtual number using VOIPO. $185 every two years IIRC.  Has voicemail transcription (attaches a sound file to an email).  Many other options.  The one flaw is their ring silence option is in beta.  Accepts text messages too, in a similar manner, and allows replying to incoming text messages directly (email send to the text number).  I can also forward my public number to another number, or use simultaneous ring.

Both GV and VOIPO have ways to have outgoing calls use your public number for caller ID, such as when forwarding to and calling back from a cell or other number you do not want the public to see.

If I did not need the fax ability, I would probably just use GV as my "hub".  I am likely porting the voice number to GV when my VIOP voice subscription runs out, and just keeping VOIPO for fax.

Could you translate this down to 1996 techie knowledge?

Tom
Modesto, CA

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

1 minute ago, BulldogTom said:

Could you translate this down to 1996 techie knowledge?

Tom
Modesto, CA

It is something which requires active participation in setup and maintenance.  You can port your public number to a virtual service, then the number, via the setup in the virtual service, can be set to forward to a physical phone (such as a cell), just made announcement only, voice mail transcribed to email, etc.

The VOIP type service "hosts" your public number, and offers setup options as to what to do when someone calls, texts, and possibly faxes your public number(s).  The advantage of the VOIP type service is not having to pay for a landline (since we all have cell phones).  (There is a disadvantage of no landline during a disaster scenario, as cell towers get overwhelmed, will run out of backup power - if they even have backup power.)

Via the VOIP service, I can have whatever physical number(s) I want ring, set hours, and have voicemails transcribed and sent to me via email (including a sound file I can listen to if the transcription was not great).  Saving the transcription and sound file is good "evidence" should you get into a "I did (or did not) say that" scenario.  Google voice has the ability to record live calls, and IIRC, provides a method of notification so even a two party consent (for recording) state like CA is covered.

--

For most, it really is not terribly complicated.  Mine is complicated because I often stay at places where I have to use a secondary or tertiary cell carrier, or even a sat phone or just wifi phone.  Rather than having to remember to setup and return to normal when I travel, I have a long set of setup in place all the time, forwarding down the "line" until one of my physical phone lines ring or receives a message.

So for most, some sort of efax (if needed) setup, plus google voice for voice, text, and answering machine, will be more than adequate

[JohnH]

On 5/28/2020 at 12:42 PM, Lion EA said:

Or, the nonclient (friend, church acquaintance, relative of client, etc.) who wants your opinion because they think their tax professional gypped them out of deductions by failing to file Schedule A -- when the standard deduction was much higher than their itemized deductions or the SALT limit lowered their deductions or...

My daughter's teenage friends each received $1,200 so now my daughter's mad at me for claiming her. Please amend my return.

When will I get my stimulus check?

What will be my capital gain rate for 2020?

I often let my phone go to voice mail, because I encourage email so I have a savable trail. That meant I'd answer emails fast. Now, I'm letting many wait until I'm done for the night or until the next business morning (even if I'm sitting here on non-business days).

I agree completely with the strategy in your final paragraph.  Once your clients know your voice mail response is slowest while email and text response is fastest, most will quickly shift to email and/or text.   I always tell them I generally respond to email & text rapidly, but phone messages sometimes take a day or two.  (Often the initial response is "I've seen your message and I'll get back to you ASAP", but that seems to satisfy them as they have the comfort of knowing I'm thinking about their question. And if their question truly is time-sensitive, I can get to it appropriately)  

With a couple of exceptions, even my oldest clients have become habitual email/text communicators. Many of my older clients have developed hearing problems (as I have), so I believe this is one reason they've jumped on the email/text bandwagon.  More and more of these seniors tend to text, and these days you almost can't communicate with anyone under 45 unless you text. Since texting is fairly easy to preserve, I'm just as  fine with it as I am with email.

In any event, email/text questions tend to be more focused since they must spend a little time thinking about they're typing.  (Same goes for my reply).  Voice conversations frequently tend to be mind-dumps, useless background, or a rehash of what their brother-in-law told them about tax law.  And when the email/text we don't waste a lot of time talking about the weather, COVID, riots, grandkids, our latest doctor visit, and all the other interesting diversions we're all subject to be drawn into.  If anything, written communications can sometimes be too sparse, but that's pretty easy to rectify with a well-crafted response. 

[Randall]

I don't like texting with clients.  Only a couple have my mobile number.  My preference is email.

 

[JohnH]

Maybe your experience is different than mine, but I know for a fact I would lose some clients if I didn't text with them.  Since I'm more or less on a retirement glide path, that isn't terribly important to me, but if I had 10-20 years ahead of me before retirement that would be a concern for me.  Those millennials will eventually go somewhere else if you can't/won't communicate with them in the way they're accustomed.  

As it is, I'd probably get rid of certain of my clients if they didn't text (or at least email).  So in my case there's a bit of a reversal of priorities on this issue.  

[Lion EA]

I hate texting. I can't write/edit/proofread on those tiny keys and tiny screen. I'd phased out my cell with clients (It was my only biz phone when I went out on my own, but quickly got a great rate for a second line in my home office) but, as you say, many younger clients want to text. Now I have my cell back on my biz cards, web site, email signature, etc. But, I'll often write them an email reply and then text them to check their email. And, the quality of the pictures of documents they send me is sometime unreadable.

I even have a couple of clients who Private Message me on FaceBook.

John: how do I save a text? I have an old iPhone 6+. I think I figured out a way when a client texted his signed 8879, but I don't try to save often and can't remember (another fun thing about aging).

[Medlin Software, Dennis]

58 minutes ago, Lion EA said:

I hate texting. I can't write/edit/proofread on those tiny keys and tiny screen. I'd phased out my cell with clients (It was my only biz phone when I went out on my own, but quickly got a great rate for a second line in my home office) but, as you say, many younger clients want to text. Now I have my cell back on my biz cards, web site, email signature, etc. But, I'll often write them an email reply and then text them to check their email. And, the quality of the pictures of documents they send me is sometime unreadable.

I even have a couple of clients who Private Message me on FaceBook.

John: how do I save a text? I have an old iPhone 6+. I think I figured out a way when a client texted his signed 8879, but I don't try to save often and can't remember (another fun thing about aging).

You do not have to actually use a phone and a text messaging program to have SMS (text) communications.  You can setup a google voice number to serve as your "text" number, and have those messages forwarded to your email.  You can use your email to respond, including storing messages.  The only "loss" with SMS is the inclusion of the thread of messages in each reply, which can require a bit more work on your part if you do not remember the conversation.

[Randall]

Too much trouble.  My business line is a land line.  My cell phone is my only personal line.  I use to check email and text some for business.  I think the young people are savvy enough to use email.  If that's a deal breaker, ok.  I'm old too and not too long left in the game.  I can easily save email or a thread into a client file.  Copy or tracking a thread in text, I'm not sure how.  I did it once by copying and emailing to myself.  But as I recall, I had to copy and email each text in a thread to myself.  Hopefully there's an easier way.

 

[JohnH]

6 hours ago, Lion EA said:

I hate texting. I can't write/edit/proofread on those tiny keys and tiny screen. I'd phased out my cell with clients (It was my only biz phone when I went out on my own, but quickly got a great rate for a second line in my home office) but, as you say, many younger clients want to text. Now I have my cell back on my biz cards, web site, email signature, etc. But, I'll often write them an email reply and then text them to check their email. And, the quality of the pictures of documents they send me is sometime unreadable.

I even have a couple of clients who Private Message me on FaceBook.

John: how do I save a text? I have an old iPhone 6+. I think I figured out a way when a client texted his signed 8879, but I don't try to save often and can't remember (another fun thing about aging).

If you have trouble texting, you can always set up an inexpensive bluetooth keyboard & connect to your phone to use when typing a lengthy text. But that's a little cumbersome when you're on the go.

There are probably more exotic ways to print texts, but I just take a screen shot & email it to myself.  Or just print the screenshot directly to a printer connected to the phone via wifi.  I don't feel the need to keep a written record of every text. It all depends upon the seriousness of the conversation.   

Some of my texts lately looked a lot like  like this:     ->: "Do you know when my stimulus payment's going to be here?"    A->  "I don't know.  Here's the link to IRS ........" 

[Lion EA]

Thank you, John and Medlin.