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NT: please can I scream now?


Catherine

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Since about 3pm, it has been utter lunacy here. I can't hang up the phone without it ringing again. People who have been agitating for signature documents are only signing 1 of the 3 sent, despite being told in the email with the docs that there are three required. Not optional; required. Colleagues calling who need advice or calming down or both. People showing up at the door, without warning, with papers to drop off. Several of my foreign-based clients decided to send docs too. 

I'm ready to crawl under my desk with a bottle of whiskey and a bag of Skittles and not come out until May. Except I gave up Skittles (and more) for Lent, so I can't even do that. I really want to scream right now.

:wall::wall::wall::wall::wall:

Rant over. Mostly. For a while, at least.

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I'm so sorry.  I feel you.  It's pretty bad.

I find that I'm not holding my tongue very well.  A client called me out of my office (staff came in and said 'client x says her return isn't accurate') to tell me something preposterous about why her refund should be larger (some 'folklore' tax rule).  I looked her straight in the eye and said, 'who told you that, your hairdresser'?  After a moment of stunned silence (from both her and me) where I thought she might take her things and leave for ever, she burst out laughing and apologized.

Another client emailed me 3 times this past Sunday morning and texted me twice (call me crazy, but I do not respond to email from the sanctuary).  After the service, I finally responded to him with 'why aren't you in Church'.  No response, but he did send additional emails later in the day, so I assume he's still okay.

I might not get so lucky next time.  I need some 'be nice' pills.

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Others procrastination does not equal emergency on my part.  A few years ago I decided that clients that wanted to drop off/place docs into portal after a certain date (this year it was March 31st), I inform them that I do not have the time to complete their return by the due date.  I am willing to file an extension for them and I can start on those returns after May 1st. Decision is up to them what to do.  Most agree.  The others can run to other offices and cause them problems.  My health, life, sanity is not worth the stress.  Not to mention, in order to provide a correct return, I need time and sleep.

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14 hours ago, Catherine said:

Since about 3pm, it has been utter lunacy here. I can't hang up the phone without it ringing again. People who have been agitating for signature documents are only signing 1 of the 3 sent, despite being told in the email with the docs that there are three required. Not optional; required. Colleagues calling who need advice or calming down or both. People showing up at the door, without warning, with papers to drop off. Several of my foreign-based clients decided to send docs too. 

I'm ready to crawl under my desk with a bottle of whiskey and a bag of Skittles and not come out until May. Except I gave up Skittles (and more) for Lent, so I can't even do that. I really want to scream right now.

:wall::wall::wall::wall::wall:

Rant over. Mostly. For a while, at least.

Don't cry Catherine...It be all better soon....giphy.gif?cid=790b76112e5ac227e890f4b5a4

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Last Friday a client called and started reading to me the instructions for filling out the w-4 form. When he started with the "exempt" I said "You are not exempt", he paused and continued reading. I shouted "you are not exempt" and it confused him. I'm not taking responsibility for their W-4 form in April.

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Daily, I get a complaint that a new employee has no FWH. The employer usually even says they claim no allowances. I have to try to revisit the W4 change, there is no provision for allowances, and those who used to claim 0 or 1 allowance need to add additional withholding. Usually still my “fault” even when I go over Pub15T with them.

Daily I am also getting complaints that my calculations are wrong because an employee is griping they had to pay for the first time ever. I too look forward to the filing deadline, and while bothersome for tax preparers, still firmly believe tax preparers should be charging for and helping with W4 forms rather that giving unusable advice such as withhold 10%, or no advice at all such as “submit a new W4”.

Of course, clients don’t want to pay for services, so I get the push back, but having an amount withheld above the penalty level and right about the amount owed would benefit the client who is wise, versus clients who rate preparers on the size of their refund (tell them to use the higher withholding option and add several hundred additional <smile>).

Grand toddler always puts things in perspective for me. Limiting all support to written form has changed my attitude the most. Prevents misunderstanding (or at least shows the proper information was given) and not as many go on written tirades. 

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Some people will take a mile if you give them an inch. This year seems worse for some reason.  I've always charged on a per-form basis as I'm terrible about tracking my time.  I've spent way to much time on what should be the simplest of returns simply because they can't or don't want to keep track of things like what they paid in child care.  I've decided I'm going to raise fees around 30% next year and then give a substantial discount to those people who can follow simple instructions of what to bring. 

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20 hours ago, kathyc2 said:

follow simple instructions. 

Crazy thought. Had a lady bring me her information on Monday and on Wednesday I delivered to her a list of questions which she acknowledged. Today she's wondering what refund she'll get even though she didn't answer any of the questions. You took a $15k IRA distribution and withheld no tax and you think you are getting a refund?

 

Daughter of a client asked for a copy her mother's 2020 tax return. I said I need proof of POA so she sends her brother a request to order me to provide a copy. Her brother emails the same request and puts POA after his name at the bottom of the email. These are highly educated people.

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6 minutes ago, mcbreck said:

 

Daughter of a client asked for a copy her mother's 2020 tax return. I said I need proof of POA so she sends her brother a request to order me to provide a copy. Her brother emails the same request and puts POA after his name at the bottom of the email. These are highly educated people.

Thanks mcbreck, I really needed a good belly laugh. Now I have a big smile on my face😃

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I swear, people are getting more stupid by the day, dumb as rocks, and wouldn't be able to find their way out of a paper bag!

I've had to email a few long time clients re-instructing them again that I need the signature forms back before I can e-file.  These are always on the outside of the folder, signature lines highlighted, and with a colored slip clipped to them on all of the ways the form(s) can be returned to me.

One is a recent college grad and daughter of existing client is apparently just like her dad and only reads parts of the email. The part about signing the 8879 was in larger text and in bold. What did I get back?  "Thank you for providing the document files."  So I waited a couple of days before following up and the next response was "oh, I didn't know I had to sign anything." 

:wall:

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Judy, we all feel your pain because it is ours, too.  I swear the electronic signature option, IF they can figure out how to access (what is my password? how do I find it?) at least the directions and CONFIRM with a click and moving to the next place is hard to overlook.  How many times have we all gotten forms returned with those SIGN & DATE HERE arrows still stuck to blank areas? Shaking my head.....

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Last year, I had a client who moved sold their house and bought a new house. so everything was handled via email.

So I asked them for copies of their closing statements. They couldn't figure out what to send me.

Finally I went online and found three different samples of what closing statements looked like and emailed those copies to to them.

One spouse has a PHD and the other spouse has a MS, both Degrees in Education.

Finally I received copies of the closing statements🤨

 

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Called an elder client yesterday who had a battle with cancer, chemo and radiation, and she told me that sendinc.com would not let her send me the documents I needed, but she couldn't tell me what the problem was. I think her brain is fried, which is completely understandable. Also, she was trying to use an ipad and an ancient computer. Sometimes, you just don't have the hardware it takes.

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Thanks for all the sympathy, empathy, and commiseration. 

My letter clearly states that if I don't have all materials in my hands by March 15th, all bets are off, *and* that every return not ready to file *will* (not may) be put on extension the first week of April. So it wasn't even deadline pressure that day. It was just all of a sudden the floodgates gave way and I was inundated with other people panicking, being stupid, or both, and I needed to rant.

Thanks, friends, you're in the same boat so you get it.

🥰

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