BulldogTom Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 At my day job, I am the controller for a corporation. We are issuing W2's today. Over the last few days, we have been getting tax preparers calling in for our tax id #'s so they can prepare their client's returns from the last paystub. Today, I got the name of the preparer and the company they work for in Sacramento. Would you report this company to the state or IRS? I got the letter from the IRS this year stating that tax returns must not be submitted until all required documentation is in hand. Everyone knows that you must have a copy of the W2 in the file if you e-file the return. CA is a mandatory e-file state. I am just frustrated with these prep companies that flaunt the rules. I feel like reporting them. Would you? Tom Lodi, cA Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILLMAS Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 NO, don't waste your time, as a comptroller you probably have a long to-do list, just have your secretary send those calls to voicemail. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chuck Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 NO, don't waste your time, as a comptroller you probably have a long to-do list, just have your secretary send those calls to voicemail. Agree don't waste your time. Voice mail is the perfect place for those. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chowdahead Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 I get about 5 phone calls per day from people asking if the can file using their last pay stub. I say no and they hang up. I'm sure eventually they find somewhere that is doing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Janitor Bob Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 The preparer may not be actually filing/transmitting them yet. They may simply be entering all available information and providing the client (your employee) with a loan based on that estimated return.....with a crazy high interest rate or fee, no doubt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catherine Posted January 21, 2011 Report Share Posted January 21, 2011 At my day job, I am the controller for a corporation. We are issuing W2's today. Over the last few days, we have been getting tax preparers calling in for our tax id #'s so they can prepare their client's returns from the last paystub. Today, I got the name of the preparer and the company they work for in Sacramento. Would you report this company to the state or IRS? I got the letter from the IRS this year stating that tax returns must not be submitted until all required documentation is in hand. Everyone knows that you must have a copy of the W2 in the file if you e-file the return. CA is a mandatory e-file state. I am just frustrated with these prep companies that flaunt the rules. I feel like reporting them. Would you? Tom Lodi, cA I would be very strongly tempted to report the company to the IRS. At the very least, it will give them a very-possibly shady firm to investigate, thereby leaving less likelihood of them instead doing eeny-meeny-miney-moe and investigating an honorable and ethical office instead. Which would waste their (IRS & hypothetical good company) time, our taxpayer money, cause the good folks lost business and/or more expenses, and let a shady company off scot-free. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chowdahead Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 The preparer may not be actually filing/transmitting them yet. They may simply be entering all available information and providing the client (your employee) with a loan based on that estimated return.....with a crazy high interest rate or fee, no doubt. I doubt it because you don't need a Payer ID# just to a calculation. But you do need it to e-file. A lot of people are desperate for money this year it seems. I have been getting alot more calls about the last pay stub. Remains to be seen whether or not my overall business will be down because these people will go to someone willing to do it. I heard a radio add for a place called something like Fast Tax Refunds or something (can't remember the name but the ad said 'hundreds of locations nationwide). The ad said, "No W-2 yet? Come on in! We can download most W-2's online!" Oh yeah? I don't find that many companies do this, except banks and huge corporations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly K Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I doubt it because you don't need a Payer ID# just to a calculation. But you do need it to e-file. A lot of people are desperate for money this year it seems. I have been getting alot more calls about the last pay stub. Remains to be seen whether or not my overall business will be down because these people will go to someone willing to do it. I heard a radio add for a place called something like Fast Tax Refunds or something (can't remember the name but the ad said 'hundreds of locations nationwide). The ad said, "No W-2 yet? Come on in! We can download most W-2's online!" Oh yeah? I don't find that many companies do this, except banks and huge corporations. There are many companies that let the taxpayer download their w-2, and this is the website that the puppy meal tax stores use. https://www.w2express.com/index.asp on the right hand side click. "find employer name" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I have one very part-time employee. I upload her pay stubs and W-2 via QB to ViewMyPaycheck.com. I also found unemployment Forms 1099-G on the CT DOL web site for two clients. Thank you Bert for posting that site; I'd been looking for it since I replaced my computer and didn't get all files from my old one yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kimberly K Posted January 22, 2011 Report Share Posted January 22, 2011 I have one very part-time employee. I upload her pay stubs and W-2 via QB to ViewMyPaycheck.com. I also found unemployment Forms 1099-G on the CT DOL web site for two clients. Thank you Bert for posting that site; I'd been looking for it since I replaced my computer and didn't get all files from my old one yet. Your welcome! Ok now I have a question. Two weeks ago I started pounding the streets with marketing flyers to put up in area shops for their employees. I live in a small community with only H&R as my main competition. ( along with a handful of small Tax Firms) One of the stores that I put up a flyer was a small supermarket a few miles from my home. Last week when I looked at the huge bulletin board, another flyer was placed over top of mine.(so I fixed it) Today, when I went in to get a few things, my flyer was ripped down. I plan on putting one back up,but geez I dont think my ex co-workers like my flyer! Did any of you that left H&R, JH or Liberty run into this problem, after you were patient enough to wait for the Non compete clause to run out? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lion EA Posted January 23, 2011 Report Share Posted January 23, 2011 I did learn that the receptionists at HRB were instructed to say that I no longer do taxes -- which is of course false. Guess the preparers were instructed to say that too, but I know some that didn't. However, I didn't advertise. Just used word of mouth and referrals from my current clients, church, broker, lawyer, etc. Someone's really being childish and must need clients more than you! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Achmid Posted January 24, 2011 Report Share Posted January 24, 2011 Nothing better to do? Do not waste your time with the IRS. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pacun Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Nothing better to do? Do not waste your time with the IRS. It is sad but you are right. For years, we have a preparer here who is busy all the time during tax season. He has about 6 people working for him and they make appointments all day and at night. There are appointments at 3AM. In any event, they have pre fabricated, dependent child care forms with daycares EFIN and everything ready to go. They also have non-cash contributions with items and prices ready to go to. IRS just send the refunds for these people. The State where I am are not that naive and they question a lot of returns prepared by these people. They do not sign the return but staple a business card on the folder. Yesterday I had a new client who is married and was filing as HH, he lives together with his wife and she is claimed as a dependent. Husband told me... "Let's see how we do with you"... "last year I went to a lady preparer and I fled her office". I said why? He said: "Well, I am the only one working and I only make $50K with a wife and one child, preparer told me that I had to pay MD. I have never paid MD so I grabbed my papers and went back to my previous preparer." He also said: "I always do the right thing and my returns are prepared properly. Last time I had a problem with the DC goverment and I went to talk to them. They gave me my refund quickly and they asked me where my returns were prepared. DC Government went ahead and collected the business card from my taxes for each year." I believe the DC government is paying attention to this preparer. During the interview he told that he and his wife (both present) had one child and got married in 2008. He told me that he worked as a bus-boy and his wife took care of the child and that's why she was his dependent. When I reviewed his previous return, I told him "you filed as HH and you should file as MFJ, you signed that your child went to this daycare center and that you paid them more than $3,000. This is the name of the child care, address and FEIN. You mentioned that you went to work all year to the same place and you are claiming mileage and meals. I asked, Does your employer provide lunch for you (even though it doesn't matter because he couldn't deduct any lunch)? He said, no. I said even if they don't give you any food, you cannot deduct it. I said, I have worked in a lot of restaurants in the past and ALL of them provide food. He said, "Well, I don't like their food, so I buy my own". At this point I knew I was not going to believe this taxpayer, but I went on. I prepared a test return and told him "you owe MD more than $1K and federal will refund you $3K. That's preparing the return as MFJ as it should be and with all credits and deductions based on your situation and the information you have provided". I said, if the IRS finds out all the problems with your 2009 return, you will have to pay back a lot of money plus interest and penalty. You should ament your return. Also, if the child care center finds out that you are stating that you paid them more than $3K in 2009, they could cause you some problem." I could tell that the husband wanted his papers back and I also noticed that the wife was worried. The wife asked me, could I be in trouble because of all the lies on that return? I said, "not really, you didn't sign the return, you were a dependent." If I prepare your return this year, you will have to sign and you will be responsible for this one, but you don't have to worry because I will prepare it correctly based on the ifo you provide. I gave his W-2 back and I said, please come back when you want to do the right thing and remember that the IRS might take a long time to check your return but once they do it, you could have to pay a lot of money back. I wished them luck and went back to work for remuneration. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ILLMAS Posted January 25, 2011 Report Share Posted January 25, 2011 Wow, the wife was claimed as a dependent to claim HOH, just wondering what was the relationship? (daughter, parent, adopted or other) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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