Margaret CPA in OH

Bump - anyone?

I see the issue - I don't have a Getaway home. Next year's wish list, for sure! But then I couldn't afford my dive trips to exotic places to get away. Both, now that would be nice

I think Marilyn and I are twins. About 90% of what she wrote reflects my situation. I don't use a laptop for business, though, and I only have 8g Ram.

Ah, yes, those pesky conversions! Agreed much more info needed. So glad you are on the board.

Client had issues with realtor so went to attorney to resolve. Fees were $9000. As this sort of was related to getting her house sold, I am inclined to think expense of sale although not directly. Because the sale did not result in any taxable income and was not business related I think it does not have a place on Sch A. Other thoughts? I suspect she is expecting a deduction. Thanks.

Thanks for the clarification, jainen. That's why I posted the pub info. with all the qualifications for the OP to determine how the situation at hand might fit. Admittedly I did not personally read all the details and used the word 'should' in my reply because I thought an idea behind the Roth was that the contributions were post tax and the earnings would be tax-free as well with the holding period. I will have to read ALL the fine print one day when I am faced with the OP's situation.

Then I think it should not be taxable, one of the ideas behind the Roth. This is from Pub. 590 http://www.irs.gov/publications/p590/ch02.html#en_US_2012_publink1000231084 Distributions After Owner's Death If a Roth IRA owner dies, the minimum distribution rules that apply to traditional IRAs apply to Roth IRAs as though the Roth IRA owner died before his or her required beginning date. See When Can You Withdraw or Use Assets? in chapter 1. Distributions to beneficiaries. Generally, the entire interest in the Roth IRA must be distributed by the end of the fifth calendar year after the year of the owner's death unless the interest is payable to a designated beneficiary over the life or life expectancy of the designated beneficiary. (See When Must You Withdraw Assets? (Required Minimum Distributions) in chapter 1.) If paid as an annuity, the entire interest must be payable over a period not greater than the designated beneficiary's life expectancy and distributions must begin before the end of the calendar year following the year of death. Distributions from another Roth IRA cannot be substituted for these distributions unless the other Roth IRA was inherited from the same decedent. If the sole beneficiary is the spouse, he or she can either delay distributions until the decedent would have reached age 70½ or treat the Roth IRA as his or her own.

If it was a traditional IRA, it is taxable as the decedent deferred tax on it during life. If decendent had received distributions, they would have been taxable at that time.

I second that. It would then maybe be easier to find threads that address one's particular problem.

Possibly a silly question but are you sure that you checked Paper Check option for refund? I forgot that once last year and nearly cried until I figured it out then nearly cried because I had overlooked it. With this year's program though, maybe another gremlin in which case delete the 1040 EF Info sheet and readd? I dunno...

Pouting - I use Adobe Pro. Also I like to print filing quality letters, Comparison, Tax Summary and 9325 but have the filing copy with the watermark. If I use Custom I can't combine. Grrrr... Maybe I will figure out something eventually.

Thanks for the heads up. Took me 3:56 but I am bummed. Still no planner and still can't print efile acks. Sigh....

http://codes.ohio.gov/orc/5747 Try somewhere here maybe.

Yes, in theory that is exactly correct. I just can't remember how to change the printer to pdf. I'll get there. I really like PrintKey for so many uses but I had to pay for an upgrade from free as it wouldn't work in Win 7. Thanks, I have to find my way....

Alas, I am incompetent with this. I also have a complication as I have PrintKey, a program on my computer to print the screen. I have to figure out how to change the printer on that.

Unfortunately I do not know when it will be available but I have found it very useful for about a third of my clients, especially those with higher incomes. In the past at least, the data from the current year populated a spreadsheet in columns with all the line item numbers of the Form 1040. Those figures would spread over the next 5 columns for each subsequent year unless you change something You could see what would happen when a client has reduced wages choosing to work part-time but then getting some Social Security or retirement income, for example. Another choice would be to show a client how much to increase charitable giving to get to a lower tax bracket. The clients for whom I use it are most appreciative. A nice added service which keeps them coming, I think!

I use MS Security Essentials and have had none of the problems seen here. My computer maker used to have AVG on my machines while he evaluated Essentials but is now convinced it works fine. I have a firewall, too, and no wifi use on my work machines. The wifi I do use with my Kindle, etc. is pw protected but I never have client data on wifi.

This is the same problem I have encountered and just decided to print 2 letters. At first I thought it was because the state was held until the federal acceptance and the coding took only the first shot at it. Long ago they could not be combined so I just sigh and carry on.

Thanks for the hints. North Idaho Rich, when I follow what you wrote, my screen does not have a Tools option. XP was like that, I think, but not Win 7 Pro. Lloyd Hudson, I tried your steps, too, and the link but my Control Panel has only a Personalization choice, not an Appearance and Personalization. I tried the Personalization choice but it shows only Desktop Background, Window Color, Sounds and Screen Saver. Time to call my computer geek. Thanks! Update: Just for kicks I typed into the search box, Hidden files and VOILA! up popped a window called Folder Options and show hidden files and folders was already checked. I guess my machine maker did that already. Back at Control Panel I found the icon for Folder Options - just not smart enough to make the connection before. Thanks again.

I have Win 7 and don't find the options you list. If anyone with Win 7 can translate, please do. I found similarly titled things but not exactly and did not find VIEW and SHOW HIDDEN FILES... Thanks!

For many of us using this program for years (I go back to tax year 1998), complaints about slow response and the inelegance of using spreadsheet and database for the program grew with every passing year. When CCH bought ATX they likely were going to get rid of it but for the loyalty of so many long time users, despite complaints. So they decided to make a major overhaul to address the complaints. I'm not a techy but I think the spreadsheet and database stuff was older methodology and took up lots of memory. Anyhow, CCH did this major overhaul which was promised and we knew it was coming and this is what we have, for better or worse. I think it likely there are more complications than they could imagine but, frankly, I'm a believer since 1998. And it still suits my practice. Your mileage may vary.

How nice, lynnjacobs, especially to share. I have one client who may qualify this year so this could be most helpful.

Cursed candy bar - not your friend, it seems.

Candy bars always help. Keep a good supply for the season. A nice dry red wine is especially helpful after around 7pm.

Are we forgetting that we sign on page 2 that the "(d)eclaration of preparer (other than taxpayer) is based on all information of which preparer has any knowledge" (my emphasis)? If we know information and sign and submit a return excluding that information with the intention of amending it later then it seems to me that would not be abiding by Cir. 230 and whatever we have promised as preparers. Ethical? I'm thinking maybe not....