Christian

I am so glad you pointed that out. I raised that very question last year and was surprised to discover that you did not stop using the depreciation component of the mileage rate even after the depreciation record indicated no more was available to deduct. I cannot imagine how those talented tax writers in the Congress missed that one.

That's what I was getting at. It looks to me as if I just keeping using the standard mileage rate until the vehicle is retired.

I set up a client some time back using the standard mileage rate. I switched to using his actual expenses a year or two later. I will be using the mileage rate this year and going forward. How exactly do I account for the depreciation already used ?

I'll Google and bookmark their website. I found one in my own Taxbook publication which I am wondering why I did not check initially. I rarely have reason to calculate support for any dependents as the great majority of folks I deal with have none.

Gail, exercising the good manners bred into us here in Virginia has failed to mention that we may have no governor to sign the enacted legislation.

Not familiar with what cfs stands for.

I am just wondering if ATX has a document in the program which is used to figure dependent support in order to establish who in the household paid over half of a child's support so they can be claimed as a dependent. In looking on the IRS site I don't find exactly what I want. I would think ATX would have a ready made one somewhere in the program but am unable to find one.

Thanks ever so much Sara. My idea was it would amount to something like this. The attorneys involved somehow screwed up (imagine an attorney messing up}. The house was sold at a loss which will pass through to the heirs.

A mother died in April 2015. Her estate has been open since then but because there was no income coming in in excess of $600 each year no Form 1041 was filed. Her home left to her two sons equally was finally sold in October 2018. Since no initial Form 1041 has ever been filed what time period needs to be shown for this filing ? The home sale is reported under the estate EIN. Another complicating factor is that the home was transferred to the sons. Ordinarily the sons would report the sale as an inheritance reflecting the sale in their separate returns for 2018. My thinking is since reported under the estate EIN a Form 1041 will have to be filed. Ain't tax work grand ? Is there any wonder I have significantly less head hair than once I did ?

The state is accepting them. Since they are not going to process them until the issue is addressed it should be up to them to make changes in a taxpayer's return if they increase the standard deduction. I have submitted no returns which itemize. If it requires I amend a few , oh well, as I do advise folks the state is holding things up and a change may be necessary. Oh,Possi who in this world has a breakout of nerves in the tax season ?

Clearly none of my clients need loose sleep over this.

On the ATX Sec 199A worksheet is a box for qualified property a point on which I lack a complete understanding of. Can someone advise exactly what that refers to ?

Well I hate to see him go as we have been friends since he was a kid. What he wanted me to do is a felony since basically he and his lady friend will steal in excess of six thousand dollars from the federal government. I am certainly going to be no party to that.

Yesterday I contacted my long established client to advise he could not claim his girlfriend's children as stepchildren since they are not married but said he may review the matter next year if they have lived with him for twelve months or if he marries her ( I did not advise on this). He seemed satisfied with this and hung up. About ten minutes later he called back and said to hold up on everything he would be coming by to collect his information. He offered payment for what I had done but wanted a second opinion (likely from his young girlfriend) who among her talents has birthed three children with three different fathers. It will be interesting to hear how this one plays out as I can well imagine one of those daddies claiming his kid on his return. If the Service takes a close look it could really be fun. What do y'all think?

I have ruled them out for 2018. If they live with him all of 2019 and the couple remains unmarried I don't see how he would qualify for any tax advantage such as the CTC, EIC, and the like but time will tell. I am hoping she will just take a powder before then. With my luck she will still be hanging around. He has a real penchant for these winners.

I have been looking over the rules Possi. They are not married so are not stepchildren. I have yet to see anyway he can claim them. Of course, if he wants to produce the old golden ring for 2019.

A longtime client who is in his 50's and divorced has come in with (for me) is a unique problem. His 36 yoa unemployed girlfriend who was kicked from her rental has taken up residence with him since June 2018. She has three children under the age of seventeen who came along with her. The client has an income of some 14,000 or so dollars and of course wants to claim the entire batch. They are on public assistance (food stamps and likely the CHIP program) and she receives some support from the two men who fathered her brood. Frankly, I have never encountered anything quite like this. None of these people are related to my client. How do I determine exactly if he can claim them. If memory serves me public assistance does not effect his claiming them but child support payments likely would. Any input is appreciated. I am tempted to send him to H&R Block but he is a longtime client so I must give it a shot.

My local hometown independent bank is now pushing filing through Turbotax. Who would have thunk it ? Other financial outlets are doing much the same. Alas, the day of the small time tax practitioner is likely slowly drawing to a close.

I cannot imagine anyone considering IRS regs as a mess. By the way Gail I called the local Commissioner's office to see if they might provide any info on the opening of state efile. Their usual answer was DUH !

I note our state efile forms 8453 and 8879 are not even going to become available until January 31st. The release date for the 8879 is not shown. Any Virginia preparer have a clue when state efiles can be sent ?

Wasn't this tax bill intended to SIMPLIFY the tax code ?

I have clients who, of course, are itching to file. I am assuming ATX will hold any submitted efiles and forward on the 28th.

I notice in the ATX blog they have added chat support. I do not see a toggle on opening the program.

That pretty well clarifies it for me Abby. If he switches to actual expenses after the initial year I would simply multiply his first year mileage by 25 cents and deduct the resulting figure from the vehicle costs and use sl for the remaining years of service. Like you I am leaning toward his use of the standard mileage rate as he logs between 25,000 and 35,000 miles each year on his one service vehicle which is used for business mostly. Awhile back I raised the question of whether or not the depreciation percentage of the standard mileage rate was dropped after five years or so and was surprised to be told it was kept until the vehicle ended service.

A client is getting ready to buy a new pickup in 2018. He is going to want me to assign the standard mileage rate or the use of actual expenses. In reviewing the standard mileage info I do not see what part of the rate is calculated to be depreciation. If we choose the standard mileage rate for the initial year and use actual costs the next I am not certain I understand how the depreciation would work. He likes the new rules in which he can write off most if not all of the truck's cost the first year. His current use of the mileage rate yields some $15,000 in deduction and I don not see where writing off $17,000 for the truck in the first year is the best way to go as he will need to use the actual costs for the life of the truck. Any input is appreciated or if you can direct me to something that will clarify this many thanks.