MsTabbyKats

Yeah...I get the ones who want estimates too. My response: I can't tell you the refund until I do the tax return. You'll have to pay me in advance if you want the return done. (I don't charge in advance...and I don't care if someone is a slow payer. This is just what I tell "the shoppers".) But, I don't do rapid refund...loan...checks to pick up....etc. I only do direct deposit to a bank account. When I tell them that, they lose interest in me. I've probably said this a few times. Most of my clients are internet based...and most are referrals. My husband also takes in work for me in his store...and he gives everyone my card...despite me asking him not to do that. In addition...he had a "tax services" sign in front of the store. I told him NOT to put that up. I live on the border of rich/poor....and I know the type of clientele that attracts.

Just looked at their website. It looks like they specialize in those who need quick "refunds". I wonder if people who work in this kind of place even know how to do a real tax return.

Free Texting...interesting (but I can already text unlimited from my phone) What is an advantage of texting over e-mail? Maybe I am behind the times....but can't anyone who texts also e-mail? I do understand something like: Hey...It's your tax preparer....and you didn't send me your stuff yet! But, wouldn't they have to "send me their stuff" by attachments in an e-mail? I'm not trying to sound like an old lady.....but isn't texting just redundant of e-mail? Maybe I'm missing something.....like Blockbuster closed because it's become archaic. Is e-mail already archaic and inaccessible to the younger generation?

LOL John...........I am "old fashioned and out of touch"....and my clients know that I'm an old lady. It doesn't matter at all what they prefer....if they want to work with me, they do what I prefer....or I don't accept the job (and I turn down several every year) Again and again and again....I am not trying to build a business. It's strictly by referral....I never spent a penny on ads. To old ladies such as me (btw...I take no offense of being called "old") ....we look at texting as a way to avoid human contact. I really don't see any point to it, except to send someone a brief message...such as....."I'll be a few minutes late." (There's nothing like watching a young couple in a restaurant...and each one is playing with their phone...oblivious to their live companion!) Anyway....if I ask someone to send me a pdf of a W-2....I prefer to get that on my computer, in my home....not on my phone (if it even can be done). This works for me.....it will be working for me as long as I'm doing taxes.

But...if someone can text....why can't they e-mail? Would it really make a difference to the client? I have many many many (probably 50) clients who are IT/Computer Software developers...who I am sure text all day long. E-mailing me has never been an issue with any of them. Believe me....I don't lack understanding of management. I was probably one of the first tax preparers to do internet based clients. And I had the prototype cell phone (over 25 years ago!) It really comes down to what someone prefers. I like e-mail. I can receive it world wide. But, when I'm "out of the office".....I have the auto-reply that says I'm on vacation...and I'll be back "whenever". I add a few days to "whenever"....so nobody frets if I don't respond the second I get home. One of the things my clients like is that I return all e-mails/land line calls....asap. Nobody waits........

No...I don't want cell phone calls from ANYONE. But, all the others learned quickly....call on the land line! This one guy wouldn't learn...this went on for a few years...him and his wife. (I wanted to drop him for many reasons....nothing to do with the phone.) I am not looking to increase my workload. If anything, I'm phasing out. A client who needs to speak to me while I am out having dinner etc....is not the client I would want. I fully understand this. I also don't want clients who absolutely need to meet me. That means I have to "clean the apt."....or change from my sweat suit...when I could just do the work "as is" if that client would e-mail/fax it to me. I lose several "potential clients" every year because of this. LOL....my "business" was just supposed to be a hobby...while my son was in school. It was never supposed to be "my life". But, it snowballed....!!!!

LOL....I don't think you are getting my point. I don't want to be bothered when I am out. I don't want anything forwarded to me....because there's nothing I can do about it. There is nothing that can't wait until I get home. This is how I train the clients. Those "untrainables" will need to find someone else.

Oh....if I heard the phone ring, I knew it was them and I ignored the call. They would leave voice mails...and I'd ignore them too. This...I may add...is a PITA who I tried to drop...for other reasons than the phone issue. The "I have to go to court tomorrow" was the last straw...and time to teach them a lesson. AFAIK....you have more than a one day warning to go to court. (I think it was family court....for a custody issue.) I have a land line....I want all business calls on that. People can wait until I get home...and I can have my files and my research resources right in front of me. If a client can text me from their cell phone...they can certainly e-mail me.

Most of my clients are "younger"....and a good percentage IT professionals. But, I have a policy....my husband and my son have my cell phone number. Clients have my land line....so no texts! I don't give out my cell number because I don't want to be bothered when I'm not in "the office": 1-I'm busy doing something else and 2-I don't have my files in front of me. I really don't want people to think they can contact me "live"....24/7. Is there really such a thing as a tax emergency? I had one client that called me on the cell for years...despite repeatedly asking him to call me on the land line because I don't hear the cell all the time, and I rarely check it. So, when he had "an emergency" (needed a copy of a return for (not tax) court the next day..and again called me on my cell....he learned his lesson. With e-mails, I get back to them asap...even if only to tell them that I got the message and will get back to them. Phone calls...take a little longer. When they start rambling....I ask them to e-mail me the question.

My clients are about 90% internet based. Of the other 25%.....about 75% of them drop their papers off at my husband's store, and pick them up from there. The other few "come to my home office" and I do it on the spot. So, last year I decided no more of the "home office visitors" unless absolutely necessary. When people call me, I tell them to send me an e-mail and I'll get right back to them. I also don't know every answer off the top of my head. One of my issues is that a large percentage of "my people" are foreign....(and they call me from cell phones)......and I just don't understand them. I don't even understand the name....and it gets very embarrassing. I've been weeding out over the past few years, and not accepting new clients with certain criteria for a while. I dropped one woman this summer for no reason other than I found her "condescending".

LOL....this won't happen This was actually a discussion between my friend who is a CPA and me, about her recently divorced parents....and the mumble jumble in the divorce decree....and the wording of the lawyers. We were trying to figure out the best way to report his income, and hers....so that he didn't get stuck paying tax on all her income. I told her I'd "post in the forum" to see if people agreed with me, or perhaps could shed some light on another direction to take. Thanks for the input

Taxpayer & spouse have a joint annuity. Taxpayer is primary holder. A distribution is taken, with taxable amount @ $10,000. They want to file separately. Taxpayer reports all income. Then he deducts half of the income on Line 21....so he only pays tax on his half of the taxable distribution. Spouse lists her half on Line 21. Does this make sense....or any other suggestions? Thanks..............

Geesh....I'm just waiting for other states to do this! With my "low fees"....and doing people from all over....it may not be worth it. I guess the policy will be to check on every state before I do the return. BTW....if a preparer is in, let's say, Illinois, and he does a NY return....how would he know this rule? Does "next year" mean 2014 season filing 2013 returns?

And it's always the same people......... My motto is either "I've been sitting here since January"

I have a Philadelphia client with a Schedule C. She filed a BIRT (this is what I was advised by the Philly tax dept at the time) and now they tell her she needs a NPT...and a change form (business was closed in 2012). Dealing with the Philly tax dept was a nightmare in itself...as I recall the rep didn't know what a Schedule C was. Is anybody familiar with this? Thanks........

Well....they should be able to match the PTIN to the SS#. With the PTIN they should be able to see if someone is preparing tax returns. If someone is preparing tax returns there should be income...if not W-2...or K-1...then a Schedule C. My point is...somewhere there should be income reported. I'm just shocked that someone could prepare countless returns....and probably file a tax return with "very little" income. Just another way of letting "the unscrupulous" further denigrate the system.

I wonder if they're going to extend businesses issuing W-2s and 1099-Miscs etc....to a later day also. Oh...won't that be fun!

This I know....... But I assumed it was already tracked: Like....IRS says 1000 returns were filed by PTIN#???? That PTIN goes with SS#???? So....that preparer has tax return prep income Not that they know how much.... But if it isn't even tracked...then Mr Unscrupulous Preparer doesn't even have to report his income....since the IRS doesn't bother matching I'm really just commenting that in the computerized day and age....it's amazing

I hope this is not off topic...but at least related: I always assumed the IRS matched my PTIN with my SS#......and figured if I do 300 returns....then I must make $something. So, in other words.....if a (unscrupulous) preparer files 1000 returns........gets paid $XXXXX.....and doesn't bother reporting it on a Schedule C....the IRS doesn't track this and preparer gets away without reporting income? Basically....it is "off the books income" that goes unreported (assuming clients don't issue 1099-Misc)? Being honest and dumb....I never even thought about that.

Not to mention that we will have more time to experiment with our programs....and make sure they run without a glitch.

No....because: 1. The original preparer isn't going to give a refund and 2. At best, the original preparer will say "Opps...sorry.....I'll give you a discount for 2013" and you'll lose the client. I don't know what you're charging...but, assuming the return isn't "too complicated" I'd give him a low fee for this year...and tell him that you feel bad because he already spent so much $$$.

Yes...that's it! I'll pm you later today with my experience.

Yeah...on that I agree you should.

Just a note: A few years ago (2007) I "was drafted" by a financial organization to become a broker. I forget their name, but they only dealt with 'tax people" because we deal with people's finances. I took the tests...etc....passed with flying colors...but I only used "my knowledge" (and not having to pay fees) for my own purposes. I never once gave advice to anyone (except on the most passive situations...like "is it a good idea to contribute to a 401-K?"....because I felt that I really didn't know enough, and if the client "lost money" (even if only on paper)....I would be "held responsible" (and lose the client). Then came 2008-2009 and the recession. I avoided catastrophe! So, my point is, since you asked for our thoughts....unless you are really confident that you are qualified to advise, it might not be a good idea to get involved. When someone asks me now, I refer them to Fidelity because they have offices here....and the client can go sit down with "a person". ETA: Anything legal....I tell them to consult with their legal adviser. (Just as brokers tell clients to consult with their tax advisers.)

Sounds like the sales have been slow. Never, never, never.....never have I been so disgusted by a business. Even for free.....I wouldn't bother trying it.