Gail in Virginia

I am trying to help a client become compliant in his tax filings. Federal forms I can get from older copies of software or from IRS Website. However, I think that I need to file a Vermont return for the year 2000, and the Vermont Department of Revenue website only has forms back to 2001. Can anyone provide me with a PDF copy of the instructions and forms for a year 2000 Vermont individual tax return? Should be a simple return - one W2 and no other income. Thanks for any help.

I am not sure any amount of regulation works with some people. Wow.

It seems to be just COBbled together.

I suspect that this is just another way to get the partners to pay into social security longer and collect benefits later.

It was my understanding that we are required to have written authorization, including certain specified statements as to purpose and length of time, to provide tax return information to anyone other than the client. While many of my clients probably think this is a pain, they have gotten so used to privacy restrictions that they just accept that and come by and sign. Without written authorization, such as my form or a subpoena, I don't even acknowledge that they are my client.

I believe, since the business is an S-Corp, they could actually pay rent to the individual for the portion of the space used by the S Corp. Of course, appropriate documentation should be maintained, such as a lease, and a 1099MISC for the rent at the end of the year.

Thanks, KC! I love the one from Jay Leno!

Perhaps a solution would be to just have a separate forum devoted to all other vendors, and unless and until it became apparent that some particular vendor was dominating that forum leave it like that. I don't know how difficult it is to set up a separate forum, and I certainly don't want to cause Eric unnecessary extra work. I think we all appreciate all that he already does.

I am an EA, and I would refer a client to another professional if the area for representation was not one that I am familiar with. For example, I have never done a 1040NR and I don't have much experience with tax treaties. So I would probably have handed a case like this to an EA in our area that used to work for the IRS in their international division if he was willing to take it. I don't mind doing some research to prepare an unfamiliar form or even return, but in a representation situation where I am unfamiliar with the rules of engagement, I feel like the client is entitled to more competent representation. I have learned a lot reading this thread, but I still would not feel competent to take over representation on a case like this. I will be the first to admit that I don't know everything there is to know about tax law. IMO, there is just too much of it to know it all. And not enough hours in the day to do the research required for an area I am totally unfamiliar with.

Congratulations, JohnH! What a wonderful way to celebrate Father's Day!

I agree with you Jack until the point where the software is slowing me down so much that I can't get my clients returns filed on a timely basis. This past tax season, that is what I felt like was happening with ATX. Speed isn't primary but I do want a software that will let me work to my capacity and not the other way around.

Another way the IRS violates the constitution, IMO, is that with them you are presumed guilty until you can prove you are innocent. Not the way our system is supposed to work.

I have noticed since the 15th of April that when I e-file a tax return, the Virginia return automatically creates at the same time as the federal. I have the option to hold and release marked in preferences, and I do not have the box at the top of the VA EF info page marked to uncouple the federal and state. I have been just not sending them until I get the federal acknowledgement back, but does anyone know of another setting that I need to check? It worked earlier in the year.

The only way you can prepare a return and not sign it, is if you are not paid to prepare it. Why on earth would you want to prepare a mess like this for free?

And not only lowest cost but no deductible as a rule. My son usually has older cars and being under 25 high rates. So we skip collision but comprehensive wasn't much more and covered his car when it was stolen, without us having to pay a deductible.

I agree, although I normally would drop collision before I dropped comprehensive.

I doubt it was a question of "letting" her shovel snow. At her age she probably does as she pleases and her son does as she tells him.

All the time. I am glad the damage was not any worse!

I received it yesterday. Seemed like he said nothing with a lot of words and catch phrases to me. I hope that they do get ATX working properly next year, but with the way the fixes for 2012 are working, I can;t say that I have any confidence at all that it will be appropriate for my office since we are networked. i hope at least some of the beta testers are running a domain network environment.

And as long as we are dreaming, could we also require that if a law is so obscure it cannot be understood by an intelligent high school graduate, it cannot be passed?

I am looking at Thomson-Reuters PPC DeskBook series for part of my research needs. I have used the one for 990's for several years. Has anyone else used them (particularly on-line) and what do you think?

There are all kinds of reasons why people don't get a specific job they have applied for, but I think we all know of people who could get some job but as long as they can draw unemployment, they won't accept anything that pays less than they were making before, or doesn't have benefits, or involves some kind of work they don't want to do, etc. I can understand that to a point but with unemployment benefits continually being extended some of these people will find that their skills are outdated by the time they finally have to accept a job and their earning power will be reduced. And the longer they stay on the unemployment rolls, the less attractive they are to potential employers. I don't think extended benefits to the point they have been extended really helps anyone. We have tremendous unemployment in this area due to the closing of all of the furniture factories that used to be located in the US. I don't pretend to know what the answer to this problem is, but handing people a check to not work doesn't seem to be the answer.

We used to have our office in the house. One year a client's mother called and told us her son had brought his taxes by early that morning and left them for us to do (this was on April 14.) I went out to look for them and found that he had carefully placed them inside the grill. Good thing his mother called. By the way, his mother was in her 80s then, and he was in his early 50s. Old enough to know better? Clients like those are part of the fun, right?

Thanks for the warning Jack! I had been looking for the update to fix some back up issues but I will not install it now!

Now that's funny!