RitaB

My 20-year client called this week, gonna sell her rental, adjusted basis about 20,000, for 90,000. Congrats! "I'll just make enough to pay off the heat and air unit I think. Just wanna know if that'll cause me to pay back SS benefits." Ummm. (I seriously had to sit there a minute, thinking, this is your one and only concern right now??) No, you'll get to keep em, but they'll be taxable. And I will be mailing you a pretend return so you can see how much of your heat and air conditioning money you best save up for yer tax bill. Love, Rita, EA (Even After 20 years they think if they say they didn't make anything my job is to tell IRS that.)

Oh, see, I was guessing this took a couple of hours, tops. I absolutely would charge this much for 4.5 to 5 hours. Your teeth are neither old nor long.

Oh, I've been hugging all wrong.

One came in to pick up a text book my daughter was selling. She asked what I charged and told me she paid $10 for prep last year in the next breath. I wouldn't even waste my time giving her any price at all. I told her to stick with him, see ya, bye, enjoy the book.

Since you didn't say anything about the client being disorganized, having an inordinate number of entries on B or 8949, or otherwise a pain, I'm going to say I can't charge this price here in rural TN. But I am not THERE, where you are, so this information is not really helpful to you, but hey, I like talking to you all. I think you'd have a much better handle on how you compare in pricing by calling some preparers around you. I know we on this Board all EARN more than we make, but until IRS makes it really important to file accurate returns, we are stuck with charging what we can make. Maybe this client is one of those who are never happy, but the perception he has is that this price is too high for him, and he will go elsewhere if there is a less expensive alternative. That's the way that cookie crumbles. It's one thing to know your worth, but it's quite another thing to watch business go down the street. I personally would rather charge $275 and HAVE a client than know I'm worth $325 but be sitting here watching the client parked over at Tammy's X-Treme Tax Returns. Tammy is not going to the store for me.

I bought the building in 2004. It was a day spa then. Before that, a hot tub business. No, you can't make this up.

I would love that so much, Gail! All of you are welcome, even if we're fried good and proper.

I have a sign in front of the building, and try to keep a friendly or funny message up. I currently have "Walk-Ins Welcome - Surprise Me" on it. I really feel like that sign was responsible for 15 new clients this year. People are not afraid to come in. I have heard, "Surprise!" about 100 times since January. (That's gettin old and tired, not gonna lie.) Below is a picture of what I had on there previously. My kids' friends got a kick out of it, but it caused some confusion, especially with one fella who was worried about me and my family issues. You win some, you learn some.

I just can't do it. I am a paper and manila folder nerd. There's something comforting to me, knowing I can pull out the file and hold in my hand. With the wine per diem in the other hand.

I was struck by that one, too. I know I whine to you all, but I try to keep my complaints amongst us veterans in the trenches. Clients and friends really cannot relate to us at all anyway. I decided this poor guy really is fried good and proper and needs some of his clients to know. Not me, I'm just over here "let me plaster this smile on my face while I plow through this one more time with you..."

Yes.

"Because as it now stands, this past tax season fried me good and proper."

I made this point on a Facebook post last year and you would think I killed a puppy and his unicorn best friend. I compared it to buying homeowners' insurance after your house burns down or asking your neighbors who have paid insurance premiums for 30 years to build you a new house. It seems completely logical to me for people who get more health care to pay more than those who get less. If you get three gallons of milk at the store, you should pay more than someone who gets one gallon of milk. Safety nets yes. Hammocks no.

Same people will complain about not being able to live on Social Security benefits. Oh, is that the Karma Bus coming down the You-Did-It-To-Yourself Road?

Crying.

Don't be out calling me.

Well, Terry is the one saying it's very small, but yeah, everybody that tells me, "I really didn't make anything on that," really made something on that. Same as "but they held out the tax already". Uh, they held out SOME tax, not THE tax.

I certainly understand your response, and it is not wrong. You have the right to run your business any way you see fit. I can see a time coming when I might do the same thing you did. I might also do it now if the person seemed unsavory, for lack of a better word. None of us were there. You did fine.

Me too, but I give them the Tax Classification Report which shows 2016 depreciation, and even assets which have been disposed of. (Sorry I ended a sentence with a preposition, need more coffee.) I would charge extra for Detail Report that shows 2017 depreciation since I know he's not coming back unless he gets called out on his errors, which is unlikely, let's be honest here. I'm not sure if ATX prints 2018 and subsequent years. If I had to do it manually, it would be worth an awful lot more.

This little gentleman's brother from Florida (whose return I also do) brought him in today to pick up 2017 1040-ES forms. Brother said, "I received my forms that you mailed me, thank you, but Frank didn't get his," and he winked at me. I printed Mr. Frank some more forms and I'm hoping we talked enough about what I need to prepare the 2015 return that brother will get the ball rolling. It's sad, and I really feel for the ones with no family to help.

Just like when media people assumed that a candidate did not pay any taxes of any kind for 20 years because of a loss on one return. This is my face when anybody, any profession besides this one, either party, tries to explain taxes. They can't. They don't know.

If I prepared an incorrect 1099, I would correct it. I'm not sure if the issuer prepared the 1099, or his accountant prepared it. Since issuer is having you call me, the accountant, I'd fix the thing. No way would I suggest a work around if I have been asked to fix something. I can't get over the aversion some people have to correcting things. If my client told me wrong, I'd charge an appropriate fee. If my client prepared the 1099 himself, I'd charge a really appropriate fee. If I'm handed an incorrect form and it's time to fish or cut bait, I use DANRVAN's option #3. Cause people are lazy, apparently, and I don't have time to dink around with begging for forms to be corrected. If my client has not been able to get that done before he gets here, let's move on.

I wouldn't fire this lady yet. I'd be doing what Sara is doing: trying to figure out a way to help her. I am thinking of a client I have who's in this shape, too. I'm pretty sure he's having some dementia issues. It's sad - he has been such great client, and I'd be happy to sort thru his stuff if he'd just bring it.

I am trying to keep it shorter, because I think they lose all letters over three or four sentences. Dear (Ex) Client: It's me, not you. (It's you.) I am writing to inform you that my business is going in a new direction (away from you), and I be unable to provide services to you in the future. Good luck (with the next poor fool you make miserable)!

I'm not advocating skipping out on your obligations, and I realize Jack's client has a special case. My daughter is in grad school, I am paying for it, along with the Nashville rent. She has classmates who owe 2 1/2 times what tuition and rent have cost me. They are paying living expenses and maybe living it up expenses with loans. My daughter says they should be whipped. She's a hugger too.