RitaB

^^^^^^ This is why everybody should have withholdings. Just kidding.

Alright, I realize yesterday my client is under the filing threshold. (Barely, if that matters to you, but easy to see, pension and SS.) I text him and explain, hoping to avoid the whole drawn out discussion, but noooooooo. He calls back, yak, yak, yak, and FINALLY asks what I would do. Well, of course, I would file (but I get free tax prep). I really think that's what he wanted to hear. He says go ahead and do the return. $75, ok, yippee, I'm glad he said that, but I could have done another return in the time we spent talking about it. It would be easier, not necessarily "right," to: 1) Do the return, charge, and not mention it (Yes, I've done this) 2) Do the return and not charge (Yes, I've done this, too) And, honestly, I don't have a rule here, it's based on my mood, and maybe, ok definitely, the degree to which the client has been a PITA in the past. Sort of interest on my misery costs. BUT, next time I'm inclined to do #1, and move on. I'm not gonna lie. Who's with me?

5) Are you about caught up? 6) Guy who just whined about my fee: So if I move to FL [to avoid $2,400 in TN income tax and pay far more than that in additional property tax], will you still be able to do my return? Yeah, if you figure out how to use USPS and/or email. He actually makes a trip to NY annually to visit his financial advisor. 7) What time do you go to lunch? 8) If I sell something in 2016, how will that affect my 2016 taxes? This is just a bad question now, not next month. 9) What time do you close?

4) Guy with $37,000 in dividend income (and SS and pension): How can I pay less tax? Me: Put your money in the bank at 0.45% interest. Or the stock market may take care of your problem if you're lucky. This type client is so annoying to me. Came from NY where he paid $360 for tax prep in 2008. I'm just now getting up to $350 and he's bitching about my fee, too. This is one of those days. Glad I brought cookies.

If their info is complete, I can get it done. If not, extension. I will not put them ahead of anybody here whose info is complete.

Today: 1) Blah, blah, blah, (long @$$ story about a credit card), and will that hurt my credit score? 2) Mortgage lender: Do you know how much [our mutual client] will be paying for homeowner's insurance? 3) So, are you real busy? (New client, just now calling for appointment). I'm so glad I asked that last one who did her return last year. Jackson Hewitt. Cha-ching, thanks for calling, I'm never too busy for a new client.

We can only hope! I have a client who says his buddy's preparer writes off $800 a month for advertising expense for his buddy because his van has a business sign on it. If I knew he knew what he was talking about I'd be blowing a whistle, you betcha, and breaking out the popcorn, the "Jello shots," AND the "cough syrup".

I'm going to say no, but I will google and see who that is later. Is she related to Fist of Death?

Well. Apparently, I misunderstood the original question. Crying.

Yes, OMG, yes. It is so aggravating. I drive 15 miles one way thru that thing. People stroll across the highway likes it's a carnival on one little stretch there. I can't believe nobody has been killed. Accidentally. Not talking about my clients now.

That was beautiful, y'all.

What I say about every day: "I don't think affordable means what they think it means." Then there is some cursing and never mind.

I can't wait till my daughter gets out of grad school and I'm not paying tuition and Nashville rent and I'm rich. I've got my hit list and waiting for that glorious day. Amen and amen and amen.

Sadly, this is absolutely the truth. Same thing with the people we laughed at preparing their own returns. 99% will get away with the errors. Hey, I ate a vegetable yesterday, and drank eight glasses of water. Not filtered thru coffee grounds either. It will change your life. Carry on.

Trying to prove a negative (no, you can't do that, they don't know what they're talking about) is my second biggest time hog and most frustrating one. The chatting with clients I actually enjoy.

First weekend of August in TN, I think. They did it to coincide with our PITA 127 Yard Sale From Hell. Hwy 127 is inundated with vendors selling inventory under the guise of a big yard sale. Some businesses complained that this is a giant outdoor retail thing and they're not collecting sales tax, how can I compete? And I don't blame them one bit. Sure, there are a lot of actual yard sellers, but it's out of control, and I have to drive 15 miles thru it to get to work. Which is the main reason it should go away. Sorry. I may or may not have elaborated unnecessarily there.

Wow, I have put three kids thru post secondary school (one in graduate school now) on less than these two make. We have no debt to repay. Yeah, we eat beans and rice, rice and beans, and drive twelve year old vehicles. I can't get my head around $400,000 in student loan debt. There is something wrong when you think it's a good investment to pay $400K (plus the interest will probably be another $400K if you don't get moving on it) for a degree. If I were guessing, I'd say the loans went toward excessive living it up fees. You're right, they better step up the payments as soon as possible. And they owe the money, they need to pay back the money. I don't understand the apparent confusion with so many these days, thinking loan debt is some burden put on them by society. No, you did that to yourself. Pay what you owe. In the long run, reducing the payments just prolongs and intensifies the agony. People don't understand it, do they?

You and Kristin are geniuses! I can't get on Official Forum from home computer because I'm not smart enough to write down my password. I wanted to get on there and tell her my theory (which was wrong), but couldn't. Thank you so much, Bill, for looking into a problem that wasn't yours. I love my online office It's a beautiful morning here. I'm not looking at taxes, and after church and lunch, my daughter and soon-to-be daughter and I are watching my boys play church league basketball. I am a happy girl.

I was thinking on the way home, I bet it has to do with the return originating from duplicating the MFJ return. I noticed that on Worksheet A, the husband, who is not on the MFS return, is still an option on Worksheet A. Nothing is checked for him, but I bet that SRP Question about number of exemptions is linking to Worksheet A instead of 1040 line 6. Will check it out Monday if I don't go by the office on the way to church tomorrow. Carry on with your lives.

Ok, I got a software thing with MFS and SRP Questions Step 2 Line 1a. Only one person on the return. She had non-compliant insurance, so I'm figuring SRP. SRP Questions, Step 2, Line 1a has "2" for number of persons, and I have no idea where that 2 is coming from. Any ideas? I hate to override on ACA crap; I don't know what I don't know. Yanno?

Yes, you are welcome here, too, Bill! Catherine, all, y'all. And can you imagine the fun we'd have if we on this board were in the same office???

It's a Tennessee thang, too. We'll help you, Tom. We've seen yer kind.

Yes, like the Eagles song says, "lunch will keep us alive."

It's 70 miles south of me. I don't know anybody from there since my brief encounter with Hyawatha Brown who busted my lip in the regional basketball tournament in 1982. (Accidentally, I'm sure.) It's a peachy town, and you are moving here, I hope! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland,_Tennessee

Never. Not my Tom. Or any of my tax buddies here. You get real hugs not designed to measure for graves.