RitaB

I frequently think we care more than they do. I called a lady and left a message about missing bank interest income last week. Crickets. I called again just now, the greeting last week was not her voice, maybe I dialed the wrong number. You traditionally have $400- $600 interest income. Did you have interest income in 2015? Oh, no, I cashed that. When? August or September of 2015.

Did you have health insurance? No. Wait. Let me ask my wife. Yes. We were covered. We just also had a lot of bills. Did you include your cost for premiums with your medical expenses? No. Well, would you give me that information? (Wife takes over): You should be able to find it on our bank statements. I don’t have your bank statements. How about you tell me the number? Well, do you need the amount I paid or the Advanced PTC? Uh, I need the 1095-A that you got and didn’t bring me.

That's right, "easy" tax. Like Ice Cube said, "You better check yourself before..." Well, he said a lot of things, and they were important.

Ok, plus, I really want to file as HOH for 2016 anyway.

Well, we could get married. It's legal now, and I'm about to get rid of Pacun and move on with my life. I have kids and farm animals, too, a package deal.

I said that single people who filed as married have a duty to amend and file correct returns as single people. Their first return was fraudulent. Perjurious. We just might as well get divorced right now, Pacun, you never listen to me. After all these years, and I have given up so much for you... http://www.atxcommunity.com/topic/16896-can-you-amend-mfj-to-single-or-hoh/

You are what's best for him. You got this.

Calm down Little Marco. OMG I am crying, this is the funniest thing I've seen all day and I've had some real winners in here. Including the lady who crocheted a poncho for me. Yes, a poncho. Yes, crocheted. And then the guy who's a foot shorter than me wants to go to lunch. My lunch is bigger than you, no thanks, I'm sitting here in my crocheted poncho and pizza is coming.

This is a good little publication, too. https://www.guidestone.org/~/media/GuideStone%20Corporate/Ministry%20Tools/2166_MinTaxIssues%20pdf.ashx

SE tax is also calculated on the 18,500 clergy wages. I couldn't tell from the post if you knew that. Apologies if you did. Also, if you knew the following and I didn't catch it: The HA that can be excluded from 1040 Line 7 (and income tax) is the lowest of: 1) 17,500 2) The actual housing costs, which includes everything but the kitchen sink. Oh, wait, it includes that, too. 3) The fair rental value of the furnished house plus the actual costs of utilities.

Never mind. Actual expense box was checked. I don't know why, but that was it.

I've not had a problem until today. It's actually SMR expense not flowing, but I have the vehicle in Fixed Assets. I have the activity selected (2106). I have deleted and added back Form 2106. I've even deleted and added back Form 4562. I've even skipped Fixed Assets and entered under the Line 1 tab at bottom of 2106. Burke, do you have any tips? I hate overriding something like that. BTW, the asset entry is sooooo cumbersome, like a space ship up in here, and so hard to see what you want to see. There's gotta be a better way, ATX.

I think you handled it perfectly, Terry. We are entitled to be paid for correct work. And the client is entitled to a second opinion. And gracious wins with most people.

Bahahahaha I tried, and I explained. Who's nuts now??

Message: Hey, Rita, we're gonna owe this year, just calling to see if you'll be able to get our return done by the deadline? I call her: Sure, I am only two weeks behind. We have six weeks to go. Client: Ok, so I’ll bring it in, in say, three weeks or so? A) Does she think it takes longer if they owe? 2) I get a smiley for B. And you already know what B is so I'm just gonna stop talking now.

And don't you wish you had a nickel for every time you heard, "I think it's all there." And, "If it's not, let me know."

The absolute worst. Reading to me. I'm glad they can't read the thought bubble.

Sticker on the W-2: "W-2" Sticker on the 1099-SSA: "1099" Sticker on the 1099-R: "1099" Sticker on the 1099-DIV: "Interest" Sticker on the property tax: "Property tax" Sticker on the stack of donations I gotta add up: "Only if we itemize" Well, if you don't know, and I have to go thru this stack, you do. Last but not least, sticker on the outside of the envelope everything is in: "2015 Tax Envelope"

I don't understand why you would tell them what they would have gotten by lying. Or getting in their time machine and kicking the guy out earlier. And do you actually take time to figure it? Why even go there? I'm not trying to pick a fight here, I just don't see that any good that can come out of informing clients about what might have been if their filing status were different. For future reference with the next guy? Or next preparer?

OK, I hear 50/50 most often in the year of separation. That's certainly possible. Also, the parent who had the child the most will tell us that. The parent saying 50/50 did not have the child the most. Just my completely off the cuff observation about human nature and telling your story. And non-custodial parents can certainly claim the dependency and CTC. And they have tie breaker rules for a reason. OK, had to get that out. Back to work.

Well, I have been doing that wrong, then. That's why you make the big bucks and I don't, Jack. And they don't know that Granny counts as them, either, cause obviously I didn't tell them that. But I will continue to enter six months if they say 50/50. Just because you've not seen it does not make it impossible. People can tell me the truth or they can lie about that. I don't have time to audit their log of when they had their kids.

I agree. And I never coach clients. I try to get the truth out of them, then prepare an accurate return. When a client tells me the child stay 50/50 with the divorced parents, I figure kid was at Granny's an odd number of nights and take them at their word. I don't tell them it would be best if kid was with you 183 nights, wink, wink.

Thank you for saying that. Sometimes you look around and see really sloppy, inept, unethical preparers making a killing, and it gets old and tired. If nothing else, it doesn't take long to screw up a return and they can turn them over in a hurry. And then sometimes all the advice you get is, "Charge more." That is not the solution for me. Of course I want to do well. But above all I want my clients to know I am fair to them and an excellent, professional preparer. I really do. It means so much to me when they send friends to me. What a nice compliment.

I feel so much better. You don't know how many times I have thought there was a Keebler Elf or some $%^& in my computer changing the letters and laughing at me. Somewhere in there having a party with half my socks that the dryer ate and 14 Tupperware lids.