RitaB

So, they are in Wisconsin with Marilyn, a gold medal preparer. That's all I wanted to know. Heehee. Lord, have mercy.

Yes, I know. But when the examiner pulls it because she went from Sch A, two pages of Sch E, and five Forms 4562 to Sch C without selling anything, they will see it. Oh wait, they're not trying to do anything logical.

I would just add that I am not even sure what taxpayer owes IRS for 2013 and 2014. I suspect it's not a tremendous amount. The EIC was $181. The SE tax exceeded that. Preparer ignored depreciation completely, but made up vehicle expense that pretty well neutralized that. Oh, and we don't need no Sch A if we put donations on the back of Sch C. And even label them "donations". The point of the original post was to convince you that I was not nitpicking, that there are LOTS of errors for IRS to pick up on, and to bitch about IRS letting this go through. The 2013 and 2014 preparer completed a Sch C and ignored depreciation for five rentals. It was easy for her because the taxpayer puts her crap on Quicken (why God why) and it's all tallied up. Preparer is doing crap like this, setting world land speed records churning out incorrect returns, while the rest of us keep our heads down and plow. It does not sit well with me, when a lender can see a problem and IRS ignores it. That's what I was trying to say. I had already called her to pick up when I posted.

Oh, and I'm charging her $275 for a correct return. Five rentals, plus I figured the non-taxable part of her new husband's retirement that the same preparer missed on his return last year. Next year I'll feel great about it. The return. Not the sloppy, corrupt competition.

Marry me.

Yes, and I really want this client. She has been a jewel getting me information, extremely cooperative. I'm not giving her ultimatums or asking for retainers. I've prepared the 2015 correctly, and yes, it was torture getting the depreciation right. Next year will be very smooth. I will tell her the other three years need to be amended, and I will spend a lot of time showing her the errors. It will be up to her.

Naturally, I go with the bad idea.

Well, yes, it did raise her eyebrows. That's why she came to me. She shared with her boss what the lender told her. Her boss is my client. No, she is not savvy enough to compare 2012 and 2013 and discern which one was correct. Or if either was correct. And neither was.

I got this lady because her lender pointed out that her return was incorrect. She would have stayed with the preparer forever and not known the difference. I can't increase fees on a client that I don't have.

And how will they know the work is inferior? And how will they know that I am not overcharging? They don't know. That is my point.

Thank you, I know I undercharge. You are not telling me anything new. I am ok with what I charge. I am NOT ok with is IRS letting outrageous stuff like this go. It undermines our standing as professionals when preparers like this are not caught. I also know I can blow the whistle on both of them. More work for me that I'm not getting paid for. Do your job, IRS.

I leave the ATX default alone, but I also back up to a folder on my desktop and to a thumb drive. I might be country as a turnip green but I can verboten with the best of em.

Now you're talking.

Seen em? I'm living em. Your post was just fine. I'm just messing with you cause you can take it.

New client with five rentals. NOT a real estate professional. Came to me because HER LENDER told her that her 2013 and 2014 tax returns were not prepared correctly. Boy, that is the understatement of my short, illustrious career. Preparer put the rentals on Sch C, charitable donations on Sch C, made up 14,685 business miles, completely omitted depreciation (but the mileage made up for it). Lo and behold, we have EIC! The rentals are in a trailer park. Taxpayer lives in the last trailer in the row. There is NO travel. WTH? I also looked at what the preparer before this inept person did in 2012. She used Sch E. Good call there. However, two rentals, that had been depreciated for 16 years, were sold. Not a peep about accumulated depreciation on Form 4797. Taxpayer had gains of 32,000. Tax return comes out that she made 1,200. Where is IRS? These errors are GLARING. Stuff like this kills good tax preparers. In general, people here are not well off. They go to the preparer they can best afford. They either think all preparers know what they're doing, or they don't care if it's correct. This 2013 and 2014 preparer charged $150. It's worth nothing. She is making twice as much as me per hour and producing crap. How is a good preparer going to compete with these bad preparers if nobody is minding the store? I realize that many of you have all the business you want and/or have clients that will never leave you, no matter what. It's not like that in Rural, TN. C'mon, IRS, help a girl out.

I looked up "verboten".

That's what I've done forever. About everything. Close that box. That's my motto about every message I don't like. Who knew?? I'm an IT guy!

No, but I have.

Left over yard sale crap, originally priced at $200, is worth $1,175 when donated. Did y'all know that? I'm thinking y'all did know that. Oh my aching back. "Zip up your jacket, your heart is falling out." - Possi

Me, too. But a close second are the ones filing early and in a mad rush to get their free money. I actually like it when they get another form after filing. I get another tax return to do and can recover some of my own tax dollars.

Thanks, we all need a "ride or die" homie!

I don't even make appointments. I tell people to drop off when they have all their crap. Most do just that. Obviously, we talk as necessary about their information and when something is extraordinarily different, etc. (And yak, yak, yak, too. Oh, and the inevitable, "I took out some of my retirement, but they already paid the taxes, there it is. Thank you, I would never have know what that was. A 1099-R, hmmm, so that's how they do that.) When someone does call ahead (I'd just as soon they didn't) and tells me when they're coming, about 1/2 the time they miss it. I generally let it go in one ear and out the other. Can't imagine having an appointment calendar. I'd have to kill somebody I know.

Who are these clients who show up when they say they're going to? What? I'm jealous. I swear if somebody tells me they're coming Monday, all I know for sure is they are NOT coming Monday.

Wow, I had no idea so much faxing was going on! I get three to five sheets a month from one contractor who sends his invoices to me to pay for my bookkeeping client, and then twenty sheets from this out of town tax client in February. That's it. I feel like the luckiest person in the world now.