Kea

Best wishes to both of you, bstaxes & MargaretMort. I hope you have quick recoveries.

This is good information. Does anyone have any worksheets or cheatsheets or guidelines for the new farmer / rancher? Something designed for the client rather than the preparer. Thanks

Per Wikipedia (I know it's not a real source, but it's fast), the F-1 Visa is a student visa. So, I guess it does need to go on a 1040NR. I'll e-mail her & decline the job. I also don't want to try to figure out how to get her SS & Medicare refunded from Exxon. Thanks so much!

If I go paper file, I'm not sure how to get the country to show on page 1 of 1040. I guess just type the whole thing (province, territory & country in the city field. That's why I wanted to e-file -- so it could pick up the country from the Filer's info tab. Thanks

I saw some of that info about it being for non-US. But if she met the 183 day test, does that override? When she said she had been here 2 1/2 years, I figured I wouldn't have to file an NR. But I wasn't expecting the 1042-S. Looking at the 1040NR she attached, it seemed to have a place for the 1042-S. Maybe it should go there? I'll look over those pubs tomorrow. Thanks!

They are in the process of divorce & she has never been to the US & has no plans to come here. She has no reason to get ITIN. He's only filing to get withholding back. He also needs to do this for a few back years. He never knew he could get back the withholding.

Bump MFS with blank SSN & paper file? Will blank SSN go through on a paper file? or Single & e-file? There is no taxable income & no tax changes between filing married or single. I know if he's married he has to file married. BUT, if spouse had no SSN or ITIN, how can he file married?

A new client was referred to me today (I love getting new ones this time of year!). She's been here on an F-1 visa for 2 1/2 years. Since she meets the 183 day presence in the US for 2009, I was going to use a 1040. If it had required a 1040 NR, I would have turned her down because I've never done one. She faxed me her forms including a 1040-S. I've never seen one before & didn't see it in ATX's list. I searched this board, and the examples that came up don't seem to match my case. But I'm not even sure where to begin with it. She attached her attempts at this return. She used Cintax (Complete International Tax Preparation) & TurboTax. She attached a printout on a 1040NR from Cintax. For TurboTax, she attached a summary page -- I assume it was a 1040. Some of what I've read says that there should be no SS or Medicare withholding. The 1042-S appears to have no withholding at all ($5000 gross income, code 19 & exemption code 04). Her W-2 from the University where she teaches & is a grad student, has federal withholding, but no SS or Medicare. But her W-2 from ExxonMobil withholds from all 3. Not sure which is correct. Should this go on a 1040NR or standard 1040? If a standard 1040, how is the 1042-S handled (the IRS instructions I found were about how to issue them)? Any suggestions welcome. Thanks

Thanks. I'll wait to file my extensions.

I think a bit of yesterday's brain fog is clearing. I believe I got the last phone # after the other person asked for the tax ID, to which I responded "the descendant or executor"? I think that's when I got the last phone #. Hope that helps. (And it fits so nicely with Margaret's comment.)

I was pretty sure she couldn't. Just hoping for a "loophole" for being custodian. Long shot, I know. Thanks

My client accidentally included 2 1099Bs (over $1000 gross each) for her grandchildren. When I asked about them she said they didn't have to be filed -- it was just a small account for her grandchildren. The investment she had lost money & so she took it out and moved it to CDs. So a return is needed to show the loss & prevent the IRS "nastygram." Zero taxable income / zero tax. She's been saving this money for them without telling them or their parents. Is there any way she can legally sign the return for them? She is the custodian of the accounts. Or, does she have to reveal her secret & have the kid or mom sign? (One kid is too young to sign, but the other could sign her own return.) Thanks

I know when I called the regular hotline they gave me a choice of individual or business. I guessed individual. That's when they gave me the 1st number. I wish I could remember what the issue was there and why they gave me the last number. (My brain heard "you'll need to call ...." and being in a hurry that's all I remember.) Your specialty explanation makes sense. The last person I spoke to mentioned using the PO Box or physical address. When I asked if there was a difference, she said if I used one it would go "here" (where she was working) & the other would just go across the bridge. Apparently, the number I ended up on was the actual office that handles the 706s. I feel sorry for the person in that office that has to enter it in the computer. It's over 30 pages and took me HOURS (days) to type in. Anyone have any idea the audit rate of 706s? I assume it's very high!

Ooop, sorry about that. Practitioner's Hotline sent me to 1-866-699-4083 and then that person send me to 1-800-829-4933. The 2nd one answered my question. (I don't remember the reason the 1st one couldn't answer.) Very short hold times on both numbers.

Any suggestions as to best way to fill in a foreign address? I have something for the street & I put the province in for the city. But I can't input the territory in the 2 letter state field. Should I just move it to the city field? Should I enter the country in the city field, too? If I have to paper file (spouse has no SSN or ITIN), the country (entered on filer's info tab) does not appear on the front of the 1040. I want to make sure the refund in mailed to the proper address. Thanks

New client -- lives in the Philippines, only income is US Social Security & non-taxable disability (US Military). They've been withholding taxes and now wants to file to get withholding refund. His wife is a Filipina and does not have an ITIN or SSN (or any income). If I file him MFS or MFJ, I need to enter an SSN or ITIN for the wife. I think I remember reading in this case you can file him as single, but I can't find that source now. Is that the case? If I file MFS and leave SSN field blank I cannot e-file (not sure if it's OK on a paper file, either). If it is paper filed, the Philippine address does not display correctly. I've entered the country on the Filer's Info tab, but it does not carry to page 1 of the 1040. Any help is appreciated. Thanks.

Nice lady at IRS said it goes on Schedule F. BTW, there is a separate phone # (not regular Practitioner's Hotline) just for 706.

In doing my final review of this 706, I found a (final) pension deposit 3 weeks after DOD. I was so busy summarizing all the assets that I missed this income. I searched the 706 (instructions and forms) for "pension" and "wage" and I couldn't find anything. Does this go on Sch F "Other Misc Property"? Possibly, Sch C "Mortgages, Notes & Cash" -- but it really doesn't seem like that fits. Any help would be appreciated. I want to be done with this monster return! Thanks!!

Did they live in a community property state? Were the stocks purchased before they were married?

Thanks for your response. Alternate value was elected and applied to all assets. Total estate value decreased approximately $200,000 between DOD & alt value date. The only assets which do not use alt value are assets that were sold in interim (sale date used) and cash accounts since interest wouldn't count. (I just have realized that applied to life insurance also.) IRS instructions do not show examples for every form. I would just like to see a "complete package" of completed forms and attachments before sending this off. Just to make sure all my "i"s are dotted & "t"s are crossed. Thanks again.

I'm about to (finally!!!) wrap up my 1st (hopefully only) 706 return. Does anyone have any sample returns (preferably of all the schedules)? I have all my data, but I just want to make sure I'm entering everything the way IRS wants it. The instructions show sample data for some of the schedules, but not all. Probably self-explanatory, but I just want to make sure I get it right. I'm also open to advice on attachments -- staples, paper clips, order, labels, anything that I should watch out for. For example, for bank accounts, can I enter everything on 1 line? Or, do I need separate lines for alt val and / or accrued interest? I separated the accrued interest, but I listed the DOD & alt val amounts on the same line. (I separated everything on the Sch B for stocks and bonds.) For stocks, decedent owned some in brokerage accounts and some had stock certificates. I did not see this in the IRS instructions example. However, on the cash accounts they request account #s. Should this be specified on the Sch B? In some cases the same stock was held in certificates and more shares at a brokerage or directly through company. Should these be listed together or separately? Lastly (?), one life insurance policy was for $5000, but issued check for $5121. I **assume** this is interest from DOD to when check paid (pretty good rate because the check was only a couple of months later). I'm assuming I use the $5121 value for DOD and alt val? Or, should DOD be the $5000? Thanks so much!

I agree that 10-01-10 is good, too. You can't always schedule these things for the best date around. (My anniversary has no pattern to it at all, but it didn't stop me from getting married! 25 years ago this June.)

They don't want to go for 10-10-10? At least it's still on a weekend. Sunday might not work as well as a Friday, I guess. My parents married 5-7-55. I kept asking why they didn't get married 2 days earlier. But they liked the Saturday wedding better than being on a Thursday. Their loss. And my aunt was born 11-1-11. Great birthday!!

I had been pretty sure they had to count "somewhere." But could see the argument about no business = no deduction. Thanks so much. This will help my client quite a bit!!

Thanks so much. I missed that. I admit that I didn't read the instructions. I just did a search for "signature" or "sign." I guess I should have searched for "8878."