mcbreck

I checked my wife and I - we are on it for our previous address from 6 years ago. Ever since the Equifax breach probably 8 years ago(?) we've had our credit locked at those services. When we moved I had to unblock us for a month. Everyone should go into those services and lock them down.

Wonder why you can't be part of a conference call. If you call into one does it just block you? Or you can't add people to your current phone call? Moving to VOIP is so amazing. The ability to pick up your calls via your cell phone is absolutely game changing IMO. When I looked at Google Voice years ago that wasn't an option - that's nice.

Saw a securities analyst say this was one of the more revolutionary places for changes so far. My niece teaches and a guy I know runs a midwest office for a home schooling firm (they provide the curriculum and all materials for students learning from home) and they both commented that AI is going to dramatically change the fields in the next few years. I saw hedge funds are using AI to scan the world looking at published financial documents / transcripts of interviews and looking for red flags. AI can read every language out there and it reads ALL the footnotes. Regulators are going to use it also to scan for problems.

ohhh, I didn't know they allowed an authenticator. Thanks.

An authenticator is an APP on your phone and you either go to it, look at the 4 digit code and then enter it (basically the same as a text) or the app pops up on your phone asking you to verify it's you trying to log into the software. With that you just hit "yes".

Yes you can have multiple programs / websites that use the same authenticator. I have 2 of them that use Okta. I'll ask my wife about replacing the phone, she just bought a new one and had to work through all that. She's literally taking a work test at the moment and would reach through the phone and choke me if I called.

Using an authenticator is so simple - hope Drake implements that as an option. I've got 3 on my phone and they all work perfectly and easily. I do always wonder what happens if I lose my phone.

I did my two businesses - took about 15 minutes total. I'm not handling it for clients - it's their responsibility as it isn't a tax issue. I have 1 client I will remind this fall but I'm not doing the work. Everything I've read says it's a legal issue with the federal government (entity type issue) and not my problem.

Anyone can buy health insurance and my wife works at a major university - they will allow us to continue our current insurance inside their plan and we pay their cost (it's a benefit they pitch to employees). With Obamacare eliminating the pre-existing condition problem, getting health insurance isn't an issue. We don't have a pre-existing issue but you never know.

I'm 57 and the only reason I'm working is to pay for health insurance. 3 more years and I'm done (baring a complete stockmarket meltdown).

If it's not enjoyable, why not just retire?

I do the same thing. Being 100% responsible for my own paycheck, I was always worried I'd get sick / injured / stock market would crash and wouldn't have excess cash in September or January. When I had the funds in April, I just paid everything for the year and eliminated that risk. I never had a car loan or credit card debt either because I wanted to keep my cash needs low just in case. Also in January I made my retirement account contribution for the next year so it was invested early.

How much is the 2020 refund you are expecting? Who is trying to have their ID verified? I can't imagine how it's possible it could take that long.

Personally, I'm a very cheap person.

If you are a Drake customer, can move to a reseller like that? I don't know how Drake does it but ATX flagged your EFIN and wouldn't allow it years ago. You could go from the reseller to working directly with ATX but you couldn't go the other way.

I'm confused. If ownership changed via a gift made to the daughter, why should the IRS care that the previous owner died?

I don't see a $295 version but if they had one I'd assume it is the PPR product but I know the $695 is the web based product that only handles 1040 returns. I get the desktop product that includes ALL the returns they handle. It says on their site: Our 1040-DR product comes in desktop and web based versions, if you need to file business returns such as Forms 1120 or 1065 you will need the desktop version. TW is Taxwise - I don't know what the SR product is for them. They used to resell Crosslink but holy cow that was horrific the time I demoed it years ago.

The smell and sounds of a printer is one of those favorite things for me. We had a printer really close to our office back in the 90's and I was the lackey who would get sent over to have something printed and loved that smell. Only thing better is a barn.

I have access to the Knowledge Base, not the forum. Even when I was using the software purchased directly through Drake I never used their forum. If I can't find a specific worksheet or where / how to enter something I go to the Knowledge Base site and have detailed instructions very quickly.

I would call Sigma. My experience is the people you call are terrific at fixing computer problems, not tax problems. They'll try and help but you aren't getting the best answer if you need help with real tax questions. I've never called with real tax questions but that's just my interpretation from talking with them. If it's not printing, they'll be great with that type of problem. All efiling and downloads go directly through the software to / from Drake. Once installed, you can't tell Sigma is involved except their logo shows up on the initial log-in screen.

I buy via Sigma Tax, $999 for the last 2 years and the same next year.

Oddly, no problem logging in with the VPN today. Maybe they fixed it. And a few times this year I did have to log in again after updating. Only a few.

That's very weird / frustrating. My problem only developed yesterday. I've noticed a significant increase in websites that don't want you visiting if you are on a VPN.

Just in the past few days I've noticed I can no longer load Drake / Sync while connected to my VPN. Anyone else notice this? Maybe it's just my VPN.

Call the IRS and ask them. I've had some weird letters come in from the IRS this year. One the IRS requested the client go to an IRS office and verify who they are before they issue a refund. Before the letter was received the refund had been deposited into their account. Another client received a letter that their overpayment couldn't be applied to 2024 but no check and no reason why. When I called the IRS they laughed and said it was applied forward.