rfassett

I found the weight you lost. Let me know when you want it back! Congratulations - keep up the good work!

Am I numbered among the 32? Well, never mind, I should know better than to ask questions to which I might not like the answer. As to the update, I ran it as soon as it was announced on my screen because I was between returns. After the update, I opened the program and it was in that middle size thing. I maximized the screen and everything was fine. I do have a three monitor set up in portrait mode, however. That might make a difference.

I used ProSystem fx's Access (their cloud based software) last year and wasn't all that impressed.

Just for the record - I was under the impression that Hohs were not deductible. Just sayin'!

Just like my guy this morning that took over $200,000 from his IRA, (not early), had 10% withheld and was SHOCKED, I tell you, he was SHOCKED, that he owes another 20 grand. "I thought I could offset all of that with my new business". The new business? A one man lawn mowing business. Come on, man!

My office away from the office is my finished office in the basement of our house. I work remotely from here in the evenings and weekends during tax season. She just came down the stairs and handed me some cheese covered nacho chips and saw my bag of pretzels, bag of Doritos, my coffee cup, my coke can, and my candy stash - all interspersed with the papers covering my desk.. And she laughed as she walked away. It's tax season, right? And I got the Oak Ridge Boys playing on my stereo behind me and my four foot Mickey and Minnie Mouse's sitting in the rocker across the desk from me Does it get any better than this?

It is true and clear that our's has been an evolving industry. The way things were when we got into this business are not the way things are today. And it is just as true for those entering the industry now. What they see today, will not be recognized in the future. That is just the nature of our industry. We that have continued in this business are survivors. We have adapted as the years have gone on. I wonder how many that started in this business when we did have over the years moved out of this industry. Anyway, as SFA says, we need to look for the diamonds and keep our fingers crossed that they will stay true.

Cancer is a respecter of no person or age! My heart hurts for you, Jack! Trust that you are doing the right thing by being there. It will be a long week, as you say. But it will be a memory producing time. I see Bill was only 59 years old. My Mother passed at the age of 58. I have first hand experience knowing what this feels like. But living life with no regrets, like being there when it would be easier to make an excuse, is one of the keys to a successful and happy life. Happy is not on your radar right now, but it will be. At any rate, Jack, even now, I lift you and your friend to the Father in Heaven: Most merciful Heavenly Father, I come before You this morning asking that You will wrap Your loving arms around Jack and brother Harmon's family, friends and loved ones. Bill's life is another that has been cut down at far too young of an age - at least that is our opinion, Father. But Father, I thank You for Your great love and grace and sovereignty. You have promised that our lives do not end when we leave this earthly vessel - but You have told us of eternity. And that is a very, very long time. Help Jack and Bill's family and friends focus on the memories that Bill leaves behind, but more so, Father, on that great beyond - where there will one day be a great, great reunion. I would ask, O God, that you will build a hedge of protection around Jack this week and travel by his side as he goes to say good bye to his friend. I would ask that You would keep him safe on the highways and byways - not just this week, but in the weeks to come. Father, thank You for hearing my prayers. And I pray these things in the name of my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ! Amen and amen! http://www.thedailytimes.com/public_records/obituaries/william-l-harmon/article_9d216471-c542-5f9f-9fc9-1486d57ca36b.html

Well - I guess you must have been too hard on it and it does not WANT to work for you. No experience with MS, so I can't help you.

Our industry is no different than any other industry in this country. I hear the same theme over and over the whole year through from my clients no matter the industry, it is almost impossible to hire qualified people who are drug free, want to work and have good work ethics. I believe it is the society within which we live. The best advice - fire fast and hire slow. I am on the look out for a highly qualified individual to take the work burden off my shoulders as I move slowly into semi-retirement over the next year or so. I have been looking for about four months now. I am hoping to have someone secured by May 1st, but that is looking less and less promising. And mine is not a seasonal position. This would be a very good career move for someone. I am trusting that the best person will present soon. As to hiring seasonal people, I have no experience with that and don't know what to tell you other than what I have already said. Good luck!

I like: "Dear ex-client, It has been real. I have chosen for you to no longer employ me. Good luck to you now and in the future. Sincerely" The others have posted some excellent suggestions and clearly more professional than mine. Mine is short, sweet and to the point - and removes any finger pointing - and removes all editorializing - and removes any doubt about the point. KISS

WITAXLADY - the short answer is no. The expounded answer is that our cutoff for "guaranteed completion during tax season" was last Friday. Everything coming in now will be extended. At last count, I have 135 to do that were in by last Friday and have not yet been started. We will get those done. We pre-schedule our tax return clients at assigning them a drop off date. Those drop off dates ended last Friday and it has been our practice to extend anyone coming in after that time. The fact that I have 135 in house to start tells me that most of them are probably in. We will continue to see probably 5 per day come in the rest of this week and 10 Monday of next week and then not much for the rest of next week. And then probably 10 - 12 the day after Easter and then it will drop to 2 to 3 per day for the rest of that week.

Sounds like a great idea, Tom! As the proud owner of a 2006 Prius with over 150,000 miles, an all electric might be my next step. And seeing it on the Nascar circuit might just push me over the edge. QUIET!!!!??????? Not in my office. It has been just another tax season day. Started out with my data entry person walking in the door this morning all rattled and asked if I saw what just happened. I said no and she went on to explain that she lost control of her vehicle turning into our parking lot. Somewhat perplexed, we were talking when a car went by the office going west (which is somewhat uphill) at a very slow rate. I looked down the hill and there was a car half way up the hill in the ditch and cross ways in the east bound lane. Within just a very few seconds, the rain had turned to ice on the road. When the dust settled, we had three vehicle in the ditches, a couple of fender benders, my wife (who always wants to help) falling, the first policeman that arrived was fish tailing all the way down the hill, a pickup truck sliding into the back of the ambulance - it turned incredibly slippery inside of just a couple minutes. I had arrived at the office not more than five minutes before without incident. My wife had made her way down to the first accident and fell crossing the road. She did get to the other side. When she had made her way back up our way, she called me with her cell to come out and help her across the road. She says she figured out how the chicken crossed the road. It called the farmer. And the rest of the day was not quiet either. Returns are still coming in at a good pace - with six coming in by 4:30.

Dear Client, You owe $584. $584. $584. Does that warrant cussing? You are an officer of the law. You need to calm down and not do your tax rage thing here in my office. Are you kidding me? $584 does not warrant that kind of response from someone in your income range. Oh, and BTW, a good portion of that $584 would represent my fee if I charged you what your return is worth. Geez! It must be getting late in the season.

Dear Client, That was your last straw. You have stood me up one too many times. Now I am sending Rita and Catherine out to take care of you! Good bye!

The biggest issue with a root canal is the paper the dentist hands you at the end. I remember my first one was just that way. Went through it without issue and was thinking that this is not nearly as bad as I have heard it to be. And then I saw the dentist's bill. Ouch! Joan - hope your back gets better and you can get it together. This is no time for napping!

I like both the, the rolling metal and the kind to which Catherine talks. I have in my garage a 1981 Camaro, with a small 305, but boy does she like to go. We bought that car off the show room floor in early 1981 in Waco, Texas and have had it ever since. She is part of the family. She has had the body restored to show room quality a few years ago, the interior has held up remarkably well. And when you take the T's off and climb in on a beautiful spring day and just open her up.....................................Gosh, do we HAVE to finish this tax season?

April 22? I am telling my folks it will be late June at the very, very earliest. I have enough catch up work (non-tax) to keep me busy until then. And for the balance of April - when we get back from our very brief time away from the office - we are committed to quarterly stuff. Then I have 3 IRS audits going on that I am knee deep in and the auditors have been gracious enough to tread water until late April. Then I have a financial statement audit that has to be done in May. And I have a half dozen non-profits that are due May 15th and some fiscal ye corps due May, June and July. Again, that is besides all of the other stuff I have to catch up. So we will not even be looking at these extensions until late June. We are up to 14 checked in today and only one has balked. She needs to have it filed on time so social security will adjust her medicare withholding back down. She had a high income year last year. I guess her concern wasn't as important during the past couple of months when she could have gotten her stuff in here. She stood out front deliberating whether to leave her stuff or take it somewhere else. I guess her love for us won out. She is on extension here.

Today is the day we started telling folks coming in that we will be extending their return. So far no one has balked. But in the seven hours since we opened this morning, we have had 10 returns come in - 2 corps, 1 partnership, and 7 individuals. I suspect that pace will maintain through at least the end of next week.

In our old country church yesterday, where I play piano part time and yesterday was one of my turns, I noticed the preacher had left his dunkin' donuts coffee cup on the corner of the lectern. During the "pass the peace" time (an informal meet and greet) I made my way to the pastor, who is once retired and about to retire again, and said, "it is probably not a good idea to leave your coffee unguarded around a tax professional during tax season". Just a couple of minutes later I was back at the piano and that coffee was only about ten feet from me. He walks over, picks up the coffee, takes a drink, looks me right in the eye, and says, "mmmm, it's still warm!" I just about went over the piano after him! Thank you Lord for holding me down!

Call support.

Not me, but a preparer, a retired bank officer, who worked out of his house which is a couple doors down from my office passed away in January and some of his clients have been finding their way to my office, was still doing returns with a pencil. Not sure that was the kind of answer you are looking for. But it worked for him. And the couple of his returns I have done this year, I have not discovered any issues with the 2013 return. I actually do monthly and quarterly and annual work for this guy's grandson. The preparer referred the grandson to me several years ago when the grandson's return became more involved than the preparer was comfortable with.

Did you go the ATX knowledge library. There is an article detailing how to restart the ATX 2014 service on your server. It's very simple and straight forward. I have had to do that a couple times this year. A conflict somewhere is causing an issue, but not enough to worry me now that I know how to restart the service. Takes less than two minutes and that includes the long walk from my office to where the server resides. You should not need to install or uninstall anything,

Ssssswwwwweeeeeeeeeeeeeeett!

I agree with Lion (AND OldJack). However, I would not editorialize about it being your fault. I have used the RP 84-35 argument only to have the IRS respond that they are basically ignoring all that and abating the penalty under the first time offender principle.