NECPA in NEBRASKA

Most of the phishing emails that I get go to my old, old email account that I never use for work or the one on my website that forwards them to another email not known to the public. They have become more sophisticated lately, but every one has a really strange email address. It really helps that I have only taken referrals for years. It's a scary world anymore.

I wish that I still had some colleagues. All of my friends are retired, dead or got out of public practice quite awhile ago. I'm the last of everybody that I started out working with in the late 70s. My brother's CPA says that he can take some on, but I am still looking for others. Fortunately, I've had a few businesses go early and not taking on new clients for several years.

Catherine, I am hoping and praying that I can get this last year finished out. If my husband gets more bad news tomorrow, I may have to let some of my businesses go. I am going to slap the technology fee on and then next year, they won't have so much sticker shock when I am gone.

Marilyn, I really feel for you. I hope that your doctors can help with your eye diagnosis. It is so hard to be working on your own these days. I don't even have enough room at home to have a part time person, let alone afford one. This IT monitoring cost is a real killer. I probably fall under the 5k PII data, but when I see all of the major companies get breached, it scares me to death. At least I will have my new computer ready to go when I retire with all of my information. Good luck to all of you this year.

I have never charged a technology charge. I probably should have. Do I need to send out special letters to let my client's know that they are going to get charged one for this year? I just got a quote for managed IT services including backup and there is no way that I can eat this or just add the amount to the invoice without some explanation. I always had annual IT fees that are much lower than this. They are putting in another firewall that needs to be managed, because they said that what my former IT company used (they fired me for being too small) was not adequate, because they did not use commercial routers with a firewall. They are setting me up with a laptop workstation so that I can work away from this desk that is too low to elevate and ice my still swollen and painful knee. I wish that I had just retired last year. Now I wish that I had retired last year. We can't keep my husband well. We don't know exactly what is going on, but it may be his heart and COPD now. He's starting on his 4th round of antibiotics and steroids today since Thanksgiving, even after 3 days of being in the hospital. I'm exhausted and so far behind that I am afraid that I will never get caught up.

Sadly, I just had a knee scope for a "little" arthritis and torn meniscus that was not as successful as the surgeon hoped due to lots of arthritis that did not show on the MRI. Sitting at my desk with ice and leg elevated is basically torture, but I think that if I get a wireless keyboard and not use the keyboard drawer that I may be able to tough it out until May. I do have a call this afternoon with an IT company and my other option is to transfer it all to a laptop and use an additional monitor. I don't know if this is a great option or not. I called ATX and they told me that if I use a VPN and remote in, that it could easily affect ATX and I could lose data. Do any of you use a larger laptop to work? Mostly I use QuickBooks, ATX, Medlin and CFS Workshop for work programs. I was not planning on doing any of this until the end of the year before I retire, but my husband also had his first COPD flare up last week and was in the hospital for 3 days. I worry that this may not be the last one so I can't wait to retire and move where our son is. He, my DIL, 2 dogs and their cat all packed up and drove back the same day that the rescue squad picked him up from the pulmonologist's office last week. I'm really hoping that I can drive soon. Thanks for any advice that you can offer. Bonnie

My local IT business that I have worked with for at least 15 years, decided that I am too small for them. I was really sad, but they don't want one computer jobs anymore. They had no idea what a WISP plan is and they work with some other local CPA firms, so I guess I will just keep searching. I really want to change to a laptop with a dock soon, since I will be retiring at the end of 2024 and don't want to be tied to my gigantic desk. I'm going to try to sell it, since we will be downsizing and moving out of state.

I just attended Nebraska's webinar that is the "Farm Seminar" for 16 hours. I remember when I was still in college as an intern, starting our with these and going for years. I always swore that I would not be some of the "old people" dragging around their oxygen and snoring in class. My boss was one of them. I was 19 and I thought that he was probably 80. In retrospect, he was probably 60. LOL I still have another 8 hour tax update next month and any random ones that I can fit in.

Thank you. I will try again.

Does a payment mailed on 3/1/23 certified return receipt qualify for qualified farmers that do not make estimates? The return was accepted on 2/28/23. It took until November for the IRS to post my POA that was faxed in March. I talked to a PPS rep for a long time yesterday and she would not budge. She said the ACK date was 3/2, when it was clearly 2/28. She did agree that was correct and said that 3/1 was too late to mail the payment. I already mailed them a copy of the receipt, but it apparently has not been opened, because he never received a reply. If I am wrong, I will quit fighting them and have him pay it. Thanks!

I just got my PIN and used it to see all of my POA's. It was great to be able to pull them up and withdraw from some of them.

I had an awesome cat (thought he was a dog) greeter that managed to hit enough buttons that the computer crashed and restarted. I am relatively sure that he did not know how to use Alt Control Delete, but he was very smart.

I hope that I can still pay the taxes for a not for profit where I am a member with my own ID. They won't have payroll until next summer again, so I guess I will find out then.

I'm so sorry for the loss of your furry friend and helper. It's so hard to lose them. When we had to put down our 21 year old cat and office greeter, we got three kittens to make up for it. It has been fun, but a lot.

I can't imagine the grief if all of our clients start getting emails from them after telling them for years "not to open them". It will be open season for scammers.

The red error turns out to be with the original W2s on the 1040. The dependent filed her 1040 on her phone, tossed or lost any W2s that she had. She got a transcript that only shows partial info for the W2s and a second 1098T that I didn't even know about. I sent her on a mission to get Employer ID#s and the other 1098T. I don't have a lot of hope for success. I feel bad for the parents, because they are going to pay over 2K and then amend, since it will not be processed in time.

I agree. I keep paper copies of almost all of my financial records, etc. My granddaughter has two missing W2s and refuses to get them. "They were small, Grandma!"

DBerg, You are correct. I finally figured out that it's the lack of W2 information that is stopping the whole process. She lost her W2s from her original return or "it's on my phone somewhere". She got wage statements from the IRS and it does not show entire FED ID#s or address. I told her to find them or get copies. I have the copy of the 1040, but apparently the W2s are the holdup. I wish that the schools around here would teach some personal finance so that these kids would be able to function and know what things are important to keep.

It was $35. She was worried about amending the return in case they took it away. I'm just upset that it has to be mailed, since there appears to be no way to inform ATX that it was already e-filed and accepted.

Stupid Toasters! For anyone that watched Battlestar Galactica.

So I should not create a 1040 and then amend it? Trying to e-file the 1040x is where I get the error message. Warning Per IRS, if electronically filing an amended return, the original 1040 return must also have been electronically filed and accepted. Otherwise, the amended return must be paper-filed. Why, why do kids file their own returns? This is such a huge pain. It may be another ATX issue. It means a huge difference on the parent's return.

I prepared a 1040 as the child efiled it and then selected amend. It makes 0 difference, because the child only had $5k of income and a $35 refund. ATX is not allowing me to e-file the 1040x, because it says that the 1040 must have been e-filed. It was, just not on my computer. Does anyone know how I can show the program that the 1040 was efiled and accepted? Thanks for any ideas. I did search here and saw that it has been done in previous years by others, but I don't know how to make ATX listen to me. Thanks, Bonnie

I have already told almost all of my clients that I am retiring at the end of 2024. I am trying to figure out how to end the payroll. If I finish out the year with them, then I have the quarterly and year end reports left and I was hoping to be done by 12/31. I just have too much to do with taking care of my husband, seeing my 95 year old dad as much as possible and taking care of myself. I found out last month that I have a small brain tumor and have a neurologist appointment next month. They think that it's benign, but it is strange that my mom and my sister had them too. At least I know that I have it so that it can't sneak up on me like my sister's did. Her tumor was huge and caused a seizure. She has recovered well from the surgery, but won't ever be able to smell again. My brother and I see some mental changes, but considering how large that thing was, we are amazed. I just need something else and 45 years is enough. I hope to work part time unless I can't leave my husband home alone. We would like to move to Littleton after I retire to spend time with our son and daughter-in-law and hopefully do some babysitting. He says that there are a lot of groups out there so that I might make new friends and do some light hiking. I would love to bowl again. I can't wait to spend more time reading for fun and travel more. It's tough to fly standby if you have a ton of deadlines to work around.

Congrats! Grandkids are so fun! Just more to love. Ours range from 3-18, but we're really hoping our son and DIL have a baby in the next couple of years.

I would get a POA now. The IRS will need it in order to talk to you. I'm sorry for your client and you.