Catherine

We had an IRS person talk at a cont ed thing some years ago. Yes, best practice is to file a blank 1041 with only the top section filled out plus some verbiage about all being reported on taxpayer's 1040. The person said, off the record, that they rarely see those and pretty much don't worry about them.

Yes, ma'am!

HAPPY NEW YEAR to all my dear friends here on the forum. May this new year coming in be nicer to us ALL than the one we're leaving behind!

I'd say a call to tech support is in order. I don't use it - but I *have* noticed that other 2FA items have been flaky about needing a lot more confirmations. For example, QBO required a code every. frimping. login for the better part of a week - and it just stopped. On a day when twice earlier I'd needed to get a code from the same computer and browser. All of a sudden - log in straight out with no 2FA. Computer gremlins, I figured. ymmv

I kinda knew, 'cuz it took me two hours to drive to the Nashville Airport a couple summers ago after our ATX Friends bash.

Might I recommend what we plan on doing this year? Put ALL of these clients on extension. At some point the rules WILL get straightened out and finalized. I, for one, don't want to do endless amended returns after the rules change for the fifth time. We are TELLING (not asking) our affected clients that they WILL go on extension this year, and also telling them that this way they won't be paying us to prepare an amended return when the rules change.

Thanks, @Lynn EA USTCP in Louisiana

@BulldogTom - my sympathies on the job loss! It *will* backfire on the boss' company; from queries you've posted here it's been clear that you're doing the work of at least two additional people at higher pay grades. He was getting a super-bargain and now he's going to pay through the nose, and that's if he survives, which is not at all assured. This may be the silver-lining disaster you needed. There is a HUGE need for tax preparation and also representation. All the representation firms are talking about an expected immense increase for that need, between all the people now behind on taxes, small businesses ditto, and the ones who "outed" themselves to the IRS as non-filers when they filed for stimulus money. As Lion said, tell EVERYONE that you have room for "a few new, good, clients" and watch them pour through the door. Make sure you have a web site with a portal. There are a number of excellent all-in-one sources (CPA Site Solutions, GetNetSet, Tenenz, and more) that come with site templates, branded portals, dedicated email, automatic monthly newsletters, financial calculator tools, and all manner of good things. It's worth the cost just for the portal and email. If you need appointment booking help, look at youcanbookme dot something or book dot me. We've used it for years and it's easy to use, and the lowest tiers are free. It's also linked on our site home page ("Book your tax appointment online - click here" it says). Saves SO much hassle and time with the ditherers who can't make up their mind when they want to come by. May you look back in three years and think, "Getting fired was the absolute BEST thing that happened for my career."

The client can always go to Direct Pay and pay in the difference. You wanted to add $500 to the payment? Pay $500. They will happily take the money.

or sneeze or cough on anything!!!

Client tells me today that his wife has let the Florida rental taxes on their rental condo go for a while. As in, a couple of years. The backlog is now more than she wants to tackle. Anyone here familiar with what's required to file Florida condo rental taxes, who wants a catch-up project? Or is willing to tell me where to get forms and any gotchas to watch for? Just the tax on rental fees. All the property taxes are in order. Thanks!

Since today is December 24th, I will wish everyone a very Merry Christmas! Next week, I'll send wishes for 2021. We'll keep the two separate.

I've always loved this one.

your government at play!

I would *hope* that they'd look at the paper one and see the changes had already been made electronically. But that probably assumes more sense on the part of the IRS than they have available.

Yes, but. If you actually try a meeting you'll get a pop-up offering to double the time. But I went for the paid version anyway; my online classes go two hours.

E-file is currently shut down; ALL returns have to be paper-filed until mid/late January.

I'll second that! Meeting all of you (the ones that made it there) at Rita's was great.

I've used Zoom for the classes I teach, and after the security upgrades I'm happy with it. I've used WebEx as a viewer, and that seems fine too, but I have no idea how to run it.

Now, I have been assuming that @Terry D actually DID provide that information to the client, at the time of the calls. Perhaps not in that specific detail, or in that detail but by phone instead of email. (I frequently email a client telling them that I spoke with the IRS today, and they said X, and leave off the agent's name and number.) It was the wanting copies of the specific notes to "prove" the contact and the recommendations that set off my warning bells. If someone just needs reassurance, that's one thing. But when they are asking me to "prove to them" that I contacted the IRS that's different. For the first, I'll refer them to the original email, or review my original call with them. I'll reiterate the backlog and maybe even send a link to a press release talking about letters going out in error. But as soon as a client wants me to put in writing something that "proves" I did something for them, my radar goes off like tin foil in a microwave.

Got it installed; thanks for the note!

Looks to me like they're looking for someone to toss under the bus when (in their mind) the feds come after them. They don't believe what you tell them, and are planning to blame you. And you're thinking of giving them information to aid those plans, why?

Plus complete job security - you can't even be fired for being a totally incompetent loser (although most are OK, some are good, some are VERY good, and some are tolerable). Great pension and health benefits. Yeah, everyone in the country hates your guts (details, details) - but they don't know it's YOU, either!

That is a wee bit different from signatures, that's for sure!

Notary, Signature Guarantee, Medallion. As far as I'm concerned, they're all variations on a theme and I couldn't for the life of me tell you the differences and legal requirements without looking them each up at that moment. The only thing I know is that they have different requirements, serve similar but non-identical purposes, and you get them in different places for different fees. I do wish they'd consolidate to something that everyone would accept.