Catherine

New client, with a Generation Skipping Trust return. I asked for the prior-year returns as well as the trust document. Well, the trust has been around for decades (literally, like fifty years or more) and no one knows where the docs are. OK; whatever, you do what you can do. Prior year returns - they finally manage to dig up the 2018 federal. No state return. At all. Prior accountant (who retired? died? I forget), they claim, told them that NO state return was necessary. Now what do I do? It's my belief that the trust situs is MA (based on residency of the trustee for all those decades). Although there's a chance situs is NY (where the client's father resided when it was set up - although it doesn't *seem* (from a vantage point of fifty-plus years later) that he had much to do with the setup except to recommend setting it up). Choices: Continue as before, federal return only. I don't like this one; either MA or NY is owed a couple hundred bucks of tax a year. File a MA state return this year. Not NY; nothing except residence of a long-deceased gentleman to support assumption of NY situs. Wait and see if the state then comes back and demands prior year returns for X years, plus tax, plus penalties. Recommend filing three closed years. Underlying assumption: the federal tax returns, or original filing docs (brokerage statement) can be dredged up from somewhere or someone. Crawl under my desk with a three-pound bag of Skittles and a bottle of Laphraoig Lore, and stay there until both are gone and this trust return has magically evaporated. I don't like this one, either, as it's a waste of exquisite Laphroaig. Recommendations? (Obviously none of the prior year work would occur until the docs are found, but the 2019 return I need to decide about.)

If the floor and sub-floor were destroyed, I would expense that cost as a repair. Any part above and beyond restoring the floor to usable condition (how worn out was the floor previously?) would be capitalized as an improvement. But the restoration is repair; an apartment must have a sound floor. De minimis expense on the water heater. Fridge I'd either take bonus depreciation or just depreciate without the bonus; it might help more in future years to have the deduction then, in years without the huge repair costs. New roof not eligible for Section 179 expense on a rental. Amend 2018 (two years of incorrect usage to have to file 3115, so lucky to catch it in year two), continue on to 2019.

Not at all an answer - but in reading the thread title quickly, my brain turned it into "depression of defenestration" and I thought someone was so tired of being inside they wanted to jump out the window!

The 3115 asks for totals, so I should think that one for the both will work - just be sure to add the correction for each, in separately to both properties. Yes, attach pdf of 3115. Mail 2nd copy to Ogden.

And in that unlikely event, you tell the auditor that the former spouse skedaddled years ago and cannot be found. Hey, auditor - can YOU guys find him for the client; he oughta know that the client's great-aunt Millie died six years ago and left him her plastic rosary bead set.

Correct as it is stated, assuming other requirements (son's age, marital status, full time student etc) are met.

True, it's a set-up option for client and preparer copies. But the filing copies cannot and never will have ssns masked.

Time machine! or programmer error. pick one?

Just fyi, in Drake there are client copies, preparer copies, and filing (mail-in) copies. (Those last have all the ssn digits, etc.) Banks want those numbers, so they get "filing" copies. Taxpayers get the client copies that also include most of the worksheets, and have ssn's masked. Preparer copies get *all* the worksheets, plus diagnostics and notes and carry-forwards and the like.

How many years? Is husband still alive? Could he be declared dead? Has he changed his name? (Or sex, for that matter, these days.) I'd say that if it's been ten or more years, no indication the guy is alive, and no one the client knows has heard anything from, of, or about him (including maybe a goggle (sic) search for him turning up nothing)... then you could make a very good case for single. Because people who drop off the face of the earth are sometimes literally no longer on it. OTOH, if that search turns him up in Saskatoon, Saratoga, or Santiago - then nope, MFS, and look for a jurisdiction with a quick cheap divorce for next year.

Isn't that against the Geneva Conventions against cruel and unusual punishment?

Sounds like you need to see the HOA agreement. If they are required to provide those utilities to all units equally, sounds to me it's like electricity for common areas, and does make the 90% test. YMMV.

I had signed up for the NAEA message board, getting daily summaries, some time ago. I rarely look, and have never bothered to respond. Well, I responded to one and let me warn you all to stay away from that group! First off, any response seems to reset your daily summary to an email with every. bleeping. message. posted - and I could find no way to reset that (ended up unsubscribing completely). Then, the board seems to be full of full-of-themselves persnickety nit-pickers who have NO concept of taking facts and circumstances and doing the best you can do with the information at hand. Stay here, where we fuss at each other in love, and understand that we're all trying to do our best for our clients, not trying to prove how we can out-cite everyone else. Jeezle louizle I love you guys and just got my nose rubbed in how much. And Rita - there are some folks over on another board who could use some of your hugs. Just sayin'!

Yes, the oddball payments where Q2 is due before Q1. Your government at play! Actually, they're doing a good job trying to keep on top, when the ground is shifting daily and emphasis is on personal 'cuz that's who is visible. Businesses are on skeleton crews, or shut, so they're not fussing very much at the moment. Good luck with your trusts. Wrestling with three myself, that are interlocked (marital and survivor share and whatever the other one is) and sold jointly-held assets in 2019. I was cross-eyed before lunch!

just click out of the return

I've been keeping tax returns open (in Drake) while doing anything for the client. Drake tracks time per return. Helps me decide who gets discounts, and whose bill gets none, and what clients are definitely more trouble than they are worth.

CA service centers are shut due to the governor's decree, and UT centers due to the earthquake. Probably some NY centers, too. That will certainly put a crimp in the works!

I've seen AMT credits in the past. I've also seen instances where MFS works better. Odd, sometimes, how tax rules, phase-outs, and limitations interact.

We are treating them as due April 15th. Q1 pmts due 7/15 Q2 pmts due 6/15.

MA now matches federal for INDIVIDUALS (with Q2 ES pmts still due 6/15 even though Q1 isn't due until 7/15). They've been talking about that for businesses, too, but there is nothing definitive yet.

He doesn't make that much money, so we don't want to do that to him (yeah, we're softies). But at this point, if he paid us triple our current fee I'm not sure we'd still want him. Although maybe for this year's returns we'll hike the price to what the local over-chargers charge him and maybe he'll go away on his own.

Yes, US - we're the pros. They don't call taxpayers demanding immediate payment with no letters sent (for months and months and months) first.

We're thinking of doing that with one of ours. Nice guy - but a clueless dolt who sends stuff in drips and drabs, does not read what we send him, does not answer the questions asked - always pulling hens' teeth to get his returns done. So now, WE'RE done.

Massachusetts is shutting all non-essential businesses for two weeks, starting at noon Tuesday (tomorrow). I wonder if that means people go to work at 8am then go home for lunch? Ill-thought-out but that's kinda standard for chuckles (Gov Charlie Baker).

I am here, but was working at my other office earlier where I don't generally log in to the forum. It has been NUTS. People at home, bored, who call to "chat" since we can't possibly be busy. Text messages. Emailed responses to questions coming one at a time instead of answering several questions at once, so I/we have to pore over multiple emails to dredge out answers. People stopping in - but calling from outside the door for us to meet them even though the door has a note "unlocked - please come in" - and then *they* want to stand there and chat. I would love to know when *I* get to be bored to tears - cuz it ain't happening. Prayers offered for your cousin's boyfriend, @Possi and I'll get my church's prayer email list working on it, too. How awful - but SO glad your cousin was there, and was armed with that metal pole.