Tax Prep by Deb

Version 93 on my machine. Deb!

Nope! All my clients that still have not received their refunds are clients I have done since before they had children to qualify. This is the worst year yet for both IRS and ATX. Deb!

I did the page 4 thing but I have since opened the returns and check marks have disappeared on one that had a schedule C. I had marked that I have a 1099 and bank statements but now they are gone.

I never heard of such a thing. All my clients who have bank accounts and want direct deposit gets it set up that way. I've done several first time filers and never had any say they didn't get it. Deb!

Easy fix! Open the print screen wait for it to populate the list of forms then close it(i think cancel is the choice). Now try and create the e-file again. Works for me every time! It is suppose to be fixed with Friday's update. Deb!

Thanks, I'm not sure if they are going that route, but I wanted to know how to complete the return if it works out better for them. Deb

Especially when you look that form number up and it doesn't exist as far as I can tell. Deb!

Yep, I had found it. But in a community property state like California, how do you prepare the return where only one of them has income? The wife is the only one who worked and so her's is the only W-2. I know the form is how I show the separation but how do I change the amount of wages to reflect the 1/2 and how do I reflect the federal withhold to reflect the 1/2 on both returns? Deb!

Your missisng my point. If they ask me what my fee is I can give it to them immediately. I don't charge by the form I have a set fee. Most of the time I make great hourly money, sometimes I don't because of the need for additional research. I will give my client all the time they need with me, if it takes me 15 minutes or an hour it's going to cost them the same. The shopping I'm talking about is taking the same papers to several preparers to see who will do it (in my honest opinion) illegally! What she wanted me to do I could not ethically do and neither should any other preparer. It was a case of grey it was clearly wrong. It always has to do with the EIC and usually comes down to them wanting to claim the dog! I'm serious, I have a large segmant of EIC filers and many of these will shop not for the best price in doing there taxes but who is willing to put someone down that should'nt be on that persons return. I don't have the time or the patience for these types of shoppers! All of my clients love the fact that I'm not rushed with them, that they can call me any time with a question or concern. But just today there was a guy that came in that asked if I would give him a free quote and he also came in last year but handed me the info and asked me to prepare the taxes and then when he didn't like the figure (he didn't come right out and say it, but I could tell) he picked up his W2 and said he would be back later to finish. I didn't see him again until this year when he wanted me to do the exact same thing! Deb!

I agree. I think they made a mistake in the wording. Way to vague and not the intended result. Deb!

Thanks Jainen. I just fired a client because she didn't like the way I prepared her return. She thought she should be getting more. She has two kids, earned a little over $4,000 (she does receive a non taxable va death benefit from her husband who has died). She also gave me a 1099r that is issued to her son (age 4) and she told me that the VA told her he would have to file his own return because is name and social were on document. (it was around $2900). So I told her the VA was correct and that it may be subject to Kiddy Tax. I did the research and prepared the return, (the son did need to file and did have to pay kiddy tax), now she wants to simply add it to her return because her name is also on the doc but just as the guardian. I told her I could not do that (it wouldn't boost the refund anyhow because it's not earned income). She wanted to check with the people that did her taxes last year. I asked her to just come and pick up her papers. I have way to much time invested in this without having to keep arguing with her. This is not the year for me! Deb!

Problem is usually when I start to do that then they start talking about neice and nephews they want to put on return and claim EIC and on and on and on. Thats why they are shopping. They are looking for a tax preparer that will give them the figure they are wanting, not what they are legally entitled to. If it's someone referred to me by another client, out of courtesy to my client I may do it. If it's a kid of one of my client's I will always do it. But these are people who are shopping for the best refund and hoping they find someone who will not ask the right questions. I'm getting better at picking them out, but it bugs me. I don't know anywhere else I can get work done for free! I realize that they aren't leaving with a completed return, but now they have figures they can take somewhere else and compare. I do quality work. I think very carefully about all of my clients and I simply don't have the energy or patience for people like this. Deb Ps (a little short of nerves today)

Every year I get that phone call from someone wanting to know if I give free estimates? They aren't asking me to estimate how much I charge for preparing taxes, noooooo! They want me to enter there W2's and give them an estimate of their refund. If they don't like my amount than they go somewhere else. I've had a couple of calls already asking this and I guy just walked into my office and asked me if I could give him an estimate. In the past I may have been inclined a bit towards this but not now. I have been burned way to many times with clients asking that, taking their W2's with them and I never see them again. What do you you guys and gals do? Deb!

On the W2 summary it shows both sources correctly with the correct total that matches what is being reported on line 12 on the ca540. I've compared the return to what I did last year for the same client, working the same situation and it mirrors this years return except last years went through this years has not. Deb!

I have a client who lives here in California but worked a few months in Arizona. He did not change his domicile so therefore the income is taxable to California. The problem I have is the return was rejected for this reason: Form 540 line 12 (state wages) must equal the sum of all forms W-2's line 16 (state wages amt, unless form W-2 line 13 statutory employee is checked. I have looked at the amounts on both of those lines and they are the same. It shows Ca amounts and it show AZ amount but the total equals whats on both lines 12, 16. Any body else have this problem? Deb!

I have a client who lives here in California but worked a few months in Arizona. He did not change his domicile so therefore the income is taxable to California. The problem I have is the return was rejected for this reason: Form 540 line 12 (state wages) must equal the sum of all forms W-2's line 16 (state wages amt, unless form W-2 line 13 statutory employee is checked. I have looked at the amounts on both of those lines and they are the same. It shows Ca amounts and it show AZ amount but the total equals whats on both lines 12, 16. Any body else have this problem? Deb!

I also had this problem of checking a return and then the program closed. The only one I've had this problem with is one containing depreciation. Previous to the updates I was able to actually able to check and create the e-file (just couldn't send it). I have opened that return and tried again but I'm pretty sure it has to do with depreciation. Deb!

This has been posted several times. I haven't done it yet (I just recreated the return) but I will if it happens again. To fix the fields for paper check printing: Select Print to open the Print Manager dialog, then close the Print Manager dialog. You do not have to print anything. That should fix the issue. We have a fix for this issue in the next update. Thank you, ATXMichelle

Just found my answer. They have changed the worksheet to a specific form. Irs form #8958

I should have been clearer. We are in California which is a community property state. Only the wife worked and she doesn't want her refund going to pay his children's back child support. I told her I would look at it both way MFJ and MFS with injured spouse claim. It turns out that it probably would be better to file separately however I have to split the income and if I do it only on the W-2 it causes a mismatch. So in the past there was a worksheet we filled out and sent with the return that shows the split. Deb!

Can someone tell me how we e-file a return for married but filing separate? In the past there was a worksheet we filled out on the 1040 e-file but I don't see it this year. Deb!

Can someone tell me how we e-file a return for married but filing separate? In the past there was a worksheet we filled out on the 1040 e-file but I don't see it this year. Deb!

I love this board! Deb!

And I'm finding that with the new documentation requirement on E-file (residency) that a few of my clients have been lying to me. I had a previous client call today for an appointment, asked him to bring proof that his son lived with last year and was informed that he doesn't live with him but just stays with him. I ask him that question every year and he says yes his son lives with him, now the story has changed. I will be really suprised if he keeps his appointment! Deb!

Same here. Everything works fine as long as there is just one return open. But if you try to print there is a huge lag time and sometimes it causes my program to close. Deb