Tax Prep by Deb

KC is absolutely right again! I have done this in the past and although everyone feels bad at the time the error is discovered, I have always had the client come back the following year. I had one come back from last year were it took several attempts to get the e-file through as I kept transposing a number and couldn't find it. I missed the refund cycle for that week. I apologised and the client was o.k. with it. They came back this year and found out that instead of the refund they were expecting they owed. I thought it would be one of those situations were they would try to blame me, but I explained they needed to check with HR department and see what their withholding status was. Turns out one of them had apperantly changed theirs and thats why they owed. Feeling for them this year, and remembering the problem I had last year I reduced my fee by $20.00 and told them it was because of what happened last year. They left the office happy! By the way even when you make a mistake, if you treat your clients right they will respect you for it (at least most). This particular client has referred several people to me. So again we are all happy! Deb!

I'm not so concerened about improvements for next year. I'm more interested in what they intend to improve for this year. If I was them I would start by improving support for the product we use! Deb!

Yes! In fact I have had to change it twice now. Deb!

I already filed one who's spouse died the first of December and it went through without any problem. What my clients have told me in the past however is that the refund doesn't always show up on the same schedule as if both spouses were alive. It is sometime delayed! Deb!

Did that myself last year for a client. Boy did I feel bad! That's when someone suggested that I not file any dependents return until the parents are filed and accepted. I immediately put that into practice and although it's never been an issue since, (I rarely make the same mistake twice) it's still a wonderful safety net. Don't beat yourself up on this, it happens. My clients were very understanding and was just glad that I could get it straightend out! Deb!

I feel your pain! Even when I did get to tech support with this issue, it's was obvious after 4 hours the person I was speaking to had no clue about the ATX program so I asked if there was anyone in that department familiar with ATX and I was told NO! He did state that they were suppose to be getting a couple, but that they were in training for TAXWISE! Thus my whole frustrations over this program this year! No Support! Deb!

I hate to bust your bubble, but I never log out either, yet every 45 days I have to resign in and that's when I'm hit you must change your password. So that fact that you have never had to doesn't seem right, but then again there is a lot of things about the software and ATX that doesn't seem right this year! Deb!

There is a 1099-SA worksheet just like you were entering 1099MISC. Start there, but you will also use the form 8889 to show whether the distribution is taxable or not. If the distribution was used to pay for unre-imbursed medical expenses put that amount on the form so that it does not generate the additional tax. Hope this helps! Deb!

I had an incident number the first time I called in. I did get a call back the next day only to tell me that he hadn't had a chance to work on my problem, and that he would call me back on Monday. That was three weeks ago! As to the check box to turn off simple file sharing, I had already checked this. My network is set up exactly the way they had me set it up last year. It's just that somewhere there is a bug! If I could find it I would squash it! As for e-mail questions, I tried that on another issue and was told by their automated reponse that I could expect a reply in 24 to 48 hours, again that was at least a week ago. But that problem was resolved when they finally started sending and receiving CA e-files. Other than that things have been fairly smooth! Deb!

I'm still having the problem. Last year it was a permission issue and tech walked me through it. This year however I think it's just a fluke. My problem, although annoying, hasn't caused me not to be able to use the workstation. It's just that if I open a return on the workstation that contains a form that has not been opened on the server I run into a problem. As to the computers on the workstations locking up, I've never experienced that in particular, however I did have issues of slow opening and slowing the workstation computer down. I did have problems with the program not opening at all because it was having to work to hard to locate it on the server, and again tech support helped that problem by having me move where I had 'ATX installed on the server. This is different than what I experienced before. Altough it seemed at the time extremely important to get this fixed, my Dad's health, who uses the workstation, isn't allowing him to work much this year so I'm pretty much down to just needing the one computer. This is going to be a very looooooooong tax season. I do hope you get some where with support, I'm still waiting for a call back that was suppose to happen about three weeks ago. Deb!

Check also to see if one of your extension phones has the conference or hold button engaged. Mine does this ever so often and it takes forever to chase down and find which phone caused the problem. I know the lines engaged because my phones all have a call indicator, usually if I go to all of them and disengage that button, (in my case my phones hold button is also my intercome button and also my conference call button) I can get it to hang up. Hope it helps! Deb!

Extremely well done and easy to understand! I really do like straight forward, yet logical answers! Deb!

I agree KC. I hope my comment was not taken as a slap against William. It was never intended too!. I felt all along that the reason I wasn't getting the help wasn't his fault. Although he did e-mail me I could since in it's tone that none of this was his doing. I have always respected William, and quite frankly was one of the main reasons I chose to renew this year. I felt (I guess I was dreaming) that as long as William was around, support would be o.k. Like many I was caught way off guard when the support we all came to know and respect was no longer there. Therefore for myself, there is absolutely nothing keeping me with ATX. In fact I feel that as soon as I can cut the ties I can move on. I sincerely hope that we can find a product that delivers at least some of what ATX delivered in the past, but with the emphasize on support. This is always a stressing time for all of us, but if you can't rely on help being given in a timely fashion, I can't help but wonder if I wouldn't be better off doing them by hand? (not really, but the point is when we call for support it's usually beause we have exhausted all possible means of fixing the problem ourself. At leat that's the case with me. So when I call it's because I really need help!) Again I'm sorry if I implied anything negative about William, it was actually directed at that company that's trying to murder our program! Deb!

That really comes as no big suprise to me. In the past if I had a problem that wasn't getting resolved I could e-mail William per his invitation and he always took great, no even better than great, care of me and solved whatever the problem was. I have e-mailed him I believe three times this year regarding the same issue, and he finally did respond with a promise to send my problem to management. I have never received a call back nor did I get a promised call back from support regarding my issue. I wish I could say that this last news is what caused me to abonded ATX, but it isn't. I already made that decesion before reading this post, but it only confirms that I made the right decesion. I'm not like some who is going to switch right now, as I do not have time to learn a new program. But ATX I PROMISE YOU THIS: When April 15th comes along I will be shopping. And even if I have to settle for a less than ideal program for tax year 2008 IT WILL NOT BE YOUR PRODUCT! ANY OF THEM! Deb!

I'll be sending some more in as well. This is absolutely the best investment I can make for my small office! Deb!

catax, Yes you can file a part year arizona tax return and from what I could come up with on their States site is that acceptance into the Federal e-file system is acceptance into theirs as well. Remember that in the past with California anyone who wanted to transmit returns had to go through the application process? Well this year they have also decided that if your accepted into Federal E-file that's good enough for them. This sure makes our job a lot easier! Deb!

I have a client who when I first met had been permantely and totally disabled two years before. Prior to my working with him a tax preparer didn't file the 5329 and request the exception for permantly and totally disabled. I ammended, client was extremely happy. Last year he re-financed his home and took equity out and was talked into investing it into an annuity. Before he turned 59 1/2 he took a $3,000.00 withdrawl and the 1099R reflects distribution code 1. My question is would the exception still apply? He's still total and permantly disabled, however my gut says he should have known better, and that the exception wouldn't apply because the annuity was set up after the disability. Anybody have any thoughts? Deb!

Good One! Deb

Is the grey permanent or temporary? I almost shut down my computer thinking it was doing funny things until I saw this post! Deb!

Same here, I have several schedule C's that include other interest. I've never had a problem transmsitting. But why can't you just move the interest to the other expense sheet, list it as credit card or business loan interest and deduct it there? Deb!

I actually I had this come up a few years back. My client took the builder to court (small claims) won judgement and when the amount was refunded they were issued a 1099 coded (yes) 7. I had client send by certified mail a letter indicating the error and that either they get it corrected or the case would go back to court. Builder corrected the 1099 and all was well. Later on I had an opportunity to work with this builder and it became clear to me that the main problem is that when they paid this out that didn't really know how to classify the payment so therefore the 1099 was issued in error. To make a long story short all was resolved in a couple of weeks. Just my 2 cents worth! Deb!

As to why Atx program has that box to check I think goes back to info that relates to prior 1985 divorce decree. I do believe from 1986 forward Fed's rules (I.R.S.) favors non-custodial parent, where as prior to 1985 it was whatever was stated in the decree. I'm not 100% sure on this as I started preparing taxes in the early 90's. Deb!

Amen! Deb!

All my old ones have now come back accepted. I think by the end of today everyone should be pretty much caught up. Can you believe it? It's exactly what the support person told me earlier today! Deb!

Got my first ones back as well! I guess the gal I talked to today was correct! Looks like we are in business!!!!!! Deb!