BulldogTom

<<An evanglist may qualify for minister's tax treatment, which would include the housing allowance designation.>> Take a look at McFarland v. Commissioner TC 1992-440. I think it is more on point about the issue of can a self employed minister exclude housing allowance, but it still leaves the sticky question of how to get it designated in advance. The RR 64-326 had the taxpayer negotiatin the housing allowance in advance and they refer to the places he traveled to as employer churches. So I am thinking that a self employed traveling evangelist who has regular support from separate churches, but also recieves "free will offerings" at most of his ministry locations can ask the organizations that support him regularly to designate those funds as housing allowance and will claim as regular income the free will offerings he recieves. Does this sound right? Thanks again Mike. You are a great resource and I very much appreciate your time. Tom Hollister, CA

I disagree. I provide my knowledge, experience, and expertise in the area of tax preparation. I owe my client a professionally prepared return that they can present to the IRS. The paperwork they give me I return to them unless I am required to maintain it. I keep photocopies of certain documents that explain an unusual position or deduction taken on the return. Do you give your software to your clients? Then why would you give your workpapers. This is your intellectual property. It does not belong to the client. The only thing they are entitled to is a properly prepared return that they can give to the taxing authority as well as their original documents that I used in preparing their return. If they want to see or get a copy of a workpaper that was part of their return, I will gladly do so. Not backing down Ken. No detail schedules unless they ask. Tom Hollister, CA

Then I go to heaven and watch you try to figure out the depreciation. I win. Sorry Ken, not buying that I owe you a depreciation schedule. I owe my clients one, if they ask. If they want to leave me, I want to know why, and this is a great way to make sure they come back and I can ask what I did that caused them to leave. I can learn from what I did wrong. Tom Hollister, CA

Gfizer hit exactly what I was reading. I don't see anything that says one way or another. They always seem to mention an "employed minister" in connection with the housing allowance. Thanks Mike. I will look at that ruling and regulation. I will post here if I have more questions. Tom Hollister, CA

Sorry Ken, I am one of those guys. I want to know why I am losing a client. So they have to come to see me to get the depreciation. Of course, I give it right up and at no charge. And if they ask for it in their package, I print it as well. It is a marketing thing for me. Tom Hollister, CA

Mike, if you have a minute could you point me to some guideance on Clergy Taxes? Taxpayer is a traveling evangelist. He goes from church to church working a program for men's ministries. He is ordained and works with a larger ministry which pays him as a contractor. He also takes in offerings at the churches he works with, and gets money from other churches that support his efforts in his ministry (they give him cash on a regular basis like a missionary). Can this taxpayer get the amount that the larger ministry he is associated with designated as housing? Thanks - and I am sure this is not a cut and dry answer. You probably need more facts. Just ask. Tom Hollister, CA

I refused to answer the phone today, and after church I went for a walk with my spouse, tried the new Doritos Locos Tacos for lunch, cooked an amazing asparagus lasagna for dinner, and to cap it all off, watched a Julia Roberts chick flik with my wife. I am heading off to bed and will tackle the 4 tax returns I should have done tomorrow. Tom Hollister, CA

My sincerest appologies. I was just kidding with you. I know (and everyone who knows you knows) that would not be you. That is what made it funny. Tom Hollister, CA

Go to the MN department of revenue website for yourself and look under the second tab from the right "Newsroom". Tom Hollister, CA

Saw the Jenkens and thought it was KC!!!!!!!!!! Then I remembered it is KC Jenkins. At first I thought KC was braggin', Tom Hollister, CA.

Sorry I doubted you. So I went to the website, and sure enough, they are calling out Intuit. Named all their products. It is in the newsroom section of their website. Cool. Just wish it was the state republic of CA that did this. Tom Hollister, CA

I wish that was the answer, but I don't think they do a good job of it. That is why I never joined NAEA or CSEA. Except for a little discount on the CPE, I see no value in their organization for my profession. I still can pay full price for my CPE and attend their functions, but when it comes to having a meaningful seat at any discussion about our industry with the government, I see a big void when it comes to the EA societies. Hell, we have been recognized for a very long time by the IRS, yet most of America doesn't even know what an EA is. If I may take liberty with a quote from one of my favorite movies "What we have here is a failure (by the EA society) to communicate (what an EA is to the American public). Tom Hollister, CA

Got it, Junked it. Just more CCH drivel about how much they care. Bull crap! At least he appologized. What good is that? And he hopes to meet us. He better hope we don't meet. I would not hold back on telling him what a pile of TURDS ATX has become since CCH took over. And I would probably use language that would make KC ban me from this board if I used it here. Tom Hollister, CA

Rich, This is just for fun, so please don't take offense. You seem to know the rules. What if the athlete is injured? Let's say Tony Romo (Dallas QB) is hurt and can't play against the 49ers this year in SF. Can he stay home with the trainer and never go to the game and still get taxed on that income in CA? Tom Hollister, CA

Lets really split hairs. Could I put my advertisement in corp X w2's that you prepared, and you put your advertisement in corp Y w2's that I prepared? Tom Hollister, CA

My w2 had a JH coupon attached to the bottom. It was perforated, but definately attached to the W2.

Yes to your first question. I am told that CA is very aggressive in pursuing "visiting athletes". That is why they are always hoping for playoffs to happen in the state. More revenue. I am not sure about your second question. I believe it is per game, but you would have to check with someone who has those clients. That would be interesting if you could structure your contract to say "athlete X will be paid $500,000 for each game played in Tennesee, Florida or Texas, and $50,000 for each game played in any other state." Wonder if CA and NY would throw a hissy fit. Tom Hollister, CA

I worked for a temp service last year. At the bottom of my W2 was a Jackson Hewitt discount coupon. Tom Hollister, CA

But KC, when I rolled over the return, and every time I opened it after that, it told me the forms were not available and had the little check mark for download when available. This went on for a couple of days. Does this change your mind? Tom Hollister, CA

I have one client who has a MI rental. Not a big deal. Been doing their return a few years. Fairly simple to figure out. So they come in this year and drop off their stuff. I tell them the 8582 PAL form was not ready and it might take a little longer this year. So when the PAL is ready, I figure I better get on the return. But the MI forms are still not showing as available. This goes on until today. I started thinking that I was not hearing a bunch of bitchin' about late forms from Chuck and some other MI posters. I went to my update preferences, and sure enough, I forgot to select MI when selecting my states to update. When I hit the update, 303 forms came down. When I opened my client return, there were all the MI forms. So I think that the software is not trying to download forms you have in your return unless you checkmarked the state to download their forms. I don't think it worked like that in the past. Does anyone else think this is a "bug"? Or am I just a dufus for not checking on a state that I have a client from? Tom Hollister, CA

Yes, we sent ours out yesterday.

I think the deficit for this year is projected to be 800-900 Billion dollars. That is the amount those dirty SOB's are spending over the amount that they are taxing us. So the Sequester is cutting that by 85 Billion. As Maribeth and Rita would say -- WTH? That is not even going to get you close to balanced. But if you listen to those dirty SOB's in Washington, the planes are going to fall out of the sky, children will not eat and will starve in the streets, our military will no longer protect our shores, and police and firefighters will let your wife be raped and your home burn down. Lying SOB's. They are going to spend 3.8 trillion dollars. That is Three thousand and eight hundred billions. And they can't cut 85 billion without the hysterical lies they are spreading? I saw Leon Panetta give an interview talking about how much this is going to hurt. My ass....it would not hurt for them to take the pay cuts in salary and benefits. Let those SOB's find out what it is like to pay 50% of your own insurance and 100% of your family health insurance, and let them see what it is like to try and figure out how to get some money into a 401K that does not have a match. Let them pay $4.09 for a frikin gallon of gas. And tell them there is no housing allowance when they live in Washington, they can take the deduction on their taxes subject to 2% of their AGI. I don't know if I hate CCH or Politicians more right now. Tom Hollister, CA

Cool, I wish I had done something like that at 18. Tom Hollister, CA

Just a question, do you keep the form in the return just for the data it contains (EIN's of care providers, addresses, crap that the clients never remember) or are you keeping it for a different reason? I charge by the form, so I eliminate forms not needed in the return. Tom Hollister, CA

HV Ken, I have not had a chance to work in the print manager a lot because things are so "iffy" with the software. Could you elaborate on some of the things you like? I will start - I like the custom watermark feature. When amending, I usually include "As Originally Filed" and "As Amended" on my 1040 copies and I highlight them. Takes time. Now, I click on the watermark and it prints across the page for me. NIce time saver. Tom Hollister, CA