Lion EA

From CCH's e-Newsletter last week: Partnership, Corporation, S Corporation, Fiduciary, Exempt Organization Officer ID - State requirements for electronic filing most state returns now stipulate the inclusion of an ID for the return signing officer. This ID is the social security number for the signing officer. States also allow for the federal employer identification number as an ID for the signing officer, if applicable. Number of W-2s - State requirements for electronically filing returns require the number of W-2s associated with any deduction for salaries and wages to be included for electronic filing purposes. All Fiduciary returns, Federal, California, Florida, Michigan, and Texas returns are not requiring this information and can be electronically filed without the number of W-2s present. Notes: If this information is not provided, your return will not qualify for export. The following states do not require the signing officer ID or the number of W-2s: California Florida Michigan Texas

http://www.dollarssense.com But I really need to pick a new template. I keep waiting until I design/have someone design a logo. Anyway, it updates for me so I can forget it during tax season.

I get woozy when I see blood. Can I take a cheek swab from my clients instead?

Check to see if you have a stray character in one of those fields. Delete the data in those fields totally, however ATX has you do that. Save.

You can subscribe to IRS e-Newsletters &/or read the email updates from your tax software company &/or attend a tax update class each December/January &/or experiment with your new software each December to see what's changed. This is year two, and more large payroll companies and large employers are required to participate this year than last year.

Used to be, if you watched the demo you did get to a pricing screen. But, every year is different.

I pay it annually so don't remember for sure. All-in with content, opt-in newsletters, FileShare, total choice over what content I choose, ability to change templates, colors, reorder/add pages, copy/paste my own content &/or type in any changes, or just set-it-and-forget-it and let it make monthly changes to keep things fresh with no effort on my part, I'm sure I must pay around $1,000. I remember it as pricey (maybe $800 all those years ago), but it was set up and ready to go without me touching it (salesman had my company name and info already entered for my free trial) so I didn't have to do a thing until I had some spare time after tax season that year. I did change templates some time back but don't like the one I'm using as much anymore (it shifted some things when they updated for mobile phone usage by our clients/prospects/shoppers, so I'll pick a new template after tax season or some sleepless night. Anyway, I liked my trial and paid the bill and keep renewing. I do very little except pay the bill. By the way, I get discounts on all CCH products, because I use more than one product. If I remember correctly, ATX users have a lower price for SiteBuilder than ProSystem fx users, so your cost may be lower. I have wonderful customer service from SiteBuilder.

I use CCH's SiteBuilder.

Now I see it -- the extra digits in the MFJ table. Yes, you were right to let them know, Abby. And, there's nothing like that new car smell, FDNY. I had a brand new (1,000 miles) loaner from the Subaru dealer for a few days and really enjoyed that new car smell.

Better than our Congresspeople!

Great idea.

Older NY licenses have the DLN on the front lower right corner in tiny print. Don't forget to deduct the magnifying glass you'll be buying for your office. Newer NY licenses have the DLN on the back, so if you client is uploading a copy to your portal, require the front AND back to be safe. The change was 28 January 2014.

I could do Facebook Live. I think I then can post the archived video on Facebook also. Elrod certainly deserves a large audience.

I'll share Elrod.

Definitely! Looking forward to it. I'm ready for your performance.

Elrod, if you get bored, you can come help me. I have a guest room. Hubby cooks. I'll pay you to be my employee: tax preparer or researcher or court jester, your choice.

We need you during tax season more than ever. Drop by each day to cheer us up, relieve our stress, make us smile and laugh with you.

Thank you, Terry.

I tell my clients that it's the same firm that transmits their e-filed returns, so it's as safe as I know, but even the IRS has been hacked, so I have no guarantees. I let the client decide if they want to send &/or pick up in person or use the US mail or my portal. For a few pages, I will fax if I know they are standing by their fax machine/computer -- if they request. My husband makes pick ups and deliveries to clients he recognizes. I still have clients who email their tax information. I will answer questions via email, but not send tax information or identifying information via email. I guess postal workers have intercepted snail mail. My computer and telephone are hardwired, not wifi. I'm in the boonies, but someone could break in. They'd still have layers of passwords to get through for my computer to be of any use to them, but I do have some old paper files if they break the locks on my file cabinet. I warn my clients and let them choose what method suits their comfort level.

Mine arrived today also. It has more pages than the old Tax Facts and lots more information than the old HRB desk card. Even hubby thought it looked like a handy tool, and he knows nothing about taxes! Yes, I agree that the color, fonts, chart format, etc., make it easy to find what I need. Glad you're pleased, Catherine.

I've told clients to get a certificate from the Secretary of State! I don't send comfort letters. When a client really gets to me, I send the client a letter that beats around the bush about the bank doing its own due diligence and state which tax form I file for the business and a bunch of nothing. I send to client who can do whatever they want with it.

I mask everything I can. Years ago had a client leave their folder on the roof of their car and drive away and never found his paperwork.

I use CCH's FileShare via my website. But, when I send, FileShare emails my client with a link. Easy on their part. When a client uploads a file to me, I get an email also.

We need a tongue-in-cheek emoji.

I ordered envelopes from the same supplier as the uni-forms, but use so few per year that that was a very long time ago. Maybe Intuit. (I have clients buy the complete package from Staples or wherever that includes 1099s, 1096s, and envelopes. Usually a few envelopes left over as some ICs pick up their 1099s. When client has a stock of envelopes, I buy them uni-forms.)