Lion EA

If you look at prior year returns for a new client (I require them) you have a Circular 230 responsibility to inform your new client of errors and of the consequences of amending or not amending. You do not have to amend. The client does not have to file an amendment. (Depending on the errors &/or the potential client's attitude, I might or might not accept a new client who does not amend.) And, yes, you can charge for amendments. You do not have to audit (as an EA, I can NOT audit). You do have to notify if you know. Our standard is Know or Should Have Known.

If an employee buys insurance on the marketplace and gets his premiums partially paid due to low income, but then gets reimbursed tax-free from his employer for his out-of-pocket premiums -- don't we taxpayers get stuck with subsidizing the marketplace?! Employee doesn't have to report his tax-free reimbursement and his W-2 stays low while his employer has a business deduction. We taxpayers are the only ones paying? I agree the penalties to employers were outrageous, but so is the employee who's double dipping and the employer who reimburses the low premiums subsidized by you and me.

A friend/colleague just emailed his favorite CPE company: http://www.apluscpe.com/

Webinars from CPELink, for instance. I get lots of webinar offers via email.

You won't have any trouble eating all your Christmas cookies with that kind of tree around giving you the munchies.

Keep it through 18 April. It'll help you through tax season!

The marketing flyer? Or, the product itself? I can email you the marketing flyer as a .pdf. The partnership is selling only the physical product this year. No downloads of the finished product this season. Make product suggestions on their website or Facebook page.

The mock-up looked great, especially under $10 including shipping, lower prices starting at two units. I ordered on the spot. As much money as I spend on research, $10 is worth trying it out next season. Again, this is not my ad. I'm just really enthusiastic about this being a handy tool for me.

I like argyle!

I saw the mock-up of this product at our December two-day tax update seminar as they wait for some final numbers. Quality product. Color coded. Laminated or some such durable finish. Accordian fold for a LOT of information in a small piece for desk or briefcase/laptop sleeve. My friend/colleague Kristin is especially excited about the education credit information in chart form which Tom compiled. I think this fills a need, like the former TaxFacts or the desk cards when I worked at HRB. I've been putting info in sleeves in a thin notebook for reference each year and use the tables at the front of TTB. But Fingertip Tax Facts requires no work on my part, and my clients don't see me reading a book in front of them! I think this fills a need. I look forward to receiving my order in January. (I get no remuneration from my review of this product.)

Three tax preparers I have known for many years via NY/CT-ATP partnered to produce Fingertip Tax Facts. Tom, especially, is an amazing researcher; he tracks down answers to questions posted on our NY/CT-ATP bulletin board with speed and appropriate cites. Kristin brought me in to work with her a few years ago, I to prepare an S-corp, she the 1040 with spouse’s Sch C, and a great remote QB expert to keep their bookkeeping straight for the two businesses and personal; so I know her thoroughness. I trust their expertise and already ordered for my practice. Website (with bios) is fingertiptaxfacts.com Facebook is fb.com/fingertiptaxfacts Just thought some of you might want to check out Fingertip Tax Facts for yourself. And, spread the word around your own networks. (If you don't want to click on links, message me to email you a .pdf file. It's too large to upload.)

Agree, it's for the employEE's convenience. Personal decision re residence by H&W.

It's two part, right? 330 days in a rolling 12 months qualifies you for the exclusion. But in the quote above, only 6 months were in 2015, so the exclusion for 2015 is HALF the annual exclusion, more or less. Right?

Search on Free Fixed Asset Management Software and you'll find lots to check out. And, Excel has multiple fixed asset templates included: File, New, Business

The eSign license is free. You pay per use. Not much if you don't need verified and a few bucks if you need verified. (I bought some approvals when it first came out, so won't be buying any more for a while. Don't know how much they are now.) Check with your web site provider to see if they have a simple portal included or for a small additional fee. I take all major credit cards via Intuit Merchant Services, because it dumps the info right into my QB. As a ProAdvisor, I don't pay a monthly fee. (Although, it gets charged sometimes so I have to phone to have it removed. Watch your reports!)

1.) I have the free license for CCH's eSign, but haven't used it yet. 2.) PayPal. I have a link on the home page of my website. Anyone can use it to pay me via credit card; PayPal account holders can pay via card or from their checking account. (Also, I use mobile deposit with my business account, so depositing paper checks from clients is fast and easy.) 3.) I have the full version of Adobe Acrobat so have the ability to encrypt, just haven't done that yet. I upload to FileShare that's included free with my CCH SiteBuilder web site. Clients also upload to me. In fact, that's how we handle most signature pages so far. (I won't mention how much I pay for my web site to have that "free" simple portal.) CCH has a more robust portal available, but FileShare works for me and my clientele.

I tend to tell them the higher price (that it takes for me to be willing to work with them) and let them decide to stay or to go.

I would've told them to call the state. Might've given them the number if it was at my fingertips. Taking them back would depend on how contrite they were on that second call (after showing attitude in the first call) and how much I did or did not like having them as clients in the past. IF I did take them back, I'd inform them that my prices increased in 2015 and will again in 2016, so a return comparable to their 2014 return is now $220 (name your price, but definitely over $200). With the due diligence for EIC, I'd charge a whole lot more than $200 for an EIC return that includes a Schedule C. In fact, I probably wouldn't let an EIC client return after leaving me and showing attitude!

I work in my flannel jammies and fuzzy slippers unless I have to see people. Still stay in comfie shoes or slippers or just socks, flip flops in summer, even when I have to put clothes on. But, I'm in the land of two-acre zoning with no commercial area, so people are seldom "just in the neighborhood." They know I have a mail slot in my front door. My office is the back corner of the house, so I just hide! I have run after a couple of clients that I did want to see when they slipped their envelopes through my door -- and was in those aforementioned flannel jammies with a sweatshirt and slippers. Don't do that often, but both times were long-time clients and females.

All my MFJ couples get two letters for everything now, one to tax payer and one to spouse. And, I get copied on both! IRS covering their butts?!

You might see what modules your bookkeeping software and tax prep software offer. If it's just for you, you may be able to find a good Excel template free or at a low cost to use. Enjoy your retirement.

You can get your efile summary page from eServices at any time. I don't use ATX so don't know how to upload your .pdf to them. I'm a ProSystem fx user and uploaded to CCH. They won't give me my new VPN until January to insert in my software so big brother can track everything that files from my software.

IRS Return Preparer Office 9 mins · Update: Continuing Education (CE) Credits The IRS is in the process of launching a new system for IRS CE Providers. CE completed after September 11, 2016 won’t be reflected in your PTIN account until the system is up. The system is expected to be operational soon. We apologize for the extended delay. Please continue to check your PTIN account periodically for updates. CE credits are not required to renew a PTIN. Tax return preparers should continue to renew their PTINs. Similarly, enrolled agents with SSNs that end in 4, 5, or 6 can self-attest to their CE credits and renew their EA status.

Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank you, thank you, thank you. Trying to get two EINs for a client who needs them TODAY and do multiple years of tax returns for my late clients. And, then this payroll question....