Lion EA

What a cutie! This is a good age, before they can travel all over the house and climb into something when you blink for a fraction of a second. They grow up so fast. My "boy" is 26 and my girl turns 21 in July. Enjoy.

And, JKL, YOU don't have to answer any questions, but you can ASK questions and THEY, the panel of the day, will answer them for you. They will also get back to you if they don't have the answer right then. And, you have their e-mail addresses now for when you think of a question later. The programs are also archived, so you can go back at a more convenient time to read the transcripts which usually include the answers that weren't available at program time.

South 60, but it's way out in IL with the sharecroppers. I'm just tracking in a lot of yellow pollen here in CT. Can't use my screened porch until I hose it down.

Yep, continue to vote through all eternity. But, Joel, on-line politics is much less deadly than Vegas or Chicago or NYC politics. We don't carry guns in our posts.

Congratulations, Joan!

I know. I have to beg and plead for the annual reports, especially if they were mailed separately from the consolidated 1099s. But, they'll include all those useless marketing brochures from their brokers and banks in the stack of papers they bring me.

Did she say YES?!

I had a client decide to do it herself this year. She then called last minute with problems and wanted to return to me to prepare her return. I told her at that late date she'd be on extension and had about 20 returns ahead of hers and said I'd try to get everyone off extension by the end of June. She agreed. Now, she's emailing me 'cause all her friends are shouting for joy with their rebates! Can't I speed up her return? Good grief.

Welcome. Hey, I have a bit of free time on my hands today waiting on a late client...

I was born and raised in Cook County during the tenure of the first Daley. Vote early and often. Joel, how was the second Daley?

Well, I better start posting more if I hope to catch up!

I had only one client who made use of puts and calls. His annual paperwork included some excellent explanations about how to report them. I think he trade through Schwab.

I went out on my own this year and am learning new software, too; so put lots and lots of clients on extension as I get up to speed. Many are upset about being on extension, because they're afraid they won't get their rebate. Not only do I have to explain to them about the timing, but most of my clients make WAY too much to qualify for a rebate. So, I spend lots of time talking and calming when they wouldn't have gotten a rebate if I'd filed them by 15 April, anyway!

I used to send and receive faxes from my computer with my old SNET (now AT&T) service. Then we changed our telephone service to Optimum cable along with internet and TV; and Optimum didn't play nice with my very basic fax software that came bundled with my Gateway computer. We also had a freestanding fax machine and a dedicated fax line on AT&T, plain vanilla with no extra services, and a cheap long distance service with an 800 number, all of which we decided to keep so we'd have a land line, hard-wired, for times when the cable might go out. But, I miss being able to fax from my computer when I created the document in my computer and to receive in my computer, especially when it's junk that I don't want to waste paper and toner on. Any of you out there using Optimum? Have you found a computer fax software that works with it. The two that I've tried answer ALL calls automatically or you have to manually answer all calls. (I can manually SEND, but forget since most faxes go through the freestanding machine.) With my old AT&T, even the free fax software could distinguish between faxes and voice calls, so knew when to answer. Or, should I be looking at one of the fax services that I guess are quasi-emails?

The fact that customer service sucked is a very big point, even if you didn't need it last year. Because when you need customer service and are a sole proprietor, then you really, really need service right now. No waiting on hold, no waiting for a supervisor, no waiting for a call back, you need service right now to continue that return.

I'll vote for that. (Not really, just getting my count up so I can be on the supreme court with the anonymous crew.)

Oh, gee, can I post a quick one, too, to up my count?!

And, I get clients calling who ask when their son or uncle or neighbor (not clients of mine) will get their payment or why son's amount was different than his friend's, neither return prepared by me. "Is it OK if I have my son call you from FL?" Good grief.

Good luck. You'll be fine. You chose a location that people will know, whether from eating at the restaurant or noticing the new art gallery or living around the corner or.... Have hubby help you with unique signage to let people know what's coming.

Hey, Joel. I just renewed my ProSytem fx. The salesman worked out a combination of Pay as You Process based on the numbers and types of returns I did this year that will be a bit less expensive. (If I decide to e-file entity returns, I won't save as much.) $4,357 for individual and all states and e-filing individual and preparing all business entities and states, but w/o e-filing the businesses. I can add e-filing for biz at any time. I can't pay monthly as I did this year, but it's a downpayment then the rest of the "license" fee type stuff this fall then the pay as you process stuff monthly as it occurs. So, that still spreads it out over at least six payments, and probably more as I have a lot of extensions and a few fiscal year clients and many procrastinators. I did not get stressed by my software or by tech or tax support this season, and that's worth a lot of money to me.

Good Grief! Not only are we contending with mergers and acquisitions, but not companies are supplying their software for other companies to market...

When I started using ATX, they let me buy a CD for a prior year (before I used ATX) for $20. Then, when I changed computers, they unlocked my unused returns on my new computer so I could prepare some prior year returns -- similar to you, I had a couple of unused returns for a prior year or two, but had changed computers in the meantime. This was maybe during the Kleinrock reign, but before CCH.

I think you're right. Unless the corporation has future earning potential that she whats to be involved with, getting non-taxable cash as a property settlement might suit her needs better. Even securities or their house will have their pre-divorce basis attached. Cold, hard cash can be invested however she chooses. Don't settle for investments he or his family chose.

I think I have until the end of June or July for early renewal discounts, which I will take advantage of this year. Last year I was shopping and didn't buy until the end of November or during December. This year I'll invest in any training for myself and my assistant that looks good, no matter how much it costs. Last year, it was tax season and boom, on the job training. Luckily the tax support and tech support people were very available and very patient and very knowledgeable and very open to giving out their favorite tips and tricks along with answering my question of the moment. They track all calls, so when I called to ask what they'd told me two calls ago since I now had that situation come up; they were able to look it up and explain it to me! (There are also lots of built-in tutorials and on line tutorials and knowledgebase and built-in sample returns of all types, so I can explore something without trashing a client's return.)

Ultra Tax is a Creative Solutions product purchased by Thomson, now their Thomson Tax & Accounting division. Lacerte is, as we well know, Intuit. And, ProSystem fx is CCH, a company I was not ever going to trust again. I purchased EVERYTHING, well almost everything tax from ProSystem fx this past tax season for under 200 returns; but e-filing on a pay-per-return price since the break even point was over 200 returns for that. No deferred comp plan returns, but individual and all states and all other entities and multiple computers; plus e-file pay as you go. I can't find my contract, and I'm paying monthly, no interest, so this isn't an exact price; but I'm paying something in the $4,000s, maybe $4,785 PLUS the efiling of $3.20 fed and $1.10 state per return e-filed. I've been paying $341.83/month after a downpayment that was, I think, about twice that; plus whatever e-files I incur in that month. Those amounts are before sales tax. Extension e-files were $1, and entities are more, I think; but I didn't e-file any biz returns even though I thought I would and might still for those I have on extension. I'm getting a 50% discount as a small business for three years. Then my costs will increase by 20% per return each year, or something like that. If I track down my contract (which I'm trying to pull out to compare with renewal paperwork I received) I'd be glad to fax it to you.